The most common mistakes in TCF and TEF Canada writing
The costliest mistakes are not always grammar slips: a task outside the word count, a missing detail or an off-topic text weigh more than three wrong agreements. Here are the mistakes that come up most often, from the instructions to spelling, with the correction and the rule.
Updated October 19, 2026
1. Mistakes about the instructions: the costliest
The official TCF instructions warn that a paper can be rated “A1 not reached” if a task does not respect the word count, is off topic or is missing. In the TEF, the first criterion published by CCI Paris Île-de-France is fit to the situation. These come before everything else.
| Mistake | Why it costs so much | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Missing the word count | In the TCF, a task outside its limits (for example 55 words in task 1) can get the paper rated “A1 not reached”. The TEF only sets minimums (80 and 200 words). | Count before moving on: a word is any group of signs between two spaces. |
| Leaving out a requested point | Prompts often list 3 or 4 details (place, date, price, opinion…). Missing one hits task completion directly. | Turn the prompt into a checklist and tick every point. |
| Writing the wrong text type | A letter instead of the rest of a news story (TEF section A), a message with no recipient, an article with no title. | Identify the medium and the readers before the first line. |
| Copying the documents (TCF task 3) | Part 1 must present both opinions in your own words; copying shows nothing about your level. | Rephrase: « Selon Karim, travailler chez soi fait gagner du temps. » |
| Switching register halfway | Opening with « Salut ! » and closing with « Veuillez agréer… », or mixing « tu » and « vous ». | Pick the register from the recipient and keep it to the signature. |
2. Grammar and verbs
Ten mistakes found in many learners’ papers, with the correct form:
| Instead of… | Write… | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| un nouvel appartement | « nouveau », « beau », « vieux » become « nouvel », « bel », « vieil » before a vowel or silent h. | |
| je suis allé(e), il est venu | Motion verbs (aller, venir, partir, arriver, rester, tomber…) take « être » in the passé composé. | |
| elle est partie | With « être », the past participle agrees with the subject. | |
| si j’avais le temps | Hypothetical « si »: imperfect + conditional (« si j’avais le temps, je viendrais »). | |
| il faut que j’aille | « Il faut que », « pour que », « bien que », « avant que » take the subjunctive. | |
| beaucoup de gens | After « beaucoup », « peu », « trop », « assez »: « de » with no article. | |
| je ne sais pas, ce n’est pas grave | Written French keeps the « ne » of the negation. | |
| la ville, le problème | Gender is part of the word: learn nouns with their article. Nouns in -ème are often masculine. | |
| je vais à Montréal, en France | « à » before a city, « en » before a feminine country, « au » before a masculine one (au Canada). | |
| l’ami dont je t’ai parlé | « parler de » → « dont »; « penser à » → « auquel »; a place → « où ». |
Past tenses deserve special attention in narratives (TCF task 2, TEF section A): imperfect for the background, passé composé for actions. Our TEF section A guide explains when to use each tense.
3. Vocabulary and register
| Instead of… | Write… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| postuler à un emploi | A calque of “apply for”. | |
| en fait, en réalité | « Actuellement » means “currently”, not “actually”. | |
| finalement, au bout du compte | « Éventuellement » means “possibly, if need be”. | |
| se rendre compte que | « Réaliser » mostly means “to carry out”; « se rendre compte » is the right choice in writing. | |
| donc, par exemple, excellent | Casual spoken phrases: avoid them, even in a friendly exam message. | |
| organiser, réaliser; élément, aspect; particulièrement; efficace… | Repeating all-purpose words caps your vocabulary score. |
To vary the links between your ideas without writing a mechanical list, see our French linking words guide.
4. Spelling: homophones and accents
| Instead of… | Write… | The tip |
|---|---|---|
| il va à Paris | « a » is the verb avoir; « à » is the preposition. | |
| où est le bureau ? | « où » = where; « ou » = or. | |
| il s’est trompé | « s’est » before a past participle (pronominal verb); « c’est » = “it is”. | |
| ses amis à elle, ces livres là-bas | « ses » = possessive; « ces » = demonstrative. | |
| les gens sont contents | « sont » = the verb être; « son » = possessive. | |
| très, déjà, après | Accents are part of spelling and are marked. |
A 5-minute proofread, in this order
- The word count of each task, with the official rule.
- The instructions: is every requested point there? Are the recipient and text type right?
- Verbs: auxiliary, past participle agreement, narrative tenses, subjunctive after the phrases that need it.
- Agreement of nouns, adjectives and articles.
- Homophones and accents: a/à, ou/où, c’est/s’est, ses/ces, son/sont.
To practise under real conditions, take a timed practice test: the report flags instruction mistakes before language mistakes.
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Voyage en train
Vous avez fait un long voyage en train. Vous écrivez un message sur un forum de voyageurs pour raconter votre expérience et dire si vous recommandez ce type de voyage. (120 mots minimum, 150 mots maximum)
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FAQ
What is the most serious mistake in the TCF Canada writing test?
Mistakes about the instructions: missing the word count, going off topic or skipping a task. Under the official instructions they can get the paper rated “A1 not reached”, whatever the quality of the language.
Do spelling mistakes cost many points?
Spelling is one of the linguistic criteria, alongside vocabulary, grammar and sentence complexity. A few slips will not sink a paper, but repeated agreement and accent mistakes cap the score.
Are Canadian French expressions accepted?
Standard Canadian French usage is correct French. Avoid casual spoken expressions (« c’est le fun », « pantoute ») and English calques (« appliquer pour un emploi ») in any variety of French.
How can I find my recurring mistakes?
Have several texts corrected and note the categories that come back (agreement, tenses, prepositions…). Our report labels every correction by type and gives your top three priorities.