5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing for the TCF Canada or TEF Canada Exams
Francophone immigration has always been a key component of Canadian immigration. Since the inception of the Express Entry system, knowledge of French has yielded valuable points to the CRS scores of PR aspirants. However, the recent introduction of policies and programs that specifically target Francophones, coupled with the sky-high CRS cut-offs for Express Entry’s Rounds of Invitations, has made the TCF Canada and TEF Canada household terms for foreign nationals within Canada.
Programs such as Francophone Immigration Category in the Express Entry, Francophone Communities Immigration Pilot, or the Francophone Mobility Work Permit, with its relatively attainable level of French required for eligibility, have resulted in soars of immigrants flocking to TCF Canada and TEF Canada exam centres to evaluate their knowledge of French.
In the midst of this all, many test-takers are making the same common mistakes in their preparation. Avoiding these mistakes can significantly improve language scores making that elusive CLB 5 or CLB 7 a possibility to achieve. Below, we have outlined the 5 most common mistakes we see French learners make and outline the pitfalls to avoid so that they optimize their study approach.
Mistake #1: Misunderstanding the Test Format and Requirements
What This Mistake Is:
A common mistake we see test-takers make is that they do not take the time to understand the test structure and question types. Moreover, they do not identify times allotted for each section. They assume it is like any other French test and do not familiarize themselves with the specifics that align with their goals of Canadian Immigration.
Why It’s a Problem:
Not familiarizing oneself with the test format and requirements leads to the following:
Wasting time on incorrect preparation/study material.
Poor time management during test resulting in sections left incomplete
Mis-allocating effort and time to the sections/parts of the test that don’t carry enough weight.
How to Avoid It:
This mistake can be easily avoided by doing the following:
Visit the official websites of the TCF Canada or TEF Canada and review the latest test format.
Review the website for evaluation criteria and the number, structure and types of questions.
Take a sample test to familiarize yourself with the test structure - Crack the TCF Canada offers a free sample test for you to familiarize yourself with the exam and evaluate your French skills.
Mistake #2: Neglecting the Oral Comprehension Section (Listening)
What This Mistake Is:
The listening section is one of the most ignored sections because it is very easily underestimated. Candidates instead end up focussing on the grammar and written exercises, feeling that listening is an easier section. While that might be true, the fast and natural-speed nature of the conversations in the audio clips used for this section is often underestimated.
Why It’s a Problem:
Outside the comfort of one’s home or classroom setting, understanding accents, fast speech and vocabulary in real time under test conditions is something test-takers constantly struggle with. The lack of practice or underestimating of the listening section not only results in a lower CLB for the section, but also brings down the overall score. For Canadian Immigration specifically, achieving consistent CLB levels (CLB 5 or CLB 7) in all sections is imperative, therefore, inadvertently neglecting this section can be a significant problem if that is the goal.
How to Avoid It:
The key to avoiding this problem is allocating attention to the listening section when preparing. Some strategies to help prepare are:
Practice listening skills with authentic French media such as Radio Canada for news or InnerFrench podcasts.
Repeat phrases aloud and increase playback speed gradually.
Take notes while listening so as to be more attentive to the content.
Mistake #3: Over-Reliance on Free Resources Instead of a Structured Study Plan
What This Mistake Is:
Are you chasing free resources on YouTube, or free language apps or PDFs? Do you jump between different resources to learn the language instead of following a progressive learning structure? Then you might be guilty of making this very common mistake.
Why It’s a Problem:
Free language resources can be very powerful when combined with a structured language approach to accelerate French language learning. Standalone, however, free resources lack cohesion and depth and do not train you for the TCF Canada or TEF Canada test-taking strategies, nor do they give you realistic exam-style practice.
How to Avoid It:
As mentioned before, free resources are excellent supplementary tools, but the problem of over reliance on these resources must be addressed by doing the following:
Invest in a structured course that aligns with the TCF/TEF Canada exams. As our name suggests, Crack the TCF Canada offers a variety of course options for you to ‘Crack’ the TCF/TEF Exams.
Prepare and follow a detailed study schedule. Learning the language becomes a lot easier when you structure your learning on a daily basis. Divide your study time, practice each day, and dedicate time slots to specific parts of learning the language.
Mistake #4: Not Practicing Under Timed Conditions
What This Mistake Is:
We have seen many learners practicing in relaxed settings, without simulating the time pressure experienced in the exams. Remember, the goal is not to practice listening or reading, but to practice listening or reading in the allotted time.
Why It’s a Problem:
Inefficiently managing your exam time can lead to the following issues:
Writing section time constraints can cause candidates to rush.
Listening section moves quickly, leaving no time to replay.
Speaking responses need to be quick and structured.
How to Avoid It:
While this is one of the most common mistakes, it is perhaps the easiest to address with the following steps:
Take full length mock tests under realistic test conditions and time constraints (timer on, no breaks or pausing).
When practicing, use a stop watch to ensure your speaking, writing, listening or reading exercises are on point.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Speaking Practice Due to Lack of Confidence
What This Mistake Is:
Ask 10 learners what the most difficult section in the TCF Canada or TEF Canada exam is and 9 out of 10 will tell you it is the Speaking section. We believe we have identified the root cause of this which is learners avoiding practice because they feel insecure or do not have a conversation partner.
Why It’s a Problem:
As one can assume, this can be an issue because:
Oral expression is one of the hardest sections of TCF/TEF.
Confidence and fluency matter—examiners expect candidates to speak naturally and not hesitate too much.
How to Avoid It:
The solution of this problem is not just more practice, but how to practice better, and the following are tips on just that:
Join a structured speaking program. At Crack the TCF Canada, we have identified this to be the number one issue for our students, which is why we have created the Crack the TCF Canada speaking club, not just for our students, but for anyone wishing to join so as to practice their speaking skills with a native-French speaker.
Practice daily. Dedicate 15 minutes a day to improving your language skills with exercises such as recording yourself answering past exam speaking questions or using flashcards with common topics and speaking spontaneously while recording time.
In conclusion, avoiding these 5 common mistakes outlined here can be the difference between achieving the coveted CLB 5/CLB 7 or falling just slightly short of that goal. At Crack the TCF Canada, we have a track record of helping French learners achieve their goals and correcting these mistakes so that giving the exam becomes second nature. Whether you want to enrol in French learning programs, take a mock test, or enrol in the Crack the TCF Canada Speaking Club, we have an answer for all.
