TEF speaking. 15 minutes. Here is how to own them.

How the speaking module works.

The TEF Canada speaking module (Expression Orale) is a 15-minute face-to-face interview with a trained examiner. It consists of two sections. You receive a brief preparation time before each section.

Section A: Obtaining information. You are given a scenario (for example: you need to resolve a problem with your landlord, or you want to organise an event and need details from a venue). You must ask relevant questions, respond to what the examiner says, and navigate the conversation naturally.

Section B: Presenting and defending an argument. You receive a topic (for example: "Should schools ban mobile phones?" or "Is working from home better than working in an office?"). You present your position, give arguments and examples, and respond to the examiner's counterpoints.

The strategies that work.

For Section A: Ask specific questions.

Many students read the scenario and then freeze because they do not know what to ask. The trick is to train yourself to generate questions from any situation. Use the framework: Who? What? When? Where? How much? Why? What if? These seven question types cover virtually any scenario the exam throws at you.

Practice at home by picking random scenarios (booking a trip, filing a complaint, organising a party) and generating 8 to 10 questions for each one within 2 minutes. Do this daily for two weeks before the exam. It becomes automatic.

For Section B: Use a structure.

Do not start talking and hope it makes sense. Use a simple three-part framework:

• Position: State your opinion clearly in one sentence. ("Je pense que..." or "A mon avis...")
• Arguments: Give two or three reasons with examples. Use connectors: "premierement," "de plus," "par exemple."
• Conclusion: Summarise briefly. "En conclusion, je crois que..."

When the examiner challenges your position (they always will), do not panic. Acknowledge their point ("C'est vrai que...") and then redirect to your argument ("Cependant, je maintiens que..."). This shows you can engage in nuanced conversation, which is exactly what CLB 7 requires.

General tips for both sections.

• Speak at a natural pace. Rushing makes you mumble. Speaking too slowly wastes your limited time. Aim for a comfortable, steady rhythm with natural pauses.
• Mistakes are fine. The examiner is not counting errors. They are assessing your overall ability to communicate. A few grammatical mistakes at natural speed score better than perfect grammar at a painfully slow pace.
• Use varied vocabulary. If you keep repeating "bon" and "bien," switch to "excellent," "avantageux," "bénéfique." Range of vocabulary is a scoring criterion.
• Listen to the examiner. They are not your enemy. They provide information and cues. If they say something, respond to it. Do not just continue with your prepared script.
• Prepare connectors, not scripts. Memorised scripts sound robotic and fall apart when the conversation goes somewhere unexpected. Instead, memorise transition phrases that work in any context: "en revanche," "il faut aussi considérer," "cela dit."

The preparation timeline.

Speaking cannot be crammed. If you are taking TEF Canada in 3 months, start speaking practice now. Here is a realistic preparation plan:

• 3 months out: Practice speaking French daily, even just 10 minutes. Talk to yourself, describe your day, narrate what you see. The goal is comfort with producing French spontaneously.
• 2 months out: Start practising with exam-format scenarios. Do Section A and Section B simulations at least twice per week. Time yourself.
• 1 month out: Do full mock speaking exams with your teacher. Get scored using the real criteria. Identify your two or three biggest weaknesses and target them specifically.
• 1 week out: Light practice only. You are ready or you are not. Last-minute cramming adds anxiety, not skill. Review your connector list, do one relaxed practice session, and rest.