TCF Canada speaking test: the 3 tasks, with sample topics and answers

How the test works

Speaking is the only individual part of the TCF Canada: you are alone with an examiner, for 12 minutes in all.

Real topics are confidential: the topics below are practice topics modelled on the official instructions.

Task 1: the guided interview (2 minutes)

The examiner asks you simple questions: your life, your job, your family, your free time, your plans. The aim is to show that you can talk with a stranger, politely and naturally. Two minutes go fast: answer in a few sentences, without reciting.

In short: introduce yourself; what do you do and what do you like about your job; describe your town; your free time; why you want to settle in Canada.

Why this answer works

• Concrete information: age, town, job, family, hobbies, plans.
• Varied tenses: present, « depuis six ans », conditional (« j’aimerais »).
• It opens topics the examiner can follow up on: football, cooking, the move to Canada.

Task 2: the interaction (5 min 30)

You get 2 minutes to prepare, then about 3 minutes 30 of conversation. The examiner plays a role: an employee, a neighbour, an estate agent… You lead the exchange: you ask the questions, follow up on the answers and get the information you need.

In short: you have just arrived in Ottawa and are looking for swimming lessons for your eight-year-old son. You call the local sports centre to ask about times, levels, prices and registration; the examiner plays the receptionist.

Why this exchange works

• It opens and closes politely: greeting, reason for calling, thanks.
• The questions are varied: « est-ce que », inversion (« dure-t-elle ? »), indirect question (« je voudrais savoir ce que… »).
• The candidate follows up on the answers and explains their constraints (« parce que je travaille le mercredi »).
• It covers every point in the instructions: times, level, price, registration.

During the 2 minutes of preparation, plan six to eight questions covering every point in the instructions: if the conversation slows down, you will always have a question in reserve.

Task 3: give your point of view (4 min 30)

The examiner chooses a social question and you answer with no preparation. They expect continuous, convincing speech: a clear opinion, arguments, examples. They may then push you further, or disagree to see how you defend your position.

In short: should mobile phones be banned at school?

Why this answer works

• The opinion comes in the first sentence, then is nuanced.
• Two arguments, each backed by a concrete example.
• Linking words guide the examiner: d’abord, ensuite, cela dit, en conclusion.
• A conclusion that restates the position and broadens it.

Spoken at a natural pace, this answer lasts about a minute and a half: for the rest of the time, the examiner prompts you and you develop your ideas. If they disagree, do not give in straight away: « Je comprends votre point de vue, mais… », then a new argument or example.

What the examiner looks for

According to France Éducation international, the speaking test assesses your ability to:

• talk about yourself, your family and your work;
• ask questions suited to the situation;
• give your opinion, explain the pros and cons of a plan, agree or disagree;
• present a clear, structured argument in a style suited to the context;
• present a complex subject in detail, develop it and conclude.

As in writing, your mark out of 20 is converted to NCLC: 10 or 11 gives NCLC 7 (the full scoring table).

Mistakes that cost points

• Answering yes or no in the guided interview: develop each answer in two or three sentences.
• Reciting a memorised introduction: recited speech sounds false, and the examiner may interrupt with other questions.
• Always asking the same kind of question in task 2: vary the forms and topics.
• Letting the examiner lead the interaction: getting the information is your job.
• Stopping after a minute in task 3: plan two arguments and two examples.
• Speaking too fast under stress: a calm, clear pace beats a flood of words.

As for writing, re-marking of the speaking test is suspended from the September 1, 2026 sessions until autumn 2027: prepare to succeed the first time.

How to practise

• Practise out loud with a timer: 2 minutes, 3 minutes 30, 4 minutes 30.
• Record yourself, then listen back: hesitations, repeated words, conjugation mistakes.
• Prepare a list of social topics: work, housing, screens, the environment, education, health.
• Practise with a partner who plays the examiner and disagrees with you.

On Prépa-TCF Canada, the speaking module covers the three tasks, explained in English, and the mock exam records your answers through the microphone, in the real timing. With the Pro plan, each answer gets detailed feedback: a mark out of 20, criterion by criterion, with your mistakes and their corrections.