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TCF Canada writing tasks: word count, time and score

The TCF Canada writing test (expression écrite) has 3 tasks and lasts 60 minutes. Task 1 is a message of 60 to 120 words, Task 2 is an article or story of 120 to 150 words, and Task 3 compares two points of view in 120 to 180 words. The whole test gets one score out of 20.

The 3 writing tasks at a glance

You write all three tasks in the same 60 minutes. There is one timer, so how you split your time matters almost as much as your French.

Task	What you write	Words	Guide
Task 1	A message to one or more people: you describe, tell or explain something	60-120	Task 1 guide
Task 2	An article or story about an experience, with your impressions	120-150	Task 2 guide
Task 3	A text that compares two points of view from two short documents, then gives your own opinion	120-180	Task 3 guide

Source: TCF Canada pages of two test centres, Alliance Française Toronto (3 tasks, 60 minutes, score out of 20) and Alliance Française de Philadelphie (type and word range of each task), checked 18 October 2026. Confirm with your test centre before you book.

What each task tests

Task 1: short, clear everyday writing. Greet the reader, cover every point of the instruction and close politely: "Salut Karim," at the start, "À bientôt," at the end.
Task 2: telling a story in the past. Use the passé composé for events and the imparfait for descriptions and feelings: "j'ai visité", "il faisait beau".
Task 3: summarizing and arguing. First present both points of view in your own words ("selon le premier document"), then give your opinion with reasons ("à mon avis").

How the writing test is scored

The writing test gets one score on a scale from 0 to 20. IRCC then converts this score to an NCLC level, the Canadian benchmark for language skills. This is the writing column of the IRCC table for TCF Canada:

NCLC level	Writing score (out of 20)
10 and above	16-20
9	14-15
8	12-13
7	10-11
6	7-9
5	6
4	4-5

Source: IRCC, language testing for Express Entry (canada.ca), checked 18 October 2026. IRCC can change its tables, so confirm on canada.ca before you apply.

Listening and reading use a different scale, up to 699. See the TCF Canada score chart for all four skills.

What writing score you need

Express Entry, French-language proficiency category: IRCC asks for at least NCLC 7 in all 4 language abilities. In writing, NCLC 7 means 10 out of 20.
Higher levels: NCLC 8 is 12 to 13 out of 20 and NCLC 9 is 14 to 15. Some programs give more points for a higher NCLC level, so check the table for your program on canada.ca.
Age of your results: they must be less than 2 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.

How to split your 60 minutes

This is a suggested plan, not an official rule. Change it to fit your own speed.

Task 1: about 10 minutes. It is the shortest task and the easiest place to win points. Cover every point of the instruction.
Task 2: about 20 minutes. Tell what happened in order, then say what you thought of it.
Task 3: about 25 minutes. It is the longest task and needs the most thinking. Write a short neutral summary first, then your opinion with reasons.
Last 5 minutes: reread all three texts. Check agreements (petit, petite), accents and verb endings.

Mistakes that lower your score in all three tasks

Missing one part of the instruction, for example describing a place but forgetting to invite your friend.
Going outside the word range. Count your words, and aim for the middle of each range.
Mixing registers. Use tu for a friend ("Salut Karim,") and vous for an organization ("Madame, Monsieur,"), and keep the same one in the whole text.
Writing a story in the present tense instead of the past.
Giving an opinion in Task 3 with no reasons or examples.
Spending too long on Task 1 and having no time left for Task 3.

Practise the writing test

Start with one task at a time: Task 1, Task 2 and Task 3. Each guide has a model answer in French. When you feel ready, try a full writing mock exam with one 60-minute timer for all three tasks.

Without feedback, you keep making the same mistakes. Get every text corrected, read each correction and rewrite the sentence yourself.

Check your TCF Canada writing

Paste your Task 1, 2 or 3 text and get a score out of 20, your NCLC level and every mistake explained in English, Português, हिंदी or ਪੰਜਾਬੀ. 5 free checks a day, no sign-up.

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Questions

How many tasks are in the TCF Canada writing test?

There are 3 tasks in 60 minutes: a message, an article or story about an experience, and a text that compares two points of view and gives your opinion. One timer covers all three.

How many words do I write in each TCF Canada writing task?

Task 1: 60 to 120 words. Task 2: 120 to 150 words. Task 3: 120 to 180 words. Count your words in each task and stay inside the range.

How is TCF Canada writing scored?

The writing test gets one score from 0 to 20. IRCC converts it to an NCLC level: 10 to 11 is NCLC 7, 12 to 13 is NCLC 8 and 14 to 15 is NCLC 9.

What writing score do I need for Express Entry?

The French-language proficiency category asks for at least NCLC 7 in all 4 abilities, which is 10 out of 20 in writing. Other programs have their own minimums, so check the IRCC table for your program.

How long are TCF Canada results valid for IRCC?

Your results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.

More about TCF Canada

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