Blog
HOW EXAMINERS EVALUATE SPEAKING IN DALF C1
If you are preparing for the DALF C1, you need to understand one thing from the beginning: This is not simply a more difficult version of the DELF B2 speaking test. The expectations change significantly. At C1, the examiner is no longer only asking whether you can...
HOW EXAMINERS EVALUATE SPEAKING IN DELF
If you are preparing for the DELF, there is one mistake you should avoid from the beginning: Do not prepare for “the DELF speaking test” as if there were one single speaking test. DELF A1, A2, B1 and B2 all evaluate oral communication, but the tasks, expectations and...
HOW EXAMINERS EVALUATE SPEAKING IN TEF/TCF CANADA
When preparing for TEF Canada or TCF Canada, many candidates ask the same question: “What does the examiner actually want to hear?” They often look for complicated vocabulary, memorise introductions, prepare impressive connectors and practise speaking for several...
A1 to B2 French: What You Should Actually Be Able to Do at Each Level
One of the things that can make learning French unnecessarily confusing is the way we talk about levels. Someone says, “I am B1 in French,” and that is supposed to tell you something about their ability, but what does B1 actually mean in real life? Can they have a...
The Most Embarrassing Mistakes French Learners Make, and Why They Actually Help
There are some French mistakes that you simply never forget. Not because they were particularly complicated, but because you remember exactly when you made them, who was standing in front of you and the expression on their face when they realised what you had just...
My Grammar Is Good, Yet I Still Can’t Speak French Confidently
There is a very particular kind of frustration that comes with learning French, and I think it is experienced by far more learners than we talk about. You have studied the grammar properly. You know how the tenses work, you understand the difference between passé...
Can You Learn French From Zero and Reach NCLC 7? A Realistic Timeline
Yes. But if someone tells you that you can go from “Bonjour, je m’appelle…” to NCLC 7 in a few weeks, you should probably be suspicious. NCLC 7 is not beginner French. It means being able to understand, speak, read and write French at a level strong enough to meet a...
How to Overcome the Fear of Speaking French and Start Speaking With Confidence
“You have to put yourself through multiple embarrassing situations to be able to learn a language.” I heard this years ago, at a time when I was struggling with French myself. And honestly, I didn't particularly like hearing it. At that point, one of my biggest...
How to Stay Motivated Learning French for TEF Canada and French Fluency
There is something very strange about learning a language. When you start, every little thing feels like an achievement. You learn how to introduce yourself and you feel like you've accomplished something. You understand a sentence in French without help and it makes...
French vs IELTS: Which Can Actually Help Your Canada PR Profile More?
If Canada PR is your goal, you have probably heard the same advice again and again: “Get a good IELTS score.” And yes, English is important. A strong English score can make a major difference to your Express Entry profile. But here is the part many candidates overlook...