In this article
What the TCF grading grid is The criteria of each skill Why methodology makes the differenceThere is a huge difference between "knowing French" and "knowing how to take the TCF". Self-taught students tend to focus on grammar, but forget the specific criteria of Canadian examiners — and that's where precious points are lost.
What the TCF grading grid is
The grading grid is the tool examiners use to assign your score in each of the four assessed skills. Knowing it completely changes your preparation: you stop studying "French" generically and start training what is actually measured.
Listening
Your ability to understand spoken French in varied contexts.
Reading
Reading and interpreting texts of different genres.
Speaking
Pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary and task relevance.
Writing
Structure, cohesion and adherence to the required format.
The criteria of each skill
Each skill has its own criteria. In speaking, for example, the examiner observes specific points — and that's where the score lives:
- Pronunciation and intonation: clarity and naturalness of speech.
- Vocabulary: precision and lexical variety.
- Grammatical structure: correct use of verb tenses.
- Task relevance: doing exactly what the task asks.
The detail that changes everything: technical details that slip by at home cost your score. Without knowing what the examiner observes, you train wrong — and training wrong consolidates the error.
Why methodology makes the difference
TCF Brasil's exclusive methodology focuses exactly on what the exam demands. Instead of studying everything, you train on the grid's criteria — with surgical correction, real mock exams and constant feedback.
When you master the grading grid, every minute of study turns into points. That's the difference between leaving it to luck and building an approval.
Master the grading grid
Train exactly on what Canadian examiners score, with people who know the exam from the inside.
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