How to Prepare for the TEF Written Comprehension Test

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Canadian Immigration

How to Prepare for the TEF Written Comprehension Test

  • 31 May, 2025
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Are you preparing for the TEF exam and want to feel confident about the written comprehension section? You’re in the right place! This guide will walk you through what to expect and how to get ready effectively.

What Happens on Test Day?

The written comprehension portion lasts 1 hour and includes 40 questions based on a range of documents. Here’s how the questions are divided:

  • 7 questions on everyday documents

  • 10 questions with missing sentences and short texts

  • 5 questions requiring quick reading of texts and graphics

  • 10 questions on professional or administrative materials

  • 8 questions based on press articles

Each question has four answer choices, but only one is correct. You receive 1 point for each correct answer. There are no penalties for incorrect or skipped questions.

🔍 Pro Tip: Before diving into a text, read the related questions and answer choices first. Then, carefully read the entire document to ensure you don’t overlook key details. Lastly, double-check your answers before finalizing them.

How to Prepare for the Written Comprehension Section

This test is designed to measure how well you can read and understand written French—not how much you know about a topic.

To succeed, build a habit of reading a wide variety of materials in French, including:

  • News articles

  • Novel excerpts

  • Job postings

  • Recipes

  • Classified ads

This will improve your reading speed, help you recognize essential information, and expand your vocabulary—all of which boost your confidence and performance on test day.

📚 To familiarize yourself with the test format, explore the official tutorial, join a preparation workshop, and try out sample questions focused on written comprehension.

Expert Tips from TEFCanada.ca

  • Manage your time: Don’t spend too long on a single question. If you’re stuck, take note of the screen number and come back to it later if time allows.
  • Examine each document carefully and make sure you fully understand the questions.
  • Always answer, even if you’re unsure—there are no penalties for guessing.

In Which TEF Versions Is This Section Included?

You’ll find the written comprehension test in:

  • TEF Canada

  • TEFAQ

  • TEF IRN (Note: this version is shorter—30 minutes with 13 questions, focusing on practical documents like ads, menus, letters, or news articles.)

Keep Preparing

Check out our other blog posts for tips on preparing for every section of the TEF:

And don’t miss our preparation mock tests available on our website.

Still Have Questions?

Feel free to reach out to us at tefcanada.ca@gmail.com or Contact Us Page for additional support.

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Registration and examination conditions

General Conditions of Use

Applicable to all versions of the French Evaluation Test (TEF) and the Professional French Diploma (DFP).

Pre-registration conditions

The French for Business pre-registration platform (accessible at the following address) allows you to submit a request to pre-register for a TEF or DFP session offered by an authorized testing center.

This request is forwarded to the selected center, which is then responsible for contacting the candidate to complete the registration process and provide payment instructions.

Please note that registration cannot be finalized without payment. The Business French Department of CCI Paris IDF bears no responsibility for any incomplete registration, as the finalization depends on a payment agreement between the candidate and the testing center.

Personal data

The personal data provided by the candidate (surname, first name, date of birth, email address, identity document number and nationality) is collected by the CCI Paris Île-de-France for the purpose of processing the pre-registration request. This is done in accordance with the legal requirements of the relevant governmental authorities concerning applications for immigration, citizenship, naturalization, or residence permits.

The data collected during pre-registration is retained by CCI Paris Île-de-France for a period of 10 years and is not shared with any third parties.

In accordance with the amended French Data Protection Act of January 6, 1978, and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on data protection, and within the scope of these regulations, candidates have the right to access, correct, or request the deletion of their personal data. To do so, they may contact francais@cci-paris-idf.fr. In case of difficulty, they may also contact the Data Protection Officer at cpdp@cci-paris-idf.fr.

Candidates also have the right to file a complaint with the CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés) at:
3 Place de Fontenoy – TSA 80715 – 75334 PARIS CEDEX 07.

Registration and examination conditions

General conditions of access to the exam

Candidates must be at least 16 years old.

No prior qualifications or diplomas are required to take the exam.

By registering for the French Evaluation Test (TEF) or the Professional French Diploma (DFP), the candidate acknowledges that they will be required to read simple sentences in French and confirms their ability to do so.

Registration for TEF Canada

To register for the TEF Canada, candidates must select the appropriate combination of tests within the same session:

  • For an immigration application to the federal government: candidates must register for all four components — reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, and oral expression.

  • For a citizenship application: candidates must register for only the listening comprehension and oral expression components.

Identity verification

On the day of the session, the candidate must present an official photo ID to the approved testing center for verification. The candidate also agrees to:

  • Have their photo taken by a staff member of the center,

  • Sign an attendance sheet for each test, and

  • Be recorded during the oral expression component of the exam.

For the French Evaluation Test (TEF), the photo and signature collected will appear on the candidate’s official results certificate. Any attempt by another individual to take the test on behalf of the candidate constitutes fraud and may result in immediate removal from the test room and the disqualification of the registered candidate from all future TEF sessions.

For TEF Canada, the identity document presented must be the same as the one used during registration and the one intended for Canadian immigration or citizenship procedures.

After the session, the candidate agrees—if requested by CCI Paris Île-de-France—to participate in a verification process, which may include:

  • Copying a short text in writing,

  • Participating in a recorded oral interview, or

  • Completing one or more additional verification tests.

Failure to comply with these verification requests may result in the withholding of the official certificate of results. In such cases, no refund will be issued.

Change of civil status

When signing the attendance sheet on the day of the exam, the candidate must verify the accuracy of their first and last names, as well as their date of birth, as provided during registration. Any errors must be reported at this time.

If a correction reveals that the candidate has taken any of the tests within the 30 days preceding the current session, no certificate of results will be issued, and the candidate will not be eligible for a refund.

Please note that the CCI Paris Île-de-France will not make any changes to personal information that were not reported on the day of the exam. No corrections can be made once the certificate of results has been issued.

Compliance with organizational instructions

Any form of insult, discriminatory remark, or attack based on origin, sex, gender, physical appearance, language, or religion is strictly prohibited during the exam. Such behavior may lead to legal action and immediate expulsion from the exam session.

Candidates are required to follow all organizational instructions provided by the approved test center. They are not permitted to:

  • Use personal materials (unless explicitly authorized by the CCI Paris Île-de-France for accommodations),

  • Retain, reproduce, or share any part of the exam materials by any means,

  • Communicate with other candidates during the exam,

  • Attempt to view or copy another candidate’s answers, or allow others to view theirs.

Serious misconduct—including disrupting the session, continued cheating after a warning, or attempting to communicate with others—may result in the candidate’s immediate removal from the examination room.

In cases of attempted or confirmed fraud, the candidate will:

  • Not receive a certificate of results for the French Evaluation Test (TEF) or the Professional French Diploma (DFP),

  • Not be entitled to any refund of registration fees, and

  • Be permanently barred from taking the TEF or DFP in the future.

Setting up a session

Business French offers various accommodations to ensure the French Assessment Test (TEF) and the Professional French Diploma (DFP) are accessible to candidates with disabilities or limited digital skills. Candidates requiring specific accommodations must contact their chosen test center before registering to submit a formal request.

To receive appropriate adjustments, the candidate must provide a medical certificate from a qualified practitioner. This certificate should describe the nature of the disability and recommend suitable accommodations based on the list of possible adjustments available for the TEF or DFP (such as the provision of an assessor by the center, additional time, volume adjustment, etc.).

For candidates with electronic illiteracy identified by the test center, alternative assistance or adjustments—such as a manual written expression test—may be offered.

The test center will inform Le français des affaires at CCI Paris Île-de-France as soon as possible to review and approve the requested accommodations promptly.

  • For TEF / TEFAQ / TEF Canada: Candidates granted exemption from one or more tests will only be charged for the tests they actually take.

  • For TEF IRN: Candidates exempted from one or more tests must present their medical certificate directly to the prefecture. A dedicated certificate template, designed for candidates applying for a residence card or French nationality, is available upon request to the prefecture and must be completed by a medical professional.

Delivery of results

The only official and valid results are those appearing on the results certificate or diploma issued by the CCI Paris Île-de-France at the conclusion of the exam session. The TEF session results certificate includes only the tests for which the candidate was registered during that session.

Certificates or diplomas are issued only if the candidate attended the tests and no irregularities were detected during the exam or in the grading process.

  • For the TEF, the certificate is valid for two years from the date of issue.

  • For the DFP, the diploma is valid indefinitely.

When necessary, the CCI Paris Île-de-France may conduct verification checks on session documents. These checks may cause delays in issuing certificates or diplomas for certain candidates.

If, after issuing a certificate or diploma, the CCI Paris Île-de-France discovers irregularities in the administration or grading of the tests, it reserves the right to refer the case to the relevant ministerial authorities. Candidates may then address these authorities to contest their results.

Cancellations and postponements of registration

All registrations are final and binding, except in cases where the CCI Paris Île-de-France cancels the session. Candidates who are absent without valid justification or who withdraw will not be eligible for any refund from either the approved testing center or the CCI Paris Île-de-France.

If a candidate has a justified absence, validated by the CCI Paris Île-de-France within one month following the session, their registration may be postponed to a later session. Under this arrangement:

  • Only one postponement is permitted per candidate. If the candidate is absent again during the rescheduled session, they must pay the registration fee anew.

  • The rescheduled exam must take place within six months of the original session date. Beyond this period, a new paid registration is required.

  • Testing centers are explicitly instructed not to charge any additional fees for candidates granted a deferral.

Attempted fraud

In cases of fraud, falsification, or disruption during the examination session, the disciplinary committee of CCI Paris Île-de-France will impose sanctions.

During the exam, the following actions are strictly prohibited:

  • Viewing or copying the answers or work of another candidate.

  • Using the Internet or any communication device (including computers, smartphones, smartwatches, etc.).

  • Consulting any external materials (books, papers, electronic devices, etc.).

  • Reproducing memorized texts. Candidates must submit original work, both written and oral; plagiarism or copying of articles or memorized content will be penalized.

  • Falsifying TEF results certificates or any diplomas issued by CCI Paris Île-de-France.

Diffusion of topics

All exam questions are strictly confidential. Any reproduction or dissemination—whether in full or in part (including questions, images, sounds, etc.)—by any means (photography, photocopying, internet sharing, smartphone, social media, etc.) is strictly prohibited.

Failure to comply with this rule may result in the CCI Paris Île-de-France taking appropriate measures, including invalidation of the test, prohibition from future TEF or DFP exams, and potential legal action.

Request for appeal

If a serious anomaly or malfunction is observed and reported during the examination by the approved Business French center, candidates may file an appeal with Le français des affaires. Appeals must be submitted within 30 days from the date the results certificate or diploma is issued.

Submitting an appeal is free of charge. Candidates must log in to their user account (or access the process via the website) to submit their request. Appeals are reviewed within 30 days of receipt.

Le français des affaires handles the appeal process by consulting with the approved test center and reviewing available information, such as recordings of the oral expression test and computer logs of test administration, to verify the circumstances and legitimacy of the appeal.

If a serious anomaly or malfunction is confirmed, the candidate will be offered the opportunity to retake the affected test(s) free of charge within three months.

Once the appeal process is accepted and completed, the candidate’s previous scores—and therefore their certificate or diploma—will be permanently cancelled, regardless of the results of the retake.

Please note, due to the confidentiality of exam materials, candidates will not be granted access to their written or oral recordings. Detailed feedback on grading will also not be provided. It is important to emphasize that both oral and written expressions undergo a mandatory double assessment.

Compliance with the waiting period

Candidates are not allowed to take the same French Assessment Test (Test d’évaluation de français), in any version, more than once within a 30-day period. Violation of this rule will result in cancellation of the candidate’s registration.

Personal data

The personal data provided by the candidate—including surname, first name, date of birth, photo, signature, exam answers and results, email address, ID number, and nationality—are collected by the CCI Paris Île-de-France to process the registration application. This collection complies with the laws of the government authorities in the countries concerned regarding immigration, citizenship, naturalization, or residence card applications.

For the French Language Assessment Test (TEF), personal data may be accessed by the relevant government authorities using the TEF in immigration or citizenship procedures when a candidate submits their certificate of results as part of an official administrative process. Candidates who object to this data transmission, or who modify or delete their data, risk having their immigration or citizenship applications denied or delayed.

The CCI Paris Île-de-France retains personal data for a period of 10 years. Data transmitted to government authorities will be retained according to the laws of the respective countries. No personal data is shared with any other third parties.

Additionally, the collected information may be processed electronically to conduct studies and surveys aimed at improving services. Data collected in this context is not shared with third parties and is retained for one year.

In accordance with the amended Data Protection Act of 6 January 1978 and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on data protection, candidates have the right to access, rectify, or request deletion of their personal data. To exercise these rights, candidates can contact francais@cci-paris-idf.fr or, if difficulties arise, the Data Protection Officer at cpdp@cci-paris-idf.fr. Candidates also have the right to file a complaint with the CNIL at 3 Place de Fontenoy – TSA 80715 – 75334 PARIS CEDEX 07.