The TCF Canada writing exam has three tasks, each with a strict minimum word count. Falling below the minimum in any task automatically caps your score for that task — regardless of the quality of your French. Here are the exact requirements, what examiners look at in each task, and how to hit your target reliably every time.
Task 1 — The Informal Message: 60 Words Minimum
Task 1 asks you to write an informal text — a message to a friend, a post in an online forum, or a short personal note. The minimum is 60 words. The register is informal (tu, conversational vocabulary, relaxed greeting and sign-off), and the tone should feel natural rather than stiff.
What examiners assess at Task 1 level:
Sixty words fills approximately six to eight handwritten lines. If you structure your response as a greeting, two or three short paragraphs addressing each sub-task, and a sign-off, you will reach the minimum without padding.
Task 2 — The Formal Letter or Email: 120 Words Minimum
Task 2 asks you to write a formal document — a letter of complaint, an application, a request for information, or an email to an institution. The minimum is 120 words. The register must be formal throughout: vous, formal opening and closing formulas, appropriate vocabulary.
Task 2 structure — every element counts toward your word total:
The structure overhead (subject + opening + closing + name) contributes roughly 20 words before you write a single body sentence. Your body paragraphs therefore need to reach approximately 100 words — three short, well-structured paragraphs.
Task 3 — The Argumentative Text: 160–180 Words Minimum
Task 3 asks you to argue a position, discuss both sides of a topic, or respond to a stimulus text. Depending on the TCF Canada version, the minimum is 160 to 180 words. This is the task that most directly tests your ability to use French connectors, express nuance, and build a logical argument.
A reliable four-part structure for TCF Canada Task 3:
Many candidates write 120 words and stop. Task 3 rewards development. Aim for 160–170 words — the structure above reliably reaches that range and demonstrates the discourse organisation examiners reward at B1–B2 level.
How Examiners Count Words in TCF Writing
TCF Canada graders count every space-separated unit as one word. Contractions, hyphenated words, and elided articles each count as one word:
Opening and closing formulas, the subject line, and your name all count. This is an advantage: every word of your structure contributes to the total.
How TCF Canada Writing Tasks Are Scored
Each of the three TCF Canada writing tasks is scored on a dedicated rubric. Understanding the scoring criteria helps you prioritise what to fix when you review practice responses.
Task 1 (60 words) is scored on three dimensions:
vocabulary range, grammatical accuracy, and task completion. The response must directly address the prompt — typically a short message, note, or guided production — within the word limit. Going under 50 words risks an automatic penalty on task completion, regardless of language quality. Examiners expect simple but correct sentences, basic connectors like et, mais, parce que, and appropriate register for the context (informal for a message to a friend, neutral for a notice). Spelling and accent accuracy count toward the grammar dimension even at this level.
Task 2 (120 words) adds structure and register demands: The formal opening and closing formulas are assessed as part of the register mark. An email with a correct subject line, proper salutation, clear two-paragraph body, and appropriate closing demonstrates structural competence before the examiner reads a word of your argument.
Task 3 (160–180 words) is the most heavily weighted task and explicitly assesses cohérence et cohésion — logical structure and visible links between ideas. At least three distinct connectors are expected in a full-mark Task 3 response. Using parce que for every link is a coherence error; varying between car, puisque, en revanche, par conséquent demonstrates discourse competence.
Common Mistakes That Cost Marks Across All Three Tasks
Knowing the examiner's checklist lets you audit your own practice responses before you see a mark. These mistakes appear consistently in lower-scoring TCF Canada writing submissions.
How to Hit Your Word Count Every Time
The most reliable way to stay on target during the exam is to know your personal handwriting word density before exam day. Write a 100-word passage in your exam handwriting, count the lines, and divide. If 100 words fills 11 lines, you average about 9 words per line — and on exam day you can check your count by glancing at the line count rather than counting individual words.
During practice sessions, get exact counts instantly so your estimates become accurate. Use the French Word Counter — paste each practice response and see the precise total, with built-in TCF Task 1 (60 words) and Task 2 (120 words) progress indicators. After ten or fifteen timed sessions with accurate counting, you will know instinctively when you are on target.
