---
title: "TCF Canada Speaking Topics: Practice Subjects for All 3 Tasks | OralPrep"
description: "A bank of TCF Canada speaking (expression orale) practice subjects for Tasks 1, 2 and 3, with the official examples, answer skeletons and reusable connectors. 2026."
lang: "en"
slug: "tcf-canada-speaking-topics-and-themes"
pubDate: 2026-07-15
alternates:
  en: "tcf-canada-speaking-topics-and-themes"
  es: "temas-examen-oral-tcf-canada"
  fr: "sujets-expression-orale-tcf-canada-corriges"
---
The TCF (Test de connaissance du français) speaking test — expression orale (EO) — never publishes a fixed list of questions, because the examiner chooses them live across its **3 tasks in 12 minutes**. What you *can* prepare is the **type** of subject each task uses and the structure of a strong answer. This page is a bank of **practice subjects for TCF Canada**, task by task, with the two genuinely official examples flagged, a reusable answer skeleton for each task, and links to full worked models.

<div class="highlight-box">
  <p><strong>Quick summary (July 2026)</strong> — TCF speaking = 3 tasks, 12 min. Task 1 (guided interview, 2 min): themes about you. Task 2 (interaction, 2 min prep + 3 min 30): you ask the questions in an everyday scenario. Task 3 (point of view, 4 min 30): argue an opinion. Only 2 published subjects are official (Task 2 pet-sitting, Task 3 humanitarian activity, per the FEI handbook); all others below are practice subjects in the exam style. All subjects are in French.</p>
</div>

Use this bank to rehearse: pick a subject you have not seen, set the timer for the task, and answer out loud without a script. Below, each task comes with a short reminder of what it demands, a table of practice subjects, and a skeleton you can reuse on any question.

## Task 1 — Guided interview: themes about you

Task 1 lasts **2 minutes with no preparation**. The examiner asks the questions and you answer, developing your responses about yourself, your family and your professional environment. There is no "subject" to draw — instead there are recurring **themes** the examiner explores. The trap is answering in one or two words; the official objective is to show you can *converse*, so develop every answer.

<table class="comparison-table">
  <thead>
    <tr><th>Theme</th><th>Sample questions (practice)</th></tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr><td>Studies / work</td><td>« Que faites-vous dans la vie ? Pouvez-vous décrire une journée type ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Your city / region</td><td>« Où habitez-vous ? Qu'est-ce qui vous plaît dans votre ville ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Family / people around you</td><td>« Parlez-moi de votre famille. Passez-vous beaucoup de temps ensemble ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Hobbies / free time</td><td>« Comment occupez-vous votre temps libre ? Depuis quand ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Plans / projects</td><td>« Pourquoi passez-vous le TCF ? Quels sont vos projets ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Daily routine / travel</td><td>« Comment se déroule une semaine ordinaire pour vous ? »</td></tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

**Answer skeleton (any Task 1 theme):** direct answer → one detail that develops it → a concrete example or a reason → an opening that invites the next question. For instance, do not stop at *« Je suis infirmier »* — add where, since when, what you like about it, and one anecdote. See the full [Task 1 worked example and model answer](/blog/en/tcf-speaking-task-1-example-model-answer).

## Task 2 — Interaction: everyday scenarios where you ask

Task 2 gives you **2 minutes of preparation** (notes allowed) then a **3 min 30 dialogue**. The key reversal: **you ask the questions**. You are given a role and a situation, and you must obtain information from the examiner, who plays the other party. The official objective is *« obtenir des informations dans une situation de la vie quotidienne courante »*.

The one **official** example, from the TCF Canada handbook, is finding someone to look after your pet while you are away. The rest are practice scenarios in the same style:

<table class="comparison-table">
  <thead>
    <tr><th>Scenario (practice unless marked)</th><th>What you must find out</th></tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr><td>Pet care while away <em>(official example)</em></td><td>Availability, experience, conditions, price</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Renting an apartment</td><td>Rent, charges, location, lease terms, availability date</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Signing up for a course / gym</td><td>Schedule, levels, price, trial session, cancellation</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Responding to a job offer</td><td>Tasks, hours, contract, salary, start date</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Organising a trip / booking</td><td>Dates, price, what's included, refund policy</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Enrolling a child at a school / club</td><td>Timetable, cost, materials, supervision, waiting list</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Buying a second-hand item</td><td>Condition, age, reason for sale, price, guarantee</td></tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

**Answer skeleton (any Task 2 scenario):** greet and state your need → ask open questions (*« Quels sont les horaires ? »*, *« Combien ça coûte ? »*, *« Quelles sont les conditions ? »*) → follow up on each answer instead of jumping to the next point → confirm and close politely. Prepare a bank of question openers, not full sentences. See the [Task 2 worked example with 10 reusable questions](/blog/en/tcf-speaking-task-2-example-model-answer).

<div class="cta-box">
  <h3>Draw a random subject and answer it out loud</h3>
  <p>Practise these subjects under real timing, then get detailed feedback on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and fluency, scored against official criteria.</p>
  <a href="/" class="btn-primary">Start TCF simulation</a>
</div>

## Task 3 — Point of view: opinion subjects to argue

Task 3 is **4 min 30 with no preparation**: the examiner asks an opinion question and you must build a structured, argued answer on the spot. The official objective is to speak *« de manière spontanée, continue et convaincante »*. The one **official** example is *« Si vous aviez une activité humanitaire, laquelle choisiriez-vous ? Expliquez pourquoi. »* The rest are practice subjects on the everyday social themes Task 3 favours:

<table class="comparison-table">
  <thead>
    <tr><th>Theme</th><th>Practice subject</th></tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr><td>Solidarity <em>(official)</em></td><td>« Si vous aviez une activité humanitaire, laquelle choisiriez-vous ? Expliquez pourquoi. »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Technology</td><td>« Les réseaux sociaux rapprochent-ils vraiment les gens ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Work</td><td>« Préférez-vous le télétravail ou le travail au bureau ? Pourquoi ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Lifestyle</td><td>« Vaut-il mieux vivre en ville ou à la campagne ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Education</td><td>« Faut-il apprendre plusieurs langues dès l'enfance ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Environment</td><td>« Que peut faire chacun, au quotidien, pour l'environnement ? »</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Society</td><td>« La technologie rend-elle notre vie plus simple ou plus compliquée ? »</td></tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

**Answer skeleton (any Task 3 subject) — the 5-step plan:**

1. **Position** — one immediate sentence: your choice or opinion.
2. **Tout d'abord…** — argument 1 + a concrete example.
3. **Ensuite / De plus…** — argument 2 + a personal example.
4. **Cependant…** — a concession that acknowledges another view without contradicting yourself.
5. **C'est pourquoi / Pour conclure…** — restate your position and open onto a wider thought.

The full [Task 3 worked example and model monologue](/blog/en/tcf-speaking-task-3-example-model-answer) shows this plan applied end to end on the official question, with the connectors that carry a B2-to-C1 answer.

## How to use this bank

Do not memorise answers — the examiner chooses the question live, and a rehearsed speech is audible and penalised. Instead, drill the **format** until it is automatic: for Task 1, develop every answer; for Task 2, reach for question openers reflexively; for Task 3, run the 5-step plan on any prompt. Rehearse a few subjects per task, out loud and under the real timing, before you fix a test date. For the full rules, timings and scoring behind these tasks, see the [TCF speaking test structure and criteria guide](/blog/en/tcf-speaking-test-structure-criteria).

## What's next

Work through the three full worked examples to see each skeleton in action: [Task 1](/blog/en/tcf-speaking-task-1-example-model-answer), [Task 2](/blog/en/tcf-speaking-task-2-example-model-answer) and [Task 3](/blog/en/tcf-speaking-task-3-example-model-answer). Then rehearse fresh subjects under exam timing with the [TCF oral exam simulator](/blog/en/tcf-oral-exam-simulator-ai).

<div class="cta-box">
  <h3>Practice your French speaking with AI</h3>
  <p>Record your answers as on exam day and get detailed feedback on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and fluency, scored against official criteria.</p>
  <a href="/" class="btn-primary">Start TCF simulation</a>
</div>