TCF Speaking Test: Structure, Format & Scoring Criteria | OralPrep Guide
The TCF speaking test (expression orale, or EO) lasts 12 minutes in total and runs across 3 tasks, face-to-face with an examiner. The interview is recorded and marked through double-blind correction by two independent correctors. You receive a score out of 20, converted into a CEFR level from A1 to C2 on a certificate valid for 2 years.
Quick summary (July 2026) — Speaking test (EO): 3 tasks, 12 minutes total, face-to-face, recorded interview. Double-blind marking by 2 independent correctors (a 3rd correction is triggered if scores diverge significantly). Score out of 20, converted to a CEFR level A1 to C2 using the official grid on p.26. Certificate valid for 2 years. Optional on TCF Tout Public, mandatory on TCF Canada and TCF IRN.
The TCF (Test de connaissance du français) surprises many candidates because it doesn’t resemble any other French exam: the same 3 tasks and the same 12 minutes apply to everyone, from A1 to C2. Unlike the DELF or DALF, you don’t choose your target level in advance — your performance determines the outcome. This guide breaks down exactly how the test unfolds, what each task requires, how your score is calculated, and the variants depending on your goal (studies, Canada, Québec, naturalisation).
How the test unfolds
Before starting, the examiner explains how the test will run. You then get 2 to 3 minutes to ask any questions about the test format itself (this can happen in a language other than French) — but only at this stage: once the interview begins, you’re fully immersed in French. During the 3 tasks, you can ask the examiner to repeat or clarify a word at any time. Conversely, the examiner may interrupt you if you run over the allotted time for a task.
| Task | Preparation | Duration | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Guided interview | None | 2 min | You talk about yourself, your family and professional environment |
| 2 — Interaction exercise | 2 min | 3 min 30 | You ask the questions: you lead the exchange |
| 3 — Expressing a point of view | None | 4 min 30 | You respond, spontaneously and with arguments, to a question chosen by the examiner |
Total test duration, including Task 2’s 2-minute preparation: 12 minutes.
The three tasks in detail
Task 1 — Guided interview (2 minutes)
There is no preparation time: the exchange starts immediately. The official objective is that “the candidate demonstrates their ability to converse with a person they don’t know (the examiner)” — in French, « le candidat fait preuve de sa capacité à échanger avec une personne qu’il ne connaît pas ». In practice, you talk about yourself and your family and professional environment: your background, your job or studies, your city, the people around you. It’s a one-way interview: the examiner asks the questions, and you answer and develop your responses.
Find a full worked example of Task 1 in our dedicated article.
Task 2 — Interaction exercise (2 min preparation + 3 min 30)
This is the only task with preparation time: 2 minutes, during which you may take brief notes. The official objective is “to obtain information in an everyday life situation” — in French, « obtenir des informations dans une situation de la vie quotidienne courante ». The key point, often overlooked by candidates: you are the one asking the questions, not the examiner — a reversal of roles compared with Task 1. The instructions specify the status of both the examiner and yourself within the given situation. Official example from the TCF Canada handbook: finding someone to look after your pet while you’re away — it’s up to you to question the examiner (who plays that role) about their availability, experience, and conditions.
Find a full worked example of Task 2 in our dedicated article.
Task 3 — Expressing a point of view (4 min 30)
There is no preparation here either: the examiner picks a question and you must answer it right away. The official objective is “to speak spontaneously, continuously and convincingly in response to a question chosen by the examiner” — in French, « parler de manière spontanée, continue et convaincante ». Official example from the TCF Canada handbook: “Si vous aviez une activité humanitaire, laquelle choisiriez-vous ? Expliquez pourquoi.” (“If you were to take on a humanitarian activity, which one would you choose? Explain why.”) This is the longest task and the one that most tests your ability to structure an argued response on the spot.
Find a full worked example of Task 3 in our dedicated article.
Practice your French speaking with AI
Record your answers as on exam day and get detailed feedback on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and fluency, scored against official criteria.
Start TCF simulationHow you are scored
The official handbook (p.22) defines three families of criteria, scored on each of the 3 tasks:
Linguistic (linguistique): “range and command of vocabulary, grammatical accuracy, ease of expression, pronunciation, overall fluency of speech.”
Pragmatic (pragmatique): “interaction, structuring of speech, coherence and cohesion, thematic development.”
Sociolinguistic (sociolinguistique): “appropriateness to the communication situation.”
Beyond these three families, the handbook (p.20) specifies the abilities assessed overall: talking about yourself and your surroundings, asking questions suited to the situation, giving your opinion and explaining advantages/disadvantages, expressing agreement or disagreement, presenting a clear and structured argument in an appropriate style, and presenting complex topics in detail, developing them through to a conclusion.
The correction mechanism
Correction is centralised at France Éducation international (FEI) and relies on independent, double-blind double correction:
- The examiner who conducts the face-to-face interview records it and assigns a level.
- A second corrector, trained by FEI, listens to the recording remotely and assigns their own level, without knowing the first corrector’s score.
Each corrector scores each of the 3 tasks separately, on a 6-level scale: “A1 not attained” (A1 non atteint), A1, A2, B1, B2 or C2. A calculation rule then combines the levels across the 3 tasks to produce your final score out of 20 and your overall CEFR level. If the two correctors’ scores diverge significantly, a third correction is systematically triggered to settle the outcome.
The official grid: score /20 to CEFR level
| CEFR level | Speaking/Writing score (/20) |
|---|---|
| A1 not attained | — |
| A1 | 1/20 |
| A2 | 2–5/20 |
| B1 | 6–9/20 |
| B2 | 10–13/20 |
| C1 | 14–17/20 |
| C2 | 18–20/20 |
Source: Manuel du candidat TCF, France Éducation international, April 2024, p.26 (interpretation grid). The same grid is also used for the writing test (expression écrite).
TCF variants: Tout Public, Canada, Québec, IRN
The 3-task format is identical across every version of the TCF, but its status — optional or mandatory — and exact duration vary depending on the exam’s purpose.
| Tout Public | Canada | Québec | IRN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Studies, work, general level check | Immigration/citizenship (IRCC) | Immigration to Québec | OFII A1, 10-year residence permit, French naturalisation |
| Speaking test | 3 tasks, 12 min — optional (add-on component) | 3 tasks, 12 min — mandatory | 3 tasks, 12 min — modular | 3 tasks, ~10 min — mandatory |
| Specifics | Multiple-choice section runs 1h25; overall score only if all tests taken in the same session | Score converted to NCLC | Candidate chooses 1 to 4 tests | Format updated since May 2025 |
On TCF Canada, your speaking score out of 20 is converted to the NCLC scale (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens). The key threshold for Express Entry is NCLC 7 across all 4 skills, which unlocks extra points for the francophone profile. Structurally, TCF Canada also includes listening comprehension (39 items/35 min), reading comprehension (39 items/60 min) and a writing test (3 tasks/60 min) alongside the speaking test (3 tasks/12 min) — a total of 2h47, with all 4 tests mandatory. See our TCF Canada score-to-NCLC/CLB conversion table for the full thresholds, and the official Express Entry page on canada.ca for IRCC’s points rules.
On TCF Québec, Québec authorities award points starting at level B2 in speaking: 5 points for B2, 6 for C1, 7 for C2, up to a cap of 14 points for the speaking tests (with 2 further points reserved for the written tests).
For French naturalisation, the required level rises to B2 across all 4 skills, with no compensation between them, from 1 January 2026 (loi n° 2024-42 du 26 janvier 2024). It can be certified via the TCF IRN or the DELF/DALF B2. One format nuance worth noting: on the TCF IRN, Task 2 is done with no preparation time (unlike the standard format described above), for a test lasting about 10 minutes in total (Task 1 ~3 min, Task 2 3 min 30, Task 3 3 min 30). Our TCF IRN and French naturalisation B2 guide covers this specific format in detail (see also the official TCF IRN page).
Results, validity, and retaking the TCF
Your certificate is valid for 2 years. Results arrive within 15 business days at most for a paper TCF that includes speaking, and within 10 business days for TCF SO (multiple-choice only), counted from when FEI receives your file. You can retake the TCF as many times as you like, provided you respect a 30-day gap between two sessions. A re-marking of the speaking or writing test is possible within one month, for a fee of 20 to 80 € — note that your level can also go down as a result of a re-marking.
TCF vs DELF: what’s the difference?
The TCF is a placement test: a continuous scale, no notion of pass or fail, a certificate valid for 2 years, results in 10 to 15 business days. The DELF/DALF is a diploma: you choose a level (A1 to C2) and either pass or fail it (threshold 50/100, minimum 5/25 per skill), with lifetime validity. Both are issued by France Éducation international and both are accepted for naturalisation at B2 level. For a full comparison, see our article TCF vs DELF: which exam should you take.
Typical mistakes in the TCF speaking test
Cramming for the TCF as a pass/fail exam. There is no passing score to hit at all costs: it’s a snapshot of your actual level. Cramming vocabulary lists the night before doesn’t replace the spontaneous ease tested across the 3 tasks.
Forgetting the role reversal in Task 2. Many candidates prepare to answer questions, as in Task 1, and are thrown off when they realise they’re the ones who need to ask them.
A rambling response in Task 3. With no preparation time, the temptation is to speak without a plan. But the pragmatic criterion explicitly assesses “structuring of speech”: an improvised but organised response (position, arguments, example, conclusion) always beats a stream of disconnected sentences.
One-word answers in Task 1. Answering in one or two words doesn’t demonstrate your “ability to converse” — develop your answers, give details, and build on the examiner’s questions.
Ignoring the recording and the microphone. The second corrector only judges the audio recording, never your face or gestures. Speaking too quietly, turning away from the microphone, or mumbling directly penalises fluency and pronunciation, two components of the linguistic criterion.
What’s next
You now know the full structure of the TCF speaking test, how your score is calculated, and the differences between the variants. The next step: work through each task in detail with worked examples (Task 1, Task 2, Task 3), then check whether your goal falls under TCF Tout Public, Canada, or IRN.
Practice your French speaking with AI
Record your answers as on exam day and get detailed feedback on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and fluency, scored against official criteria.
Start TCF simulationFrequently asked questions
How long is the TCF speaking test, and is there preparation time?
The test lasts 12 minutes in total across 3 tasks. There is no preparation for Task 1 (2 min) or Task 3 (4 min 30), but Task 2 includes 2 minutes of preparation before the 3 min 30 dialogue.
Can you fail the TCF?
No. According to the official handbook, 'there is no notion of pass or fail in the TCF' — it is a placement test that takes a snapshot of your level at a given moment. Whether that level 'counts' depends entirely on the organisation requiring it (university, prefecture, IRCC, etc.).
What score out of 20 corresponds to level B2 on the TCF speaking test?
According to the official interpretation grid (2024 handbook, p.26), level B2 corresponds to a score of 10 to 13 out of 20 in speaking (expression orale).
How long is the TCF certificate valid?
The certificate (attestation) is valid for 2 years from the test date, issued as a PDF with a QR code.
What is the difference between TCF Tout Public and TCF Canada for the speaking test?
On the TCF Tout Public, the speaking test is an optional add-on component. On TCF Canada, it is mandatory, and your score out of 20 is converted to the NCLC scale (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens), the scale used by IRCC.
How long does it take to get TCF results?
Up to 15 business days for the paper TCF that includes speaking, and up to 10 business days for TCF SO (multiple-choice only), counted from receipt by France Éducation international.