TCF Canada · Expression écrite · Tâche 1
TCF Canada Tâche 1: how to write the personal message
Tâche 1 is the shortest writing task: a 60–120 word message to someone you know. It is also where points slip away on details — register, greeting, a forgotten instruction. Here is what the examiner looks for, a structure you can reuse, and a model answer.
- Words: 60–120
- Time: ~15 min
- Level: A2–B1
- Format: Message
What the task asks
You write a short, functional message — an email, a note, an invitation or a reply — to a friend, relative, colleague or neighbour. The prompt describes a situation and asks for two or three things (describe, invite, ask, explain). The examiner checks that the message does all of them, clearly and in a register that suits the reader.
What prompts look like
- Invite a friend or colleague to an event and give the practical details.
- Reply to a message: accept or decline, and explain why.
- Describe something new in your life (home, city, job) to someone you know.
- Ask a neighbour, colleague or service for information or a favour.
A structure that works
- Greeting — Match the relationship: "Salut Julien," or "Bonjour Marie," with tu; "Bonjour Madame," or "Madame, Monsieur," with vous.
- Purpose first — Say why you are writing in the first or second sentence — an invitation, a reply, a request. The reader should not have to guess.
- One short paragraph per instruction — Go through the prompt's instructions in order, with concrete details: dates, places, times, reasons. Concrete beats elaborate.
- Close and sign off — Ask for a reply or propose a next step, then sign off in the same register: "À bientôt," for a friend, "Cordialement," with vous.
Model answer
Written by Écrivance for the prompt below. Read the prompt first, then see how the answer covers it.
Prompt
Vous venez d'emménager dans une nouvelle ville. Écrivez un message à votre ami(e) pour l'inviter à passer un week-end chez vous. Décrivez votre nouveau logement et proposez des activités. (60 à 120 mots)
Model answer · 98 words
Salut Julien,
J'espère que tu vas bien ! Comme tu le sais, je viens de m'installer à Québec et j'aimerais beaucoup que tu viennes passer un week-end chez moi, le 14 ou le 21 octobre.
Mon appartement est petit mais lumineux, et il est situé en plein centre-ville. J'ai une chambre d'amis, donc tu seras à l'aise.
Si tu viens, on pourra se promener dans le Vieux-Québec le samedi, puis dîner dans un petit restaurant que j'adore. Le dimanche, je te propose une randonnée jusqu'à la chute Montmorency.
Dis-moi vite quelle date te convient le mieux !
À bientôt, Sofia
Why it works
- The greeting and sign-off suit a message to a friend, and tu is used consistently from start to finish.
- The purpose — an invitation, with two possible dates — appears in the first lines.
- Both instructions are covered: the new home is described and the weekend activities are proposed.
- It ends with a clear request for a reply, and combines the present, the futur simple and a subjunctive ("que tu viennes") without overreaching.
Useful phrases
Ready-made French expressions you can reuse on exam day. Master a few rather than skim them all.
- Je t'écris pour… / Je vous écris pour…
- Ça te dirait de… ?
- Est-ce que tu serais disponible le… ?
- Je serais ravi(e) de…
- Malheureusement, je ne pourrai pas…, car…
- Tiens-moi au courant !
- Je vous remercie d'avance pour votre réponse.
- À bientôt, / Bien amicalement, / Cordialement,
Mistakes that cost points
- Switching between tu and vous in the same message.
- Leaving out one of the instructions. Each missing point costs task-completion marks, however good the French.
- Writing a mini-essay. Tâche 1 rewards a clear, functional message, not long sentences.
- Forgetting the greeting or the sign-off, which makes the text read like notes rather than a message.
- Mixing imperative forms: "Dis-moi" goes with tu, "Dites-moi" with vous.
The other writing tasks
Full writing section guide · TCF Canada → NCLC conversion
Frequently asked questions
How many words is Tâche 1?
Between 60 and 120 words. Aiming for about 90 to 110 leaves room to cover every instruction without rushing.
Should I use tu or vous in Tâche 1?
Follow the relationship in the prompt: tu for a friend or relative, vous for a neighbour you barely know, a landlord or a business. Above all, stay consistent from the greeting to the sign-off.
How long should I spend on Tâche 1?
About 15 of the 60 minutes. Keep the rest for Tâches 2 and 3, which are longer and more demanding.
Does Tâche 1 need a subject line or a date?
The examiner reads the message itself: a greeting, a body that covers the prompt and a sign-off. Spend your time there rather than on formatting.