TCF Canada Writing: Task 2

The task at a glance

The instructions usually set a context (a website, a newsletter, a community blog, a magazine) and ask you to tell about an experience and give your opinion, a comment or advice about it. That second part is easy to forget, and it is part of the task.

Word counts are those published for the test at the time of writing. Always check the instructions on your test day.

A structure that works

1. A short title (optional): useful when the text type is an article or blog post.
2. Introduction (1–2 sentences): set the scene: when, where, who.
3. The experience (2–4 sentences): what happened, in a logical order.
4. Your reaction or opinion (2–3 sentences): what you thought, what you learned.
5. A closing line: a recommendation or a question to the readers.

This gives you about 130 words, comfortably inside the limits.

The tenses you need

Task 2 is the best place to show you control past tenses:

• Imparfait for background and description: Il faisait beau, la salle était pleine.
• Passé composé for events: Nous avons visité, j’ai découvert.
• Present for your opinion today: Je pense que, je recommande.
• A plus-que-parfait or a subjunctive, used correctly, shows extra range: Je n’avais jamais vu…, il faut que vous y alliez.

Model answer

Instructions (example): Vous écrivez un article pour le blog de votre quartier. Vous racontez une activité culturelle à laquelle vous avez participé récemment et vous donnez votre avis. (120–150 words)

Un samedi au festival des lanternes

Samedi dernier, je suis allée avec des amis au festival des lanternes du parc municipal. Il faisait froid, mais l’ambiance était chaleureuse : des familles se promenaient entre les stands et des musiciens jouaient près du lac.

Nous avons d’abord participé à un atelier où chacun a fabriqué sa propre lanterne. Ensuite, à la tombée de la nuit, plus de deux cents lanternes ont illuminé le parc. Les enfants étaient émerveillés et tout le monde prenait des photos. Je n’avais jamais vu un spectacle aussi beau !

À mon avis, ce genre d’événement est essentiel pour un quartier, car il permet aux habitants de se rencontrer et de partager un moment simple. Si vous ne l’avez pas encore découvert, je vous conseille vivement d’y aller l’année prochaine. Vous ne le regretterez pas !

(about 130 words, not counting the title)

Why it works

• Every part of the task is covered: the experience and an opinion.
• Clear paragraphs: setting, events, opinion.
• Tenses are varied and accurate: imparfait for the background, passé composé for events, plus-que-parfait (je n’avais jamais vu).
• Connectors guide the reader: d’abord, ensuite, à mon avis, car.
• The register fits a community blog: friendly but correct, with vous for the readers.

Useful phrases

Common mistakes

• Forgetting the opinion or advice. A beautiful story without it is only half the task.
• Avoiding the past when the topic needs it. If the prompt asks about an experience, narrate it in past tenses.
• Going far under 120 words. Too short means too little evidence of your level.
• Writing well over 150 words. It takes time away from Task 3, which usually needs the most time.
• Mixing tu and vous when addressing readers. Choose one and keep it.
• One block of text. Use paragraphs, even in a short text.

Practice topics

Write 120–150 words for each, in 20 minutes:

1. You write for your company’s newsletter about a training course you followed.
2. You write on a travel forum about a trip that did not go as planned.
3. You write for a student blog about your first week in a new city.
4. You write for your community website about a volunteer activity you took part in.
5. You write for a magazine about a book or film that changed your opinion on something.

Frequently asked questions