TCF Canada writing task 3, compare two views and give yours
Checked November 1, 2026
TCF Canada writing task 3 (expression écrite) asks for a text of 120 to 180 words. You compare two viewpoints on a social issue, each given in a short document, then state and defend your own opinion. The prompt names who you are writing for, such as a newspaper, a website, a colleague or a manager.
It is the last of the three tasks in the writing test, which lasts 60 minutes in total. Leave some of that time for rereading.
What task 3 tests
France Éducation international (FEI) describes the task as a text that compares two points of view from two documents and then gives your own opinion on the theme. That means two skills at once, reporting two positions in your own words and justifying a position of your own. FEI also lists the ability to rephrase.
Marking covers three groups of criteria. They are language (vocabulary, grammar, spelling, sentence construction), coherence (how ideas connect and the theme develops) and fit to the situation, meaning whether the register suits the reader named in the prompt.
Word limit and how to split it
FEI gives the range as “minimum 120 mots/maximum 180 mots”. Its manual insists on respecting both the minimum and the maximum in each of the three tasks, and a task without the required number of words could be rated “A1 non atteint” (below A1). The manual lists no specific penalty for going over the maximum, so stay inside the range.
The current manual (September 2026) does not say how to divide the words between the two parts. The older official CIEP handbook did, and the split below comes from it. Use it as a guide and not as a current rule.
| Part | Job | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compare the two documents | 40–60 |
| 2 | Give and defend your opinion | 80–120 |
| Target total | 140–175 |
A total of 140 to 175 leaves you 20 words above the minimum of 120 and 5 below the maximum of 180. The manual does not say how words are counted. The counts on this page treat any group of letters or digits between spaces as a word.
Method
- Read both documents. According to the older handbook they run to about 90 words each and give two points of view on one theme.
- Write one line per author with their position and their main reason. That is all part 1 will contain.
- Decide your own position before you write. It can be nuanced, but it has to be clear from the first sentence of part 2.
- Pick two arguments and one concession, which is a point on which the other author is right.
- Write, then count the words part by part, and reread for agreement, tenses and punctuation.
Part 1, rephrase and do not copy
Copying one or more sentences from a document or from the prompt could get the whole text rated “A1 non atteint”. FEI’s wording is conditional, so it “could” happen. Changing a single word does not help, so change the vocabulary and the sentence structure.
| Example | |
|---|---|
| Document | “Le vendredi libre me permet de m’occuper de ma famille, de faire mes démarches et de me reposer.” |
| Weak (copy) | Le premier auteur dit que le vendredi libre lui permet de s’occuper de sa famille, de faire ses démarches et de se reposer. |
| Better (rephrased) | Le premier auteur apprécie son jour de congé supplémentaire, qui lui laisse du temps pour ses proches et pour récupérer. |
The weak version only swaps the pronouns. The better one keeps the meaning but replaces the word groups and shortens them, so “famille” becomes “proches” and “se reposer” becomes “récupérer”.
Two sentences are enough for part 1, one per author, giving the position and the main reason. Keep your own view out of it.
Part 2, build your opinion
| Step | Content | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Position | “Selon moi…” with a nuance if needed | 1 sentence |
| Argument 1 | One idea, one reason, maybe an example | 1 to 2 sentences |
| Argument 2 | A second, different idea | 1 to 2 sentences |
| Concession | A point where the other author is right, with “pourtant” or “cependant” | 1 sentence |
| Closing | A concrete proposal or solution | 1 sentence |
The last sentence should propose something. A greeting or a recap of what you already said wastes the space.
Linking words for comparing and arguing
The connectors are French because the text is written in French.
| To | French linking words |
|---|---|
| Introduce the documents | le premier auteur / le second auteur, selon le premier texte, le premier défend l’idée que |
| Compare, contrast | alors que, tandis que, en revanche, contrairement à, d’un côté… de l’autre |
| State your position | selon moi, à mon avis, personnellement, je pense que |
| Add an argument | d’abord, ensuite, de plus, en outre |
| Concede | certes, il est vrai que, cependant, pourtant, je reconnais que |
| Conclude | donc, c’est pourquoi, je propose que, ainsi |
Five “de plus” in a row do not show a high level. Two or three well-placed connectors per part do more, so vary them.
Model answer
The prompt, documents and answer below are our own. They stay in French, since that is the language you write in at the exam.
Prompt (consigne). Deux documents présentent des opinions opposées sur la semaine de quatre jours. Vous écrivez un texte pour le site de votre université. Présentez d’abord les deux points de vue avec vos propres mots, puis exposez et défendez votre opinion. (120 mots minimum, 180 mots maximum)
Document 1
Depuis que mon entreprise est passée à quatre jours de travail par semaine, je me sens beaucoup mieux. Le vendredi libre me permet de m’occuper de ma famille, de faire mes démarches et de me reposer. Je reviens le lundi avec plus d’énergie, et mes collègues disent la même chose. Les absences ont diminué dans notre équipe. Les journées sont un peu plus longues, mais je préfère cela à cinq jours serrés. Ce rythme devrait devenir la règle partout, car un salarié reposé travaille mieux.
Document 2
La semaine de quatre jours ne convient pas à tout le monde. Dans un hôpital, un magasin ou un restaurant, il faut du personnel tous les jours, et réduire le temps de présence oblige à embaucher ou à fermer plus tôt. Les clients attendent alors plus longtemps. Les journées de dix heures fatiguent aussi beaucoup, surtout les parents qui doivent aller chercher leurs enfants à l’école. Enfin, certaines petites entreprises n’ont pas les moyens de payer le même salaire pour moins de jours. Cette mesure profiterait surtout aux bureaux, pas aux autres.
Model answer, part 1
Le premier auteur est satisfait de la semaine de quatre jours. Il passe plus de temps avec ses proches, récupère mieux et revient plus énergique. Le second pense que cette formule convient mal aux métiers qui exigent du personnel chaque jour, que les longues journées fatiguent et que les petites entreprises ne peuvent pas la financer.
Model answer, part 2
Selon moi, la semaine de quatre jours est une bonne idée, mais seulement quand l’organisation du travail le permet. D’abord, un jour de repos supplémentaire améliore la santé et la motivation, ce qui profite aussi à l’employeur. Ensuite, les employés règlent leurs démarches personnelles sans quitter leur poste en pleine journée. Je reconnais pourtant que le second auteur a raison pour les hôpitaux et les commerces, où les horaires se réduisent difficilement. Je propose donc que chaque entreprise teste ce système pendant six mois avant de le généraliser. Ainsi, on pourra mesurer ses effets réels sur les équipes et sur les clients.
Word count. Part 1 has 56 words, part 2 has 102 words, and the total is 158 words. That is inside the 120–180 range and inside the older handbook’s split of 40–60 and 80–120.
What to notice in this answer.
- Part 1 gives each author one position and one reason, in new words (“proches”, “personnel chaque jour”). No sentence is copied from the documents.
- Part 2 states a clear position right at “Selon moi”, then qualifies it with “seulement quand l’organisation du travail le permet”.
- “D’abord” and “Ensuite” announce two separate arguments. The concession, “le second auteur a raison pour les hôpitaux et les commerces”, shows the second document was read.
- The closing sentence proposes a six-month trial rather than restating the opinion.
What costs points
- Copying sentences from the documents or the prompt.
- Drifting off topic, for example writing about work in general instead of the question asked.
- Summarizing only one document, or giving an opinion without presenting the second.
- Writing outside the 120–180 range. FEI says to respect the minimum and the maximum.
- Reciting a learned text, which could be rated “A1 non atteint”.
Practise on task 3 prompts
Four prompts come with a model answer. They are Remote work or back to the office, Car or public transit, Should rents be capped and Compulsory volunteering in high school.
The other writing tasks have their own pages, task 1 (message, 60–120 words) and task 2 (article or letter, 120–150 words). To see how marks convert, use the score chart.