How does TCF Canada speaking task 3 work?
Checked November 1, 2026
Task 3 lasts 4 min 30 with no preparation. The examiner gives you a topic and you argue your view, with examples, justifying your ideas and trying to convince them. They may interrupt to ask you to expand on your arguments.
The kind of topics
In the sample paper from France Éducation international (FEI), the questions look like these.
- What makes a country pleasant to live in, for you?
- Which values of your home country seem important to keep?
- Travelling makes us better people. Do you agree?
- Can we live without oil?
These are questions about society or values with no right answer. FEI’s criteria cover the argument and the language, not which opinion you pick.
What FEI assesses
For speaking, the handbook lists giving your opinion, explaining pros and cons, agreeing or disagreeing, presenting a clear and structured argument, then developing and concluding. The examiner can stop you to ask for detail. They can also do so if they think you are reciting a learned text, which could be marked “A1 non atteint”.
A plan that fills 4 min 30
| Part | What you say | Rough timing |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Rephrase the question and give your view | 20 s |
| Argument 1 | A reason, then a concrete example, ideally from your life | 1 min 15 |
| Argument 2 | A second reason with another example | 1 min 15 |
| Objection | The opposite view and your answer to it | 1 min |
| Conclusion | Your position, with nuance | 20 s |
These timings are our suggestion, not an FEI rule. The examiner’s questions come out of your time, so keep argument 2 flexible and shorten it if needed.
Traps
- Stopping after 2 minutes. Keep a spare example to restart.
- Staying abstract. « Dans mon pays, ma grand-mère… » beats « Les traditions sont importantes ».
- Listing without linking. Use linking words such as d’abord, ensuite, en revanche, c’est pourquoi.
- Ignoring the examiner’s question. Answer it, then go back to your plan.
Written task 3 follows a similar logic, with two documents to compare (guide). NCLC Prep marks that writing out of 20, with every mistake fixed, if you want to test yourself.