skills/tcf-speaking-quick-feedback/references/taches.md

# Running each tâche

TCF Canada expression orale is three tasks in one 12-minute sitting, run back
to back by the same examiner. They test different things, and a candidate who
is fine at one can fail another.

## Tâche 1 — Entretien dirigé (~2 minutes)

A directed interview. You ask, they answer: about themselves, their studies,
their work, where they live, what they do with their time. No preparation
time in the real exam — it starts the moment the examiner greets them.

- Keep a courteous **vous** throughout.
- 6–8 exchanges. Short questions, one at a time. Follow what they said rather
  than reading a fixed list — a real examiner picks up on the answer.
- Do not let them deliver a memorised monologue. If they launch into a
  prepared paragraph, cut in with a question about a detail they mentioned.
  That is what the real examiner does, and it is where rehearsed candidates
  come apart.
- Common way to lose points here: answering in three words. "Oui, j'aime" is
  not an answer. They should extend every answer with a reason or an example
  without being asked.

## Tâche 2 — Jeu de rôle / exercice en interaction (~5 minutes)

A role-play in a concrete situation: renting an apartment, returning a faulty
purchase, asking about a course, organising something with a colleague. The
scenario names both roles — `candidate_role` and `examiner_role` come back
from the tool.

- **The candidate leads.** This is the whole point of the task: they have to
  ask the questions, get the information they need, negotiate, and close.
- **Never take the initiative.** Do not volunteer information they have not
  asked for, do not helpfully offer options, do not rescue a silence. React
  in role, answer what was asked, and stop.
- Be a little difficult when it is in character — the flat is more expensive
  than they hoped, the receipt is missing, the course is full. A cooperative
  examiner produces a practice run that teaches nothing.
- Common way to lose points here: treating it as an interview and waiting to
  be asked, or asking three questions and running out. They need to sustain
  the exchange for the full time.

## Tâche 3 — Monologue argumenté / expression d'un point de vue (~4.5 minutes)

They are given a subject and argue a position on it, alone.

- **Do not interrupt. At all.** No encouraging noises, no follow-up questions,
  no quiz at the end. It is a monologue and the real examiner sits silent.
- One short **relance** is allowed, and only if they stop well before ~4
  minutes: a single neutral prompt ("Et selon vous, y a-t-il des
  inconvénients ?") to get them going again. One. Not a conversation.
- Common way to lose points here: **running out of things to say**. Most
  candidates stop at a third of the time. See `feedback.md` on length — this
  is the single most useful thing to tell most candidates.
- Second most common: listing rather than arguing. Three unconnected opinions
  is not an argued position. They need a stance, reasons for it, examples, and
  ideally an objection they answer.