TEF :(

[vensak]

Not probable. But I do get what he wants. He wants CBL7 or CBL8 so that he can aim for Ontario PNP French stream most likely.
Problem with French is following:
1. Listening - it takes rather long to adjust your ear to be able to recognise difference in speaking (there is a whole batch of very similary sounding words and nasal pronountiation makes it just more difficult)
2. Writing - here you have to learn whole new batch of spelling for all those silent letters (and they do have more than in English).
Reading and speaking itself should not be that much of a hassle. For reading you can still use visual memory and for speaking is nobody forcing you to use the difficult french sentences - French is easier when spoken in normal dialogue and that what it is.

Generaly you will need min. 2,5 - 3 years to get there. And that is with daily French learning.

 

[sunny_guyed]

thanks so much guys for your honest suggestions and advice! I am good at languages and am already fluent in three other languages so I was hoping at least to earn some points for the application. I tried to study French by myself but found it very difficult. The only word I remember was "a frog" in French. Lol ;D ;D ;D. Jk. I also tried to listen to French radio so I could improve my listening skills, but oh my gosh, I had no idea what they were talking about. Lol. And yes, I also found grammar very similar to Russian with all masculine, feminine, and neutral genes. I am about to take French 101 so will keep posted you guys!

 

[vensak]

French does not have neutrum, and it ich much easier than Russian. When it commes to grammar it is close to Spanish or Italian. The main problem with this language is listening.

 

[Wolverine17]

I will start studying french as well and aim for at least the minimum to be realistic will boost me around 10 or more points,if i am able to score the max will defintely help me get ita but i think its v difficult

 

[DelPiero07]

Taking the TEF test next month, should be fun.

 

[Wolverine17]

Taking the TEF test next month, should be fun.

How long have you been studying french

 

[vensak]

good luck there. Personaly, I have found TEF more reasonable exam than IELTS.
Advantages:
1. you have headphones for the listening parts.
2. Listening and reading are choices to be selected. More importantly you can see the questions in advance. and you can choose when to begin with listening of the task (as long as you manage the overal timing pace all is good).
3. Writing was just one task (in my case was to finish newspaper article
4. speaking part has chosen test topic and you will read the topic in advance. Plus there will be 2 examiners there, so you will not be on mercy of one opinion.

 

[DelPiero07]

I started from scratch a year ago, i'm actually quite confident i'll get at least CLB 7/8 in all sections.

Time to prove that hard work pays off

 

[Dedicated]

Personaly, I have found TEF more reasonable exam than IELTS.
Advantages:
1. you have headphones for the listening parts.
2. Listening and reading are choices to be selected. More importantly you can see the questions in advance. and you can choose when to begin with listening of the task (as long as you manage the overal timing pace all is good).
3. Writing was just one task (in my case was to finish newspaper article
4. speaking part has chosen test topic and you will read the topic in advance. Plus there will be 2 examiners there, so you will not be on mercy of one opinion.

Oh, I disagree so much...
1. I had headphones during IELTS as well.
2. But the reading topics are very tricky and texts are quite complicated. + I am not sure what you mean when you say you can choose when to begin. The examiner just presses the play button on their consideration.
3. It's strange to hear that. Because I had two topics. One is a newspaper article to complete, another is an essay (like the second task at IELTS).
4. But you also know the main topic at IELTS (not those random questions in the beginning, but the one where you have time to think).

 

[Dedicated]

I started from scratch a year ago, i'm actually quite confident i'll get at least CLB 7/8 in all sections.

Time to prove that hard work pays off

Good luck to you!

I have lived in France for three years and have been learning French for a couple of years prior to that and all I scored was CLB 7 in Listening and Reading, CLB 8 in Writing, and CLB 10 in Speaking.

I really disliked TEF. Make sure you are aware of the structure of the exam and are familiar with the type of exercises. Unfortunately I was not because I thought it would be the same as TCF.

 

[Aal_]

good luck there. Personaly, I have found TEF more reasonable exam than IELTS.
Advantages:
1. you have headphones for the listening parts.
2. Listening and reading are choices to be selected. More importantly you can see the questions in advance. and you can choose when to begin with listening of the task (as long as you manage the overal timing pace all is good).
3. Writing was just one task (in my case was to finish newspaper article
4. speaking part has chosen test topic and you will read the topic in advance. Plus there will be 2 examiners there, so you will not be on mercy of one opinion.

1. in IELTS i had headphones
2. Dunno what you mean
3. NO! 2 tasks, an article and an argumentative essay
4. i had 1 examiner by the way (should have been 2), and they gave me 1 minute to read the article

 

[vensak]

There were no headphones in our IELTS and room was full of people. I just happened to be lucky sitting in the front, but those sitting in the back might have real time to catch the listening part.

What I mean for reading all question in advancie is, that you will go for your own individual pace, where you hit the button to listen and answer questions instead or reading hastily and not knowing when listening will start. More importantly the whole listening was always done 2x (so if you have found out that you did not catch something on first go, by repeating you would just concentrate on that precise part). As for questions themselves, I do not remember any of them to be write in questions but rather tag the option question.

For writing I might have forgotten the second one (as it was shorter, so I remember well just the 1st one).

For speaking I have also found it much more reasonable. I was not ask just to speak like 2 mins, but I felt more like in a normal dialogue. I have said my statement and the other person reacted (for example I was promoting to a friend usage of a bike instead of car) and then I was putting down more arguments.
Second task was to call on an offer in the classfields and again this felt more natural.

In IELTS i felt just speaking in monologue.

 

[Adityacharlie]

My CRS is 472 and I am definitely not sure I can get an ITA by the end of the year. It was good score at the start of the year and I am frustrated that the score has become kind of an average score at this point.

I have CLB 10 in IELTS Reading...and CLB 9 in the rest of the sections. I may get CLB 10 in Listening but not in Writing,Speaking if I take the IELTS again.I am not confident about it.

So I am looking to increase the score may be by taking TEF. It is a very difficult test and I know that but even if I can get 6-10 points it's really an advantage. I need some suggestions if I should go for TEF or stay at 472 and wait. Please suggest me a way forward.

 

[DamhaSirah]

Good luck all!

 

[DelPiero07]

My CRS is 472 and I am definitely not sure I can get an ITA by the end of the year. It was good score at the start of the year and I am frustrated that the score has become kind of an average score at this point.

I have CLB 10 in IELTS Reading...and CLB 9 in the rest of the sections. I may get CLB 10 in Listening but not in Writing,Speaking if I take the IELTS again.I am not confident about it.

So I am looking to increase the score may be by taking TEF. It is a very difficult test and I know that but even if I can get 6-10 points it's really an advantage. I need some suggestions if I should go for TEF or stay at 472 and wait. Please suggest me a way forward.

Honestly if you have the time there's nothing to lose, just be aware that some people need at least a year (some people even recommend more than 2 years of studying) to be prepared for the test.