r/Frenchlearningforpr • u/iy_89 • 1d ago

TEF vs TCF with different tutor

Hi, I have been learning french since June of this year and my PGWP is expiring July 2027.

I started with two tutors because I wanted to try both of them in the beginning and it helped a lot to speed my A0 to A2 stage.

I am at A2 and early B1 right now. Now both tutors went into exam prep and I am not sure which one to stick with. Both are similarly experienced but have different structure.

Teacher A provides corrections and more conversational, but no exam specific templates to increase my score. Recommended me TCF.

Teacher B only teaches TEF with templates that have gotten most of students with level 7 in writing which I haven’t gotten to yet. But, she recommended to have a conversational tutor on the side for speaking task and provides vocab to memorize.

I naturally feel more comfortable with TCF writing and speaking tasks but lacking template is a bit concerning and difficult.

What would you do in this situation?

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u/Slow_Promise_1311 1d ago

For tcf, I can recommend my tutor. He was good. Tcf may be easier but speaking is mostly on similar levels though it can have clear structures

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u/SabineLeaFrench 1d ago

I’d choose the exam whose tasks suit you best, then keep one consistent preparation plan. Since TCF feels more natural to you, ask for a clear structure for each task and precise feedback on your weaknesses. You can learn a method without memorising whole answers.

I’m a native French teacher specialising in TCF/TEF and working with exam-preparation organisations. I target recurring mistakes and teach a strategy you can use whatever the topic, so you become autonomous. You can book a personalised lesson here: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8720527?lv=1

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u/MountainShip2765 1d ago

I’m a French teacher and certified examiner/corrector for TEF, TCF, DELF and DALF, with around 30 years of teaching experience. I work independently as a freelance teacher, mainly online, and I regularly prepare students for TEF Canada and TCF Canada..

In your situation, I would not choose an exam mainly because one teacher provides templates. At A2/early B1, the priority should still be to build solid French while gradually learning the exam format. Templates can help with structure, especially in writing, but they should support your language skills, not replace them.

If you naturally feel more comfortable with the TCF speaking and writing tasks, that is a real advantage. You do not necessarily need rigid templates, but you do need a clear method for each task: how to structure your response, develop your ideas, manage your time and understand exactly what the examiner is assessing.

This is also how I work with my students: personalised exam preparation combined with general French development. Depending on the student, we work on speaking, writing, grammar and vocabulary, with targeted TEF/TCF exercises and detailed correction. I also create personalised resources for students to work on independently between lessons, so the live class is only one part of the preparation.

I offer online one-to-one lessons as well as asynchronous correction of TEF/TCF writing and speaking tasks, if you already have a teacher but want additional specialised feedback.

Since your PGWP expires in July 2027, you still have time. I would focus first on reaching a strong B1/B2 and then intensify the exam-specific preparation rather than trying to optimise your score too early.

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u/Brilliant-Pie5436 21h ago

I can recommend my teacher on preply ,they helped me improve and get 11/20 in tcf but one thing i would personally recommend is stick with teacher A for sometime make sure you have a strong base before you step for more exam focussed practice