Would you like to take the TCF “Tout Public” in Montreal?
ELC College is an official TCF test centre recognized by France Éducation International for the organization and administration of the TCF “Tout Public” examination in Montreal.
Our regular test sessions take place in modern and quiet facilities, offering a secure environment and rigorous supervision, ensuring optimal conditions for taking the exam.
The TCF “Tout Public” is intended for anyone aged 16 or over whose native language is not French and who wishes to assess and certify their French language skills in a reliable and internationally recognized manner, for the following purposes:
Personal : the TCF provides a linguistic snapshot of a candidate’s French level, allowing an evaluation of both written and oral skills.
Professional : the TCF provides objective information that candidates can include on their résumé for recruitment or promotion purposes.
Academic : in accordance with international standards, the TCF offers a reliable assessment of language proficiency that may be considered for admission to a higher education institution.
The TCF “Tout Public” is also recognized as part of immigration applications to Quebec.
Register for the TCF “Tout Public” exam at our official test centre in Montreal and benefit from an optimal, calm, and secure testing environment designed to maximize your chances of success.
Registration fee
About the tests
This TCF version is made up of 3 mandatory tests, which are presented as multiple choice questions (MCQ), and 2 additional and optional tests, which are given as exercises. The candidate can choose whether or not to sit these depending on their requirements:
Listening comprehension : Exam room test: 29 multiple choice questions (4 possible answers, only 1 correct answer). Duration: 25 minutes.
Grammar comprehension : Exam room test: 18 multiple choice questions (4 possible answers, only 1 correct answer). Duration: 15 minutes.
Reading comprehension : Exam room test: 29 multiple choice questions (4 possible answers, only 1 correct answer). Duration: 45 minutes.
Written skills : Exam room test: 3 exercises. Duration: 60 minutes.
Verbal skills : Individual test one-on-one with an examiner: 3 exercises. Duration: 12 minutes (2 of which are for preparation).
The duration of the TCF tout public varies depending on the number of tests sat (between 1 hour 25 minutes minimum and 2 hours 37 minutes maximum).
When sitting the exam on a computer, the MCQ portion has 91 questions. The 15 additional questions (5 in each competency) compared to the paper version are not included in calculating the final score. They allow France Éducation international to carry out analyses on the validity of the questions.
What is assessed in the different tests?
These questions test the ability to understand spoken French, such as:
Colloquial words and common expressions in everyday situations involving communication (conversations, interviews, phone calls, etc.).
The main information in messages and simple, clear announcements.
Information on people, facts or events in radio or television broadcasts on current events or on personal and professional subjects.
Presentations on tangible or abstract subjects.
Any type of discourse given at an ordinary pace of delivery.
This test is made up of multiple choice questions (MCQ). Each question has 4 possible answers (A, B, C, D), but only one is correct.
The tests are given in a sequence of increasing difficulty.
Each recording is only played once. The question is given after listening to the audio file.
These questions test proficiency in the language’s grammar, from more basic to more complex rules, by:
Spotting mistakes in the word choice or register of the language.
Choosing the equivalent of an expression or grammatical term.
Choosing the correct forms according to the communication context.
This test is made up of multiple choice questions (MCQ). Each question has 4 possible answers (A, B, C, D), but only one is correct.
The tests are given in a sequence of increasing difficulty.
These questions test the ability to understand written French, such as:
Colloquial nouns, very simple words and phrases used in situations involving communication (formal or informal messages and correspondence).
Information in common documents (classified adverts, brochures, menus and times, etc.).
Information on people, facts or events (personal correspondence).
Texts in informal language concerning everyday or work life.
Articles and reports in which the authors take a stance on specific or abstract subjects.
Long and complex factual or literary texts, specialist articles.
Abstract or complex texts or extracts from books, specialist articles.
This test is made up of multiple choice questions (MCQ). Each question has 4 possible answers (A, B, C, D), but only one is correct.
The tests are given in a sequence of increasing difficulty.
This test evaluates the candidate’s ability to express themselves verbally in French and is made up of 3 tasks:
Task 1 : Structured interview no preparation (2 minutes): the candidate should demonstrate their ability to converse with a person they do not know (the assessor).
Task 2 : Exercise in interaction with preparation (5.5 minutes, 2 of which are spent preparing): the candidate should demonstrate their ability to obtain information in a common everyday situation. The positions of the interlocutor and candidate will be outlined in the instructions.
Task 3 : Expressing a point of view no preparation (4.5 minutes): the candidate should demonstrate their ability to speak spontaneously, continuously and in a convincing manner when responding to a question chosen by the assessor.
In this test, the candidate is assessed on their ability to:
Talk about themselves and their family and professional life.
Ask questions suited to the given context for communication.
Give their opinion and explain the advantages and disadvantages of a plan, express agreement and disagreement.
Present a clear and structured line of argument in a style appropriate to the context.
Present complex subjects in a detailed and structured manner, develop these further and give a conclusion.
This test evaluates the candidate’s ability to express themselves in written French and is made up of 3 tasks:
Writing a message to describe, tell and/or explain something, addressed to one or several recipients who are specified in the instructions. Number of words expected: minimum of 60 words/maximum of 120 words.
Writing an article, letter, note, etc., aimed at several recipients to give a report of an experience or tell a story. Reports and stories will be supported by comments, opinions and arguments, depending on the purpose (e.g. to make a claim, reconcile, etc.). Number of words expected: minimum of 120 words/maximum of 150 words.
Writing a text (for a newspaper, website, colleague, superior at work, etc.) that compares two points of view on an event in society, expressed in two documents. The candidate gives their opinion on the subject addressed in the two documents. Number of words expected: minimum of 120 words/maximum of 180 words.
In this test, the candidate is assessed on their ability to:
Communicate a message clearly.
Provide the requested information.
Describe, tell, explain.
Justify a choice, position, decision, etc.
Link ideas and demonstrate coherence in their discourse.
Compare two points of view.
Express their opinion and give arguments for it.
Use vocabulary and structures suited to the given task.
Rephrase an idea.
The written skills paper may be marked as “A1 not achieved” if:
The writing is not legible (in cases of writing on paper).
The completed tasks do not adhere to the word limits.
The writing is off-topic.
One or more tasks have not been completed.
Results
Results are sent within 15 business days from the test date.
You will receive your statement of results by email.
Your certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue. This validity date will be indicated on your certificate.
For more information about results, please click here.
Test accommodations
As an official TCF test center, ELC College is committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and guaranteeing equal treatment for all candidates. We offer various accommodations to make the Test de connaissance du français (TCF) accessible to candidates with disabilities or digital literacy difficulties.
To benefit from accommodations, the candidate must submit a recent medical certificate to our test center at least two months before the test session date.
To learn more about TCF test accommodations, please click here.
Anti-fraud measures
At Collège ELC, the integrity and security of assessments are among our top priorities.
We are actively committed to preventing fraud and any attempt to circumvent testing rules.
To ensure fair testing conditions that comply with international standards, we have implemented strict control measures, including:
A video surveillance system throughout the testing laboratory.
The use of a metal detector before entering the test room.
Enhanced identity checks carried out at several points during the session.
- Additional internal security protocols designed to protect the integrity of the tests.
Thanks to these strict practices, we provide a secure, reliable, and transparent environment for candidates and certifying organizations.
For more information about sanctions in cases of fraud, please click here.
Understand every step of your exam journey !
Make sure to choose the correct test when registering (TCF Canada, TCF Québec or TCF Tout Public) and to use a personal and unique email address (two candidates cannot use the same email address). Once your registration is completed, you will automatically receive your confirmation notice as well as your invoice. This email will contain all the information required to prepare for and take your test.
No later than two days before your exam date, you will receive a final communication prior to the test, indicating the arrival times for each of your test components. Please note that it is essential to reserve the entire day for the test.
During your registration, you will be required to accept our policies outlining the registration conditions. Please read them carefully.
For any request to modify or cancel your registration, please refer to the section dedicated to our policies.
We strongly encourage you to begin your preparation as soon as possible in order to optimize your time and maximize your chances of achieving the desired results.
No late arrivals are accepted: any candidate arriving after the indicated time will be denied access to the test.
Candidates must be able to prove their identity and must present a valid, official photo ID on the day of the test. Accepted forms of identification include: passport, national identity card, driver’s licence.
If you fail to present valid identification, you will be denied access to the exam and no refund of the registration fees will be issued. After verifying your identity and your confirmation notice (sent by email following your registration), the test supervisor will ask you to sign an identification document on a tablet. Please carefully verify your personal information at that time to ensure that your results certificate matches your identification document.
In the event of an error or an unreported modification on the day of the test, no correction will be possible once the results certificate has been issued.
Before entering the lab, you will be scanned using a metal detector. Please inform us if you are pregnant, if you wear a medical device that may interfere with the metal detector, or if you have any other condition that may prevent this screening.
The supervisor will then indicate where you should be seated in order to begin your test components.
Please also note that the laboratory is fully equipped with surveillance cameras to ensure the proper conduct of the test.
Rules to be respected during the test components:
- You must place your personal belongings in a secure area provided for this purpose. Please ensure that all electronic devices are turned off before handing them over to staff.
- You may not use a dictionary or any reference materials.
- No personal items may remain visible or on the desk during the test, except for your identification document.
- You must not communicate with other candidates.
- Please note that no breaks or exits are permitted during the entire duration of the computer-based test components.
- We use QWERTY keyboards configured in French (Canada) for all candidates. A virtual keyboard will be available for special characters during the written expression test.
- We do not offer childcare services; please do not leave children unattended during your test session.
The listening comprehension and written expression tests are conducted on a computer.
The supervisor provides each candidate with a username and password. The candidate then accesses the testing platform and follows the instructions for each test component.
In the event of any issue during your test (technical problems, sound issues, etc.), please inform your supervisor immediately.
Once the test is completed, you may collect your personal belongings and leave the premises. Your results will be sent to you by email within a maximum of 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the test date. Your results certificate is valid for 2 years from its date of issue.
If you wish to submit a request for re-marking, please contact tcf@elccollege.ca. For more details, please consult: TCF Candidate Handbook
If you are required to retake the exam, a minimum waiting period of 20 days is required between two consecutive sittings of the same test components, regardless of the type of TCF test.
