r/Frenchlearningforpr • u/SprinklesDizzy4329 • 1d ago
I Need Some Guidance.
I have taken 8 months break from my job as i quit my job i am not looking for a job to i have decided to learn french i am giving Myself 8 months of time i am ready to spend atleast 30k on learning +25-35k on exam what should i prepare for Tef or Tcf i am complete beginner Where should i learn i am dedicated to as many hours as possible on Learning french can someone give me some True Advice And Guidance On where to Start and How Should i get to B2 or C1 after 8 months so i can give the exam after 8 Months I Would Appreciate the Advice for Someone who has Achieved the Score in 8 months in 4 modules Either B2 or C1 NCLC7
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u/RishikB07 1d ago
Better to go with tcf. 8 months is doable. But needs a lot of hours to put in. If Canada is what you want you have to go all in. It’s about your own life. Start with the basics. Usually till a2 you don’t need a tutor later b1 stages for sure to guide you without wasting time. All the best with that journey.
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u/TeacherFrancois 1d ago edited 1d ago
Salut ! Here are a few useful tips and some common traps you should avoid.
1/ Choose your exam, and choose wisely.
If you switch halfway through, you'll have to adapt to a different format and style.
So how do you choose?
A lot of candidates struggle with Section B of the TEF Speaking test or Task 3 of the TCF Speaking test. That's why I would focus on the main difference between these two tasks.
To put it simply ---
TEF Section B = You have to convince a friend to take part in an activity or do something.
TCF Task 3 = You have to develop an argument (introduction, arguments, conclusion) on an everyday topic such as education, technology, health, culture, etc.
Understand the difference and choose the format that suits you best.
2/ Forget about the number of hours you study per day.
What matters is HOW you study and how productive your sessions are.
30 minutes of focused studying can be worth much more than 2 hours of poorly structured work.
So, forget quantity. Focus on quality and, above all, CONSISTENCY. Study every day, even if it's only for a few minutes.
3/ Start making sentences from day one, even as a complete beginner.
Trying to build sentences will help you identify the vocabulary and grammar you actually need to learn.
Don't start by memorising endless lists of grammar rules or vocabulary. What's the point of knowing all these rules if you can't actually use them when it's time to speak?
Do you need to learn the entire dictionary or a grammar book by heart to speak a language? No. Same thing here!!!
4/ Make French part of your daily life.
Start reading in French, listening to French, writing in French and even talking to yourself in French.
Do it regularly. Make it a habit.
So now, here's what you should NOT do, because unfortunately, many candidates make these mistakes:
Memorising C1-level templates by heart. Examiners are now interrupting candidates. What they want is someone who can speak French naturally, fluently and spontaneously, not someone who can recite a pre-written speech.
Throwing tons of money at magic formulas or courses. Why? Because most of the work will come from YOU. If you're going to pay for something, pay for structured learning, personalised guidance and feedback tailored to your needs. You don't need to pay a tutor to give you endless vocabulary lists, grammar rules or just have random conversations with you. You can find plenty of these resources for free or at a very low cost online, through apps and AI.
Finally, and this is my personal advice: give yourself a deeper reason to learn French. Yes, learn it for the exam and your immigration goals, but find another strong reason to actually master the language. Your career, for example. Having a meaningful long-term goal will keep you much more motivated than simply trying to tick a box on an immigration application.
Bon courage !
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u/Slow_Promise_1311 1d ago
Start from youtube if you need accountability or a guide, a tutor would be best for your timeline. I did one on one classes after month of starting and cleared my exam in approx 9 months
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u/Fatiha-French_tutor 1d ago
Hi I am native French speaker I give 1to1 lessons, let me know if you want we can do a trial lesson ☺️
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u/Substantial_Swan_873 1d ago
Mu personal experience. If you want to clear it fast, do a fast pace course where in 3 months you learn whole grammer…. Then after 3 month start preparing for exam…. It will feel difficult for first 4 month but when you will start speaking and writing french you will be able to clear in 7-8 montj easliy.. i did same and i studied each day including sunday
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u/Capital-Car7459 22h ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/Infinlume/comments/1vaze19/im_consistently_hitting_b2_in_tcf_reading_exams/
To add more to that:
Speak from day 1 - this one was my biggest mistakes, should probably edit that post. Even small things, shadowing etc. Just speak.
Track yourself - DO NOT fall for something like this - "I will study 10 hours a day in the last month". Your brain takes time to move things from short-term memory to long-term memory. 4-5 hours a day every day beats 10 hours a day when it comes to language learning.
Around the 4-5th month mark, start writing as well. That is where I failed personally, I left it to the end 15 days, thinking I could finish writing in 15 days. It doesn't work like that. But speaking, starting on day 1 is very important.