The most common mistakes in TEF/TCF Canada writing
A little research project of my own. I’ve been preparing people for immigration language exams for over a year and have reviewed dozens of texts. Along the way, I’ve built my own knowledge base of the most common mistakes in the WRITING section.
So, how do candidates risk lowering their score here: ⠀
- They misunderstand the essence of the task. Separately, each word seems to be able to be translated, but the overall meaning eludes.
- The topic is rephrased incorrectly. This applies to large texts for a higher level in which the task needs to be reformulated. By choosing the wrong synonyms and wording, the candidate confuses himself. Often an article turns out to be on a different topic, even a related one.. ⠀
- Use weak or irrelevant arguments. This often happens when a person does not know the topic well and begins to divert the essence of the text into another direction that is more understandable to him. For example, you need to talk about the Internet and privacy, but the candidate writes about the safety of children on the Internet. Arguments should be clear, to the point, and confidently support your point of view. ⠀
- They use the wrong linking words, which makes the text look illogical. For example, in the first paragraph they write words such as Ainsi or par exemple, which should be in the middle or end of the thought.
- The designs are too simple. The purpose of the written part is to show the maximum of what you are capable of. Including how you can handle more complex and interesting language rather than just writing in simple sentences. ⠀
- They do not notice repetitions in the text. But this not only impoverishes the text, but is also considered a stylistic error.
- They do not check what is written for spelling, punctuation, or typos. It is very important to proofread the text before submitting it. In most cases, there may be elementary errors that you simply did not notice. ⠀
Keep these points in mind as you prepare for the written part and work through the text during the exam. This will help you avoid accidental mistakes and not lose points.