When should you start preparing for TEF/TCF Canada writing?

At what language level can you start preparing for the written part?
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From time to time I am asked this question by those who plan to take exams in the near or distant future.
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It’s a good idea to develop writing skills right away, even if you’re learning the language from scratch. Along with other exercises, try to do tasks where you need to compose short texts. I see absolutely no reason to postpone the letter “for later.”
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If we are talking specifically about preparing for an exam, then first you need to determine what exactly you will take and at what level. Then it will become clear:
✔️what texts do you need
✔️what are the criteria for assessing the written part?
✔️what should be included in the texts
- what grammar is needed
what rules still need to be studied, etc.
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The more specifically you describe your goal, the faster you will understand how to get there. This is always more effective than “just learning a language.”
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If, for example, your level is not yet high, and your goal is to pass B2, this is not a reason to relax and put off writing practice until more advanced times. Both TEF and TCF have a gradation of tasks. The simpler ones come first, and you can master them for now. The sooner you start preparing for these texts, the less time-consuming it will be to prepare for the exam in general.
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In general, be prepared for the fact that developing writing skills is a rather labor-intensive process, especially for those who are not used to writing texts in Russian. In addition to mastering grammar and vocabulary, you also need to learn how to construct beautiful and logical phrases.
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But even if you are comfortable with written language, this does not mean that texts in a foreign language are created as spontaneously and easily. Any written work involves some kind of active preparation - selecting material, working on vocabulary, writing out words, understanding how to apply them in the text.
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Many people write “out of inspiration” during preparation. For an exam, this strategy is not always winning.
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Overall, my recommendation is to include writing practice as early as possible in your classes.

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How to work on your pronunciation

The Worst Thing You Can Do in the Writing Section TEF/TCF Canada