TEF Canada writing: how to format your Section B response
When I took TEF Canada in September 2019, I formatted my writing response according to all the usual rules. In the second task, for example, I put the addressee, the date and both addresses — mine and the recipient’s — before the letter itself. I didn’t know then that this wasn’t necessary.
And no one knew 100% either. There was some serious debate about this among the test takers.
Those who could not get the required score in writing and passed exam after exam tried both methods - they wrote letters with and without “caps”, in short, they carried out experiments, but did not come to any conclusion.
I decided for myself that I needed to do the maximum and crammed the unimaginable into this text. The good thing is that TEF does not have a maximum word limit. Everything worked out, and the result satisfied me. ⠀
Time passed and hallelujah, finally, clarifications appeared on the official website, in which everything is clear: although the letter is called a letter, it does not require formalization at all. For us, this means that from now on there is no need to waste time on long start and the ending.
The compilers ask to start the text with a simple phrase, and then immediately move on to the arguments themselves. Long conclusions, which can be inserted under each letter, regardless of the topic, is also not necessary. Forget it. A brief summary of a sentence or two is enough.
Competently presenting and defending your point of view is what is required and should be your main goal in writing.
I'm talking about the second task now. ⠀
No, of course, you can spend time on super-duper formal design, but neither the “header” nor the universal ending of the letter will affect your grade, even if they are cooler than hard-boiled eggs. Even then, they will not be evaluated. Why do double work? It is better to leave 5 minutes for checking when both texts are ready. ⠀
I hope the innovation makes you at least a little happy.
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