French writing practice: 24 topics by level, and how to practise

French writing practice needs two things: a topic you can write about at your level, and a way to find and fix your mistakes. This page gives 24 topics in English, so you do the writing in French, grouped by the Council of Europe’s descriptors for writing. It also covers a daily routine, an official reference for grammar doubts and the TEF Canada writing section. For the exam tasks in depth, read TEF Canada writing and TCF Canada writing.

How do you start French writing practice?

Start with a short text on a topic at your level, then reread it and fix what you can. The Council of Europe’s framework, the CEFR, describes what a writer can do at each level from A1 to C2 [1]. At B1, for example, a writer can produce simple connected text on familiar topics; at B2, clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects [2]. Pick the description that sounds like you today, and add a few topics from the next level.

The CEFR text lists the kinds of writing people do: forms and questionnaires, articles, posters, reports and memos, notes, creative writing, and personal or business letters [1]. A good plan touches several of them.

What topics can you practise French writing on?

You can practise French writing on any topic the CEFR describes for your level, from a holiday postcard at A1 to a review of a professional or literary text at C2 [1]. The topics below are our own, each matched to a Council of Europe descriptor [1][2]. Read the prompt in English, then write in French.

A1 and A2: basic user

B1 and B2: independent user

C1 and C2: proficient user

The Council of Europe also publishes samples of writing tasks at different CEFR levels for French and other languages, provided by examination bodies [3].

How should you practise French writing each day?

Write a little every day rather than a lot once a week. The routine below is the Lingwell team’s own suggestion; the sources here do not prescribe it, and it promises no result.

1. Write a short text. Pick a topic and write a few sentences without looking anything up.
2. Mark your doubts. Underline each word, agreement or tense you were unsure of.
3. Look them up in a reference, not a translation tool. The next section names an official one.
4. Rewrite it the next day. The Office québécois de la langue française advises rereading a message carefully before sending it, to avoid typos and errors in French [5].
5. Keep an error list of mistakes you make more than once, and check them first in each new text.
6. Type some pieces. TEF Canada writing is done on a computer, with no dictionary allowed [8].

For the research on spacing and recall behind a daily habit, see How to learn French fast.

Where can you look up a French grammar doubt?

The Banque de dépannage linguistique, from Quebec’s Office québécois de la langue française, answers questions on grammar, syntax, punctuation, borrowings from English and other writing topics [4]. It is part of the office’s Vitrine linguistique site, which also offers downloadable models of letters and emails [4][6].

Its articles on letters and emails were updated in 2022 [5]. The email article says a message is built like a letter, with an introduction, a development and a conclusion [5]. It names “Madame,” and “Monsieur,” as common openings, and says an email can also start with “Bonjour,” [5].

If the articles do not answer your question, the office’s “Nous joindre” form takes language questions. Its page says this is free, with an answer within 8 working days [4]. The same page says its language services do not write or revise documents and do not translate texts [4]. You can ask about a doubt, not send a whole text for correction.

How is the TEF Canada writing section set up?

TEF Canada writing lasts 1 hour and has 2 sections, A and B [7]. The exam body, Le français des affaires, describes its aim as measuring your ability to express yourself in written French [7].

You type your answers; French characters missing from your keyboard are on an on-screen keyboard [8]. Your 2 texts are marked by 2 independent, trained assessors with standardized grids, using criteria such as communication skills, vocabulary, grammar and organization [9]. The preparation page offers sample papers, workshop replays and tutorials for each section, writing included [10].

TCF Canada is the other French exam on IRCC’s list of approved tests for Express Entry [11]. Its writing tasks are on our TCF Canada writing page; we do not repeat them here because the exam body’s page could not be opened for this update. In IRCC’s tables, writing (expression écrite) gets its own level [11].

Common mistakes

• Writing only at a level that feels easy. The descriptors show what the next level adds [1].
• Never rewriting. The office’s email article stresses rereading before sending [5].
• Sending a whole text to the language service for correction. Its page says it does not revise documents [4].
• Ignoring the word minimums. TEF Canada sets 80 words for section A and 200 for section B [7].
• Trusting a guide over the official pages, including this one. The exam body, IRCC and the language office update their pages. Compare their dates with the date at the top of this page.

See also: French connectors and French pronouns.

See also: French accent marks and typing on a French keyboard.

See also: business French.

Sources