The Ultimate Guide to TEF Section A Formal Letters (Expression Écrite)

The TEF Canada Expression Écrite Section A (the "Fait Divers" letter) is where you must demonstrate your ability to write formally and sequentially. You are given a short, unusual news story (a fait divers) and asked to write a letter to a newspaper continuing the story.

While Section B tests your ability to argue, Section A tests your ability to narrate in the past tense while maintaining a formal journalistic tone.

If you are stuck at a B2 and want to break into the C1/C2 (CLB 9+) range, you need a bulletproof structure.

The Objective of Section A

You are writing an article for a newspaper's "Courrier des lecteurs" (Reader's Mail) section. Your task is to:

1. Refer to the original article: Mention the story you read.
2. State your connection: Explain why you are writing (usually because you witnessed the rest of the story or were involved).
3. Narrate the events: Tell the story in chronological order.
4. Conclude: Offer a final reflection or resolution.

You must do this in exactly 80 to 100 words. Being concise is the hardest part.

The Perfect 4-Paragraph Structure

Paragraph 1: The Formal Hook (15-20 words)

Do not start with "Bonjour." You are writing to a newspaper.

The Template:

“

"À la rédaction de [Name of Newspaper], C’est avec grand intérêt que j’ai lu votre article intitulé « [Title from prompt] » publié le [Date/hier]."

”

(To the editorial team of [Newspaper], It is with great interest that I read your article titled "[Title]" published on [Date].)

Paragraph 2: Establishing Your Connection (15-20 words)

Why are you writing to them? You need to claim you have the missing information.

The Template:

“

"Je me permets de vous écrire car j'ai été le témoin direct de la suite de cet événement insolite." OR "En tant que protagoniste de cette histoire, je souhaite apporter quelques précisions."

”

(I am taking the liberty of writing to you because I was a direct witness to the continuation of this unusual event. / As the protagonist of this story, I wish to provide some clarifications.)

Paragraph 3: The Narrative (40-50 words)

This is where you earn your grammar points. You must flawlessly mix the passé composé (for actions) and the imparfait (for descriptions/background).

Example Scenario (The prompt was about a dog driving a tractor):

“

"En effet, alors que je promenais dans le champ, j'ai aperçu l'animal au volant. Étonnamment, le chien semblait très calme. Il a soudainement tourné à droite et a fini sa course dans une botte de foin."

”

Key Connectors to Use:

• En effet (Indeed)
• Soudainement / Tout à coup (Suddenly - triggers passé composé)
• Pendant que / Alors que (While - triggers imparfait)
• Finalement (Finally)

Paragraph 4: The Formal Sign-off (10-15 words)

Conclude the letter with a standard journalistic sign-off. Do not use overly long administrative formulas (like Je vous prie d'agréer...) as they waste precious word count.

The Template:

“

"Heureusement, plus de peur que de mal. Cordialement, [Your Name]"

”

(Fortunately, more fear than harm. Regards, [Name].)

The Secret to Scoring C1

1. Vocabulary Precision: Instead of using dire (to say) or voir (to see), use déclarer, affirmer, apercevoir, or constater.
2. Word Count Management: You will fail if you write 150 words. You must be ruthless with your editing. If the prompt says 80-100 words, aim for 95.
3. Flawless Past Tenses: The examiner is aggressively looking for mistakes in your passé composé / imparfait usage. If you use passé composé for a continuous background action, you lose points.

Practice Makes Perfect

Writing a cohesive, entertaining story in 90 words is incredibly difficult. You cannot practice this the night before the exam.

Start practicing today on PrepMyFrench. Our AI writing evaluator will instantly count your words, check your formal tone, highlight past tense errors, and provide a corrected C1-level version of your exact story.