TEF Canada Writing: 50 Connectors and Expressions for Elite Samples

In the TEF Writing exam, your Connectors are the "Glue" that holds your arguments together. A candidate who only uses Et, Mais, Parce que is stuck at an NCLC 5. A candidate who uses Néanmoins, De surcroît, À l'inverse is on the path to an NCLC 9.

But it’s not just about "having a list." It’s about knowing where and why to use them.

At PrepMyFrench, we’ve identified the 50 connectors that appear most frequently in NCLC 10+ samples.

1. Connectors for Introduction and Context

Instead of jumping straight into your point, "set the stage."

1. D'entrée de jeu (Right from the start)
2. Il est indéniable que... (It is undeniable that...)
3. La question qui se pose est de savoir si... (The question that arises is whether...)
4. À l'heure actuelle... (At the present time...)

2. Connectors for Addition and Emphasis

Use these to build your "Second Argument." 5. De surcroît (Moreover) - High Level 6. Qui plus est (What’s more) 7. Par ailleurs (Furthermore) 8. Non seulement... mais aussi... (Not only... but also...)

3. Connectors for Opposition and Nuance

This is the most important category for Section B. 9. Néanmoins (Nevertheless) 10. Toutefois (However) 11. En revanche (On the other hand) 12. Nonobstant (Notwithstanding) - Elite Level 13. Bien que (+ Subjunctive) (Although)

4. Connectors for Conclusion and Recommendation

Finish strong. 14. En guise de conclusion (By way of conclusion) 15. En somme (In short) 16. Dès lors (Consequently) 17. C'est pourquoi (This is why)

5. The "Rhetorical Power" Expressions

These aren't just connectors; they are "Thought Markers."

• "Il serait fallacieux de croire que..." (It would be fallacious to believe that...)
• "Force est de constater que..." (It is clear that...)
• "Il convient de souligner que..." (It is worth emphasizing that...)

Master the Glue

Memorizing 50 connectors is useless if you don't use them in context. Our AI Writing Grader doesn't just check for their presence—it checks for their Logical Relevance. If you use "Néanmoins" where you should have used "De surcroît," the AI will show you exactly how to fix your logical flow.

Build stronger arguments with PrepMyFrench →