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: