TEF Reading Section C: Master Skimming & Scanning Long Texts

If you ask TEF Canada candidates which section of the exam caused them the most panic, the answer is almost always Compréhension Écrite (Reading) - Section C.

In the TEF Reading exam, you have 60 minutes to answer 50 multiple-choice questions. Section C consists of the longest, most complex texts on the exam—often journalistic articles, opinion pieces, or historical essays. Because of the strict time limit, if you try to read every single word in Section C, you will fail.

To score NCLC 7+, you must master the techniques of Skimming and Scanning. Here is your definitive strategy guide.

The Anatomy of Section C

Section C typically features 4 texts. Each text is accompanied by 3 to 4 questions. The language used is B2 to C1 level. It is dense, full of abstract vocabulary, and utilizes complex sentence structures (like the passive voice and advanced connectors).