This 90-day study plan is designed for learners who are already at approximately B1 level (intermediate French) and want to reach NCLC 7 readiness for TEF Canada within three months. The plan assumes 60–90 minutes of study per day, six days per week, for 12 weeks — approximately 450–500 total study hours.
Before anything else, take a full TEF Canada mock test under real exam conditions without studying beforehand. You need an honest baseline. Score yourself and identify your weakest section — this drives your entire preparation strategy. Also set up your study environment: download Anki, bookmark Radio-Canada, and gather all practice materials.
Focus on your two weakest skills identified in Week 1. If listening was weakest: 40 minutes of Radio-Canada daily + 20 minutes of TEF-format listening tasks. If writing was weakest: one writing task daily with self-review against a model answer. Continue Anki vocabulary every day (15 minutes).
Take your second full mock test. Compare against your Week 1 baseline. Scores should have improved by 5–10% in your target areas. If they have not, your study activities are not targeting the right skills — adjust.
Daily: 20 min Radio-Canada news (no subtitles) + 20 min TEF-format short recordings. Focus on reading questions before audio plays. Practice eliminating wrong answers rather than confirming right ones.
Daily: one medium TEF-format reading text with questions under strict time limit (12 minutes for 10 questions). If you consistently go over time, practise skimming — read topic sentences only on a first pass, then return to relevant sections for specific answers.
Daily: one writing task under timed conditions. Focus this week specifically on Task 2 (200-word opinion piece). Practice using discourse markers and varied vocabulary. Compare every response to a model answer and identify three specific improvements. If possible, submit one response for AI or tutor feedback this week.
Daily: record a 3-minute monologue on a random topic. Listen back and evaluate: fluency, vocabulary variety, tense variety, structure. Also practice the debate/role-play format — argue both sides of a position for 2 minutes each. Take your third full mock test at the end of Week 8.
Each session should mimic real exam conditions: timed, no breaks, no looking things up. Rotate through sections: listening Monday/Thursday, reading Tuesday/Friday, writing Wednesday, speaking Saturday.
Review every wrong answer from your mock tests in detail. Categorise errors: vocabulary gaps, speed issues, strategy mistakes, or genuine comprehension failures. Spend 30 minutes each day drilling the specific question types you get wrong most often.
Take two full mock exams this week — one at the start and one at the end. The goal is staying focused for 3+ hours of testing, not just accuracy. Submit your final writing and speaking samples for tutor review this week so you have time to act on the feedback.
Reduce study intensity. Do not try to learn new things in the final week. Instead: review high-frequency TEF vocabulary (30 min/day), do one mock section per day at reduced intensity as maintenance, practise your speaking warm-up routine, and re-read your best writing responses to remind yourself what NCLC 7 performance looks like for you.
The day before the exam: light vocabulary review only. Sleep well — sleep deprivation reduces listening comprehension more than any other cognitive skill. Eat before the exam. Arrive early. During the exam: read every question before the corresponding audio or text. Do not spend more than 90 seconds on any single question. Your first instinct on multiple choice is usually correct — only change an answer if you have a clear reason.
Keep a simple log: date, section practised, mock score if applicable, and one observation (what went well, what to improve). Review this log weekly. Seeing your progress in writing prevents the discouragement that derails most self-study plans. You are 90 days from NCLC 7 — the plan is here, the only variable is whether you follow it consistently.