Study plans & methods
A2–B1: how to correct your own writing and build natural speaking
Between A2 and B1, knowledge has to turn into output. That happens through writing you correct yourself and speaking you rehearse in chunks, not by reading more rules.
Updated November 2026 · 3 min read
The short answer
- Check every piece of writing for four errors first: gender, agreement, verb endings, accents.
- Then get feedback on the rest. Self-correction removes the easy mistakes so feedback can focus on what you can't see.
- Learn functional phrases (ready-made chunks) rather than translating English sentences word by word.
- For TCF Task 2, use a question grid: price, time, conditions, practical details.
1Writing: the four-point self-check
| Check | Example error | Corrected |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | un bonne idée | une bonne idée |
| Agreement | les enfants sont content | les enfants sont contents |
| Verb endings | nous avons allé | nous sommes allés |
| Accents | a cote de l'ecole | à côté de l'école |
Write by hand or type without autocorrect, wait ten minutes, then reread four times, once for each check. After that, run the text through a scorer or tutor for structure, vocabulary range and naturalness.
2Speaking: functional phrases, not translations
Translated English → natural French
Ça dépend de…
Instead of Il dépend de… for "It depends on…"
J'ai l'habitude de…
"I usually…", more natural than repeating normalement
J'ai hâte de commencer.
"I can't wait to start", instead of the literal Je ne peux pas attendre
Il me faut…
"I need…", a common spoken alternative to J'ai besoin de…
Je suis en train de…
"I'm in the middle of…", for actions in progress
3TCF Task 2: the question grid
Task 2 asks you to get information in a scenario (renting an apartment, joining a gym, a volunteer program). Instead of improvising, run through a grid:
| Dimension | Example questions |
|---|---|
| Price | Quel est le tarif ? Est-ce qu'il y a des réductions ? |
| Time | Quels sont les horaires ? Combien de temps ça dure ? |
| Conditions | Est-ce qu'il faut une expérience particulière ? Quels documents faut-il ? |
| Practical details | Comment est-ce qu'on s'inscrit ? C'est loin du centre ? |
More on this task in the volunteer recruitment example.
4Shadowing for rhythm
- 1
Pick 30 seconds of clear audio
With a transcript: a podcast for learners or a news clip.
- 2
Listen once, read once
Understand every word.
- 3
Speak along with the audio
Half a second behind, matching rhythm and linking, three to five times.
- 4
Record and compare
Once a week, record yourself and listen back.
5Frequently asked questions
How can I improve my French writing without a teacher?+
Check each text for gender, agreement, verb endings and accents yourself, then use an automated scorer or language exchange for structure and vocabulary. Rewrite the same task after feedback.
Keep reading
Turn the method into points
Practise with levelled TCF Canada questions and full mock exams built for NCLC 7, with an explanation for every answer.