NCLC Ready

Guide · Practice options · Last checked

TCF Canada and TEF Canada practice: how to choose

Most candidates combine free official material with a practice app or a course. This guide lists what the test publishers give away, what to compare before you pay for an app, and the warning signs.

By Certloom Learning, publisher of NCLC Ready. Checked against the official sources listed at the end.

1 The short answer

Start with the free official material: the TCF candidate manual from France Éducation International and the TEF Canada sample tests from CCI Paris Île-de-France, which cover all four skills. Then add a practice app or course for volume and timed mock exams. Compare price, original questions, real timing, writing and speaking feedback and NCLC estimates. Avoid anything sold as leaked exam questions.

NCLC Ready publishes one of the options on this page. We describe only what our own apps do, link to official sources for the rest, and do not rank other products.

2 What you can get for free

  • France Éducation International (TCF Canada): The TCF Canada page and the TCF candidate manual describe each section, its tasks and its timing.
  • CCI Paris Île-de-France (TEF Canada): The TEF Canada preparation page has free sample tests for listening (with the audio), reading, writing and speaking. It also lists paid books and courses.
  • IRCC: The equivalency charts that turn official scores into NCLC levels. The free NCLC converter on this site applies them.
  • This site: A free 10-question reading test for each exam, with an explanation for every answer choice, and guides to the format and scoring of both tests.

Try 10 free TCF Canada questionsTry 10 free TEF Canada questionsNCLC score converter

3 What to compare before you pay for an app

Use the same questions for every app or course you look at. The last column says how NCLC Ready answers each one.

What to checkWhy it mattersNCLC Ready
Price and plan lengthPrices and plan lengths differ a lot between products. Work out the cost for the weeks you have before your test.Free tier. Premium on Google Play in Canada: C$9.99 for 1 month, C$19.99 for 3 months (7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers), C$39.99 for 12 months. Each app has its own subscription.
Original questionsReal test items are confidential. Material sold as real or repeated exam questions cannot be checked and may be wrong or out of date.2,028 original questions in the TCF Canada app and 1,600 in the TEF Canada app. No real exam items.
Real format and timingPacing is part of the score, so timed sections that match the real test matter.Listening and reading timed as in the real test, and full timed mock exams.
Writing and speaking feedbackPrograms set a minimum for each ability, so one weak skill can hold back your whole result.Model answers at NCLC 7 and NCLC 9, optional AI feedback, and an AI examiner for the interactive speaking tasks.
NCLC estimate per skillIRCC converts each ability separately. A single overall score hides the skill that holds you back.An estimated NCLC level for each skill on IRCC’s charts. Estimates only.
Account and privacyWhat you say and write in practice is personal data.No account. Speech is transcribed on the device, and AI feedback is sent only after you agree.
DevicesCheck that the app runs on the phone or tablet you will study on.Android, on Google Play · iPhone and iPad coming soon · English or French

4 Red flags

  • Promises of the real questions, exam memories or a share of repeated questions.
  • A guaranteed NCLC level or CRS score. Only the official test decides your result.
  • No sample before you pay, so you cannot judge the questions.
  • An account or personal details required just to try a question.

TCF Canada or TEF Canada?TCF Canada format and scoringTEF Canada format and scoring

Questions people ask

Which is easier, TCF Canada or TEF Canada?

Neither is officially easier. Both measure the same four skills, and IRCC converts both to the same NCLC scale. Choose by test dates near you, the format you prefer and how fast you need results.

Is there a free TCF Canada practice test?

Yes. France Éducation International describes every section in its TCF candidate manual, and this site has a free 10-question TCF Canada reading test with an explanation for every choice. The NCLC Ready TCF Canada app also starts you with 78 free questions.

Is there a free TEF Canada practice test?

Yes. CCI Paris Île-de-France publishes free sample tests for the four skills on its TEF Canada preparation page, and this site has a free 10-question TEF Canada reading test. The NCLC Ready TEF Canada app starts you with 80 free questions.

Are the NCLC levels in practice apps official?

No. Any NCLC level a practice app shows, including NCLC Ready’s, is an estimate. Only official TCF Canada or TEF Canada results count for IRCC.

Is NCLC Ready affiliated with France Éducation International, CCI Paris Île-de-France or IRCC?

No. NCLC Ready is an unofficial practice app published by Certloom Learning.

Practise with NCLC Ready

One app for each test, with the real format and timing, AI feedback on writing and speaking, and an estimated NCLC level for each skill. Scores in the apps are estimates, never official results.

Official sources

Checked against official sources on .

  • TCF Canada format and scoring

    The four sections and their timing, the writing and speaking tasks, how scores convert to NCLC, booking, results and a study plan.

    Checked

  • TEF Canada format and scoring

    The four tests and their timing, the two scores on your certificate and which one IRCC uses, NCLC ranges and a study plan.

    Checked

  • NCLC and CLB conversion tables

    IRCC’s charts for both tests, the scores that reach NCLC 7, 8 and 9, and how NCLC and CLB relate.

    Checked

  • TCF Canada or TEF Canada?

    The two tests side by side: format, speaking tasks, scoring, results, retakes, and how to decide which to book.

    Checked

  • French and Express Entry points

    Minimum levels by program, CRS points per ability, the 25 or 50 additional points for French and French-language draws.

    Checked

  • French test for Canadian citizenship

    Which French tests IRCC accepts for citizenship, the B1 listening and speaking level it asks for, and when your PR test result already counts.

    Checked