Short, sourced answers to the questions candidates ask most about the listening section.
In TCF Canada, once. In TEF Canada, once, except the radio interviews in questions 21-30, which CCI's August 2025 tutorial shows being played twice.
TCF Canada: 39 questions in 35 minutes. TEF Canada: 40 questions in 40 minutes, paced by the recordings.
In TEF Canada, no: you answer as you go. In TCF Canada each recording is played once and the test moves on, so treat every question as final.
No. In both tests a wrong answer and a blank answer both score 0, so always answer.
Yes. FEI builds it with progressive difficulty, from A1 items at the start to C2 items at the end.
In TCF picture and question-answer items, nothing is printed: you hear the four options. In TCF document items and in TEF, the options are on screen or in the booklet.
TCF Canada: 458 or more. TEF Canada: 249 or more in the "ancien score" column IRCC uses.
FEI does not say which accents TCF uses. CCI says the TEF has drawn more on audio from the French-language press since December 2023, to reflect the diversity of French-speaking countries.
In TEF Canada, no: notes and scrap paper are not allowed during listening or speaking. For TCF Canada, follow the instructions given at your centre.
The full task-by-task format is on the listening description page, the score tables on the listening scoring page, and worked examples on the listening samples page. For the whole test, see the TCF / TEF test format.
Practise TCF / TEF online
Every section of TCF Canada and TEF Canada is in the TestSucceed app. The tasks are timed like the real exam and marked instantly, and your writing and speaking are assessed by AI trained by our French exam experts. Start with TCF / TEF practice or sit a full TCF / TEF mock test.
Written by Kirill O'Nayd
French test expert and educator at TestSucceed. He prepares candidates for TCF Canada and TEF Canada and follows how each section is timed and marked. See all TestSucceed preparation materials.