THE PARLESPRINT JOURNAL
Honest writing on learning French as an adult.
No fluency-in-three-months claims. Real breakdowns of TEF and TCF Canada, Express Entry, the SLE oral exam, and the actual gap between reading French and speaking it.
Language, learning and life in Canada, one clear article at a time.
Can't Get Into a Francisation Class? Here's What to Do While You Wait
Francisation waitlists in Quebec can run six to twelve months. What that actually means for newcomers, and how to keep making real progress in the meantime.
Read the articleIs Duolingo Enough for TEF or TCF Canada? What the Speaking Section Actually Requires
A practical look at what Duolingo and similar apps teach well, what the TEF and TCF speaking sections actually test, and where the gap between the two shows up.
Read the articleYou Can Read French. You Just Can't Speak It Yet. Here's Why.
The specific reason years of French class leave people able to read comfortably but unable to hold a conversation, and what closes that gap.
Read the articleFrench for Express Entry: What CLB 7 Is Actually Worth, and How to Get There
How French proficiency affects your Express Entry CRS score, what CLB 7 really requires, and why the speaking section is usually the one holding candidates back.
Read the articleSLE French Oral Exam: A Plain-English Guide to the BBB Profile
What the Second Language Evaluation actually tests, why the oral component trips up so many federal public servants, and how to practise for it without a generic French course.
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