Chaitanya recently shared his TCF exam experience with us, and his story is full of useful tips, honest reflections, and lessons for anyone preparing for this exam. Here’s a full look at his journey — from how he started learning French to how he handled the challenges of the test and what helped him succeed.
How It All Started?
Chaitanya started learning French in January 2024 with La Forêt. He worked closely with his tutor, Bansari, and right from the start, he had a great experience. He found the classes well-paced, with regular checks to track his progress and useful feedback after each step.
What really helped him was being consistent — attending every class made a big difference. According to Chaitanya, it’s easy to lose track and fall behind if you miss even a few classes. His goal was to reach the B2 level, and it took him around one year and four to five months to get there. While the main reason he was learning French was for his permanent residency application, he pointed out that consistency, not just motivation, was what really kept him moving forward.
Staying Motivated When Others Drop Out
As time went on, Chaitanya noticed that many of his classmates stopped attending classes. A group that started with ten or eleven students slowly dropped to just three or four. He believes this wasn’t because they weren’t motivated — instead, when people started missing classes, they lost their rhythm, and it became harder for them to return. This showed him how important it is to stick to the schedule and not lose momentum, especially when learning a new language.
Balancing Studies with a Full-Time Job
One of the biggest challenges for Chaitanya was preparing for the TCF while working a full-time job. To manage this, he planned his study time around his days off and made sure to practice regularly. In the early stages of the course, the workload wasn’t too heavy, but as the exam got closer, it became much more intense. What helped him most was making time for daily practice, even on busy days. He realised that small, regular efforts added up and built a strong foundation over time.
Study Materials and Tools That Helped
Chaitanya mostly relied on the resources recommended by La Forêt. Two materials stood out for him: the Edito textbook and a phonetics book, which he found especially helpful for improving his pronunciation.
For reading and listening practice, he used the TCF Canada website, which offered good practice questions, some of which were similar to the actual exam questions. For speaking and writing, regular practice with tutors was key. To get even more speaking practice, Chaitanya also booked extra sessions on iTalki, which gave him one-on-one time to improve his fluency and confidence.
The Importance of Having a Tutor and Group Practice
Chaitanya feels that preparing for the TCF without a tutor would have been extremely difficult, especially within one year. Having structured guidance, clear feedback, and someone to ask questions helped him stay focused and avoid the confusion and self-doubt that often comes with self-study.
As the exam approached, Chaitanya also teamed up with two classmates, for group practice. Although they were all busy, they found time to meet, and this extra practice gave them motivation and kept their spirits up. It was a reminder that learning with others can make a big difference, especially during stressful times.
Listening: The Hardest Skill to Master
Among all the sections of the exam, listening was the most difficult for Chaitanya. He felt that listening is his weakest area. Looking back, he realised he didn’t spend enough time on active listening — meaning listening carefully with full attention, not just having French in the background.
While he practiced reading, writing, and speaking quite a lot, he now feels that focused listening practice was missing from his routine. He learned that active listening is not only important for understanding but also helps improve pronunciation and overall fluency.
How He Prepared for the Exam?
Instead of doing a lot of full-length mock exams, Chaitanya focused on practicing individual sections first. Only closer to the exam date did he start taking full mock tests to see where his weak spots were — especially in listening and certain speaking tasks. This approach allowed him to fix specific problems without getting overwhelmed by trying to simulate the entire exam from the start.
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What the Exam Day Was Like?
Thanks to his preparation, Chaitanya felt comfortable with the computer-based format of the exam. He knew what to expect and wasn’t surprised by the structure of the reading, writing, and listening sections.
The speaking section, however, was a little unexpected. While he was used to having live practice conversations with his tutors, the actual exam felt much more formal and less interactive. The examiner gave short replies, and Chaitanya had to carry the conversation mostly by himself, which made the second task feel a bit awkward. But as the speaking test went on, he gained confidence and performed better. Interestingly, this happened in both of his exam attempts at the Ontario, Canada center, even though the examiners were different.
Which Sections Felt Easy and Which Were Tough?
For Chaitanya, reading section was the easiest part of the exam, while listening section remained the hardest. The writing section was easier to handle because it followed a predictable format, and the speaking section, especially the last task that required longer responses, was challenging but improved with extra practice. Recording himself while speaking helped him sound more fluent and less hesitant.
Facing Challenges in the Speaking Test
In the speaking section, Chaitanya was asked to introduce himself, talk about his hobbies, and plan a family car trip. In the last speaking task, the topic was clothing and society. Although he didn’t fully understand the question at first, he still managed to answer by discussing how people’s clothing choices are seen in society. This taught him that flexibility and staying calm are important — you can’t rely only on memorized answers.
Check our article on 11 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Learning French.
Dealing with Overwhelm and Burnout
As the exam approached, Chaitanya started feeling overwhelmed and stressed. The pressure to revise and meet deadlines was building up, and he began doubting himself. After talking with his tutor, he decided to take a break — a ten-day pause where he completely stepped away from his studies. This helped clear his mind, recharge his energy, and return to studying with a fresh perspective. From this experience, he learned that rest is not a waste of time but a significant part of preparation.
Lessons Learned and Important Takeaways
One of the biggest lessons for Chaitanya was that passive listening doesn’t work. Just having French audio in the background isn’t enough; you need to listen actively and engage with the material to really improve. He also learned that sticking to a few trusted resources is better than jumping between too many materials, which can lead to confusion and overwhelm.
Looking Back
Chaitanya feels grateful for the support he received from La Forêt French Class. The tutors, the guidance, and the continued support after the course all played an important role in his success, especially during his second attempt at the TCF.
For Chaitanya, passing the TCF wasn’t just a personal achievement — it was a team effort, made possible by his teachers, classmates, and support system. And as he happily shared, this is only the start of his journey with the French language.
Check out Chaitanya’s full interview now streaming on our YouTube channel. Don’t miss the insights, stories, and inspiration – watch it today!
