Writing a short event message | TCF Writing

TCF IRN Expression écrite Task 2 asks you to recount a recent event or a sequence of everyday activities in a short message of 40 to 90 words. You write to someone you know, describing what happened: what you did, when, how it went, and possibly how you felt about it. This task tests whether you can narrate clearly in the past tense, sequence events logically, and keep the language natural and direct.

What you’ll learn

Narrate a sequence of everyday events in the passé composé and imparfait
Use time markers to order events clearly
Cover every required content point in 40 to 90 words
Keep the tone appropriate for the recipient described in the prompt

What the task asks you to do

The prompt describes a situation and tells you that you have just experienced or completed something: a trip, a visit, a course, an event, a new routine. You write to a friend or family member to tell them about it. The key skill is sequencing: putting the events in a logical order so the reader can follow the story.

Example IRN Task 2 prompt

« Vous venez de participer à une fête de quartier. Écrivez un message à un(e) ami(e). Dites-lui comment c'était. Décrivez ce que vous avez fait pendant la fête. Expliquez si vous avez aimé ou non et pourquoi. »
"You have just attended a neighbourhood party. Write a message to a friend. Tell them how it was. Describe what you did during the party. Explain whether you enjoyed it and why." Three required points, all based on recounting an event.

What counts as recounting

You tell what happened (passé composé for completed actions).
You describe the atmosphere or background (imparfait for descriptions and ongoing states).
You give a personal reaction or feeling (any tense that works in context).

The two past tenses you need

For a narration task, you need to use both the passé composé and the imparfait. Using only one of them is the most common B1 narration error, and it costs marks.

Passé composé: completed actions that form the sequence of events. "J'ai rencontré mes voisins. Nous avons mangé ensemble. J'ai discuté avec la musicienne."
Imparfait: background descriptions, ongoing states, atmosphere. "Il faisait beau. Il y avait beaucoup de monde. L'ambiance était très sympa."

Salut Lucas, Je viens de rentrer de la fête de quartier et je voulais te donner mes impressions! Il y avait beaucoup de monde et l'ambiance était vraiment chaleureuse. J'ai rencontré plusieurs voisins que je ne connaissais pas encore. Nous avons mangé des spécialités du quartier et même dansé un peu. J'ai beaucoup aimé, surtout parce que ça m'a donné envie de m'impliquer davantage dans la vie locale. À bientôt, Sofiane
Passé composé for events (j'ai rencontré, nous avons mangé, j'ai aimé) and imparfait for description (il y avait, l'ambiance était). All three required points covered. About 80 words.

Time markers to sequence events

Time markers are the thread that pulls a narrative together. Without them, the reader cannot tell what happened first, what happened next, or when the event took place.

When: "hier", "samedi dernier", "le weekend dernier", "la semaine dernière", "ce matin"
First: "d'abord", "au début", "pour commencer"
Then: "ensuite", "puis", "après ça", "un peu plus tard"
Finally: "enfin", "à la fin", "pour finir"
Reaction: "finalement", "au final", "en tout cas"

Open with when it happened

Starting with a time marker like "Hier soir, je suis allé(e)…" or "Samedi dernier, nous avons participé à…" immediately sets the scene.
It also makes the passé composé feel natural, because recent past with a time marker is exactly what that tense is for.

Describing how you felt

TCF IRN Task 2 prompts often include a required point asking you to say whether you liked the experience and why. This is not a bonus element; it is a marked requirement. Make sure you include a personal reaction.

Positive reaction: "J'ai vraiment apprécié parce que…", "C'était super, surtout…", "Ça m'a beaucoup plu."
Mixed reaction: "C'était bien dans l'ensemble, mais…", "J'ai aimé… mais j'aurais préféré…"
Negative reaction: "Honnêtement, je n'ai pas trop aimé parce que…", "C'était un peu décevant."

Do not just list events

A list of what you did with no reaction does not fully address the prompt.
If the prompt asks "si vous avez aimé ou non et pourquoi", one sentence with a reason is the minimum.
Do not write "J'ai aimé" and stop. Always follow it with "parce que" or "car" and a brief explanation.

How to practise this

Practice method for IRN Task 2

Choose an everyday event you actually did recently (a meal, a walk, a class, a film). Write 65 to 75 words in French describing it as if telling a friend.
After writing, underline all passé composé verbs in one colour and all imparfait verbs in another. You should see both.
Check: did you use at least two time markers? Did you include a personal reaction?
Try writing the same event twice, once focusing on a positive reaction and once on a mixed one. This builds flexibility for the exam.

Key takeaways

Task 2 is a 40 to 90 word narration: recount what happened in the past tense, sequence events with time markers, and include a personal reaction.
Use passé composé for completed events and imparfait for description and atmosphere.
Time markers (d'abord, ensuite, enfin, hier, samedi dernier) create a clear sequence for the reader.
Always explain your reaction with "parce que" or "car" and a brief reason. A bare "J'ai aimé" is not enough.