MockoTCF Expression écrite Task 2 asks you to write a short article, notice, or post of about 60 to 80 words for a wider audience: a neighbourhood website, a community noticeboard, a club newsletter, or similar. Unlike Task 1, you are not writing to one specific person but to a group. That shift changes your tone, your structure, and how you open and close the text. This lesson focuses on exactly that.
What you’ll learn
- Recognise the article or notice format from the prompt
- Use a neutral or welcoming tone appropriate for a wider audience
- Report a situation clearly and add a relevant personal or community view
- Structure a 60 to 80 word text with a brief heading, body, and closing
How Task 2 differs from Task 1
In Task 1 you write to someone you know. In Task 2 you write for a group of readers you may not know personally. The audience changes everything: you use "vous" rather than "tu", you give information before opinions, and you write in a more measured way.
- Task 1: personal message to an individual, informal or semi-formal.
- Task 2: article or notice for a general readership, neutral to semi-formal.
- Task 2 may ask you to: report facts, describe a situation, give a short opinion, or invite readers to act.
« Vous participez à un club de sport dans votre quartier. Le club va fermer ses portes. Rédigez un article pour le site internet du quartier. Décrivez la situation. Expliquez pourquoi c'est dommage. Proposez une solution. »
"You are a member of a local sports club. The club is going to close. Write an article for the neighbourhood website. Describe the situation. Explain why it is a shame. Suggest a solution." Classic three-point Task 2 structure.
Opening an article or notice
An article or notice does not start with "Salut". It either begins with a short heading that states the topic, or it opens directly with a sentence that identifies the subject. Both approaches are fine for TCF.
Fermeture du club sportif du quartier Notre club de sport « Les Mouettes » va fermer ses portes le mois prochain. C'est une mauvaise nouvelle pour tous les habitants du quartier qui venaient s'y retrouver chaque semaine.
A clear heading followed by one sentence stating the situation. No greeting needed. "Les Mouettes" is the fictional club name.
You can invent details
- The prompt does not give you a club name or specific facts. You can invent them.
- Specific details (a name, a date, a number) make your article sound more authentic.
- Keep invented details simple so you do not make grammar mistakes trying to be creative.
Covering the three required points in 60 to 80 words
The body of Task 2 is short. You need to work through the required points efficiently, allocating roughly 15 to 20 words per point and using connectors to move between them.
- 1Sentence 1 to 2: state the situation (the fact, the event, the problem).
- 2Sentence 3 to 4: explain why it matters or what impact it has.
- 3Sentence 5 to 6: propose a solution, invite readers to act, or share your opinion.
- 4Closing: one short sentence to round off, or a call to action.
La fermeture de ce club est vraiment regrettable car il offrait des activités sportives abordables à toutes les familles. Sans lui, de nombreux enfants et adultes n'auront plus d'espace pour pratiquer. Nous proposons de créer une association citoyenne pour reprendre ses activités. N'hésitez pas à nous contacter si vous êtes intéressé(e).
The three points: situation already stated, impact described (families, children, adults), solution proposed (a citizens' association), and a call to action. About 58 words for this body section.
Tone: neutral but engaged
An article for a neighbourhood website is not cold and official, but it is not chatty either. You express concern, enthusiasm, or a constructive opinion in measured language.
- Use "nous" when speaking as part of a community: "Nous pensons que…", "Nous vous invitons à…".
- Use "vous" to address readers directly: "Vous avez sans doute remarqué que…".
- Avoid very familiar expressions: not "c'est nul" but "c'est vraiment dommage" or "c'est regrettable".
- Opinion phrases that work at B1: "il me semble que", "il est important de", "nous pensons que".
Avoid mixing tones
- Do not start in a formal register and end with "Bisous, Marie".
- An article or notice closes with something like: "N'hésitez pas à nous contacter." or "Merci de votre soutien."
- Never use "tu" for the readers. The audience is a group you do not know personally.
How to practise this
Task 2 practice method
- Pick a local topic (a new park, a transport problem, a community event) and write a 70-word article.
- Force yourself to write a heading first. It organises the rest of the text immediately.
- Check: did you cover all required points? Did you use "vous" throughout, not "tu"?
- Read your closing line. Does it round off the article or does it trail off? A short call to action always works.
Key takeaways
- Task 2 is an article or notice for a wider audience: use "vous", a neutral to semi-formal tone, and no personal greetings.
- A short heading followed by the situation, impact, and a solution or opinion covers the typical required structure.
- Invented details (names, dates, numbers) make the article more concrete without adding difficulty.
- Close with a call to action or a round-off sentence, not a personal sign-off.
