MockoTEF Reading Section A asks you to read short everyday French documents and answer one multiple-choice question about each. The texts are things like shop signs, notices, menus, timetables, short messages, and labels. At A1 level your job is simple: find the one piece of information the question asks about, not to understand every word.
What you’ll learn
- Recognise the most common types of short authentic documents in Section A.
- Use the question to guide where you look in the text.
- Ignore words you do not know and focus on key numbers, names, and familiar nouns.
- Spot answer options that repeat words from the text but change the meaning.
What Section A looks like
Section A contains around ten short documents. Each one is a single authentic text of a few lines: a shop notice, a timetable entry, a price label, a sign, a short written message between friends, or a simple advertisement. Each document has one question with three or four answer options.
- Notices and signs: opening hours, rules, directions.
- Short messages: a note left for a neighbour, a text between colleagues.
- Advertisements: a product, a price, a service offered.
- Timetables and labels: a train time, a dosage instruction, a product description.
What the question tests
- Usually asks for one specific fact: a price, a time, a place, a person, a rule, or a purpose.
- Never asks you to interpret or give an opinion at this level.
Read the question before the text
Before you read the document, read the question and underline the key word. That word tells you exactly what to scan for. If the question asks "Quel est le prix?", you are scanning for a number. If it asks "À quelle heure?", you are looking for a time. This stops you from wasting time reading every word.
- 1Read the question once and identify the key word (what, where, when, who, how much).
- 2Glance at the three answer options to know what kind of answer to expect.
- 3Scan the document for that type of information (a number, a name, a verb phrase).
- 4Match what you find to the closest answer option.
- 5Check: does your chosen answer actually answer the question, or just repeat a word from the text?
Working with words you do not know
Section A documents are short enough that you can often answer correctly even when several words are unfamiliar. Look for cognates (words that resemble English), proper nouns, numbers, and any words you do recognise. The overall shape of the sentence often tells you enough.
Fermeture exceptionnelle le lundi 3 juin. Réouverture le mardi 4 juin à 9h00.
Exceptional closure on Monday 3 June. Reopening on Tuesday 4 June at 9:00 am. Even if you do not know "fermeture" or "exceptionnelle", the pattern "lundi 3 juin" + "mardi 4 juin à 9h00" tells you the shop is closed Monday and opens again Tuesday morning.
The word-repetition trap
- Wrong answer options often copy a word from the document but change its meaning.
- Example: the text says "ouvert jusqu'à 20h00" and one option says "fermé à 20h00". The time is right but the meaning is reversed.
- Always check the whole answer option, not just the familiar word.
Common document types and what to look for
- Opening hours notice: look for days, times, and words like "fermé" (closed) or "ouvert" (open).
- Short message or note: look for the sender's request or information ("pouvez-vous", "n'oubliez pas", "je vous confirme").
- Advertisement: look for the product name, price, or a key feature.
- Timetable or ticket: look for departure/arrival times, dates, or seat numbers.
- Instruction label: look for what to do or what to avoid ("ne pas", "avant de", "en cas de").
Madame Dubois, votre colis est arrivé. Passez à la loge avant 18h. Cordialement, le gardien.
Mrs Dubois, your parcel has arrived. Come to the lodge before 6 pm. Kind regards, the caretaker. The question might ask "Pourquoi ce message?" and the correct answer would be something like "Pour informer d'une livraison" (to inform about a delivery).
How to practise this
The best way to get faster at this task is to read real short French documents in daily life. French supermarket websites, SNCF timetable pages, and municipal notice boards all contain the kind of text that appears in Section A.
Practice routine
- Find one short French notice, sign, or message each day (online or in a textbook).
- Write one question about it ("Quel est l'horaire?", "C'est pour qui?"), then answer it.
- Time yourself: aim to read and answer each Section A item in under 45 seconds.
- Keep a list of the short useful words you see repeatedly: "gratuit", "interdit", "valable", "jusqu'au", "à partir de".
Key takeaways
- Read the question before the document to know exactly what to look for.
- Scan for specific information types: times, prices, names, rules.
- Cognates, numbers, and known nouns can often answer the question even when other words are unfamiliar.
- Be alert to options that repeat a word from the text but change its meaning.
- Regular practice with real short French documents builds the speed this section requires.
