Structuring a short message to ask for news | TEF Writing

One of the TEF IRN writing tasks asks you to write a short message of roughly 40 words to ask a contact for their news. The context is always specific: your friend just moved, your colleague had a baby, your neighbour changed jobs. Your message needs a proper French opening, a sentence that acknowledges the event, a clear question asking for news, and a warm close. This lesson shows you exactly how to build that message, word by word, so the structure becomes automatic.

What you’ll learn

Open a short French message with the correct greeting formula
Acknowledge the specific event mentioned in the prompt
Ask for news using natural, direct questions
Close the message with an appropriate sign-off
Write 38 to 45 words that feel natural rather than padded

The prompt and what it is testing

The TEF IRN writing task gives you a real-life situation and asks you to react in writing. The word limit of about 40 words forces you to be direct: one acknowledgement, one or two questions, one sign-off. There is no room for long introductions. What the examiner checks is whether you used a correct opening, addressed the topic, asked for news specifically, and closed appropriately.

Why word count matters

Under 30 words: incomplete task, points deducted for missing components
38 to 45 words: ideal, all parts covered without filler
Over 55 words: not penalised but wastes time on a simple task

Step-by-step message construction

Break the 40-word message into four functional moves. Each move takes one or two sentences.

1Greeting (3 to 5 words): "Cher Thomas," or "Salut Marie,"
2Acknowledgement (8 to 12 words): name or refer to the event from the prompt
3Question(s) (12 to 18 words): ask one or two specific questions about how things are going
4Closing (5 to 8 words): sign-off and your name

Prompt: Your friend Julien has just got his driving licence. Write him a message to congratulate him and ask for his news.

Cher Julien, Félicitations pour ton permis de conduire ! Je suis vraiment content pour toi. Tu as déjà fait un grand trajet ? Comment tu te sens au volant ? À bientôt, Marc
Dear Julien, Congratulations on your driving licence! I am really happy for you. Have you already done a long trip? How do you feel behind the wheel? See you soon, Marc.

Greeting formulas

The greeting sets the tone of the entire message. Use the recipient's first name and the right level of closeness.

"Cher [prénom]," for a male friend or colleague (formal-friendly)
"Chère [prénom]," for a female friend or colleague
"Salut [prénom]," for a close friend (informal)
"Bonjour [prénom]," for a neighbour or acquaintance (neutral)

Do not skip the greeting

Starting directly with "J'ai appris..." without any greeting is incomplete and costs marks.
The prompt usually names the person, so always use their name in the greeting.

Acknowledging the event

The acknowledgement shows the examiner you read the prompt and understood what happened. One clear sentence is enough. Here are the most reliable patterns.

"J'ai appris que tu [+ event]." (I heard that you...)
"On m'a dit que tu [+ event]." (I was told that you...)
"Je viens d'apprendre [+ news]." (I just found out...)
"Félicitations pour [+ noun]!" (Congratulations on...)
"Quelle bonne nouvelle !" (What great news!)

Acknowledging that a friend moved to a new city

J'ai appris que tu t'es installé à Bordeaux. Quelle belle ville !
I heard you moved to Bordeaux. What a beautiful city!

Asking for news: useful question patterns

You need at least one question that asks specifically about the situation from the prompt. Avoid generic questions like "Comment tu vas ?" on their own; always link your question to the event.

"Comment se passe [ta nouvelle vie / ton nouveau travail / tes études] ?"
"Est-ce que tu es content(e) ?"
"Tu t'y plais bien ?"
"Comment tu trouves [ton nouveau quartier / tes collègues / ton logement] ?"
"Tout se passe bien pour toi ?"

Message to a friend who started a new university course

Chère Amélie, J'ai appris que tu as commencé ta licence de droit, bravo ! Comment se passent tes premières semaines ? Les cours te plaisent ? J'espère que tu t'adaptes bien. Bises, Claire
Dear Amélie, I heard you started your law degree, well done! How are your first few weeks going? Are you enjoying the classes? I hope you are settling in well. Hugs, Claire.

Closing formulas

A missing close is one of the most common reasons for losing a mark on this task. Choose a closing that suits the relationship.

"Bises," (informal, for friends)
"Amitiés," (friendly but slightly more neutral)
"À bientôt," (works for both friends and acquaintances)
"Cordialement," (for neighbours or colleagues you address formally)

How to practise this

Daily drill for the 40-word message

Each day, invent one life event (a birth, a promotion, a move, a new hobby, an exam result).
Set a 4-minute timer and write a complete message using the four-step structure.
Count your words. If you are under 35, add one more question or a sentence of encouragement.
After writing, check: one greeting, one acknowledgement, at least one question, one close.

Key takeaways

A 40-word message has four parts: greeting, acknowledgement, question, closing.
Always name the recipient in the greeting and refer specifically to the event in the prompt.
Include at least one direct question that ties to the event, not just "Comment tu vas ?"
Match your closing formula to the relationship: "Bises" for a friend, "Cordialement" for a colleague.
Count your words after writing: 38 to 45 is the target range.