MockoTEF Expression écrite Section B asks you to write a letter or a short text of around 200 words in which you argue for or against a position. The prompt gives you a topic and asks you to explain your point of view, give reasons, and sometimes address a specific audience (a newspaper, a local council, a company). At B1 level you do not need academic sophistication, but you do need a clear plan, logical connectors, and at least two developed arguments with brief examples.
What you’ll learn
- Plan a short opinion letter in under three minutes
- Structure an argument with a clear position, two or three reasons, and a brief conclusion
- Use logical connectors to link arguments and examples
- Match register and address to the audience specified in the prompt
- Avoid the most common structural and language mistakes in exam opinion writing
Understanding the prompt
Before you plan anything, read the prompt twice. Identify three things: the topic, your required position (are you asked to argue for, against, or to give your personal opinion?), and the audience or format (a letter to the editor, a message to a friend, a formal letter to a company). These three factors determine both what you write and how you write it.
Vous lisez dans un journal local un article qui propose de supprimer les voitures du centre-ville. Vous écrivez une lettre au rédacteur en chef pour donner votre opinion. (Environ 200 mots)
You read in a local newspaper an article proposing to ban cars from the town centre. You write a letter to the editor to give your opinion. (Approximately 200 words)
Three things to note in the prompt
- Topic: banning cars from the town centre
- Position: your opinion (you can be for or against, but you must be clear)
- Audience: the editor of a local newspaper, so semi-formal register is required
Planning in three minutes
Three minutes of planning saves ten minutes of confused writing. Use this simple plan every time.
- 1State your position in one sentence: "Je suis pour / contre cette idée car..."
- 2Write two or three short reasons (key words only, not full sentences)
- 3For each reason, note one concrete example or brief fact
- 4Note your closing sentence: a recommendation or a call to action
Position : pour la suppression des voitures. Raison 1 : meilleure qualité de l'air (exemple : pollution en baisse à Lyon après piétonisation). Raison 2 : plus agréable pour les piétons et les commerces (exemple : terrasses, promenades). Conclusion : appel à un essai de six mois.
Position: in favour of banning cars. Reason 1: better air quality (example: pollution down in Lyon after pedestrianisation). Reason 2: more pleasant for pedestrians and shops (example: terraces, walks). Conclusion: call for a six-month trial.
The four-part letter structure
A formal or semi-formal letter in French follows a predictable structure. Using it correctly signals that you know how written French is organised.
- 1Opening formula: "Monsieur le Rédacteur en chef," or "Madame, Monsieur," followed by the reason for writing ("Je me permets de vous écrire suite à l'article...")
- 2Body paragraph 1: state your position clearly and give your first argument with a brief example
- 3Body paragraph 2: second argument with example, or a counterargument you then refute
- 4Closing formula: a polite request or recommendation, then a standard French closing such as "Dans l'attente de votre réponse, veuillez agréer, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées."
Monsieur le Rédacteur en chef, Je me permets de vous écrire suite à l'article paru dans votre journal la semaine dernière concernant la suppression des voitures du centre-ville. En tant qu'habitant de cette ville depuis dix ans, je soutiens pleinement cette initiative.
Dear Editor, I am writing to you following the article published in your newspaper last week regarding the banning of cars from the town centre. As a resident of this town for ten years, I fully support this initiative.
Connectors for arguing and linking
Examiners at B1 level want to see that you can move from one idea to the next without abrupt jumps. A small set of connectors, used correctly, does most of the work.
- Adding an argument: "De plus," / "En outre," / "Par ailleurs,"
- Giving a reason: "En effet," / "Car" / "Parce que"
- Giving an example: "Par exemple," / "C'est le cas de..." / "Comme en témoigne..."
- Introducing a contrast: "Certes," / "Cependant," / "Toutefois," / "Néanmoins,"
- Concluding: "En conclusion," / "Pour toutes ces raisons," / "C'est pourquoi je vous encourage à..."
De plus, supprimer les voitures du centre-ville favoriserait le commerce local. En effet, les piétons sont davantage incités à s'arrêter et à entrer dans les boutiques lorsqu'ils se sentent en sécurité. Par exemple, la ville de Bordeaux a constaté une hausse de 15 % de la fréquentation des commerces après la piétonisation de ses quais.
Furthermore, banning cars from the town centre would support local businesses. In fact, pedestrians are more inclined to stop and enter shops when they feel safe. For example, the city of Bordeaux recorded a 15% increase in shop footfall after pedestrianising its quays.
Register and tone
Register means the level of formality in your language. Getting this wrong costs marks even if your arguments are good.
- Letter to an editor or official: use "vous" throughout, avoid contractions, use the conditional for polite suggestions ("il serait souhaitable que...")
- Message to a friend asking for an opinion: you can use "tu", more casual vocabulary, shorter sentences
- Forum post or comment: neutral to informal, direct statements, no formal opening or closing
Register mistakes that cost marks
- Using "tu" in a formal letter to an official or editor
- Writing "C'est nul" or "super" in a formal context (use "c'est inefficace" or "excellent" instead)
- Forgetting the formal closing formula at the end of a letter
How to practise this
Practice method
- Take any news headline on a civic topic (transport, environment, education, work) and pretend it is a TEF prompt.
- Spend 3 minutes planning: position, two reasons with examples, closing call to action.
- Write your letter in 20 minutes aiming for 190 to 220 words.
- Count the connectors you used. If you have fewer than four, add more. If you used the same one three times, vary it.
Key takeaways
- Read the prompt to identify the topic, your required position, and the audience before planning.
- Plan in three minutes: position, two or three reasons with brief examples, closing recommendation.
- Follow the four-part structure: opening formula, first argument, second argument, polite closing.
- Use linking connectors ("De plus,", "En effet,", "Par exemple,") to join ideas without abrupt jumps.
- Match your register to the audience: formal "vous" and standard closings for letters to officials.
