TCF Canada writing · task 1
Surprise birthday party: the task 1 topic, and how to handle it
What it really asks, a plan, the vocabulary and the pitfalls, explained in English. No model answer to copy: you write the text yourself.
At a glance
The prompt, as candidates report it (in French, as on the exam)
Vous rédigez un message à vos amis pour les convier à une fête d’anniversaire surprise organisée pour votre meilleur(e) ami(e).
Translation: You are writing a message to your friends to invite them to a surprise birthday party organized for your best friend.
Word counts: France Éducation international, the body that designs the TCF Canada. Reports: a public archive of topics reported by candidates since 2023, explained in the study of 642 topics.
What the prompt really asks
- Who the party is for and what you are celebrating: their birthday, their age if you like.
- When and where: the day, the time, the place, with an address or a landmark.
- What you expect from them: keep the secret, arrive before your friend, chip in for the present or bring something.
- A request for a reply: they should confirm they are coming.
Who you are writing to. You are writing to several friends: use « vous » throughout (vous, votre, vos), in a friendly tone. « Salut à tous » works; « Cordialement » does not.
A plan in five steps
About 95 words, for a range of 60 to 120. The numbers for each step are guides; the word range itself is part of the instructions, and every point asked for must be covered.
- Greet. A greeting for the group and the reason for your message, in one sentence. about 10 words
- The surprise. Who it is for, what the occasion is, and why you want to surprise them. about 20 words
- The details. Date, time, place. Give the guests an arrival time earlier than your friend’s. about 25 words
- The instructions. The secret to keep, the joint present or what everyone brings. about 25 words
- Wrap up. Ask for a reply by a given date, then a friendly sign-off. about 15 words
Vocabulary for this topic
B1 to B2 words and phrases to use in your text, not to pile up.
- convier quelqu’un à une fêteto invite someone to a party
- organiser une fête surpriseto organize a surprise party
- fêter ses trente ansto celebrate one’s thirtieth birthday
- souffler ses bougiesto blow out the candles
- garder le secretto keep the secret
- ne rien dire à quelqu’unto say nothing to someone
- se douter de quelque choseto suspect something
- se cotiser pour un cadeauto chip in for a present
- un cadeau communa joint present
- arriver en avanceto arrive early
- se cacherto hide
- confirmer sa présenceto confirm one’s attendance
- compter sur quelqu’unto count on someone
Three pitfalls on this topic
Using « tu » with a group
« Salut à tous… est-ce que tu peux venir ? » The prompt says « vos amis »: several people. That means « vous », even among friends, and without switching halfway.
Forgetting the surprise
A message with only the date and the place reads like an ordinary invitation. What makes this topic is the secret: ask them to say nothing and to arrive before your friend.
Copying « meilleur(e) ami(e) »
Pick a name and a gender, then make the agreements: « Léa sera ravie », « Marc sera ravi ». The brackets in the prompt do not belong in your text.
B2-level sentences to inspire you
Two or three sentences, not a full answer: borrow the idea, not the words, and write the rest yourself.
- Comme vous le savez, Léa fête ses trente ans le 14 juin, et j’aimerais lui préparer une surprise qu’elle n’oubliera pas.As you know, Léa turns thirty on June 14, and I would like to plan a surprise she will never forget.
- Surtout, n’en parlez à personne : elle ne se doute de rien, et je compte sur vous pour garder le secret.Above all, don’t tell anyone: she suspects nothing, and I’m counting on you to keep the secret.
- Pourriez-vous arriver vers 19 h, une demi-heure avant elle, pour que nous ayons le temps de nous cacher ?Could you arrive around 7 p.m., half an hour before her, so that we have time to hide?
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