TCF Canada writing task 1: annotated example 5 (asking a neighbour about restaurant jobs)

The prompt

Translation: You have just moved to Gatineau and are looking for a job in the restaurant industry. Your neighbour works in a local restaurant. Write a message to your neighbour, Mrs Gagnon, to introduce yourself, describe your experience and ask her for advice on finding work. (60 words minimum/120 words maximum)

Structure both answers follow

1. Greet and introduce yourself as the new neighbour
2. Describe your restaurant experience
3. Ask specific advice about finding work
4. Thank her and sign off

Answer targeting an estimated NCLC around 7

92 words (limit 60–120: met)

Sentence by sentence

1. Bonjour Madame Gagnon,

   Correct greeting using the recipient's name: “Bonjour Madame Gagnon” is polite without being stiff, which suits a neighbour.

2. Je m'appelle Sacha et j'habite l'appartement 4, à côté de chez vous, depuis deux semaines.

   Complete introduction: name, flat number, and duration with “depuis” + present tense. It sets up the neighbour relationship well, but simply lines up facts.

3. Je cherche un emploi dans la restauration.

   Clearly states the goal, but it is short and vague: “un emploi” names neither the job nor the type of restaurant.

4. Avant d'arriver à Gatineau, j'ai travaillé trois ans dans un café.

   Correct passé composé for a finished experience, with a precise duration (“trois ans”). “Avant d'arriver” sets the timeline clearly.

5. Je servais les clients, je préparais les boissons et je m'occupais de la caisse.

   Well-chosen imperfect for habitual tasks. The list is clear but repetitive (“je… je… je”) and says nothing about skills gained.

6. Je parle français et anglais.

   A useful asset for restaurant work in Canada, but the sentence is isolated: nothing links it to the experience or the request.

7. Comme vous travaillez dans un restaurant du quartier, pouvez-vous me donner quelques conseils ?

   Good causal link with “Comme” to justify the request. “pouvez-vous” works, but the conditional “pourriez-vous” would be more polite.

8. Est-ce que je dois déposer mon CV directement dans les restaurants ?

   A concrete, relevant question. “Est-ce que” is correct but basic and rather spoken; offering an alternative (in person or online) would enrich it.

9. Est-ce que votre restaurant cherche quelqu'un ?

   A relevant question, but a little blunt for a first contact; a softer form such as “Savez-vous si…” would fit better.

10. Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.

    A simple, correct thank-you that closes the message well. A common phrase with no particular range.

11. Cordialement,

    Correct closing formula. “Cordialement” is slightly businesslike for a neighbour but still acceptable.

12. Sacha

    Signed with the first name, consistent with the opening introduction. The message format is respected.

Answer targeting an estimated NCLC of 9–10

105 words (limit 60–120: met)

Sentence by sentence

1. Bonjour Madame Gagnon,

   Same greeting as in A: the difference in level comes from the body of the message, not the opening.

2. Je viens d'emménager dans l'appartement 4, à côté du vôtre.

   “venir de” + infinitive precisely conveys the recent past; the possessive pronoun “du vôtre” avoids repeating “appartement”.

3. Je m'appelle Sacha et je souhaiterais travailler dans la restauration.

   The conditional “je souhaiterais” expresses the career wish tentatively; A's present tense is also entirely appropriate.

4. Avant de m'installer à Gatineau, j'ai passé trois ans dans un café très fréquenté, où je m'occupais aussi bien du service en salle que de la caisse et de la gestion des stocks.

   One complex sentence with the relative “où” and “aussi bien… que” replaces A's repetitive list; “gestion des stocks” is precise vocabulary.

5. Cette expérience m'a appris à garder mon calme en plein coup de feu.

   Draws a skill from the experience, which A does not; the idiom “en plein coup de feu” is genuine restaurant vocabulary.

6. Sachant que vous travaillez dans un restaurant du quartier, j'aimerais savoir comment vous vous y prendriez à ma place : vaut-il mieux se présenter en personne ou postuler en ligne ?

   The participle “Sachant que”, the conditional “vous vous y prendriez”, the inversion “vaut-il mieux” and a clear choice: one rich question replaces three simple ones.

7. Je vous remercie d'avance.

   “Je vous remercie d'avance” is more formal than “Merci beaucoup” and politely anticipates a reply.

8. Bien cordialement,

   “Bien cordialement” is slightly warmer than “Cordialement”, which better suits a neighbourly relationship.

9. Sacha

   Consistent signature; the message stays concise while packing in more ideas than A.

One level up: 3 edits to the NCLC 7 answer

Three targeted changes, without rewriting the whole text. It is the fastest way to progress: take your own answer and look for the same kind of sentence.

1. Je servais les clients, je préparais les boissons et je m'occupais de la caisse.
   → Je m'occupais du service aux clients, de la préparation des boissons et de la caisse.

   Groups the duties without repeating “je”, while preserving the original information.

2. Est-ce que je dois déposer mon CV directement dans les restaurants ?
   → Vaut-il mieux déposer mon CV directement dans les restaurants ou postuler en ligne ?

   Inversion replaces “Est-ce que”, and the either/or choice makes the request for advice more precise.

3. Comme vous travaillez dans un restaurant du quartier, pouvez-vous me donner quelques conseils ?
   → Comme vous travaillez dans un restaurant du quartier, pourriez-vous me donner quelques conseils ?

   Preserves the clear causal link and uses the conditional to soften the request.

After the three edits: 95 words (limit 60–120: met)

Your turn: write and count your words

Write your version here to check the word count with the TCF rule, then send it for feedback to get an estimated NCLC and your mistakes one by one.

Get feedback on my version of this prompt Task 1 method