✏️ Practice · 10 Annotated Samples

TEF Canada Writing Samples — CLB 4 to CLB 9, Annotated

The fastest way to internalise CLB band differences is to read same-prompt responses at different bands. Here are sample TEF Canada Writing responses across all CLB levels with notes on what makes each one score where it does.

Try a free Canada French mock All Canada French resources

Why anchored samples matter

CLB descriptors alone are abstract. "Uses subordination effectively" is hard to operationalise. A sample CLB 7 response next to a CLB 9 response on the same prompt makes the difference vivid — register precision, vocabulary specificity, argument structure. Use these as calibration anchors when self-grading your own writing.

Where to find the full anchor library

Our platform's CLB rubric library contains 21 EE writing anchors (3 per CLB band, CLB 4 to 10) and 21 EO speaking anchors. These power the AI grading on every mock attempt. When you take a mock, your response is compared against these anchors; the AI tells you which CLB band your response most closely resembles and why. Take a full mock to see the full anchor-driven feedback.

Sample contrast: CLB 5 vs CLB 9 (same prompt)

Prompt: News-continuation task — continue this article in 80-100 words: "La ville de Sherbrooke vient d'annoncer un nouveau programme de recyclage..."

CLB 5 response (62 words):

"Le programme de recyclage est important. Il faut tous recycler les choses. Les gens doit séparer le plastique et le carton. Le programme commence en janvier. La ville donne des bacs nouveau pour chaque maison. C'est très bien pour l'environnement."

Why CLB 5: Repetitive structure (subject-verb-object). Errors with agreement ("doit" → "doivent"). Limited connectors. Vocabulary functional but basic.

CLB 9 response (95 words):

"Cette initiative s'inscrit dans une démarche plus large de la municipalité, qui cherche à atteindre la carboneutralité d'ici 2035. Les nouveaux bacs, plus volumineux que les précédents, permettront aux résidents de trier davantage de matières — y compris le verre, jusqu'ici exclu du circuit municipal. Selon le maire Évans Dupuis, le coût de mise en œuvre, estimé à 2,3 millions de dollars, sera amorti par les économies réalisées sur les frais d'enfouissement. Reste à voir si la population suivra."

Why CLB 9: Subordination ("qui cherche à atteindre"). Sophisticated vocabulary ("carboneutralité", "amorti", "circuit municipal"). Implicit register awareness (formal news style). Concludes with rhetorical observation ("Reste à voir...").

FAQs

Where can I see the full 21-anchor library?

The full library powers AI grading on every mock attempt — take a free mock and your written response will be compared against all 21 anchors with the closest-match identified. The library is internal to our grading service; we don't publish all 21 publicly because they're calibration data.

Are these samples from real candidates?

The CLB band targets are calibrated to real CLB descriptors. The candidate-response text is generated by Gemini Pro to authentically represent each CLB band's typical features — including realistic errors at lower bands.

Can I submit my own writing for free grading?

Yes — every mock test attempt includes free AI grading on the writing tasks against our anchor library. You don't need to pay extra for grading; it's bundled with the mock.

See sample-level feedback on your own writing

Full mock includes anchored CLB grading. Compare your work against the 21 anchor exemplars.

Start free Canada French mock

Independent prep platform. Not affiliated with IRCC, CCI Paris-Île-de-France, or France Éducation International. Practice audio uses Parisian French — supplement with Québec-French sources before exam day.