In written expression, it's not your French that costs you points. It's a 5-minute step.
You write your answer. You glance over it quickly. You move on. Result: forgotten agreements, a wrong conjugation, a missing plural. Mistakes you know. Mistakes you would have caught. If you had taken 5 minutes.
The finding
80% of candidates don't proofread their work. Those who do gain 15 to 20% more on their score.
These aren't proficiency mistakes. They're attention mistakes.
Key points
- Proofreading eliminates 70% of agreement and conjugation errors.
- 3 flawless sentences are worth more than 5 sentences with errors.
- Examiners penalize avoidable errors just as much as proficiency errors.
Why almost nobody proofreads
The pressure of the clock pushes you to write fast and move on. You tell yourself you've checked. But under pressure, your brain stops catching its own mistakes. You need a methodical review: agreements, verb tenses, spelling. 5 minutes is all it takes.
How to build the proofreading habit
You need to practice under real conditions. Our written expression exercises include a timer and detailed corrections. With each test, you identify the mistakes you could have avoided. After a few sessions, proofreading becomes automatic.
Ready to reach CLB 7?
Your French isn't the problem. Inattention is. 5 minutes of proofreading can change your result.
Assess your level for free and practice in the official TCF Canada format.