You are given a situation and a recipient whose status is stated in the prompt. Write a clear message that covers every point asked and gives the requested information. If you use fewer than 60 words the task is capped at “A1 non atteint”.
Read the prompt for the recipient’s status. A friend takes tu; a manager or a stranger takes vous. Keep the same register from greeting to sign-off.
Question models
Each model below is a recurring prompt type for this task, with its own structure, phrase bank and sample. Hand me a file for any new model and it slots in here.
The shape of a good short message
Tâche 1 is the most predictable text of the whole exam, which is exactly why it should cost you the least time. The prompt gives you a situation, a reader whose status is stated, and two or three things you must communicate. Your job is to cover all of them, in the right register, inside 60 to 120 words.
Almost every successful answer follows the same six moves. Learn the moves once and you will never have to invent a plan under pressure again.
1. Greeting
Salut Camille, or Bonjour Madame, depending on the reader. One line, then a line break.
2. A warm opening line
J’espère que tu vas bien. or J’espère que vous allez bien. It costs six words and immediately sets the register.
3. The purpose
Je t’écris pour… or Je vous écris au sujet de… Say why you are writing in the first sentence of the body.
4. The required details
One short paragraph that covers every point in the prompt: what, where, when, how much, what to bring. Miss one and the first criterion drops.
5. A request or a question
Peux-tu me dire si tu es libre ? or Pourriez-vous me confirmer… ? This is what makes it a message rather than a notice.
6. Closing and name
À bientôt ! or Cordialement, then your first name. Never leave the message unsigned.
Register: choosing tu or vous and holding it
Register is the single fastest way to lose marks on this task, because a slip is visible in one word. Decide before the first line and stay consistent, including in the possessives and the imperatives, which is where most candidates leak.
With tu you write ton adresse, dis-moi, peux-tu. With vous the same ideas become votre adresse, dites-moi, pouvez-vous. Read your message back once looking only for those forms.
Informal, to a friend
- Salut Julien, ça va ?
- Je t’écris pour t’inviter à…
- Dis-moi si ça te va.
- À très vite, bises.
Formal, to an office or a manager
- Bonjour Madame, Monsieur,
- Je vous écris afin de vous informer que…
- Pourriez-vous me confirmer… ?
- Cordialement,
Giving the practical details
- Le rendez-vous est fixé à 18 h.
- Cela se passe au 12, rue Sainte-Catherine.
- N’oublie pas d’apporter…
Before you move on to tâche 2
- Between 60 and 120 words, counted, not estimated.
- Every point in the prompt appears somewhere in the body.
- One register only, from the greeting to the signature.
- At least one question or request addressed to the reader.
- Verbs checked: present, near future and imperative are the three you will actually need here.
- Adjective agreement checked, and accents written.
The imperative and the near future are the two forms this task leans on most, and both are covered in the conjugation guide. For the question forms in step five, see asking questions in the grammar guide.
Questions people ask
How many words is safe for tâche 1?
Aim for about 100. That sits comfortably inside the 60 to 120 band, leaves room if you have miscounted, and is long enough to cover three points properly. Going far above 120 wastes minutes you need for tâche 3.
Do I need a subject line or a date?
No. It is a message, not a formal letter on paper. A greeting, a body in short paragraphs and a closing are what the grid expects.
What if the prompt does not say who the reader is?
It almost always does, directly or through the situation. If it truly is ambiguous, choose vous. Being too polite is never penalised, being too familiar with a stranger is.