French With Guri · TEF & TCF Canada

French Grammar Mastery — 6-Month Program

French grammar for TEF and TCF Canada. Explanations in English, practice in French.

9chapters live · full depth
3,240+auto-graded items live
45topics mapped · roadmap
24 wk6-phase plan
CLB 7target level

Live = fully built and clickable now. Roadmap / plan = the full 6-month program these chapters are being built toward, one chapter at a time.

What this program is

The one fact that shapes everything: TEF Canada and TCF Canada each score only four skills — listening, reading, writing, speaking. There is no grammar section. So grammar taught as theory earns zero marks. Here, every rule terminates in a sentence you produce (writing/speaking, where examiners score you with no averaging) or decode (reading/listening). Ceci est le principe central : la grammaire n'est jamais testée seule ; elle est notée à l'intérieur des quatre compétences.

Grammar mastery = automaticity

Not reciting a rule — producing a correct sentence under time pressure without thinking about the rule, and decoding a heard/read one fast enough to answer. Mastery = automaticity + self-correction.

Two arms per rule

Every topic has a production arm (writing/speaking, for EE/EO marks) and a recognition arm (for reading/listening decoding). We drill both.

Safe vs advanced

For every structure we teach a safe exam version (always correct fallback) and an advanced version. Nervous students always have a correct option.

Built for Indian learners

Attacks the exact transfer errors — English word order, dropped articles, gender, auxiliary être/avoir, missing prepositions — with pattern drills, not translation.

The six phases

Phase 1 · Sentence Foundation

Weeks 1–4

Build one correct French clause. Gender/articles, subject pronouns, être/avoir, -ER/-IR/-RE present, negation, the 3 question types, prepositions, basic connectors.

Phase 2 · Core Verb System

Weeks 5–8

Own the present + near future. Irregular verbs, reflexives, modals (pouvoir/vouloir/devoir/falloir), futur proche, imperative.

Phase 3 · Past & Narration

Weeks 9–12

Narrate the past accurately — the #1 writing + speaking skill. Passé composé (avoir/être), participle agreement, imparfait, PC vs imparfait, plus-que-parfait intro.

Phase 4 · Complex Sentences

Weeks 13–16

Stop sounding like a beginner. Object pronouns, y/en, double pronouns, relative pronouns, comparatives/superlatives, connectors — the CLB 5→7 jump.

Phase 5 · Opinion & Advanced

Weeks 17–20

Argue & hypothesize with control. Futur simple, conditionnel, si-clauses, subjonctif (top triggers), passive, reported speech, opinion/argument frames, register.

Phase 6 · Exam Integration

Weeks 21–24

Automate + self-correct under time. Mixed timed drills, error repair, personal weakness bank, full mock EO/EE application.

Where you'll be, month by month

MilestoneYou can produceGrammar mastered
Month 1Correct simple sentences + basic questionsGender/articles, present (-ER + être/avoir), negation, questions
Month 2Daily life + near future3 verb groups, reflexives, modals, futur proche, imperative
Month 3Narrate the past — tell a storyPC (avoir/être), imparfait, PC vs imparfait, agreement
Month 4Longer connected sentences, pronouns, comparisonsObject pronouns, y/en, relatives, comparatives, connectors
Month 5State & defend an opinion, hypothesize, formal registerFutur simple, conditionnel, si-clauses, subjonctif triggers
Month 6Accurate French under time pressure, self-correctsIntegration + automation + error repair

24-Week Roadmap

Two live classes per week (core). Every 4th week consolidates and runs a Phase test. Weekly production task (1 recording + 1 paragraph) is hand-coded; everything else auto-grades.

WkWeekly goalGrammar focusMilestone
1First correct clauseGender, articles, être/avoirDiagnostic + Quiz 1
2Present -ER + negation-ER verbs, ne…pasLesson quiz
3Questions3 types + question wordsQuestion-drill quiz
4Prepositions + connectors · consolidateà/en places, et/mais/parce quePhase 1 test
5-IR/-RE + irregularsaller/faire/venir/prendrequiz
6Reflexivesse lever, routinequiz
7Modalspouvoir/vouloir/devoir/falloirquiz
8Futur proche + imperative · consolidatealler+inf, commandsPhase 2 test
9PC (avoir)formation, participlesquiz
10PC (être) + agreementêtre verbs, accordquiz
11Imparfaitformation + usesquiz
12PC vs imparfait · consolidatethe choice, time markersPhase 3 test
13Object pronounsle/la/les, lui/leurquiz
14y / enreplace place/quantityquiz
15Relative pronounsqui/que/où/dontquiz
16Comparatives + connectors · consolidateplus/moins, cause/conseq/opposPhase 4 test
17Futur simpleformation + usesquiz
18Conditionnel + sipoliteness, hypothesis, si 1–2quiz
19Subjonctif (triggers)il faut que, je veux que, opinion+negquiz
20Passive + reported speech + opinion · consolidatepassive, discours indirect, argument framesPhase 5 test
21Timed narrationPC/imparfait under timemock quiz
22Timed argumentationopinion + subj + connectors under timemock quiz
23Error repairpersonal weakness bankpersonal error test
24Final integrationmixed everythingFinal readiness test

48-Class Core (2 / week)

Rhythm: Class a = new grammar · Class b = drill + apply (speaking/writing) + quiz.

WkClass a — new grammarClass b — apply
11. Gender & articles2. être/avoir + self-intro
23. -ER present4. Negation + daily routine
35. Questions (3 types)6. Question words + Q&A lab
47. Prepositions place/country8. Connectors + Phase 1 test
59. -IR/-RE verbs10. Irregulars (aller/faire/venir/prendre)
611. Reflexive verbs12. Daily-routine speaking lab
713. Modals14. Polite requests + writing
815. Futur proche16. Imperative + Phase 2 test
917. PC with avoir18. Past participles + narration drill
1019. PC with être + agreement20. Trip-story lab
1121. Imparfait22. Description lab
1223. PC vs imparfait24. Full-narrative + Phase 3 test
1325. Object pronouns (direct/indirect)26. Pronoun-swap lab
1427. y / en28. Concise-answer lab
1529. Relative pronouns30. Sentence-combining lab
1631. Comparatives/superlatives32. Connectors + Phase 4 test
1733. Futur simple34. Future-goals writing
1835. Conditionnel + politeness36. Si-clauses (1–2) lab
1937. Subjonctif (top triggers)38. Opinion-with-subjonctif lab
2039. Passive + reported speech40. Argument frames + Phase 5 test
2141. Timed narration clinic42. Mock EE Section A
2243. Timed argumentation clinic44. Mock EE Section B
2345. Pronoun + agreement error clinic46. Personal error-bank repair
2447. Mixed grammar sprint48. Final readiness test + mock EO

72-Class = 48 + weekly Lab

The 3rd weekly class (Lab) is supervised drilling: you do the practice in class instead of at home.
WeeksLab typePurpose
1–4Pronunciation-linked grammar + question automationLiaison, silent endings, launch questions with no script
5–8Verb-conjugation sprint + speaking automationAutomatic endings, drop the translation lag
9–12PC / imparfait error clinicAuxiliary + agreement + tense-choice repair (hardest topic)
13–16Sentence-transformation labPronouns + relatives + connectors to automaticity
17–20Opinion & argument automation labSubjonctif triggers + frames under mild time pressure
21–24Timed exam-application + rescue/extensionFull-speed EO/EE simulation, differentiated by level

Complete Grammar Syllabus — 45 topics

Priority: Essential Important Useful Advanced · Depth M = master (produce), R = recognition-first.

#TopicLevelPrioritySkillsDepth
1Alphabet, accents, spelling logicA0EallM
2Gender of nounsA1EallM
3Singular / pluralA1EallM
4Definite / indefinite / partitive articlesA1EallM
5Contracted articles (au, aux, du, des)A1EallM
6Subject + stressed pronounsA1EEO/EEM
7être / avoir presentA1EallM
8Regular -ER verbsA1EallM
9Regular -IR / -RE verbsA1EallM
10Common irregular verbs (aller, faire, venir, prendre…)A1EallM
11Modals (pouvoir, vouloir, devoir, falloir)A2EEO/EEM
12Reflexive / pronominal verbsA2EEO/EEM
13Negation (pas, jamais, plus, rien, personne)A1EallM/R
14Questions (intonation, est-ce que, inversion) + question wordsA1EEO/COM
15Adjectives: agreement + placementA1EEE/EOM
16Possessive / demonstrative adjectivesA1IallM
17Prepositions (place, countries, time)A2EallM
18Adverbs + placementA2IEE/EOR→M
19Comparatives / superlativesA2IEE/EOM
20ImperativeA2IEOM
21Futur procheA1EEO/EEM
22Passé composé (avoir)A2EallM
23Passé composé (être) + agreementA2EallM
24Past-participle agreementB1IEEM
25ImparfaitA2EallM
26PC vs imparfaitB1EEE/EOM
27Plus-que-parfaitB1UEER→M
28Futur simpleB1IEE/EOM
29Conditionnel présent + politenessB1EEO/EEM
30Si-clauses (types 1–2)B1IEE/EOM
31Subjonctif présent + top triggersB1/B2IEE/EOM/R
32Indicative vs subjunctive choiceB2IEE/EOR→M
33Direct / indirect object pronounsB1EallM
34y / enB1EallM
35Double-pronoun orderB2UEER
36Relative pronouns (qui, que, où, dont, lequel)B1EallM/R
37Present participle / gérondif (en + -ant)B2UEER→M
38Passive voiceB2UEE/CER→M
39Reported speech + sequence of tensesB2UEER→M
40Connectors (cause/consequence/opposition/concession/addition/example)B1/B2EEE/EOM
41Opinion + argumentation structuresB1/B2EEE/EOM
42Formal vs informal registerB2IEE/EOM
43Sentence expansion / complex sentencesB2IEE/EOM
44Agreement review (global)B1EEEM
45Punctuation + accents (French rules)A2IEEM

The 7-Level Mastery Ladder

Every topic is tracked through 7 levels. A topic counts as "mastered" only at level 5–6, verified by a production task — not an MCQ.

1 · Recognition

Spot it in reading/listening.

2 · Controlled production

Fill-in-blank correctly.

3 · Guided production

Transform / build with prompts.

4 · Free production

Use it unprompted in a sentence.

5 · Exam application

Use it correctly in an EO/EE task.

6 · Automatic use

Produce it under time pressure without thinking.

7 · Self-correction

Catch and fix your own error.

Correction — codes, not rewrites

Teacher writes the code; the student self-corrects. Every mistake enters a personal error bank and is re-tested in 2 weeks.

G · genderACC · agreementT · tenseAUX · être/avoirPP · past participlePREP · prepositionWO · word orderART · articlePRON · pronounCONJ · conjugationNEG · negationMOOD · subjonctifSP · spelling/accentREG · register

Live-class time budget

SegmentShareNote
Explanation15%Less than instinct says
Controlled drills25%Fill-in / choose-form
Speaking / writing activation35%The biggest block — where marks come from
Correction15%Coded, fast, class-wide top-3
Review + homework setup10%Spaced recycling

Ready-to-use tools on this site

Chapitre

Le français de tous les jours · 8 situations

Everyday spoken French, situation by situation: greetings and small talk, the phone and appointments, shops and service counters, getting around, the flat and the landlord, the doctor and the pharmacy, work and colleagues, the restaurant and invitations. Two translated dialogues each, 320 phrases tagged familier / neutre / soutenu, the Québec forms beside the standard ones, and 352 exercises — multiple choice, sentences to write, jumbled words, gap-fill and error correction, with an accent keyboard in every box. 32 role plays with model answers and translations. PDF, 162 pages.
Live
Tool

Phase 1 + Phase 2 · Advanced quiz 200

The whole programme in one sitting: 8 categories × 25 questions — articles, the present-tense system, negation & questions, prepositions, modals, comparison, passé composé, imparfait. Five question types, an explanation on every answer, and a Translations tab with 600 bilingual sentences.
Live
Tool

Phase 2 · Advanced quiz 400

Phase 2 chapters 1–9 at full difficulty: 10 topics × 40 questions — modals, possessives, comparison, the time axis, the passé composé with avoir and with être, the imparfait, choosing between the two past tenses, object pronouns, and a mixed section that crosses them. Five question types, an explanation on every answer, and a Translations tab with 1200 bilingual sentences.
Live
Tool

Pronouns, the past tenses & structure · 300

10 categories × 30 questions — the direct pronouns le, la, les; the indirect pronouns lui, leur; where the pronoun goes; y; en; choosing être or avoir in the passé composé; the participle and its agreement; the imparfait and the choice between the two past tenses; prepositions; and sentence structure. Five question types, an explanation on every answer, and one global Translations tab holding all 900 bilingual sentences.
Live
Tool

Les bases · Quiz 100

The four foundations: 4 topics × 25 questions — noun gender and the articles, être and avoir with the expressions built on them, the -ER verbs in the present, and how a French sentence is put together. Five question types, an explanation on every answer, and a Translations tab with 300 bilingual sentences.
Live
Tool

Tableau de conjugaison

Cross-cutting reference for 55 verbs: présent, passé composé and imparfait side by side, searchable by verb or English meaning. 450 quiz questions (150 per tense) plus a 60-question mixed exam.
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Tool

Confusions · 40 pairs

The P.A.I.R.E. trainer for words you mix up — venir de, penser à/de, savoir/connaître, an/année, y/en. 320 forced-choice questions where the wrong answer is always the twin, plus a spaced queue and a swap journal.
Live
Tool

Prepositions & Reflexives · 100

Hard. 70% prepositions (à/de/en/au/du, contractions, verb government) + 30% reflexives, incl. reflexive verbs that carry their own preposition.
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Tool

Mixed Grammar Quiz · 100

-ER present · articles · prepositions · reflexives · negation. 20 questions each, five question types including 20 jumbled sentences, plus the Translations tab.
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Tool

Structure Mastery · 100

Reflexive verbs · prepositions · negation · -IR/-RE. Five question types including 16 jumbled sentences, plus a two-way Translations tab of 300 sentences.
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Tool

Phase 1 Review Quiz · 150

All of Chapters 1–9, ten sections. Every question fully explained with extra examples, a tip and the classic mistake. Reports attempted vs left blank, section by section.
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Tool

Phase 1 Review · 200

Chapters 1–5 + 7 in one sitting. 10 topics, easy → hard, 100 written answers. Practice or exam mode; full map of problem areas at the end.
Live
Tool

Prépositions · 100

Practice & mastery. 10 units — à/de, lieux, temps, verbes, adjectifs, espace, locutions, pronoms. Rappel card per unit, instant explanations, retry your misses.
Live
Tool

Advanced Diagnostic · 300

CLB 7 → 8. 20 topics, MCQ + writing + jumbled, weak-area report.
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Tool

Full Diagnostic · 150

A–Z grammar sweep, CLB 5 → 7.
Live
Tool

Placement Diagnostic

Stream students by level before week 1.
Live
Tool

Grammar Drill Bank

Auto-graded mixed drills.
Live
Tool

Drill · PC vs Imparfait

The hardest topic, drilled.
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Tool

Review Quiz · Ch.1–2

50-question cumulative review, full explanations.
Live
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Progress Dashboard

Track class completion.
Live

Textbook Chapters

Phase 1 · Chapter 0

Premier cours

Your first class, before any grammar: why half the letters are silent · bonjour, merci, au revoir · tu or vous · your name, country and age · numbers, days and dates · and the six phrases that keep a conversation alive when you understand nothing. 468 practice items.
Ouvrir
Chapter 1

French Sentence Architecture

Word order · the subject · the verb · building a correct clause
Ouvrir
Chapter 2

Gender & Articles

Gender, and the little words in front of a noun: le · la · les for a thing already named · un · une · des for whole things you count · du · de la for an amount · what happens after a negative · the contractions au, aux, du, des · and the endings that give the gender away. 466 practice items.
Ouvrir
Chapter 3

être & avoir

The full present tense of être and avoir · the everyday ideas where French says «have» and English says «be» — faim, froid, peur, raison, sommeil, besoin de, and age · c’est against il est / elle est · and describing a person or a thing with être. 461 practice items.
Ouvrir
Chapter 3.1

c'est vs il est — spotlight

the complete lesson · ce sont · professions · negatives · questions · 50-question quiz
Ouvrir
Chapter 4

-ER Present Tense

the biggest verb group · endings · spelling-change verbs
Ouvrir
Chapter 5

Negation

ne…pas / jamais / plus / rien / personne / aucun
Ouvrir
Chapter 6

Questions (3 Types)

intonation · est-ce que · inversion · question words
Ouvrir
Chapter 7

Prepositions of Place

à / en / au / aux · contractions · chez · position words
Ouvrir
Chapter 8

-IR / -RE + Irregulars

finir · vendre · aller / faire / venir / prendre · near future
Ouvrir
Chapter 9

Reflexive Verbs

se lever · s'appeler · daily routine · aller + infinitive
Ouvrir
Chapter 10.1

Demain, il va faire beau

Comparing two things with plus · moins · aussi … que · le plus and le moins for the top and the bottom · aller + infinitive for what is going to happen · the words that place a sentence in time · the weather and its three frames · lui and leur for a person already named · and avoir besoin de. Not one new verb ending. 470 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Building Real Sentences

Phase 2 · Chapter 1

Je peux, je veux, je dois

pouvoir · vouloir · devoir · savoir · il faut · verb + infinitive (à / de / nothing)
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Phase 2 · Chapter 1

Guided path version

The same chapter as one flow: interactive grammar, sorting and building games, adaptive review queue, and a recording studio. 381 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 2

À moi, à toi

mon · ma · mes to notre · votre · leur · son and sa meaning his and her · mon amie · ce · cet · cette · ces · -ci and -là · adjective agreement and the irregular feminines. 437 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 3

Plus, moins, aussi

The frame plus · moins · aussi … que · comparing things, actions and amounts · meilleur vs mieux · mauvais and pire · the superlative · beaucoup plus, un peu moins. 454 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 4

Hier, aujourd’hui, demain

The time axis, without a single new verb ending: aller + infinitive · venir de + infinitive · time markers · depuis with the present · il y a · pendant, dans and en. 446 practice items.
Ouvrir
Phase 2 · Chapter 5

J’ai fait, j’ai vu, j’ai dit

Your first past tense: avoir + participle · -é / -i / -u · the irregular twenty-five · déjà, bien, encore, jamais · negation and questions in the past · manger vs mangé. 474 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 6

Je suis allé, je me suis levé

The other auxiliary: the house of être (16 verbs) · participle agreement -e/-s/-es · reflexive verbs in the past (always être) · negation and questions with être · the avoir-vs-être trap. 465 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 7

C’était comme ça

A second past tense: formation from the nous-stem · être, the one exception · -ger/-cer spelling verbs · habits and repeated actions · setting the scene · negation, questions, and the words that signal imparfait. 445 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 8

Raconter une histoire

The payoff chapter: passé composé vs imparfait — event or background · the interruption with quand and pendant que · the words that tip the choice · the verbs that change meaning with the tense · telling a whole story. 462 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 9

Je le connais, je lui parle

Stop naming the same thing twice: le · la · les for a direct object · lui · leur for a person after à · how the verb decides which you need · where the pronoun sits, with two verbs, with the negative, and in the past. 465 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 10

J’y vais, j’en prends deux

The last two pronouns: y for a place and for à + a thing · en for a quantity and for de + a thing · where lui and leur stop and y takes over · and where both sit with an infinitive, in the negative and in the past. 462 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 11

La personne qui, la chose que

The first chapter that joins two sentences into one: qui when a verb comes next · que when a person does · où for a place or a time · dont when a de is hiding · and ce qui / ce que for «what». One test decides almost all of it. 461 practice items.
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Phase 2 · Chapter 12

Donc, parce que, mais

The last chapter of Phase 2: parce que, car and comme for a reason · donc and alors for a result · mais and pourtant for a contrast · d’abord, ensuite, puis, enfin for order · and si for a condition. Turns correct sentences into a paragraph. 460 practice items.
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Phase 3 · Opinion & Advanced

Miscellaneous · Vocabulary

Grammar decides whether a sentence is correct. Vocabulary decides whether you have a sentence at all. These chapters run alongside the phases rather than inside them, and each one can be read on its own.

Miscellaneous · Chapter M1

Tu connais déjà des milliers de mots

Where French vocabulary overlaps English: the three kinds of English-looking word and which to trust · fourteen ending rules that convert -ty to -té and -ly to -ment · sixteen endings that hand you le or la without guessing · the spellings one letter from English · thirty Latin roots and the word families on them · twelve prefixes. Every word tagged A1, B1 or B2.
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Miscellaneous · Chapter M2

Les faux amis

The words that look English and mean something else: librairie against bibliothèque, actuellement against actually, and the rest of the list that costs marks in a written answer · plus the near-pairs French keeps apart where English uses one word.
En construction
Miscellaneous · Chapter M3

Phrases et expressions

The set phrases a French speaker reaches for without assembling them: fixed expressions, the common idioms, and the connecting phrases that hold a spoken answer together.
En construction
Miscellaneous · Chapter M4

Le vocabulaire par thème

The word bank the TEF and TCF actually draw on, grouped by the themes the exams keep returning to — work, housing, health, study, money, transport, the environment — with a definition and a sentence for every word.
En construction
Miscellaneous · Chapter M5

Poser la question

Building a question you have not rehearsed: the question words, the three ways to form a question, and the frames that let you ask for anything in Section A without stopping to translate.
En construction
Build order: Phase 1 chapters (1–9) ship before launch. Phases 2–6 build one phase ahead of the live cohort, so content is always ready but never wasted.
French With Guri · Grammar Mastery Program · English explanations, French practice · All practice is original — no real TEF/TCF exam content is reproduced.
Score bands are approximate — verify on the current IRCC correspondence tool per test date.