Government of Canada SLE French practice test: Written Expression and Reading
Practise the two written tests of the PSC's Second Language Evaluation in their supervised format. Every answer explained in English.
- Explanations in English
- Band on the PSC's own scale
- Supervised-test timing
- Both question types
- 65-question, 90-minute Written Expression simulation
- 60-question, 90-minute Reading simulation
- Your practice score band on the PSC bands
- Every answer explained in English
Free sample, then the simulations
Double-checked questions Real exam pattern Free sample · 5 questions
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Written Expression and Reading simulations, then the drill 3 tests · unlock both tests with one payment
One payment unlocks all 3 tests
- 65-question, 90-minute Written Expression simulation
- 60-question, 90-minute Reading simulation
- Your practice score band on the PSC bands
- Every answer explained in English
₹2,999·no subscription
Every test: instant score, answer review and a breakdown of topics to work on
Written Expression simulation 1 · 65 questions · 90 minutes
Included in the full set
Reading Comprehension simulation 1 · 60 questions · 90 minutes
Included in the full set
Written Expression drill 1 · 20 common traps
Included in the full set
The Public Service Commission of Canada's Second Language Evaluation gives you a level in your second official language; each department or agency sets the level a bilingual position requires. Practise the two written tests in their supervised format: the Test of Written Expression (65 questions in 90 minutes, fill in the blank and error identification) and the Test of Reading Comprehension (60 questions in 90 minutes). Each simulation ends with the PSC score band your practice score falls in. The questions are in French; every explanation is in English. Original questions written for this practice, every answer explained in English. The score band is practice feedback on the official bands, not an official result.
Your practice score, on the PSC's own bands
In the supervised tests only some questions count: 55 of the 65 in Written Expression and 50 of the 60 in Reading. The other 10 are pilot questions, which are not identified. Our simulations set aside 10 fixed questions as practice pilots (the answer review marks them) and show which PSC band your score on the rest falls in. Our questions are original and have not been calibrated against the PSC tests, so this is practice feedback, not a prediction of your official result, and a practice score in the E range is not an exemption.
- X0–19below level A (X)
- A20–30level A
- B31–42level B
- C43–51level C
- E52–55the E (exemption) range
- X0–17below level A (X)
- A18–27level A
- B28–37level B
- C38–44level C
- E45–50the E (exemption) range
Bands from the PSC's pages for the supervised Test of Written Expression and Test of Reading Comprehension. X is the result below level A. The unsupervised online versions are shorter, use other cut-offs and cannot give an exemption.
Written Expression: the two question types
Fill in the blank: a short workplace text with one blank and four options; choose the one that completes it best. Error identification: sections of a text are in bold (three in our questions, as in the PSC's example); choose the one that contains an error, or Aucun des choix offerts if none does. Our simulation groups items by our own difficulty labels, easy first, then medium, then hard (these labels are not PSC levels); the PSC says its test begins with the shortest and simplest questions. Every explanation names the grammar point (agreement, the subjunctive, prepositions, relative pronouns, connectors) and explains it in English.
Reading: the kind of texts you will read
Emails, memos, notices, letters, bulletins and report or policy excerpts, all written for this practice in the style of the federal workplace. Some questions ask about the main idea, a detail or what the text implies; others ask for the word that best fits a blank. Each explanation quotes or points to the part of the text that supports the answer.
What you get
- A Written Expression simulation: 65 questions in 90 minutes, ending with your practice score band on the PSC bands.
- A Reading Comprehension simulation: 60 questions in 90 minutes on government-style texts, ending with your practice score band on the PSC bands.
- A Written Expression drill: 20 questions on common traps.
- Every answer explained in English, with your score by question type and by our easy, medium and hard item labels (not PSC levels), and the time you spent on each question.
- 150 original questions, the 5-question free sample included. None is a PSC test item.
Only need one test?
If your position needs only one of the two, unlock that test alone.
The 65-question simulation and the 20-question drill.
The 60-question Reading simulation.
Before you buy
What do I get?
A 65-question Written Expression simulation and a 60-question Reading simulation, 90 minutes each, each ending with your practice score band on the PSC bands, plus a 20-question Written Expression drill. Every answer is explained in English. Try 5 free questions before buying.
Is the practice score band a real result?
No. It shows which of the PSC's published bands your score on our own questions falls in. Our questions are not calibrated against the PSC tests, so it is practice feedback, not a prediction of your official result. Only a PSC test gives an official level, and a practice score in the E range is not an exemption.
Supervised or unsupervised: which will I take?
Check your invitation and the PSC's pages to confirm which test and format you have been scheduled for. The supervised tests (in person in a federal building) are the longer ones practised here and can give an exemption (E). The unsupervised online tests are shorter (30 Written Expression questions or 25 Reading questions in 45 minutes) and give X, A, B or C only, with their own score bands. The language skills overlap. See the PSC's second language testing pages.
Why practise before the test?
There is a 30-day wait before you can retake a test of the same skill, in any format or administration method (supervised in person or unsupervised), and a result is generally valid for 5 years, so it helps to prepare before you take it. The PSC also offers self-assessment tests; this practice adds full-length timed simulations and an explanation for every answer.
Does it cover the oral test?
No. This practice covers the Test of Written Expression and the Test of Reading Comprehension only.
How do I pay and get access?
One payment by card (or PayPal where offered), handled by our payment provider. In Canada the price is charged in Canadian dollars; in other countries in your own currency where we support it, otherwise in Indian rupees with the local figure shown as an estimate. Access opens on this device once the payment is confirmed, and it does not expire. Sign in afterwards to keep it on your account. Purchase policy.
Disclaimer
Independent practice, not affiliated with the Public Service Commission of Canada.
Original questions and texts, not PSC test items.
ProSyllabus is an independent study site; this is not the official test and no question is a PSC test item. Format and score bands from the PSC's pages for the supervised Test of Written Expression and Test of Reading Comprehension. The PSC's own pages are the authority for the process.
Are these real PSC questions? No. Every question and every text is original. The format follows the PSC's published description of the tests and its sample questions; PSC test content is protected and is never copied.