Answer clearly and expand a little on each question. No preparation time, so it rewards ready-made ways to talk about yourself.
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What the guided interview really is
Tâche 1 is a two-minute conversation with no preparation time, and it is the only part of the speaking test where the subject is guaranteed in advance: you. The examiner will ask about your background, your studies or work, where you live, how you spend your free time and what your plans are. Nothing else.
Because the field is so predictable, this task should be the one you never lose points on. Prepare five answers, each two or three sentences long, rehearse them until they come out without effort, and you have covered most of what can be asked.
Answer, reason, example
Three beats for every question. Je travaille dans la logistique. J’aime ce métier parce qu’il change tous les jours. Hier, par exemple, j’ai géré une livraison urgente.
Never answer with one word
Oui and non are answers that give the grid nothing to score. Always add the reason, even when the question is closed.
Keep the tense simple
Present for your life now, passé composé for one recent event, near future for plans. You do not need more than these three here.
Let the examiner lead
Do not launch a monologue. This is a conversation and being interrupted is a normal part of it.
The five answers worth preparing
Studies and work
- Je suis… depuis quatre ans.
- J’ai fait des études de… à…
- Ce qui me plaît, c’est le contact avec…
Where you live
- J’habite à… depuis…
- C’est une ville où il y a…
- Ce que j’apprécie le plus, c’est…
Free time and plans
- Le week-end, j’aime…
- Je fais du sport deux fois par semaine.
- L’année prochaine, je vais…
Checklist before the session
- Five prepared answers, each two or three sentences, said aloud from memory.
- Your job, your studies and your city described without hesitation.
- One recent event ready in the passé composé.
- One plan ready in the near future.
- Two filler expressions to buy thinking time without silence.
- A polite way to ask for repetition, rehearsed so it comes out naturally.
The three tenses this task needs are covered in the present, passé composé and near future sections of the conjugation guide. Once tâche 1 is secure, move on to tâche 2, where you have to produce questions rather than answers.
Questions people ask
How long should each answer be?
Two or three sentences. One sentence leaves the examiner with nothing to grade, and a two-minute speech to a simple question eats the time meant for the other questions. Answer, give a reason, add an example, stop.
Can I invent details about my life?
Yes. Nobody is checking your biography, and a simple invented answer you can say fluently is better than a true one you cannot. Keep it plausible and keep it consistent across the two minutes.
What if I go blank?
Buy time out loud rather than in silence. C’est une bonne question… disons que… is normal spoken French and it gives you two seconds to find the sentence.