CadentiaThe Cadentia blog
Language learning, out loud.
Practical guides for Italian, Greek, Spanish and French: travel, heritage, exams, and why you understand a language but can't speak it yet.
Why Can I Understand a Language but Not Speak It? What Research Says
Why you can follow a conversation but freeze when it's your turn: recognition vs recall, receptive bilingualism and the affective filter, explained.
Canada just changed the Express Entry points. French wasn't touched (yet).
IRCC is adding high-wage points to Express Entry on 3 November 2026. French bonus points and French category draws are unchanged, but French points are under review.
French draw cut-off hit 435: what it means if you're taking the TEF
The 16 October 2026 French Express Entry draw had a cut-off of 435, the highest of 2026. What the numbers show, NCLC 7 in all four abilities, and why speaking decides it.
How to Get NCLC 7 in French Speaking for Express Entry (and What It Is Worth)
What NCLC 7 means, how NCLC and CLB map to Express Entry CRS points, why NCLC 7 in all four abilities matters, and how to prepare for the speaking score.
TCF Canada Expression Orale: Tasks 1, 2 and 3 Explained
The TCF Canada speaking test is 12 minutes with three tasks: a directed interview, an interaction exercise with 2 minutes of preparation, and a point-of-view task. Timings and what each asks.
TEF Canada Speaking Test Format: Section A and Section B Explained
How the TEF Canada expression orale works: 15 minutes, Section A (about ten questions about an ad) and Section B (convince a friend), what the examiner does and how it is assessed.
TEF and TCF Speaking Prep: Tutor, Class or Self-Practice?
Do you need a tutor or a prep class for the TEF or TCF speaking test? What each gives you, what only repetition gives you, and how to combine them.
TEF and TCF Canada Exam Centres: How to Find One and Book
How to find an approved TEF Canada or TCF Canada exam centre, how booking works, what to ask the centre, and how to avoid last-minute problems.
TEF and TCF Canada Speaking Topics: Sample Questions and Prompts
Typical TEF Canada and TCF Canada speaking topics with sample prompts for each task: ads for Section A, convince-a-friend for Section B, and interview, interaction and opinion tasks for the TCF.
TEF Canada vs TCF Canada for Express Entry: Which French Test Should You Take?
TEF Canada and TCF Canada are both accepted for Express Entry. How their speaking tests differ, how results are valid, and how to choose between them.
B1 to B2 Spanish: How Long It Takes and What Actually Changes
How long B1 to B2 Spanish takes depends on hours, input and speaking. Commonly cited ranges, what B2 means in practice, and what to work on in speech.
Best AI Language Tutor for Spanish and French Speaking in 2026
How to choose the best AI language tutor for Spanish or French speaking practice, with ChatGPT, Speak, Praktika, Duolingo Max and Cadentia compared.
Common Spanish Mistakes English Speakers Make When Speaking (and How to Fix Them)
Eighteen Spanish mistakes English speakers keep making in conversation, each with what people say, the better version, and why. Fixes for intermediate learners.
Duolingo vs Babbel vs Busuu vs Pimsleur: Which Gets You Speaking?
Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu and Pimsleur compared on what they do for speaking, plus what to use after you finish a Duolingo course.
How to Maintain a Language (or Several) You Already Speak
Keep a language from fading: short regular speaking, a rotation for several languages, and what to do with no one to talk to. A practical maintenance plan.
How to Practice Speaking French Alone: With AI, ChatGPT, or Just Your Voice
Practice speaking French on your own with shadowing, recordings and AI. What to fix first: liaison, passé composé vs imparfait, tu/vous, fillers and gender.
How to Practice Speaking Spanish Alone (Free, With AI or Without)
Practice speaking Spanish by yourself: talk out loud daily, record yourself, then fix the mistakes that repeat. A routine with real sentences and corrections.
The Intermediate Plateau in Language Learning: Why You Stopped Improving
Why progress stalls at intermediate level, how to tell which plateau you are on, and the changes in practice that restart it. Includes a two-week reset.
italki and Preply Alternatives: AI Practice vs a Human Tutor
Looking for an italki or Preply alternative? What AI speaking practice does well, what only a human tutor can do, and how to use both.
Speak vs Duolingo vs Pimsleur vs ChatGPT: Which Is Best for Speaking Practice?
Speak, Duolingo, Pimsleur, ChatGPT and Cadentia compared by the job each does best, so you can pick the right tool for speaking practice.
Do AI Language Tutors Work? How to Tell a Real One from a Chatbot
Do AI language tutors actually work for speaking? What research suggests, four tests for any tool, and where an AI tutor falls short compared with a person.
How to Learn Italian Before a Trip: A Practical Speaking Plan
A practical plan to learn the Italian you'll actually use on a trip: key phrases, three weeks of practice, and how to rehearse speaking out loud.
Understand Italian but Can't Speak It? Reconnecting With Your Family's Language
Grew up hearing Italian at home but can't speak it? How to learn your family's Italian as an adult: why you understand more than you say and what helps.
What Is a "No Sabo Kid"? Meaning, Origin, and Is It Offensive
"No sabo" is slang for a Latino who understands Spanish but doesn't speak it well. What it means, where it came from, if it's offensive, and what helps.
Italian Etiquette for Travelers: What Tourists Get Wrong
Coffee rules, la bella figura, the passeggiata, the bill and the phrases that earn goodwill. Italian etiquette for travelers, with the Italian to match.
The Greek Alphabet: All 24 Letters, Sounds, and How to Learn It
See the full Greek alphabet (αβγδεζηθ and the rest) with names and sounds, the six letters that fool English speakers, and a simple way to learn it.
AI Tutor vs Language Apps vs Human Tutor: Which Should You Use?
Language apps, human tutors and AI voice tutors do different jobs. A fair comparison of what each is best at, where each falls short, and how to combine them.
Finished Duolingo and Still Can't Speak? Why, and What to Do Next
A long Duolingo streak and you still freeze in real conversation. Why it happens, what the app can and can't do, and what to do next to start speaking.
TEF Canada Speaking Practice: A 12-Week Plan for the Expression Orale
A 12-week speaking practice plan for the TEF Canada expression orale: diagnose, drill your repeat errors, rehearse both tasks, then run timed mocks.
Medical Spanish for Nurses and Healthcare Workers: Phrases and Practice
Essential medical Spanish phrases for nurses and healthcare workers: assessing, instructing and reassuring patients, plus how to practise speaking.
Spanish for Expats: How to Handle Real Conversations Beyond Phrases
Moving to a Spanish-speaking country? Landlords, pharmacies, neighbours: the conversations that matter and how to practise speaking before you need them.
How Spaced Repetition Works: SM-2, Anki and the Memory Science
What spaced repetition is, how Anki's SM-2 algorithm schedules reviews, what the forgetting curve shows, and where SRS helps and doesn't help speaking.
TEF Canada Expression Orale: Format, Section A and B, and 7 Practice Tips
How the TEF Canada expression orale works, what Section A and Section B ask, useful phrases for each, and seven ways to practise speaking for it.