CELGA 3 (Galician B2) exam-day guide
CELGA 3 (Galician B2) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID matching the name on your registration
Bring the same document you used to enrol (DNI, passport, or residence card). If your name was registered with accents or in a different order, confirm with the provider before the day that this will not cause a problem at the access check.
Your registration confirmation / convocatoria notice
Print or save the email or message that states the date, time, venue, and your candidate number. Some centres ask to see it at reception; check the instructions you received for whether a printed copy is required.
Know the exact venue, room, and access door
Confirm the address and which entrance is used for exams. If the venue is a school or faculty, check whether the room number is published only on the day, for example on a notice board at the entrance. Arrive early enough to find it without stress.
Confirm the start time and the required arrival time separately
The time on your notice may be the start of the exam, with access closing earlier. Confirm with the provider how many minutes before the start you must be at the door, since late candidates may not be admitted once the test has begun.
Blue or black pens (at least two) and a pencil with eraser
Written answers normally must be in ink; a pencil is useful if any answer sheet requires it. Confirm with the provider which writing instrument is required for each part, because answer sheets filled in the wrong medium may not be marked.
No smart devices on your person
Mobile phones, smartwatches, and earbuds must be switched off and left outside the exam room or in the place the invigilators indicate. Do not keep a phone in a pocket: even a silent phone found during the test can lead to disqualification.
A transparent bottle of water and a light snack for the break
Listening, reading, and writing are usually scheduled together, so the day can be long. Check whether drinks are allowed at your desk; if not, leave the bottle with your belongings and use it only during the break.
A watch, if you are used to timing yourself
Not all exam rooms have a visible clock. A plain analogue or digital watch is normally acceptable, but smartwatches are not. Confirm with the provider whether any watch is permitted in your centre.
Transport plan with a backup
Check timetables for the day of the exam, which may be a weekend or holiday, and identify a second route. Aim to be at the venue well before the access time rather than exactly on it.
Review the task formats and timing for each paper
In the last days, reread the instructions for each part (for example, word limits for written tasks and how many options to choose in listening and reading) so that you spend exam time answering, not decoding instructions.
Confirm the rules on dictionaries, notes, and rough paper
These vary by centre and session. Do not assume that a dictionary or your own paper is allowed; ask the provider in advance and follow the invigilator's instructions on the day.
Plan the day
Stop learning new grammar and vocabulary lists. Do timed practice of one complete paper under real conditions, then review your errors and note the two or three habits that cost you most time: for example, reading the whole text before the questions, or writing without a plan.
Rehearse the written tasks with a clock. Practise planning for two or three minutes, writing, and reserving time to check agreement, verb tenses, accents, and the required word count. Confirm the word limits and the number of tasks from the official instructions you received.
Do short listening sessions in Galician at natural speed, ideally with different accents and registers, and practise the format of the listening tasks rather than only passive listening. Sleep normally; do not trade sleep for extra study.
Prepare the practical side: locate your ID, save or print the convocatoria, check the venue on a map, and confirm the arrival time with the provider if anything on your notice is unclear.
Do a light review only: task instructions, a few linking expressions, and the spelling points you personally get wrong. Do not start a new mock exam the night before.
Lay out everything you need by the door: ID, convocatoria, pens, pencil, eraser, water, snack, watch. Charge nothing you cannot bring into the room, and decide now where your phone will stay.
Check the transport timetable for the next day and set two alarms. Eat and sleep at your usual times; a familiar routine is more useful than last-minute cramming.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive at the venue with margin, and use the waiting time only for calm, high-level review. Avoid discussing answers or comparing preparation with other candidates, which raises anxiety without improving performance.
Switch off your phone and put it away before entering the building or the room, as instructed. Follow the access check, sit where you are told, and read the cover instructions of the first paper carefully before the start signal.
For listening: read the questions before each audio segment where the format allows it, note key words, and answer as you listen rather than waiting until the end. If you miss an item, let it go and stay with the next one; the audio will not wait.
For reading: skim the text for the general idea, then read the questions and return to the relevant paragraphs. Do not spend too long on one item; mark a provisional answer and move on, then return if time allows.
For writing: read the task twice, underline what it asks you to include, and spend a few minutes planning. Write legibly, respect the word limit, and keep several minutes at the end to check agreement, tenses, spelling, accents, and punctuation. If you finish early, use the time to revise rather than to leave.
If a break is scheduled, leave the room quietly, take your ID if the invigilators require it, and do not discuss the papers with other candidates. Return before the stated time; re-entry after a break may be refused once the next part has started.
Note which task types felt difficult while the memory is fresh, so that a future attempt or further study has a clear focus. Do not rely on comparing answers with other candidates: recollection of individual items is unreliable.
Rules to check
Bring the ID document required by the centre and keep it on the desk if asked. If your identification does not match the registration details, speak to the invigilators before the test starts; confirm with the provider in advance what alternative documents are accepted.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, timing, and materials. Do not start writing before the signal and stop immediately when time is called; continuing to write after the end signal can invalidate your answers.
Electronic devices must be switched off and stored as instructed. Do not keep a phone, smartwatch, or earbuds on your person, and do not use any device during the test or during a break inside the exam area.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the test has begun, and do not look at another candidate's answers. Any suspicion of copying or of passing information may lead to removal and to a misconduct procedure; confirm the centre's specific rules with the provider.
Use only materials the centre permits. Dictionaries, notes, and rough paper are not universally allowed, so check with the provider beforehand and do not bring anything into the room unless it has been authorised.
If you need to leave the room for a health or emergency reason, raise your hand and wait for an invigilator. Whether you can leave and return during a paper, and whether extra time is granted, is decided by the centre; confirm its policy in advance if you have a medical need.
Request any access arrangements (extra time, a separate room, adapted materials) well before the exam, following the provider's deadlines and documentation requirements. Arrangements cannot normally be requested on the day.
Scoring and certification rules, including how the papers are weighted and what counts as a pass, are set by the examining body. Read the official information you received and confirm any detail you are unsure about with the provider rather than relying on hearsay.