DALF C1 exam-day guide
DALF C1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation / convocation email
Bring the convocation (summons) you received from the examination centre. It states the address, room reporting time, and session schedule. If you have not received it in the days before the exam, contact your centre immediately - do not assume the time. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital copy is accepted.
Valid photo ID
Bring the original identity document named in your registration (passport, national ID card, or residence permit). Check with your examination centre which documents are accepted and whether the name on the ID must match the registration exactly. Photocopies and expired documents are generally not accepted.
Black or blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
The written production papers are handwritten. Bring two or three reliable pens and test them beforehand. Pencil is not suitable for the answer scripts; correction fluid and erasable pens may be restricted - confirm with the provider.
Wristwatch (non-connected)
Exam rooms may not have a visible clock, and phones must be switched off and stored. A simple analogue or digital watch with no smart features lets you pace the four sections. Smartwatches are usually prohibited - confirm with the provider.
Water and a light snack
The full session lasts several hours with a short break, so bring a small bottle of water and something easy to eat between papers. Check the centre's rules on what may be on the desk; bottles may need to be transparent and labels removed.
Know the reporting time and address
Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the reporting time given on your convocation. Verify the exact building and entrance in advance, especially if the centre is on a large campus. Candidates arriving after the start of the listening paper may be refused entry - confirm the late-arrival policy with the provider.
Leave phones and connected devices at home or switched off
Any phone, smartwatch, or connected device must be switched off and placed where the invigilators instruct. Possession of a device during a paper can lead to invalidation of the whole session. Do not keep a phone in a pocket.
Review the four-part structure and timing
Be clear before the day that the exam has listening comprehension, reading comprehension, written production, and oral production, and know the order and duration your centre uses. The oral test may be scheduled on a different day or at a different time from the written papers - check your convocation.
Prepare the oral preparation materials you are allowed
For the oral test you normally get a short preparation period with documents, then present and defend a point of view in an interview with two examiners. Confirm with the provider whether you may bring a dictionary or any notes into the preparation room; usually only blank paper and a pen are provided.
Confirm the scoring and pass rules
Each section is scored out of 25, and a minimum score in each section is generally required in addition to an overall pass mark. Verify the current thresholds and any compensation rules with the official awarding body or your centre - do not rely on second-hand information.
Check the centre's policy on dictionaries and notes
Dictionaries, grammar reference sheets, and personal notes are normally not allowed in the written papers. Confirm the exact list of authorised items with your centre, since rules can differ by session.
Plan the journey and a backup
Check transport schedules for the exam morning, allow extra time for delays, and identify a backup route. Arriving flustered costs marks in the listening paper, which starts first and is played once.
Plan the day
Do one full timed mock under exam conditions: listening audio played once without pausing, reading in the allotted time, and both written tasks handwritten within the time limit. Mark it honestly and identify the two weakest areas rather than revising everything. Re-read the task instructions for the written production so you know exactly how many words are required and what the task asks you to do.
Work on technique, not new content. For listening, practise catching the speaker's stance and the function of discourse markers; for reading, practise locating the answer in the text and rejecting distractors. Draft one synthesis-type written task and one argumentative task, then compare them against the assessment criteria: task fulfilment, coherence and cohesion, lexical range and accuracy, grammatical range and accuracy.
Prepare your oral topic structure: an introduction stating your position, two or three developed arguments with examples, and a conclusion that responds to the examiner's questions. Practise speaking aloud for the full duration without notes. Pack your bag: convocation, ID, pens, watch, water, snack. Check the route and set two alarms. Stop intensive revision in the evening and sleep.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the centre at least 30 minutes early. Switch off your phone and put it away before entering the room. Locate the toilets before the session begins. Once seated, fill in the answer sheet details carefully and check that your candidate number matches your convocation.
Read the questions before each recording starts. The audio is played once, so write as you listen and leave nothing blank; return to complete answers after the recording if the paper allows. Watch the clock: do not spend too long on one item.
Skim the questions first, then read the texts with purpose. Allocate time per text and stick to it. Answer every item - there is no penalty for guessing in a comprehension paper. Transfer or check your answers before the end.
Spend the first few minutes planning the structure and the register required by the task. Write legibly, respect the word count, and reserve the last ten minutes to check agreement, tenses, and spelling. A well-organised text with modest vocabulary scores better than an ambitious text with broken structure.
Use the preparation time to build a clear plan, not a full script. In the presentation, state your position early and support it with concrete examples. In the interview, listen to the question fully, take a moment if needed, and respond directly; it is acceptable to qualify your view or concede a point, but keep the exchange going and defend your reasoning.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document named in your registration and present it when asked. If your ID is lost or your name has changed, contact the centre before the exam day rather than at the door - confirm with the provider what alternative proof is accepted.
Phones, smartwatches, and any connected or recording devices must be switched off and stored as instructed. Keeping a device on your person during a paper can lead to the invalidation of your results for the whole session.
Dictionaries, grammar references, and personal notes are generally not permitted in the written papers. Confirm the authorised items with your centre, since the list can vary by session.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on timing and on leaving the room. If you need to leave during a paper, raise your hand and wait to be accompanied; confirm the centre's policy on breaks and on readmission to the room.
The oral test may be held on a different day or at a different time from the written papers. Check your convocation and attend the slot assigned to you; rescheduling is normally not possible except in documented exceptional circumstances.
Each of the four sections is scored out of 25, and a minimum score in each section is generally required alongside an overall pass mark. Verify the current thresholds and any compensation rules with the official awarding body or your centre.
Write only in the spaces provided on the answer scripts and do not write identifying information where it is not requested. Work that cannot be attributed or that is written outside the designated areas may not be marked.
Any attempt to communicate with another candidate, to use unauthorised material, or to copy another candidate's work is treated as fraud and can result in invalidation of the session and a ban. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, ask the invigilator before the paper starts.