DELE B1 exam-day guide
DELE B1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exact exam time, venue and arrival time with your centre
DELE sittings are run by accredited centres, and reporting times vary. Check your enrolment confirmation or the centre's instructions for the address, room and the time you must be there. If anything is unclear, confirm with the provider rather than guessing.
Bring the identity document you registered with, in original form
Your registration must match the ID you present. Bring the original passport or national ID card you used when you enrolled, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. If your document has expired or you registered with a different document, contact the centre before exam day. Exact accepted documents: confirm with the provider.
Print or download your enrolment confirmation / exam entry document
Some centres ask to see the confirmation email or an entry document at reception. Save it offline on your phone and, if possible, bring a paper copy. Whether a printed copy is mandatory: confirm with the provider.
Bring several blue or black pens and a pencil with an eraser
The written papers are answered on answer sheets, and you will need to fill in personal details and multiple-choice boxes. Bring spares. Check whether your centre requires a pencil for the answer sheet and a pen for the written tasks. Confirm with the provider.
Leave your phone and smart devices switched off and stored as instructed
Phones, smart watches and any device that can connect to the internet are normally not allowed in the exam room. Expect to hand them in or leave them in a designated place. Having a device on you during the test can lead to disqualification, so follow the invigilator's instructions exactly.
Plan your route and arrive with a buffer
Aim to be at the venue well before the reporting time, allowing for transport delays and for finding the right room. Late arrival rules differ by centre, and you may not be admitted once the test has started. Confirm the centre's late-arrival policy with the provider.
Know the paper order and timings for your level
DELE B1 is tested in four areas: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and spoken expression and interaction. The written papers (reading, listening, writing) are usually taken together in one session, and the oral test may be on the same day or another day. Check your centre's schedule, because the order of papers and the oral slot vary.
Prepare for the oral test format
The oral test is taken in pairs or small groups with two examiners present. It includes a short preparation period before you speak. Bring nothing into the preparation room except what the centre allows. The exact task types and preparation time are set by the exam specifications; review them and confirm details with the provider.
Bring water and a light snack for between papers
Sessions can be long, and there may be a break between the written papers and the oral test. Check the centre's rules on food and drink in the exam room. Confirm with the provider.
Check any accessibility or special arrangements in advance
If you need extra time, a separate room or other adjustments, these must normally be requested well before the exam date with supporting documentation. If you have not arranged this, contact the centre as soon as possible. Deadlines and evidence requirements: confirm with the provider.
Leave valuables and unnecessary bags at home
Storage space at venues is often limited, and centres may not take responsibility for personal belongings. Bring only what you need.
Read the centre's conduct rules before the day
Rules on what may be brought to the desk, leaving the room, and behaviour during the test are set by the centre and the exam regulations. Read them in advance so nothing on the day is a surprise. Confirm with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material and switch to consolidation. Re-read the task instructions for each paper so you know exactly what each task asks you to do, and do one timed practice run of the written papers under exam conditions. Review your own recurring errors in grammar and vocabulary rather than starting new topics. Check your ID is valid and that you know the venue, reporting time and route. If you have any doubt about the schedule or the oral test slot, contact the centre now, not on the morning.
Pack your bag: original ID, confirmation document, pens, pencil, eraser, water. Charge your phone but plan to switch it off at the venue. Confirm transport times and set two alarms. Do a light review of useful phrases for the writing tasks and the oral test, for example ways to give an opinion, agree and disagree, and link ideas. Sleep early. Avoid an all-night cram session, because the listening paper in particular rewards a rested, focused mind.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue with time to spare. Have your ID and confirmation ready at reception. Follow instructions about where to leave bags and phones, and switch devices off before entering the exam room. Once seated, check that you have the correct papers and answer sheets, fill in your personal details carefully, and listen to the invigilator's instructions before the test begins.
Read the instructions for each task before answering, and watch the clock. In reading and listening, answer every multiple-choice item even if you are unsure; there is no penalty described for guessing in the specifications, but confirm the marking rules with the provider. If you miss a listening item, let it go and focus on the next one rather than losing the thread. In the writing paper, plan briefly, respect the word limits and the required register, leave time to check agreement, tenses and spelling, and write legibly.
Use the preparation time to note key ideas and useful expressions, not a full script. Speak to your partner as well as the examiners, take turns, ask follow-up questions and keep the interaction going. If you do not understand something, ask for repetition politely. It is better to keep speaking with a small error than to stop. Manage your nerves with slow, steady breathing before you begin.
Do not spend time comparing answers with other candidates; it will not change your result. Keep your ID and belongings with you, and note any information the centre gives about results. Results are published through the official channels of the examining body, and your centre can tell you how and when to access them. Confirm the results and certificate procedure with the provider.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document you used to register. A copy, an expired document or a different document may not be accepted, and you may be refused entry. If your circumstances have changed, contact the centre before the exam. Exact ID requirements: confirm with the provider.
Phones, smart watches and any internet-capable devices must be switched off and stored as the invigilator instructs. Keeping a device on your person during the test can be treated as misconduct and may lead to your result being annulled.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and examiners. Talking to other candidates during the test, looking at another candidate's paper, or using unauthorised material is misconduct and can lead to disqualification.
If you need to leave the room, for example to use the toilet, raise your hand and wait for permission. Rules on leaving and re-entering during a paper vary, and time is not normally extended. Confirm the centre's policy with the provider.
Arrive by the reporting time stated by your centre. Late candidates may not be admitted once a paper has started, and no extra time is given for lateness. Confirm the late-arrival rule with the provider.
The four test areas are weighted equally, and you need a minimum score in each group to pass overall. Do not neglect one skill on the assumption that strong results elsewhere will compensate. The exact pass requirements are set out in the official exam specifications; confirm them with the provider.
Break times and the order of papers are set by the centre and may differ from what you expect. Check the schedule you are given on the day and ask an invigilator if anything is unclear.
Results and certificates are issued through the official channels of the examining body, not by third parties. Keep the documents your centre gives you and follow their instructions for accessing results. Confirm the procedure and any deadlines with the provider.