DELE B2 exam-day guide
DELE B2 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm exact time and venue with your test centre
Your registration confirmation or centre email should state the address, the reporting time and which door to use. Schedules and room assignments vary between centres and sessions, so verify them directly rather than relying on a general guide; if anything is unclear, confirm with the provider.
Valid photo ID matching your registration
Bring the original document (usually a passport or national identity card) whose details match the name on your registration. Photocopies and expired documents are normally refused, but the exact list of accepted IDs is set by the centre: confirm with the provider which documents they accept.
Printed or digital registration confirmation
Have your confirmation email or booking reference available in case staff need to locate your record. Some centres ask for a printed copy, so check the instructions you received; confirm with the provider if your confirmation does not say.
Black or blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
Writing tasks and the answer sheets are completed in pen, not pencil. Bring spares so a failing pen does not cost you minutes. Pencil is normally only useful for rough notes on the question paper, if the centre allows annotation at all.
Pencil and eraser for rough work
Useful for planning essays and marking options before transferring answers. Whether you may write on the question booklet varies by centre, so keep rough work minimal and follow invigilator instructions.
Analogue watch
Rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones must be switched off and stored. A simple non-smart watch lets you pace the four papers. Smart watches are almost always prohibited.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Hydration helps in a long exam day, but many centres only allow transparent bottles without branding. Check local rules on the day or in advance; if in doubt, leave it and drink before entering.
Know the paper order and timing in advance
The DELE B2 day normally covers reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and oral expression and interaction, often split across sessions. Exact order and timing are set per session, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Plan your route and arrival buffer
Arrive well before the reporting time; late candidates may be refused entry once a paper has started. Do a dry run of the journey or check transport disruptions the day before.
Leave phones and smart devices outside the exam room
Switch them off completely and store them as instructed. A device sounding or being handled during a paper can lead to removal from the exam, regardless of what it was used for.
Prepare your oral exam prompts mentally, not on paper
For the speaking test you typically prepare briefly with provided material. Do not bring pre-written scripts; use the preparation time to note key ideas only, following the assessor's instructions.
Check language of instructions and answer-sheet format
Instructions are given in Spanish and answer sheets must be filled exactly as indicated (for example, marking one option per item). Read the sample instructions on the day before starting, and ask an invigilator if a format is unclear.
Plan the day
Stop learning new grammar and switch to timed practice under exam conditions. Do one full reading and listening section with strict timing to calibrate your pace, then review errors to find patterns rather than isolated mistakes. Re-read your own written work for recurring problems (agreement, verb tenses, register) and prepare a short mental list of useful connectors and structures for the essay and the oral tasks. Confirm the venue, reporting time and ID requirements with your centre now, so any problem can still be solved. Protect sleep: two full nights before the exam matter more than a late-night cram.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, pens, pencil, eraser, watch, water if permitted. Lay out clothes and check the journey, including any strikes or engineering works. Do a light review only: skim your error list, rehearse the structure of the two writing tasks and the format of the oral tasks aloud for ten minutes. Avoid heavy new material and avoid comparing preparation with other candidates online. Eat normally, set two alarms, and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive early with time to spare. Leave your phone switched off and stored before entering the building. Once seated, read the instructions for the first paper carefully, check the number of items and the time allowed, and note the finish time on your watch. If a paper is split into tasks with suggested times, respect them rather than spending everything on the first text. Use the toilet before each session; breaks between papers are usually short and may not be negotiable.
Read questions before the text where the format allows, underline key words, and answer every item, since there is normally no penalty for guessing. In listening, use the pause to preview options and do not stop to agonise over a missed item, because the recording continues. Transfer answers to the answer sheet exactly as instructed and check numbering before time is called. If you finish early, verify that no item is blank and that your markings match the required format.
Spend a few minutes planning each task, then write with a clear structure: introduction, developed points, conclusion. Watch the clock so both tasks receive adequate length and attention, since a strong task cannot fully compensate for a missing one. Leave time to reread for agreement, tense consistency, spelling and register. Write legibly in pen and stay within the lines provided; text outside the marked area may not be assessed.
Greet the examiners in Spanish and follow their instructions. Use the preparation time to note keywords, not full sentences. Speak at a steady pace, develop ideas with reasons and examples, and use the interaction phase to ask and respond naturally rather than delivering a monologue. If you do not understand a question, ask for clarification in Spanish; it is part of communicative competence. Keep going through mistakes instead of stopping to self-correct every word.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID that matches your registration; without acceptable identification you may be refused entry. The exact list of accepted documents is set by the centre, so confirm with the provider in advance.
Arrive at the reporting time. Candidates arriving after a paper has begun may be excluded from that paper or from the session; the precise cut-off is a centre decision, so check your instructions and confirm with the provider.
Switch off phones, smart watches and any other devices and store them as directed. Handling a device during a paper is treated as misconduct and can lead to your exam being annulled.
Do not bring notes, dictionaries, textbooks or pre-written material into the exam room. The oral exam is prepared on site with material provided by the examiners, not from scripts brought in.
Follow invigilator instructions on timing, answer-sheet format and leaving the room. Do not communicate with other candidates once the paper has started, and do not turn over papers before you are told.
Breaks between papers are usually short and may be supervised; plan toilet visits and refreshment around them rather than expecting to leave the building. Ask an invigilator if you need to leave the room during a paper.
Results are reported by skill group, and the certificate depends on meeting the required minimum in each group rather than on an overall average alone. The current pass requirements and weightings should be checked on the official exam documentation, or confirm with the provider.
If you believe there was a problem with the conduct of the exam, raise it with the invigilator at the time and follow the centre's complaints procedure afterwards; do not discuss the content of tasks with other candidates in a way that could compromise the session.