DELF A2 exam-day guide
DELF A2 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation / exam summons
Bring the printed convocation sent by the exam centre. It shows your candidate number, room and the time of each test, including your individual oral slot. Save a digital copy on your phone as backup, but the phone itself will normally be put away during the tests.
Valid photo ID
The ID must match the name and spelling on your registration. Accepted documents vary by centre (passport, national identity card, residence permit); confirm the accepted list with your provider before the exam day.
Black or blue ballpoint pens, plus a spare
Written answers must be legible and in ink. Bring at least two pens that you have already tested.
Pencil and eraser for rough notes
Useful for planning the written production and jotting notes during listening. Some centres restrict what is allowed on the desk, so confirm with the provider.
A simple watch
Phones are usually banned from the desk, and not every room has a visible clock. A basic non-smart watch is the safest option; confirm that watches are permitted at your centre.
Water and a small snack
The collective tests run for roughly 1 hour 40 minutes, and your oral may be scheduled much later in the day. Check whether drinks and food are allowed in the room.
Confirmed logistics: address, room, arrival time, oral slot
Re-check the venue, which entrance to use, and the exact reporting time. Confirm with the provider whether you must arrive a set number of minutes before the first test.
A transport plan with a buffer
Aim to be at the centre well before the reporting time so that a delay on public transport does not cost you the listening test, which starts promptly and cannot be repeated.
Phone switched off and stored out of reach
Even a silent phone can be treated as a breach of exam regulations. Leave it at home or hand it in as instructed by the invigilators.
Prepared oral presentation structure
You do not bring notes into the oral exam, so rehearse in advance: an opening, two or three developed points with examples, and a short closing. Practise saying it aloud within the time limit.
A one-page phrase sheet for last-minute review
Connectors, polite formulas and useful expressions for the written and oral production. Review it before entering the room, then put it away.
Plan the day
Confirm every administrative detail: venue, reporting time, room, and the time of your oral. Check that your ID is valid and that the name matches your registration exactly. If anything is unclear, contact the exam centre now rather than on the day.
Do one full timed practice run under exam conditions: listening without pausing, reading within the time limit, the written production in one sitting, and the oral presentation spoken aloud with preparation timed.
Pack your bag: convocation, ID, pens, watch, water. Lay out clothes and check the route and travel times, including any strikes or planned works. Do a light review of connectors and oral phrases only.
Eat normally, avoid an all-night revision session, and set two alarms. Fatigue affects listening comprehension more than any last-minute vocabulary review will help it.
Eat a proper breakfast, leave early, and arrive ahead of the reporting time. Switch the phone off before entering the building and keep your convocation and ID in your hand for the identity check.
Read the instructions for each part before starting. In listening, scan the questions during the pause so you know what to listen for; in reading, skim the whole text before answering; in the written production, spend a few minutes planning and keep five minutes at the end to check spelling, agreements and verb forms.
Use the preparation time to write a bare-bones outline, not a full script. Speak clearly, use your prepared structure, and if you do not understand a question, ask the examiner to repeat it politely rather than staying silent.
Rules to check
Bring the ID document required by your centre; without acceptable ID you may be refused entry. The accepted documents are set by the provider, so confirm them in advance.
Electronic devices, smart watches and connected objects must be switched off and stored away for the whole session. Using one during a test is normally treated as a serious breach.
The listening test is played once, at the pace set by the recording; you cannot ask for it to be paused or repeated.
The four skills are usually each marked out of 25. A common pass requirement is an overall total of at least 50/100, sometimes combined with a minimum score in each skill; confirm the exact pass rule that applies to your session with the provider.
Do not open the booklet or start writing before the invigilator tells you to, and stop immediately when time is called.
Leaving the room during a test may be restricted, and in some centres you cannot leave and re-enter. Ask the invigilator before the session begins if you think you will need to step out.
Write in the language of the exam only, in the spaces provided. Rough work should be clearly separated from your final answers.
If your oral is scheduled later in the day, stay within reach of the centre and return ahead of your slot; missing your assigned time may mean you cannot be examined.