DELF B1 study guide
DELF B1 · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Le DELF B1 « tout public » est l'un des quatre diplômes du Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) pour adultes : un diplôme officiel délivré par le ministère de l'éducation nationale français et harmonisé sur les niveaux du Cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues (CECRL). Le B1 y est classé dans la catégorie « utilisateur indépendant ». The DELF B1 study guide has 4 sections and about 1,354 words.
01Compréhension de l'oral - écouter pour comprendre, pas pour tout entendre
Before hunting for specific information, answer three questions about each recording: who is speaking (a shop assistant, a radio presenter, a friend), to whom, and why (to inform, to persuade, to apologise, to complain). This frame lets you predict vocabulary and eliminates options that are linguistically possible but socially absurd - a customer who thanks a shopkeeper for a refund cannot be 'demanding a discount'.
368 words, about 2 min02Compréhension des écrits - justify every answer with a line
The reading paper lasts about 35 minutes and usually gives you two exercises built on authentic-type documents: short notices and advertisements, then a longer article, interview or testimonial. The tasks ask you to match headings or questions to paragraphs, choose the right multiple-choice option, or decide true/false and justify from the text.
342 words, about 2 min03Production écrite - a 160–180 word message that meets every requirement
You have 45 minutes to write 160–180 words, usually an email, letter or forum post in which you react to a situation: describe an experience, invite, complain, or give and defend an opinion. The marking grid has four strands: adéquation (all required elements, correct register, correct length), cohérence et cohésion (clear paragraphs, logical connectors), lexical range, and grammatical accuracy.
308 words, about 2 min04Production orale - interact, structure, and stay in charge
The speaking test has three phases. First an entretien dirigé (2–3 minutes, no preparation): the examiner asks about you, your studies, your habits.
336 words, about 2 min