Dear Teacher, How Can I Ace the DELF B1 Exam?

 Why Take the DELF B1?

The DELF B1 exam might feel intimidating, but it’s a game-changer for your French journey! Beyond boosting your confidence, it opens doors—like qualifying for a French resident card (starting July 2025) and even helping you work toward French citizenship, which may soon require B2 level. 

The DELF B1, unlike other official exams such as the TCF and TEF, is a closed exam. This means that you choose to take a specific level (A1, A2, B1, B2), and you either pass or fail. In contrast, for the other exams, there is no pass or fail—everyone takes the same exam with the same questions, and the level is determined based on your results.

What’s on the DELF B1 Exam?

The exam has four parts:

• Listening: Multiple-choice questions based on audio clips.
• Reading: Comprehension questions from short texts.
• Speaking: A 15-minute session with a presentation, a role play, and a monologue sharing your opinion.
• Writing: A practical task like a letter, article, or short essay.

Master the Must-Haves for B1 written and speaking exams

Writing and speaking are the most daunting exercises. However, it is possible to succeed if you follow our advice. It’s important to understand the difference between A2 and B1. B1 is characterized by the student’s ability to express an opinion on a variety of subjects. By opinion we mean the following expressions: “je pense que”, “je trouve que”, “selon moi”, “à mon avis”. Each argument must be developed and followed by an example. Whereas the A2 can only express itself on immediate subjects (family, friends, neighborhood, etc.). 

To crush the DELF B1, show off your opinions and vocabulary on popular topics like: Environment, Urban life, Technology, Tourism, Education, Hobbies and Work. These are the topics that always come up. So a word of advice: make B1 vocabulary cards on the following topics, as this is what the teacher is looking for when marking you. 

Don’t skip the grammar essentials that show you’re at B1 level:

• Relative pronouns: qui, que, où 
• Connectors : cause, but, opposition et conséquence. 
• The gerund: en + verb (-ant) ; example: je cuisine en écoutant de la musique. 
• Conditional tense ; tu devrais faire attention.

Respecting the entire set of instructions in written production is crucial. If it is a letter, write a letter; if it is an essay, write an essay (introduction / argument 1 / argument 2 / conclusion). It may seem obvious, but many people make this mistake—believe me! Not following the required format can cost valuable points, even if the content is excellent. Always take the time to carefully read the instructions and ensure your writing matches the expected structure.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Regular practice with online French courses, sample questions, and speaking drills will help you feel at ease on exam day. Simulating real exam conditions is the best way to study DELF – respectez le temps limite de chaque exercice. 

Surround yourself with as much French as possible!

In the run-up to the exam, listen to as many French podcasts as possible, watch films and read newspaper articles. Vous êtes sur la dernière ligne droite —You’re on the home stretch ! 

Get DELF-Ready with Fluent Academy

Fluent Academy offers fun, flexible online French courses designed to help you succeed. Here’s what you’ll get:

✅ Vocabulary and grammar guides to boost your skills
✅ Realistic mock exams to prepare under pressure
✅ 8 hours of DELF prep classes with DELF examiners. 

Find out your current French level now

Start your French preparation today !