Bronwen Sutcliffe
- Apr 13

DELF/DALF Prep Guide

A guide for Sentinel students interested in the DELF or DALF French language diplomas.

Whether you’re a French Immersion student or have completed several years of French at Sentinel, you might want to consider earning your DELF or DALF diploma. Awarded by the French Ministry of Education, the diploma is valid for life and certifies your French language proficiency as a non-native speaker. As someone who has recently written the DALF C1 exam, here are some thoughts and tips!

Why take the DELF/DALF?

Certification: The DELF (Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française) and the DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) provide official and internationally-recognized proof of your French proficiency.
Admission requirements: a number of institutions require proof of French proficiency for admission (e.g. Québec universities).
University application boost & job opportunities: A DELF/DALF diploma enhances your university application and opens you up to a variety of bilingual career opportunities throughout the francophone world (imagine working in Paris!).

DELF vs. DALF

For both the DELF and the DALF, a minimum of 50% is required to pass the exam.
You must also score a minimum of 5/25 per part of the exam to pass.
The main difference between the DELF and DELF is that the DALF is a more advanced diploma; the exam is longer and more demanding.

DELF (Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française) - B2 level

Length: 2.5 hours
Fluency level: at a DELF B2 level, you are able to discuss a wide range of topics, though academic or specialized materials might be challenging.
Key skills: understanding a document’s main ideas and details, producing well-structured texts (e.g. essays, letters, etc.), expressing opinions, and defending viewpoints with coherence and fluency.
Tasks:

Compréhension de l'oral - 2 tasks, 30 min
Listen to audio clips and answer comprehension questions.
Compréhension des écrits - 2 tasks, 1 hour
Read documents and answer comprehension questions.
Production écrite - 1 task, 1 hour
Write an argumentative essay (min. 250 words).
Production orale - 2 tasks, 20 min. (30 mins. preparation)
Defend an opinion based on a short document, followed by a discussion with the examiners.

DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) - C1 level

Length: 4 hours
Fluency level: At a DALF C1 level, you are able to understand complex documents and express nuanced opinions fluently, without needing to search for the right words.
Key skills: summarizing and synthesizing complex information, understanding the implicit in documents, understanding oral clips even when delivered at a fast pace or with an accent.
Tasks:

Compréhension de l'oral - approx. 40 min
Listen to audio clips and answer comprehension questions.
Compréhension des écrits - 50 min
Read a 1500 to 2000 word text and answer comprehension questions.
Production écrite - 2.5 hours
Compose 1 synthesis (approx. 220 words) and 1 argumentative essay (250 words min.).
Production orale - 1.5 hours (1 hour to prepare, 30 minutes to present)
Give an exposé on a given theme, followed by a discussion with the examiners.

Choosing your level

There are several factors you might take into consideration when choosing DELF or DALF.

Language proficiency: access your current French language level by speaking with a French teacher, doing online tests, or even doing a DELF or DALF practice exam.
Study and preparation time: determine how much time you have to study, and choose the level that fits best with your study schedule, allowing you enough time to review
Admission requirements: check to see what minimum DELF/DALF level the universities you’re applying to require for admission, if any

Signing up for the exam

You can sign up for DELF/DALF through Vancouver’s Alliance Française.

The next sign-up period is from May 7th-28th for the June sessions.
Tip: sign up as soon as possible as spots tend to fill up quickly

Preparing for the DELF/DALF

It’s a good idea to prepare for your DELF/DALF exam months in advance. Here are some steps you can take to get ready:

Maximize your time with the French language: read books or news articles, listen to podcasts or radio shows, watch films or TV series
Broaden your vocabulary and discover French expressions: using a wide vocabulary and idioms is a great way to maximize your exam score (especially for the DALF C1)
Brush up on your grammar and spelling: review grammar rules, practice conjugations and spelling, as these will be scored on the DELF and DALF exams
Practice your essay planning and writing skills: structuring and writing essays is a large component of the DELF/DALF exams, so any extra writing practice is helpful
Do practice exams: several full practice exams are available for free online (see DELF/DALF resources below)
Practice your time management: practicing with a stopwatch can help you manage your time effectively during the actual exam