Preparing for the DELF B1 exam? You need to see the format and understand the reasoning behind each answer. This article gives you 10 sample questions — two per section — with step-by-step solutions that show you exactly how to approach them. No fluff, just practical examples.
Listening Comprehension (2 questions)
Question 1: Short dialogue (radio excerpt)
You hear a conversation between a student and a university advisor. The student says: "Je voudrais m'inscrire au cours de littérature, mais j'ai peur de ne pas avoir le niveau." The advisor replies: "Vous pouvez suivre un module préparatoire de deux semaines avant le début du semestre."
Question: What does the advisor suggest? A) Skip the literature course. B) Take a two-week preparatory module. C) Wait until next semester. D) Enroll in a different course.
Solution: The advisor says "Vous pouvez suivre un module préparatoire de deux semaines" — you can follow a two-week preparatory module. So the correct answer is B. The key is to catch the phrase "module préparatoire" and the duration "deux semaines."
Question 2: Longer monologue (news report)
A news report states: "Le gouvernement a annoncé hier une réduction de 15% des tarifs de transport en commun pour les étudiants à partir du 1er septembre. Cette mesure vise à encourager l'utilisation des transports publics et à réduire les émissions de CO2."
Question: What is the main goal of the measure? A) To increase student enrollment. B) To reduce traffic congestion. C) To promote public transport and lower CO2 emissions. D) To save money for the government.
Solution: The report says "cette mesure vise à encourager l'utilisation des transports publics et à réduire les émissions de CO2." That matches option C. The phrase "vise à" indicates the goal. Eliminate options that are not mentioned.
Reading Comprehension (2 questions)
Question 3: Informational text (job posting)
Text: "Stage en marketing digital — Durée: 3 mois — Lieu: Lyon — Profil recherché: étudiant en master, maîtrise des réseaux sociaux, créativité. Envoyer CV et lettre de motivation avant le 15 juin."
Question: What is NOT required for this internship? A) A master's student profile. B) Social media skills. C) Creativity. D) A cover letter.
Solution: The text lists "étudiant en master" (A), "maîtrise des réseaux sociaux" (B), "créativité" (C), and requires "CV et lettre de motivation" (D). All are required, so the question asks for what is NOT required — trick: none of the options are missing. Actually, re-read: the question says "NOT required" — all are required, so the answer is none? But typical DELF B1 questions have one correct answer. Here, the text says "Envoyer CV et lettre de motivation" — so both are required. The option that is NOT explicitly required might be something else. Let's check: The text does not mention "experience" or "age." But among the given, all are mentioned. However, note that "cover letter" is required, so D is required. Wait, the question might be misphrased. In a real test, you'd see a distractor. Let's correct: The text says "étudiant en master, maîtrise des réseaux sociaux, créativité." So A, B, C are required. D is also required. So the answer is none — but that's not possible. Perhaps the question is: "What is required?" Let's assume the intended answer is D (cover letter) is required. But to make it work, we'll change the question: "What is NOT mentioned as a requirement?" Then answer would be something like "previous work experience" — but not in options. For the sake of this sample, we'll adjust the question to: "Which of the following is NOT a requirement?" and the options include "previous work experience" — but we don't have that. Let's keep it simple: The correct approach is to identify that all listed are required, so if the question is "What is required?" then all are correct. But DELF B1 often has one correct answer. I'll rephrase the question to: "What is the deadline for applications?" — answer: 15 June. That's cleaner.
Revised Question 3: What is the deadline for applications? A) 3 months B) 15 June C) Before the start of the internship D) Not specified
Solution: The text says "Envoyer CV et lettre de motivation avant le 15 juin." So the deadline is 15 June. Answer B.
Question 4: Argumentative text (opinion piece)
Text: "Certains pensent que les réseaux sociaux nuisent aux relations personnelles. Pourtant, ils permettent de rester en contact avec des amis éloignés et de partager des moments importants. Il faut donc les utiliser avec modération."
Question: What is the author's main point? A) Social networks are harmful. B) Social networks are useless. C) Social networks have both benefits and drawbacks, so use them moderately. D) Social networks should be banned.
Solution: The author acknowledges the negative view ("nuisent") but then presents a counterargument ("permettent de rester en contact") and concludes with "il faut donc les utiliser avec modération." So the main point is moderation. Answer C.
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Writing (2 questions)
Question 5: Informal email (60-80 words)
Prompt: You are going to visit a friend in Paris next month. Write an email to your friend to tell him/her about your travel plans and ask for suggestions on what to visit.
Sample answer: "Salut Marie, Je viens à Paris du 10 au 15 mars. Je prends le train et j'arrive à la gare de Lyon à 14h. Est-ce que tu peux me recommander des endroits à visiter ? J'aime l'art et la cuisine. À bientôt !"
Solution: The email should include: greeting, travel details (dates, mode), a request for suggestions, and a closing. Keep it friendly and concise. Use informal language ("Salut", "tu").
Question 6: Formal letter (80-100 words)
Prompt: You are a student and you want to apply for a part-time job at a library. Write a formal letter to the library director expressing your interest and describing your skills.
Sample answer: "Objet : Candidature pour un poste à la bibliothèque Madame, Monsieur, Je me permets de vous adresser ma candidature pour un poste à la bibliothèque universitaire. Je suis étudiant en deuxième année de lettres et je maîtrise les logiciels de gestion de catalogue. De plus, je suis organisé et j'aime le contact avec le public. Je suis disponible les soirs et week-ends. Dans l'attente de votre réponse, je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, mes salutations distinguées."
Solution: Use formal salutation, state the purpose, list relevant skills, mention availability, and close with a formal formula. Avoid contractions, use "je".
Speaking (2 questions)
Question 7: Guided monologue (2-3 minutes)
Prompt: You are asked to talk about a memorable trip you took. Describe where you went, what you did, and why it was memorable.
Sample structure:
- Introduction: "I'd like to talk about a trip to Goa last year."
- Details: "I went with my family. We visited beaches and tried local food."
- Why memorable: "It was the first time I saw the sea."
- Conclusion: "I hope to go again."
Solution: Organize your thoughts: introduction, body (description, activities), conclusion (why memorable). Use past tense (passé composé, imparfait). Aim for 2-3 minutes.
Question 8: Interaction (3-4 minutes)
Prompt: You are at a hotel reception. You have a reservation but the room is not ready. You need to negotiate a solution.
Sample dialogue: You: "Bonjour, j'ai une réservation pour ce soir, mais la chambre n'est pas prête ?" Receptionist: "Je suis désolé, nous avons eu un problème. Voulez-vous attendre 30 minutes ?" You: "D'accord, mais puis-je laisser mes bagages ?" Receptionist: "Bien sûr, nous les gardons." You: "Merci. Et y a-t-il un café où je peux attendre ?"
Solution: Be polite, state the problem, propose or accept solutions. Use conditional ("pourriez-vous") and polite phrases ("je voudrais").
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Section 5: Vocabulary & Grammar (2 questions)
Question 9: Fill in the blank (grammar)
Sentence: "Si j'______ (avoir) plus de temps, je voyagerais plus."
Options: A) ai B) avais C) aurai D) aurais
Solution: This is a conditional sentence (si + imparfait, conditionnel présent). The correct form is "avais" (imparfait). So answer B.
Question 10: Vocabulary in context
Sentence: "Il faut ______ les déchets avant de les jeter." Options: A) trier B) jeter C) acheter D) laver
Solution: The context is about waste management. "Trier" means to sort. "Il faut trier les déchets" — you must sort waste before throwing it away. Answer A.