Tips for the DELE Exam (from an examiner!)
Hola hola! I'm a DELE Examiner and I'd like to share a few tips I've gathered from the courses I've taken and also from my teaching experience.
1. Create a checklist with all grammar topics included in your level
I've seen too many students wanting to take an exam without actually having studied all the grammar topics from that level.
For teachers, el Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes is the most complete, trustworthy source.
For the general public, I want to recommend the ELEInternacional site and Florencia, a fellow teacher who created her "Enseñar Español online" site. They have compiled all grammar topics by level in these posts:
Contenidos nivel A1, A2, B1, B2, C1. C2
It wouldn't hurt to read the grammar topics included in the level below yours and try to identify if there's any need to study or review those resources as well.
2. You are not sure about your level? Do an honest, self-evaluation with this template
With this template you'll be able to do a self-assessment in order to identify your strengths and difficulties. Read all blocks carefully and try to mark the ones you feel most identified with.
I do not know the original author, sorry!
3. Expresión escrita: Focus on improving your Writing Skills
The writing test is one of the most feared sections.
Focus on studying discourse connectors and on using the widest range of grammar structures you can possibly produce. While you are writing, review grammar topics in your head and try to include sentences using those topics.
Pay attention to accentuation, as it also plays a part in the marking process. You can review the rules for accentuation, which are a very straightforward way to master this specific "skill".
4. Comprensión lectora y auditiva: Listen and read in a wide range of Spanish Accents
From level B1 onward, the Instituto Cervantes includes a range of accents from different regions / countries.
This may involve being familiar with the "voseo rioplatense" (the use of "vos" instead of "tu" used in Argentina, Uruguay, El Salvador and some other countries) or the use of "usted" instead of "tu" with no formal meaning (used in Colombia, Costa Rica, etc).
Also, this includes being familiar with a wider range of vocabulary and a couple ways of naming everyday objects (popcorn, straws and flipflops have the quality of being called very differently in each country).
Get familiar with these words by listening and reading from different sources, and focus on having an idea of these differences in the use of personal pronouns and vocabulary.
5.Expresión oral y escrita: Lie to a healthy extent
Especially in the A1 and A2 oral and written exams, when mentioning something about yourself or doing a role-play, there's no "actual" need to be absolutely honest.
Do you enjoy skiing but you don't remember the word for it in Spanish? You just like basketball instead.
Do you think some earrings would be the perfect gift for your imaginary mother during the roleplay, but can't fantom the word? Just suggest a necklace.
You don't need to get yourself into a tricky situation just because you like your ideas. Just flow with the vocabulary and structures you know best instead of doubting and pausing in the middle of your speech, or writing an incorrect word.
6. Oral exam: Remember some phrases to get out of tricky situations
If you are caught off-guard in a part of the oral exam, have these phrases memorized to get off the situation with grace:
- "¿Puedes repetir la pregunta, por favor?"
- “La verdad es que nunca había pensado en eso, pero…”
- “No sé mucho sobre este tema, pero…”
These are the tips I hope you find the most useful.
Get in touch if you want to have DELE Exam lessons with an official Examiner.