DELF B2 sample papers: 6 complete tests in the new format

DELF B2 sample papers are the best way to prepare for the exam. They show the real level expected, the length of each paper and the type of questions. On delfb2.net you will find six complete tests in the new format, with audio, answers and a score out of 25 per paper. Test no. 1 of each paper is free.

This guide describes what each test contains, explains how marking works and gives a method to improve from one test to the next. For the official format, see also our guide to the DELF B2 exam.

What each DELF B2 sample paper contains

Each test covers the four papers of the real exam, in the same order and with the same timings:

• Listening (30 min, 25 points): three multiple-choice exercises, each recording heard twice.
• Reading (1 h, 25 points): press articles and argumentative texts, with multiple-choice questions.
• Writing (1 h, 25 points): a formal letter or a forum contribution of at least 250 words.
• Speaking (20 min, 25 points): two topics drawn at random, a monologue then a debate with the examiner.

You can take a single paper or the full test. Exam mode follows real timing: each recording plays once per listening, with no pause.

The 6 DELF B2 sample papers at a glance

The topics follow those of the exam: cities, work, consumption, education, environment and social life.

Each test also includes three audio documents for the listening paper. The tests are numbered: start with no. 1, then move through them in order to track your progress.

How the DELF B2 sample papers are marked

Listening and reading

The questions are multiple choice. Marking is instant: you see the right answer and your score out of 25. Questions do not all carry the same weight, as in the real exam. Reread the passage or replay the extract to understand each mistake.

Writing

Your text is assessed against the five criteria of the official grid: task completion, coherence, register, vocabulary and grammar. A word counter helps you reach 250 words. For the method, read our guide to DELF B2 writing.

Speaking

You prepare your talk for 30 minutes, then record yourself. A self-assessment grid helps you judge your monologue and debate. The tips are in our guide to DELF B2 speaking.

How to use the sample papers to improve

Taking test after test is not enough. What matters is analysing your mistakes. Here is a simple four-step method.

1. Check your level. Start with the free B2 level test to find your weakest paper.
2. Work paper by paper. Take the same paper from two different tests, first without a timer, then in real time.
3. Analyse every mistake. Note the type of mistake in a notebook: vocabulary, a trap in the question, lack of time.
4. Take a full exam. One to two weeks before the exam, take a complete test under real conditions, then a second one three days later.

Keep at least one complete DELF B2 practice test for the last week. You will measure your level just before the exam, on a paper you have never seen.

A DELF B2 example: what each paper expects

Take test no. 1. In the writing paper, you represent the residents of a neighbourhood. The town hall wants to turn part of the central square into a car park. You write to the mayor to defend your position and try to convince them.

The marker expects a real formal letter: a subject line, an opening salutation, an introduction recalling the project, two or three illustrated arguments, a concrete proposal and a closing formula. A well-built text that never takes a stance loses points on task completion.

In the speaking paper, on the delivery-platforms topic, the examiner expects you to identify the issue, then defend an argued opinion. During the debate, they may challenge your position: stay polite, add nuance and give examples.

DELF B2 sample papers as PDFs and official samples

Many candidates look for exercises with answers as PDFs. The official samples published by France Education international are an excellent reference to discover the format. There are only a few of them, and they do not detail the marking of writing and speaking.

Our test n°1 is also available as a free PDF, with an explained answer key and transcripts: see our DELF B2 practice test PDF.

Our online tests complement those samples: audio is built in, the timer follows real timing and multiple-choice marking is instant. Use both: the official samples to discover the format, our DELF B2 sample papers to practise often.

Exam mode or practice mode: which to choose?

Each DELF B2 sample paper can be taken in two ways. In exam mode, the timer follows the real length and each recording plays once per listening, with no pause. Use it to measure your level. In practice mode, you can rewind the audio and take your time: it is ideal for understanding your mistakes.

A good habit: take each paper once in exam mode, note your score, then redo the missed questions in practice mode.

How to analyse a comprehension question

In the new format, all comprehension questions are multiple choice. The wrong answers, called distractors, are built to catch rushed candidates. Here is a three-step method:

1. Read the question before the document and underline the key word: an opinion, a cause, a consequence, a date.
2. Find the passage that answers the question. Careful: the right answer often rephrases the text in other words.
3. Eliminate the distractors: an answer that repeats an expression from the text word for word is often a trap.

In our DELF B2 sample papers, the marking shows the right answer. Always reread the passage to understand why the other options were wrong.

Which DELF B2 sample paper to take, and when

Keep the last tests for the end: a DELF B2 sample paper you have never seen gives a reliable measure of your level.

Topics that keep coming back in DELF B2 papers

The papers deal with social issues that concern everyone. Across our six tests, you will find the exam's big themes:

• Cities and transport: parking spaces, free public transport, car access to city centres.
• Work: flexible hours, meetings, remote work, onboarding new staff.
• Consumption and environment: repairing instead of replacing, food waste, paper receipts.
• Education: school hours, artificial intelligence at school.
• Culture and leisure: libraries, festivals, cultural venues.

For each theme, build a list of precise words and two or three examples from your own country. You will use them in both writing and speaking.

Common mistakes when taking a paper

1. Not reading the whole writing task: candidates forget the proposal or the recipient.
2. Spending too long on one reading text and rushing the second.
3. Leaving questions blank: in multiple choice, a guess is better than nothing.
4. Retaking the same paper several times: the score goes up, but it no longer measures your level.
5. Skipping the speaking paper because it feels hard to practise alone: record yourself instead.

Avoiding these mistakes is often worth several points before you even improve your French.

Keep a mistake log

After each paper, note your mistakes in a notebook, sorted into three columns: unknown vocabulary, a trap in the question, lack of time. After two or three papers, your typical mistakes will appear. Those are what to work on first, far more than new exercises. Reviewing your log the day before the exam is also a quick way to refresh the points that cost you most.

Read next: our detailed reading and listening with real audio examples explain every answer. To sit the exam, see our list of DELF B2 exam centres in Paris.

Read next: to practise beyond these papers, read our guide to free DELF B2 preparation.

Getting access

Test no. 1 of each paper is free with an account. Tests no. 2 to no. 6 are included in the passes, paid once, with no subscription. Find all the tests on the DELF B2 tests page and the options on the pricing page.

Already have an exam date? See also our guide to DELF B2 registration to check your centre's deadlines.