Study guide
1.3 Scoring System: The 30/50 Group Rules & Pass Criteria
DELE A2 — Spanish Language Diploma Elementary
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1 Chapter 1: Exam Overview, Format & Scoring Structure
1.1 DELE A2 Identity, Purpose & Nationality Requirements 1.2 Four Pruebas & Official Test Administration 1.3 Scoring System: The 30/50 Group Rules & Pass Criteria
2 Chapter 2: Prueba 1 — Reading Comprehension Tasks & Strategies
2.1 Reading Tarea 1: Personal Correspondence & Informational Texts 2.2 Reading Tarea 2: Notices, Bulletins & Short Announcements 2.3 Reading Tarea 3: Matching Statements to Thematic Texts 2.4 Reading Tarea 4: Long Narrative Text & Changes of Topic
3 Chapter 3: Prueba 2 — Listening Comprehension Tasks & Auditory Techniques
3.1 Listening Tarea 1: Six Short Conversations with Picture Options 3.2 Listening Tarea 2: Radio News, Ads & Programme Extracts 3.3 Listening Tarea 3: One Conversation – Man, Woman or Neither 3.4 Listening Tarea 4: Seven Messages Matched to Ten Statements
4 Chapter 4: Prueba 3 — Written Expression & Interaction
4.1 Writing Tarea 1: Replying to a Personal Message (60–70 Words) 4.2 Writing Tarea 2: Option A (Personal Life) or Option B (Photos/Data) 4.3 The Official Writing Scale, Cohesion & Common Errors
5 Chapter 5: Prueba 4 — Oral Expression & Interaction
5.1 Oral Test Structure, 12-Minute Preparation & Official Scales 5.2 Oral Tarea 1: Prepared Presentation on a Personal Topic 5.3 Oral Tarea 2: Describing a Photograph (Monologue) 5.4 Oral Tarea 3: Simulated Conversation Linked to the Photo
6 Chapter 6: Essential A2 Grammar — Verb Systems & Tenses
6.1 Present Indicative Regulars, Stem-Changers & Irregulars 6.2 Reflexive Verbs & Verbs of Preference (Gustar, Encantar, Doler) 6.3 The Past Tenses: Pretérito Perfecto vs. Pretérito Indefinido 6.4 Pretérito Imperfecto & The Three-Way Past Tense Contrast
7 Chapter 7: Essential A2 Grammar — Syntax, Periphrases & Operators
7.1 Expressing the Future: Ir a + Inf, Present & Simple Future 7.2 Verbal Periphrases of Obligation, Ability & Desire 7.3 Direct & Indirect Object Pronouns and Position Rules 7.4 Affirmative Imperative: Tú & Usted Commands
8 Chapter 8: Foundational Contrasts & Sentence Building
8.1 Ser vs. Estar: Attributes, Locations, States & Gerunds 8.2 Por vs. Para: Causes, Destinations, Deadlines & Exchanges 8.3 Comparatives, Superlatives, Quantifiers & Negatives 8.4 The Noun Phrase: Gender, Articles, Demonstratives, Possessives & Relatives
9 Chapter 9: Thematic Vocabulary — Daily Life, Housing & Surroundings
9.1 Personal Identity, Physical Description & Family Relations 9.2 Home, Housing Types, Furniture & Household Tasks 9.3 City Navigation, Places in Town & Giving Directions
10 Chapter 10: Thematic Vocabulary — Services, Transactions & Health
10.1 Food, Dining Out, Supermarket Shopping & Ordering 10.2 Shopping for Clothes, Sizes, Prices & Commercial Transactions 10.3 Health, Body Parts, Illnesses & Pharmacy Visits 10.4 Work, Professions, Workplace Routines & Job Applications 10.5 Studies, Courses, Phones & Everyday Services
11 Chapter 11: Thematic Vocabulary — Leisure, Travel & Environment
11.1 Free Time, Hobbies, Sports & Entertainment 11.2 Travel, Accommodations, Transport Modes & Bookings 11.3 Weather, Climate, Seasons & Natural Environment
12 Chapter 12: Exam Day Strategy, Time Management & Final Review
12.1 Timing, Answer Sheets & Pacing on Exam Day 12.2 Identifying Distractors, False Friends & Traps 12.3 6-Week Structured Study Plan & High-Yield Checklist
1.3 Scoring System: The 30/50 Group Rules & Pass Criteria
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
Grupo 1 (reading + writing) and Grupo 2 (listening + speaking) must each reach at least 30.00 of 50; 60 overall is not enough on its own.
Reading and listening score 1 point per correct item with no penalty for wrong answers.
Writing and speaking are rated 0–3 on Uso de la lengua (66%) and Cumplimiento de la tarea (34%); band 2 is the A2 standard.
A direct score converts to 25 points as score × 25 ÷ 3, so band 2 equals 16.67 points.
Results arrive in about one to three months; you have one month to request a review, and a failed exam must be retaken in full.
Last updated: September 2026
Quick Summary: DELE A2 is scored out of 100 points (25 per prueba), and the result is Apto or No apto . The four pruebas form two groups: Grupo 1 (reading + writing) and Grupo 2 (listening + speaking). You pass only if you score at least 30.00 of 50 in each group . A strong group cannot compensate for a weak one, but the two pruebas inside the same group do compensate for each other.
The Two Scoring Groups
- Group Pruebas Maximum Minimum to pass
- Grupo 1 Comprensión de lectura (25) + Expresión e interacción escritas (25) 50.00 30.00
- Grupo 2 Comprensión auditiva (25) + Expresión e interacción orales (25) 50.00 30.00
The Instituto Cervantes' FAQ is explicit: 60 points overall is not enough if one group is below 30. There is also no minimum for an individual prueba. What matters is the group total.
Worked examples
- Candidate Reading Writing Grupo 1 Listening Speaking Grupo 2 Total Result
- A 24.00 22.00 46.00 16.00 12.50 28.50 74.50 No apto
- B 16.00 14.50 30.50 15.50 15.00 30.50 61.00 Apto
- C 12.00 18.50 30.50 11.00 19.00 30.00 60.50 Apto
Candidate A has 74.50 points but fails because Grupo 2 is 1.50 points short. Candidate C reaches exactly 30.00 in Grupo 2, and because the rule is "equal to or higher than 30.00", that group passes.
The practical lesson: don't neglect listening and speaking . Many candidates prepare reading and grammar well but lose the diploma in Grupo 2.
Reading and Listening: One Point per Correct Answer
The comprehension tests contain only closed items with one correct answer, and they are scored automatically :
- correct answer = 1 point ; wrong or blank answer = 0 points ;
- no negative marking , so a wrong answer costs nothing;
your score equals your number of correct items, out of 25.
The guide's own example: 20 correct answers in reading gives 20 points . Never leave an item blank, because a guess among three options can only help.
Writing and Speaking: How the Rating Scales Work
The productive tests are graded by trained, accredited examiners using rating scales with two categories :
Uso de la lengua (use of language): range and control of grammar, vocabulary, connectors, spelling or pronunciation;
Cumplimiento de la tarea (task fulfilment): whether you give the information requested for each prompt point.
Each category is scored in four bands, 0 to 3 :
- Band Meaning in the official scales
- 3 Clearly above A2 ( consecución sobrada del nivel )
- 2 Equivalent to the A2 description, the passing standard
- 1 A2 not reached on the evidence of the answer
- 0 Blank, irrelevant, off the prompt, illegible or almost incomprehensible
Uso de la lengua weighs 66% and Cumplimiento de la tarea weighs 34% in both productive tests.
Prueba 3 (writing)
Two independent raters each score both tasks in both categories.
Each task is worth 50% of the prueba, and the final mark is the average of the two raters.
Weight of each rating: Uso de la lengua 16.50% and Cumplimiento 8.50% per task, per rater.
Prueba 4 (speaking)
The calificador (rater) does not speak and scores each task separately, using one scale for Tareas 1–2 and another for Tarea 3. The calificador's scores count for 60% : Tarea 1 = 25%, Tarea 2 = 25% and Tarea 3 = 50% of that share.
The entrevistador (interviewer) talks with you and gives two global scores for the whole test, one per category. These count for 40% .
Converting to the 25-point scale
The weighted "direct score" (maximum 3) is converted with the official formula: final score = direct score × 25 3 \text{final score} = \frac{\text{direct score} \times 25}{3} final score = 3 direct score × 25
The guide's example: a direct score of 2 in writing gives 2 × 25 ÷ 3 = 16.67 points .
This gives you a useful planning number. If you reach a solid band 2 everywhere in writing (16.67), you need 14 correct reading answers to pass Grupo 1 (16.67 + 14 = 30.67). With 13 you would have 29.67 and fail. The same logic applies to Grupo 2: a band-2 oral performance (16.67) plus 14 listening items passes.
Results, Certificates and Reviews
When: the FAQ says results are available in approximately three months; the exam guide says one to three months, depending on the session. You are notified by email, and results appear in your private area of the exam portal.
What you receive: every candidate can download a certificación de calificaciones (grade certificate) with official validity. Candidates who pass also receive the diploma in digital format by email, and it can be downloaded from the portal.
Verification: the grade certificate includes a secure verification code, so a paper copy can be used in a nationality file. The Ministry of Justice can consult your result directly only if you give permission.
Review: if you disagree with your mark, you have one month to request a review ( revisión de calificaciones ) through your private area. The legal deadline to resolve it is three months after the request period closes.
Failing: there is no second chance within a session. You must register again, pay again and retake all four pruebas , even any you passed before.