Study guide
5.1 Oral Test Structure, 12-Minute Preparation & Official Scales
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
5.1 Oral Test Structure, 12-Minute Preparation & Official Scales
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
Prueba 4 is 12 minutes long, after 12 minutes of preparation that cover all three tasks; you may consult your notes but not read them in detail.
The interviewer gives global marks for the whole test (40%); the silent calificador marks each task (60%: Tarea 1 25%, Tarea 2 25%, Tarea 3 50%).
Every score uses Uso de la lengua (66%) and Cumplimiento de la tarea (34%) on bands 0–3; the result converts to 25 points in Grupo 2.
Tareas 1 and 2 are uninterrupted monologues; needing the interviewer's facilitating questions counts against you.
Last updated: September 2026
Quick Focus: Prueba 4 lasts 12 minutes and follows 12 minutes of preparation for all three tasks . During preparation you may take notes and write an outline, and you may consult your notes during the test but not read them out . Two examiners are in the room. The entrevistador (interviewer) talks to you and gives a global mark worth 40% . The calificador (rater) stays silent and marks each task, worth 60% . Both rate Uso de la lengua and Cumplimiento de la tarea on bands 0–3.
How the Oral Test Runs
Stage Official description Time
Preparation You prepare Tareas 1, 2 and 3 , choosing one of two topic sheets for Tarea 1 and one of two photos for Tareas 2 and 3. You may take notes and write an outline 12 min
- Contact questions A few ice-breaker questions to help you relax brief
- Tarea 1 – Presentation Short monologue on the chosen topic, following the points on the sheet 2–3 min
- Tarea 2 – Photo description Short monologue describing the chosen photo, following the questions given 2–3 min
Tarea 3 – Conversation Simulated conversation with the interviewer in a situation linked to the photo from Tarea 2 3–4 min
A few rules from the official material are worth knowing before the day:
The oral test is in person at the exam centre; it can't be taken online.
Your centre sets the appointment. It may be on the written exam day or on days before or after.
In Tareas 1 and 2 the interviewer gives instructions but does not intervene , because these are monologues. When you finish, the interviewer moves on to the next task.
In Tarea 3 the interviewer follows a question plan, chooses questions according to how much you say, and may improvise using the information you give.
What "don't read your notes" means
The model exam instructions say: Durante la prueba, puede consultar sus notas, pero no leerlas detenidamente . In other words, you may glance at your notes but not read them in detail. Write key words, verbs and connectors , not full sentences. For example:
- viaje: Granada, verano pasado, con mi hermana
- tren, 4 horas, hotel pequeño centro
- Alhambra, tapas, perdí el móvil (historia)
- próximo: Portugal, agosto, con amigos
- The Two Examiners and How Their Marks Combine
Examiner Role What they score Weight
Entrevistador Interlocutor: gives instructions, manages the interaction, plays the other role in Tarea 3 Two global scores for the whole test : Uso de la lengua and Cumplimiento de la tarea 40%
Calificador Does not take part in the tasks Two scores for each task , using one scale for Tareas 1–2 and another for Tarea 3 60% : Tarea 1 = 25%, Tarea 2 = 25%, Tarea 3 = 50% of this share
In each score, Uso de la lengua counts 66% and Cumplimiento de la tarea 34% . The final weighted result (maximum 3) is converted to 25 points (score × 25 ÷ 3), and those 25 points join your listening score in Grupo 2 .
Direct your eyes and voice accordingly: speak to the entrevistador , who is your conversation partner, while the calificador listens and marks.
- What the Scales Reward
- Tareas 1 and 2 (calificador's scale)
Band Uso de la lengua (summary) Cumplimiento de la tarea
3 Clear, fairly confident speech that expresses preference, interest, opinion, probability or wishes ( prefiero, me interesa, me parece, quizás ) in fairly continuous discourse linked with usual connectors ( es que, por eso, además ). Reasonable control of the future and frequent periphrases. Clearly intelligible pronunciation Covers all the points and adds a relevant detail, comment, opinion or reason
2 Enough language to get by and make the meaning clear: facts, wishes, preferences, moods ( me gusta, quiero, creo que ). Reasonably continuous speech with elementary links ( porque , adverbs, demonstratives). Control of basic grammar (present and past indicative, agreement, articles, possessives, basic periphrases), with some errors or pauses. Easy to understand despite an obvious foreign accent Gives most of the information: at most one point unanswered, or two answered incompletely
1 Short utterances with limited information, discontinuous or minimally linked ( y, también, pero ). A few simple constructions with pauses or errors; understanding may take effort Two points unanswered, or more than half answered incompletely
0 A few loose words or disconnected utterances, long silences, many errors or words from other languages Only one point covered satisfactorily
Tarea 3 and the interviewer's global scale
Band 2 in Tarea 3: you answer the interviewer's questions with the information requested, comprehensibly, using simple language for everyday topics. You may need some help from the interviewer.
Band 2 on the interviewer's global scale: you complete all three tasks and get your messages across, even if one task is only partly completed. Band 1 means only two tasks were completed (fully or partly), or only one fully.
The official band-1 samples show a common failure pattern. The candidate's monologue was much shorter than required and skipped points, so the interviewer had to ask facilitating questions to keep it going. Needing that help counts against you. Prepare enough content to speak for the full 2–3 minutes without prompting.
Pronunciation: What an A2 Speaker Needs
The band-2 descriptor accepts an obvious foreign accent and occasional articulation slips, as long as you are easy to understand. Focus on the features that affect understanding:
Five clear vowels ( a, e, i, o, u ), never reduced: comido , not "cuh-mee-duh".
Word stress and written accents: hablo (I speak) vs habló (he spoke); esta vs está .
r vs rr: pero (but) vs perro (dog); caro vs carro .
Silent h ( hola, hacer ); b and v sound the same.
Question intonation: a rising end for yes/no questions ( ¿Vienes mañana? ).
Regional variants are valid: seseo (pronouncing z/c as s ) and yeísmo ( ll = y ) are normal Hispanic norms and are accepted.
Using the 12 Minutes
Minute 0–1: choose the Tarea 1 topic and the photo where you know the most concrete vocabulary . Remember that the photo also sets the Tarea 3 situation , so read the Tarea 3 instructions before you choose.
Minutes 1–5: Tarea 1. Write one line of key words per point, with the tense you need (past trip, present habits, future plans).
Minutes 5–9: Tarea 2. Answer each guideline question on the sheet in key words: people, clothes, place, objects, actions, relationships, feelings, before and after.
Minutes 9–12: Tarea 3. Read your role and the list of things you must do in the conversation. Note a question and a proposal for each ( ¿Qué te parece si…? / Yo puedo… ).
Repair Strategies
Problem What to say
You didn't understand Perdón, ¿puede repetir, por favor?
Too fast ¿Puede hablar un poco más despacio?
- You need a moment A ver…, pues…, déjeme pensar…
- You don't know a word No sé cómo se dice, es una cosa que sirve para…
- You made a mistake Perdón, quiero decir…