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MINISTERE DE L’EDUCATION NATIONALE: D.E.L.F & D.A.L.F
Diplomas awarded by the French Ministry of National Education.
The French Ministry of National Education awards two diplomas, the DELF and the DALF. The exams take place both in France and abroad. For details contact your nearest French consulate or see: List of Centres Outside France / List of Centres in France. (both links lead to external sites)
Diplôme d’Etudes de Langue Française (D.E.L.F.)
Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (D.A.L.F.)
The DELF is divided into two levels:
- Level I - containing four units (A1 to A4)
- Level II - containing two units (A5 to A6)
- Units can be taken individually in any order, and once passed a credit is given which remains valid indefinitely.
- Each unit costs approx. 46 €.
- The Level II DELF is only open to candidates who have passed Level I.
- Candidates who obtain the DELF level I should be able to understand and make themselves understood in a wide variety of everyday situations in a French-speaking
environment.
- Candidates with the DELF level II will be able to operate in a more specialised area of interest (eg. economics or another
academic domain).
Unit Objectives and Exam Contents:
DELF LEVEL I
- Unit A1: General
General Objective: To understand and express oneself on simple topics related to everyday situations.
Exam contents: Listening comprehension (15 mins); oral (role play - 15 mins); 2 written papers (letter & short essay
60-100 words, 30 mins each).
- Unit A2: Ideas and Feelings
General Objective: To understand and express feelings, intentions, opinions, points of view and arguments.
Exam contents: 2 orals each lasting 10 mins (or at the discretion of the Chief Examiner 1 oral and 1 listening
comprehension); reading comprehension (30 mins); written paper (120-160 words, 30 mins)
- Unit A3: Reading and Essay Writing
General Objective: To understand the content and function of simple written texts and to write letters of the type required
in daily life.
Exam contents: Oral (on a given text - 15 mins); reading comprehension (45 mins); written paper (eg. job application
letter - 45 mins)
- Unit A4: Linguistics
General Objective: To use the linguistic systems (phonetic,
prosodic & morpho-syntactic) with a high degree of accuracy.
The emphasis of this unit is on linguistic competence as
opposed to communication skills.
Exam contents: Listening comprehension (3 or 4 exercises) and
oral (30 mins); Written comprehension and essay (1 hr 30 mins)
DELF LEVEL II
- Unit A5: Culture and Civilisation
General Objective: To understand and discuss in general terms the main features of certain cultural and socio-cultural
aspects of contemporary France and of the francophone world, and to identify those features which contrast with
aspects of contemporary Britain (or your country).
The candidate chooses one of six topics: Work, Institutions, Travel, Contemporary Society, Study or Modern Civilisation.
Exam contents: 2 orals (presentation of a text + discussion - 10 mins each); reading & writing (read text of 500-700 words
on chosen topic and write a summary - 1 hr 30 mins).
- Unit A6: Specialised Subjects
General Objective: To understand a text related to the candidate’s field of special interest or profession and to discuss its contents.
The candidate chooses one of four topics: Life Sciences (including the environment and ecology); Economics and Law; Social and Human Sciences; Mathematics, Physics
and Technology.
Exam contents: Oral (report and discuss contents of text
related to chosen field - 2 tests of 10 mins)
- The DALF is made up of four units (B1 to B4).
- As with the DELF, credit units are permanently valid.
- Candidates are expected to demonstrate their ability to use French in both general and specialist contexts. However,
whilst candidates are expected to engage in a fairly technical discussion of their chosen field, the test is one of language
and not of specialist knowledge.
- In order to sit the DALF exams, candidates must have a level II DELF or (in the U.K.) a pass at French GCE ‘A’ level. (For
other recognised awards, contact your local consulate.)
- It is also possible to take a DALF access test.
- Candidates who pass the DALF are deemed to be exempt from the language requirement for
entry to French universities and to be able to follow a course in their chosen field.
Unit Objectives and Exam Contents:
- Unit B1: Written Comprehension
General Objective: To understand all aspects of an authentic published text on a general topic and to write detailed answers
to a number of questions related to the text.
Exam contents: Reading and Writing (résumé of text, answers to 5 questions related to the text) Total time given -
2 hours 15 mins. Length of text to be studied - 500-700 words.
- Unit B2: Oral Comprehension
General Objective: To understand all aspects of an authentic spoken discussion on a general topic recorded on audio or
video tape.
Exam contents: Listening comprehension (résumé of the recorded text or answering questions on it). Time given - 30
mins max.
- Unit B3: Written Comprehension of Specialised Subject
General Objective: To understand all aspects of a selection of authentic published texts in the special field chosen and to
write detailed answers to a number of questions related to the texts.
Candidates select one of six topics: Law, Economics, Social
Sciences, Human Sciences, Life Sciences or Mathematics & Physics.
Exam contents: Reading and Writing (résumé of text, answers to 5 questions related to the text) Total time given -
2 hours 15 mins. Length of text to be studied - 500-700 words.
- Unit B4: Oral Comprehension of Specialised Subject
General Objective: To make an oral presentation on a topic related to the special field chosen for unit B3, to answer
questions, and to participate in broader discussion.
Exam contents: Oral (presentation of topic + discussion) Time given - 40 mins (plus 1 hr 20 mins for preparation.)
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