DELF A2 & B1 reading practice: Compréhension des Écrits
A practical study plan for the DELF A2 and B1 reading comprehension papers, using graded French passages with interlinear translation and built-in vocabulary.
What is the DELF reading paper?
The DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française) assesses reading through a paper called Compréhension des Écrits. At A2, you read short, practical texts and answer multiple-choice or short-answer questions. At B1, the texts are longer and more varied, and the questions test inference, tone, and opinion as well as factual recall.
The best preparation is not a textbook: it is reading a lot of real French at exactly your level. Lire's library is organised by CEFR level (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1), so you can practise with passages that match the exam without being overwhelmed or bored.
- Understand short, simple texts. Menus, timetables, posters, signs, and short personal letters. The goal is to extract the main idea without translating every word.
- Find specific information. Dates, prices, names, locations, and instructions. Train yourself to scan for keywords rather than reading every sentence.
- Recognise everyday vocabulary. Shopping, travel, family, work, and leisure. A2 texts rarely use abstract or idiomatic language.
- Grasp the main points of longer texts. Articles, reports, and fictional narratives. You need to follow a sequence of events or arguments and identify the writer's overall message.
- Infer attitude and tone. Is the writer amused, worried, critical, or supportive? B1 questions often ask what the author thinks, not just what the text says.
- Handle varied registers. Informal emails, formal notices, and neutral journalism. Each has its own vocabulary and sentence patterns.
Why graded reading works for DELF prep
Exam texts are not watered down. They use real French, but the A2 and B1 papers are calibrated to a specific vocabulary and grammar range. If you practise with texts far above your level, you learn to guess. If you practise below your level, you do not grow. Graded passages keep you in the productive discomfort zone where real learning happens.
Lire's interlinear translation adds a second benefit: instant comprehension checks. When you do not understand a sentence, you can verify the meaning immediately instead of breaking your flow. Over time, you need the translation less, which is exactly the confidence the DELF reading paper rewards.
Five exam strategies to practise now
- Read the questions first. In the DELF reading paper, the questions tell you what to look for. Skim them before the passage so you read with purpose.
- Use the interlinear translation as a safety net. When a sentence feels opaque, glance at the English line underneath. Then look back at the French and ask: which word carried the meaning? This builds mental mapping between form and meaning.
- Build a vocabulary log from the passage vocab lists. Every Lire passage ends with key words and grammar notes. Copy the ones that feel new into a notebook, grouped by topic (travel, food, work). DELF loves topic-based vocabulary.
- Time yourself. A2 candidates should finish a 200-word text with questions in under 10 minutes. B1 candidates should manage a 400-word text in under 15 minutes. The clock is part of the exam.
- Re-read to confirm. DELF often includes distractors that look right but are not. Always check the passage one more time before committing to an answer.
An eight-week DELF reading plan
This plan assumes you are at or near A2. If you are already solid at A2, start with the B1 work in weeks 3–4 instead.
Sample A2 session
- Choose an A2 passage from the library (daily life, food, travel, or education topics mirror the exam).
- Read the title and first sentence. Predict what the text will be about.
- Read the full passage once without the translation. Underline unknown words.
- Turn on the translation and re-read. Add 5–8 new words to your log.
- Write three comprehension questions and answer them without looking back.
- Next day, re-read the same passage before starting a new one.
Sample B1 session
- Choose a B1 passage (society, work, culture, or personal topics).
- Skim for 60 seconds to identify the topic, the writer, and the overall tone.
- Read the full passage carefully. Note connectors (cependant, en effet, par conséquent, malgré) that signal argument structure.
- Answer: what is the author's main point? What would they agree with? What would they disagree with?
- Review the vocabulary list and add phrases, not just single words.
Vocabulary that keeps appearing on DELF A2 and B1
The DELF exam recycles vocabulary around a small set of everyday domains. Prioritise these groups when you read:
- Travel and transport: train, airport, ticket, delay, reservation, luggage, timetable.
- Shopping and services: price, receipt, size, exchange, refund, opening hours.
- Health and body: appointment, pharmacy, pain, rest, medicine, prescription.
- Work and education: CV, interview, salary, colleague, exam, homework, diploma.
- Time and sequence: d'abord, ensuite, pendant, depuis, avant, après, enfin.
- Opinion and attitude: utile, inutile, important, nécessaire, facile, difficile, d'accord.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Translating every word. The DELF rewards comprehension, not word-for-word decoding. Let the context carry you.
- Ignoring negatives. A single ne… pas, ne… jamais, or ne… plus can flip the answer.
- Choosing the first plausible answer. DELF questions often have two tempting options. Always check the text.
- Reading too slowly. You do not need to understand every word. You need to answer the question.
Start your DELF reading practice
Open the Lire library and filter by A2 or B1. Read one passage a day, keep a vocabulary log, and time yourself. By exam day, the format will feel familiar because you have already done it dozens of times.
Keep exploring French
- Library — all graded French passages, A1 to C1
- CEFR level test — confirm whether you are A2 or B1
- Verb conjugator — the tenses you will meet in exam texts
- Children's books for adults — extra reading between study sessions