Bonjour! I am a Mandarin native living in Sydney, Australia. I am learning French on my own, building on my previous online French lessons from AF Melbourne years ago.

My concern is whether I can still self-study French using the Cosmopolite textbooks from A1 to B2 for my DELF B2 exam prep. I try to pass B1 or B2 within 12 months, such as May 2027.

Of course, this question is for the DELF exam only. I know that language should be treated and used as a tool for communication, but from a language certification perspective, are there any useful suggestions for my plan?

Merci beaucoup!

I took the DELF B2 in April of 2026 and received my results in June. I scored overall with a 95/100:

CO: 24/25

CE: 25/25

PE: 25/25

PO: 21/25

When I was studying, reading other people's experiences online really helped me feel more prepared, so I hope my own advice can be somewhat helpful as well!

My Background in French:

Through grades 1-8 of elementary school I was enrolled in French Immersion. However, in high school, I switched to the regular English track, while still completing Core French courses. I took both grade 10 and 11 French in the same year, so I was able to complete grade 12 French while I was still in 11th grade. My school board allows students who completed 4 years of Core French to take the DELF exam for free for the levels A1, A2, B1, and B2. Even though it felt a bit out of my skill level, I decided to commit to level B2.

At the time, we were not informed when the exam would take place, so I was surprised to find out I only had 2 months to study. I had no idea what the DELF even was, so I felt completely unprepared. Fortunately, there were so many resources available, and by the end of the 2 months, I could feel a lot more confident going into the exam.

Preparation: Learning the Format

1. Buy a prep book: This is an absolute must if you want to feel the most prepared. Although French skills in general are important, a big factor in your success will be understanding and mastering the format. I purchased the books: Le DELF B2 100% Réussite (Éditions Didier) and ABC DELF B2 (CLE International). Although both may not be necessary, they each offer different things. Édition Didier is very helpful in terms of skill-building. They break down each section into mini activities to help you get into the mindset of the exam. ABC DELF, however, focuses less on coaching and acts as more of a workbook with 50 practice questions for each section. This is why I would recommend both, but if you had to choose one, then go with the Édition Didier version.
2. Watch YouTube videos: Before even starting to practice, it's also important to watch some videos about the exam itself. Getting familiar with the expectations for the Production Écrite and Production Orale can be really helpful. Specifically for the writing portion, level B2 tends to be in the form of a formal letter, so if you are not familiar with formal writing, this can be a big adjustment. To prepare, I just learned a few templates from YouTube (Learning French with Stephanie) as well as from my book. For the Production Orale, I would definitely recommend any of the videos from the channel French School TV. Understanding the different components of the monologue and debate are important to make sure you can earn as many marks as possible. Especially since the PO is usually the most difficult for testers. This video in particular was super helpful for me.
3. Study vocabulary: I found vocabulary to be the key to all four parts of the exam. I recommend learning the transition words (Connecteurs Logiques), as well as some topic related words (Lexique pour le DELF B2). These will not only help with understanding, but will boost your confidence for the Production portions. Personally, it made my writing a lot faster and speaking more fluent.

Preparation: Practice

After understanding each component of the exam, practicing is the most important. Given the time frame of 2 months, I tried to do 3 or 4 listening exercises per day. Writing and speaking prompts I would do 3 or 4 per week. Of course this will vary depending on your current level and amount of time you have to study.

1. Listening (CO): I used the audio recordings from my prep books and practiced the MCQ. Other times I would listen to French podcasts in the morning while getting ready or walking home to get used to fast paced speaking. It can also help you pick up key vocabulary words. (Writing down new words you learned is a good idea)
2. Reading (CE): I felt the most comfortable with reading, so I spent less time practicing it. I read a few practice texts and did the questions from my prep book.
3. Writing (PE): As mentioned before, I learned a template for formal letters (proposing and protesting) and practiced using the writing prompts from my book. Practicing planning and organizing your ideas is key before you start the actual writing. At the beginning it would take me hours to complete one letter, but over time, I became a lot better at being more clear and concise. I found this is what they are really looking for in terms of writing.
4. Speaking (PO): I would use the prompts from my book and set a timer for 30 minutes, then practice just planning out my arguments and providing examples. I'd use a scrap piece of paper to write them out (as you would on the real exam date) and then practiced expanding my ideas out loud. I found that speaking slowly and using clear vocabulary is much more important than trying to sound native.

Exam Experience:

I had the CO, CE and PE on one day, taken with other testers. The CO was first where they played the audio with a loud speaker. I felt the actual audio was easier than the practice in the prep books and the answers were a bit more obvious. My exam was the new version with only multiple choice (no written answers).

Then was the reading and writing portion. Our centre allowed us to switch freely between sections, however, this can vary among testing centres. As I mentioned before, I was already comfortable with reading, so I was able to complete the CE pretty quickly.

I then moved onto writing and took a few minutes to really understand the prompt. Mine was that you were a member of a sports association in your town, but your president is retiring so you are requesting for more funding and support from the Mayor. I had to provide them with the benefits of keeping the sports association and propose some possible solutions. I was given a scrap paper to plan out my ideas, which is really important since you are only allowed permanent ink (No pencils or whiteout allowed). Planning in general also helps to stay on topic and around the minimum word count of 250. Going over is not necessarily good since it can increase the risk of losing marks on grammar or formatting. Remember, the actual content of your response is not as important as your organization and clarity. They should be able to easily follow your arguments and examples.

Finally, my Production Orale was scheduled for a couple days after the first portion. I was invited into a room with about ten pieces of paper on the table and I could choose two. Then, I could look at the two prompts and decide which I wanted to do. I chose the topic "Should all schools have uniforms?" to which I wrote the pros and cons on my scrap piece of paper. I then jotted down 3 arguments for each side with a little example for each. (Make sure you don't write full sentences because the judges don't want to see you reading your page). After my 30 minutes of planning, I was taken to a room with 2 examiners and we greeted each other before beginning the timer. They were very friendly and I felt my monologue went quite smoothly. The debate, however, was a bit challenging. I had to take a moment to think about my answer after each question as some of them were quite tough. Still, overall, it was not too difficult. I was especially lucky that the topic I got was one that I had just practiced the night before.

Personal Reflection:

To be honest, even after all this preparation, I still did not feel completely confident going into the exam. Despite this, I really surprised myself with my results. This just goes to show that you don't have to feel 100% ready, but its more important to give it your all and trust in your own abilities.

This was definitely a challenge, but I think the experience of just preparing for the DELF B2 was really rewarding and a great way to improve my French. I hope my story can be even a little bit helpful and I wish anyone who is aiming for the DELF B2 the best of luck! Feel free to ask any questions!

I just passed the DELF B2 and wanted to share the exact system I used, because it was surprisingly simple and didn't burn me out. The whole idea is: do a little bit every day, keep it varied, and don't exhaust yourself. No 3-hour grind sessions. Just consistent, short, focused work.

Here's the full breakdown by skill.

Listening (compréhension de l'oral)

This is the part most people struggle with, so I split it into two daily habits.

1. Daily podcast immersion (~6 months out, 10 min/day)

Every single day I watched ~10 minutes of French content with French subtitles. I used this creator a lot: https://www.youtube.com/@maryamgadery

The point here isn't to "study" — it's to get your ear used to natural French, real speed, real intonation. French subtitles (not English) are key: you're connecting the sound to the written word, not translating in your head. Ten minutes is short enough that you never dread it.

2. Targeted B2 listening practice (~3 months out, 1 video/day)

About 3 months before the exam I added one video per day from this B2 listening practice playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlsXccERDQx3R96PubC-Hl6buglAwZKZJ

This is the exam-specific work — the format, the question types, the kind of audio you actually get on the test. Doing it daily for 3 months meant the exam format felt completely familiar by test day.

So at peak I was doing ~10 min of immersion + 1 practice video. Still not a huge time commitment.

Writing & Speaking (production écrite et orale)

This is where the real "hack" is, and it's the part I'm most happy with.

The core idea: one reusable template I memorized word for word.

About a month before the exam, I had ChatGPT build me a template script — a skeleton structured as: intro → arguments for → arguments against → my opinion → conclusion. I memorized it literally word for word.

Why this works: at B2, the examiners are testing your structure, connectors, and ability to argue — not whether you have unique opinions. Once you have a solid, memorized frame with good transition phrases, you just slot the topic-specific content in. You're never staring at a blank page wondering how to start. Everyday 30 days before exem i write that template by hand in full so my muscle memory get it (this is important, write it every day, not just memorized it in your head, it is important to write it also!)

I'll paste the template at the bottom.

Speaking practice (~1 month out, daily, 8–10 min each):

Every day for the last month, I gave myself a random topic and spoke about it out loud for ~8–10 minutes, using the same template structure (intro, pros, cons, opinion, conclusion). The template was the backbone for both written and spoken production — that's the beauty of it, you learn one structure and it carries both skills.

Universal topics & arguments:

I also had ChatGPT generate a set of practice topics with universal arguments — points that apply to basically any B2 topic. This matters: even if you don't get the exact topic you practiced, the arguments still transfer. Things like "it saves time," "it has an economic cost," "it affects social relationships," "it raises a question of personal freedom vs. collective good" — these recycle across almost every prompt. I'll paste these too.

Why I think this system works

• You don't get tired. The daily load is short (10–30 min) so it's sustainable for months.
• It's varied. Immersion + practice + speaking + writing keeps it from getting boring.
• It's exam-realistic. The practice playlist and the template are built around the actual exam format.
• It compounds. Six months of 10-min daily immersion adds up to a trained ear without it ever feeling like work.

The timeline summary:

• 6 months out: daily 10-min podcast immersion (French subs)
• 3 months out: add 1 daily B2 listening practice video
• 1 month out: add daily writing + speaking using the memorized template

That's it. No textbooks I forced myself through, no marathon sessions. Just small daily reps across all four skills.

My template script (can use as esai or lettre)

Pismo formel (lettre)

[Adresse] [Ville], le [date]

Madame, Monsieur,

Je me permets de vous adresser cette lettre (essai) afin d'exprimer mon point de vue concernant [TOPIC]. Après y avoir longuement réfléchi et pris en considération ses multiples dimensions, il me semble que ce sujet, au cœur de nombreux débats actuels, mérite une analyse nuancée et approfondie.

Dans un premier temps, il convient de reconnaître que [POSITIVE ASPECT] présente des avantages indéniables. Tout d'abord, [FIRST POSITIVE ARGUMENT], ce qui permet notamment de [brief explanation]. Par exemple, dans certaines études ou expériences personnelles, on constate que [TOPIC], contribue de manière significative à [improving society/life].

Néanmoins, il serait réducteur de se limiter à ces aspects positifs. En effet, [NEGATIVE ASPECT 1] peut engendrer des conséquences préoccupantes, notamment comme on a pu le voir dans certains cas ou articles de presse récents. En effet, selon certaines recherches récentes, ce phénomène tend à [s'amplifier], ce qui suscite de nombreuses inquiétudes. [STATE NEGATIVE ARGUMENT]

Pour ma part, bien que je ne souhaite pas adopter une position tranchée, je suis convaincu(e) que l'impact de [TOPIC] dépend largement du contexte et des conditions dans lesquelles il est utilisé. Il apparaît donc essentiel de trouver un équilibre entre ses bénéfices et les risques qu'il implique.

Dans cette perspective, il serait souhaitable de [ADDITIONAL ARGUMENT – regulation, awareness-raising, education…] afin d'en assurer une utilisation plus responsable.

En conclusion, bien que [TOPIC] comporte à la fois des avantages certains et des limites non négligeables, je reste persuadé(e) qu'il peut constituer une évolution positive, à condition d'être encadré de manière appropriée. C'est pourquoi je me permets de vous encourager à [CONCRETE REQUEST: take measures / raise awareness / adapt the regulation…], dans le but d'en maximiser les bénéfices tout en réduisant les effets négatifs. Je vous saurais gré de traiter cette demande avec la plus grande attention.

Dans l'attente de votre réponse, je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées.

[First and Last Name]

BONUS – LETTER PHRASES

COMPLAINT**:** Je tiens à exprimer mon mécontentement concernant [la qualité du service proposé].

REQUEST**:** Je vous prie de bien vouloir résoudre ce problème dans les plus brefs délais.

SUGGESTION**:** Je me permets de suggérer que…

FINAL PRESSURE**:** Je vous saurais gré de traiter cette demande avec la plus grande attention.

REINFORCING AN ARGUMENT**:** On ne peut ignorer que cette situation affecte de nombreuses personnes.

My universal topics & arguments (pros and cons)

1. Les réseaux sociaux

+ Ils permettent une communication rapide et de connecter les gens du monde entier.

Ils sont utiles pour diffuser des informations, mener des campagnes et soutenir des causes (ex.

#MeToo).

- Une perte de temps et des problèmes de concentration.

Ils favorisent la propagation des fausses nouvelles et le cyberharcèlemen

Ils ont un impact négatif sur la santé mentale (anxiété, FOMO, comparaison sociale).

2. Le télétravail / le travail à distance

+ Meilleur équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée (moins de déplacements).

Plus grande flexibilité et productivité pour de nombreuses personnes.

Réduction de la pollution et des embouteillages.

- Difficulté à séparer vie professionnelle et vie privée (heures supplémentaires).

Moins interactions sociales.

Problèmes de discipline et sentiment d’isolement.

3. L’enseignement à distance / les cours en ligne

+ Flexibilité : apprendre à son propre rythme et depuis n’importe où.

Accès plus équitable à l’éducation pour les personnes en zones rurales

plus grand choix de cours et de ressources (MOOC).

- Moins d’interaction avec les professeurs et les camarades → moins de motivation.

Problèmes de concentration et d’autodiscipline.

Inégalités d’accès à la technologie (fracture numérique).

4. L’intelligence artificielle

+ Augmente l’efficacité et automatise les tâches répétitives.

Progrès importants en médecine, sciences et vie quotidienne.

Aide à résoudre des problèmes complexes (ex. changement climatique).

- Perte d’emplois due à l’automatisation.

Problèmes éthiques (deepfakes, vie privée, biais des algorithmes).

Dépendance à la technologie et diminution de la créativité humaine.

5. L’environnement / le réchauffement climatique

+ Les technologies vertes créent de nouveaux emplois.

Amélioration de la qualité de vie grâce à un air plus propre.

- Coûts élevés de la transition énergétique.

Difficulté à changer les habitudes.

Impact économique sur certaines industries (pétrole, aviation).

6. Les smartphones et les écrans chez les jeunes

+ Accès rapide à l’information et aux contenus éducatifs.

Facilitent la communication avec la famille et les amis.

Outils utiles pour l’apprentissage et l’organisation.

- Impact négatif sur le sommeil et la santé physique.

Réduction des interactions sociales en face à face.

cyberharcèlement.

7. L’obésité / une alimentation saine

+ Meilleure santé

Plus d’énergie et meilleure concentration.

Réduction des coûts du système de santé.

- La nourriture saine est souvent plus chère et moins accessible.

Difficulté à changer les habitudes

8. Le sport / l’activité physique

+ Meilleure santé

Plus d’énergie et meilleure concentration.

Réduit le stress et la dépression.

Favorise la socialisation

- Manque de temps dans la vie moderne.

Coûts élevés (salles de sport, équipement).

Risque de blessures.

9. La vie en ville vs la vie en banlieue / vie urbaine

+ Meilleures offres d’emploi, de culture et de services.

Plus grande diversité et dynamisme.

- Coût de la vie élevé, bruit et pollution.

Moins de contact avec la nature et plus de stress.

10. Les vacances / le tourisme

+ enrichissement culturel.

Bénéfices économiques pour les communautés locales.

- Le surtourisme détruit l’environnement et la culture locale.

Coûts élevés et empreinte carbone importante.

11. Les médias / les fausses nouvelles

+ Information rapide et liberté d’expression.

Démocratisation de l’information.

- Propagation des fausses nouvelles

Influence sur les élections et l’opinion publique.

Happy to answer any questions. Bonne chance à tous ! 🇫🇷

Hey guys! Sorry if this has been asked before, I’m new here:) So I am sitting the DELF B2 in a couple of weeks. I’m feeling quite confident overall but I’ve a question regarding the writing part. I am a bit overwhelmed by the formalities that need to be included in certain types of documents, (ex: time and place in a letter, title in an article, etc.), so I’m trying to compile into one pdf all the "extras" needed in each form. Which leads me to ask:

1. What are the exact forms the writing part can have? (article, formal letter, speech?)
2. If, let’s say, I’m asked to write a letter, I am assuming they’re not expecting me to actually come up with fake coordonnées nor use my real ones. So do I literally just write the words (coordonnées, signature, etc.) in the place they should be on the hypothetical letter? Adding photo for reference.

I am a little bit overwhelmed by this and would appreciate any help. I speak French but didn’t learn it with the goal of preparing for this exam so yeah:’)

Thanks in advance!

Unfair and strict, I deserve better