12.1 Timing, Answer Sheets & Pacing on Exam Day
Key Takeaways
Reading has 60 minutes for 5 + 8 + 6 + 6 items; give the long Tarea 4 narrative the most time and keep about 5 minutes to check.
The listening recording includes transfer windows after each task: 30 seconds after Tareas 1–3 and 45 seconds after Tarea 4.
Split the 45 writing minutes into about 20 for Tarea 1 and 25 for Tarea 2.
Wrong answers are not penalized, so never leave a row blank.
Quick Summary: On the written exam day the three tests run in this order from 9:00 local time: Reading (60 min, 25 items), Listening (40 min, 25 items, controlled by the recording) and Writing (45 min, 2 tasks). You mark your reading and listening choices on a separate answer sheet (Hoja de respuestas), and wrong answers are not penalized. This section turns those official facts into a timing plan and an answer-sheet routine.
The Official Time Frame
| Prueba | Time | Items / tasks | Who controls the pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Reading | 60 min | 25 items in 4 tasks (5 + 8 + 6 + 6) | You |
| 2. Listening | 40 min, including pauses | 25 items in 4 tasks (6 + 6 + 6 + 7) | The recording |
| 3. Writing | 45 min | 2 tasks (60–70 words + 70–80 words) | You |
| 4. Speaking | 12 min + 12 min preparation | 3 tasks | Examiners, at your centre's appointment time |
Reading and listening questions are in the same booklet, and your answers go on the answer sheet. Follow the instructions printed on the sheet and given by the invigilators about how to mark it.
Reading: A 60-Minute Plan
The reading tasks differ in length, so don't split the time equally. Official text lengths are Tarea 1: 250–300 words; Tarea 2: 8 × 50–80; Tarea 3: 3 × 100–120; Tarea 4: 375–425.
| Task | Items | Suggested time | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarea 1 – personal letter/email | 1–5 | 12 min | One medium text, five questions in order |
| Tarea 2 – eight short texts | 6–13 | 14 min | Eight separate mini-texts; under 2 minutes each |
| Tarea 3 – three texts, six statements | 14–19 | 13 min | Read three texts, then match |
| Tarea 4 – long narrative | 20–25 | 16 min | Longest text; follow the story's stages |
| Check and transfer | all | 5 min | Blanks, row numbers, doubtful items |
Two ways to use the answer sheet:
- Transfer after each task. This is safer if you worry about running out of time.
- Mark everything in the booklet, then transfer in the last 5 minutes. This is faster, but only if you stop on time.
Whichever you choose, check the item number every time you write a letter: item 14 goes in row 14. A skipped row shifts every later answer.
Listening: Let the Recording Lead
In the official model recording, reading time and transfer time are built in:
| Task | Before the audio | Playings | Transfer time after the task |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarea 1 (1–6) | Question printed in the booklet; situation introduced | Twice (the question is read aloud after the second playing) | 30 s |
| Tarea 2 (7–12) | 10 s to read each question | Twice | 30 s |
| Tarea 3 (13–18) | 30 s to read the six statements | Twice | 30 s |
| Tarea 4 (19–25) | 45 s to read the statements | Twice each | 45 s |
- Mark in the booklet while listening; transfer during the narrator's Complete ahora la Hoja de respuestas.
- In Tarea 4, the answers are letters from a list (the model uses A–K, with one letter used by the example). Make sure each letter is used only once.
- If you miss an item, let it go and focus on the next text; guess at the transfer point.
Writing: 20 + 25 Minutes
| Tarea | Words | Time | Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – reply to a personal text | 60–70 | ~20 min | 3 read, 3 plan, 10 write, 4 check |
| 2 – composition (choose one option) | 70–80 | ~25 min | 2 choose, 5 plan, 13–15 write, 3–5 check |
Write each text in its space in the writing booklet. Count words roughly by lines: once you know how many of your words fit on a line, a quick line count is enough.
The No-Penalty Rule
The exam guide states: correct answers receive 1 point, incorrect answers 0, and incorrect answers are not penalized. So:
- Never leave a blank. A blind guess among three options gives about a one-in-three chance; eliminating one option raises it to one in two.
- In the last minute of reading, fill every empty row with your best guess.
- In listening Tarea 4, when you guess, choose a letter you haven't already used.
Oral Test Day
- Check your convocatoria for the exact time and place of the oral. It may be a different day from the written tests.
- Bring the same documents as for the written tests (registration receipt, original ID, call letter).
- In the 12-minute preparation you prepare all three tasks; keep your notes to key words.
- Inside, the entrevistador talks with you and the calificador listens. Speak to the interviewer, cover every point and keep going for the full time of each monologue.
Last-Minute Checklist for the Written Tests
- Documents: registration receipt, original ID (for DELE A2 in Spain, original TIE and passport), call letter.
- Arrive in time for identification and the photo; punctuality is mandatory.
- Leave your phone, smartwatch and bag where the centre tells you.
- Bring writing materials and follow the invigilators' instructions for the answer sheet and the writing booklet.
How many items are in each reading task of the DELE A2?
5, 5, 6 and 9.
5, 8, 6 and 6.
6, 6, 6 and 7.
Five tasks of 5 items each.
In the official model recording, when do you transfer your listening answers to the answer sheet?
Only during a single two-minute period after the last task.
After the whole exam, when the invigilator collects the booklets.
You can't transfer them; the booklet is marked instead.
After each task, when the narrator says «Complete ahora la Hoja de respuestas» (30 seconds, or 45 seconds after Tarea 4).
With 60 seconds left in the reading test, a candidate has three unanswered items. What is the best action?
Fill in a best guess for each, because wrong answers are not penalized.
Leave them blank to avoid losing points.
Ask the invigilator for extra time.
Write the answers in the booklet only.
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.