In Task 3 of the DELE C1 speaking test you choose one of two cards, get one minute to read it and then negotiate with the interviewer for 4 to 6 minutes until you reach an agreement: in a given situation, you have to choose one of four options, taking into account the conditions on the card. You don't prepare it beforehand, but it follows a very clear logic. Here's how it works, what's expected of you, useful expressions and the mistakes worth avoiding.

What is Task 3 of the DELE C1 speaking test?

The DELE C1 speaking test (Prueba 4, “Expresión, mediación e interacción orales”) lasts 20 minutes and has three tasks. The 20 minutes of preparation are for Tasks 1 and 2; Task 3 is done straight away in the exam room. Its official name is “Conversación informal: negociación” (informal conversation: negotiation).

This is how it works:

  • When Task 2 ends, the interviewer offers you two cards with clear titles (or asks you, for example, whether you'd rather talk about business or the environment). You choose one.
  • The card sets out a problem or a situation: you're part of a committee, a team or a group that has to decide something.
  • It includes three or four conditions you both have to take into account (for example, a small budget, a solution that generates income or one that sets an example for other cities).
  • And it shows four options as photos, posters, adverts or slogans, each with a caption explaining it.
  • You get one minute to read it. If you need a few more seconds, you can simply ask (“Un segundo, estoy terminando”).
  • Then you negotiate for 4 to 6 minutes, with the aim of choosing one of the four options.

The interviewer really interacts with you: they make suggestions, ask for reasons and often disagree with you on purpose to keep the negotiation lively. Don't take it personally.

What is assessed in Task 3?

The speaking test mark has two parts: a holistic mark from the interviewer covering all three tasks (40 %) and an analytic mark from the rater (60 %), in which each task is worth the same. The analytic mark looks at fluency, accuracy, range and task completion, which in Task 3 focuses on interaction.

In practice, you're expected to:

  • Give your opinion clearly and always back it up.
  • Compare the options and add nuance instead of giving flat opinions.
  • Take the conditions on the card into account and mention them during the conversation.
  • Have a real dialogue: listen, pick up on what the interviewer says, ask questions and respond to what they've said.
  • Work towards an agreement and close it explicitly.

What isn't assessed is whether your opinion is “the right one”. It's a language exam, not a general knowledge test.

What should you do in the minute of reading time?

  • Read the situation and the conditions carefully. What has to be decided, for whom and on what criteria? If you jump straight to the options, you may get the focus wrong.
  • Scan the four options and mentally give each one an advantage and a drawback in relation to the conditions. That basic map is what will let you compare.
  • Decide which one you'd rule out and which you'd defend. It doesn't have to be your real preference: it just has to be a position you can argue. Keep a second choice in reserve in case the negotiation gets tricky.

How does the negotiation unfold?

It's very common for the interviewer to start by asking which option you'd rule out, because it makes sense to begin with what you wouldn't choose and finish with what you would. They might also start with a specific option: “¿Qué le parece la propuesta número uno?”. This outline works as a safety net:

  • Rule out with reasons: “Yo descartaría la tercera opción, porque con el presupuesto que tenemos sería difícil de llevar a cabo”.
  • Put forward your option: “Personalmente, me inclino por la segunda, porque es la que mejor responde a lo que se nos pide”.
  • Compare with nuance: “Es verdad que la primera llegaría a más gente; ahora bien, también es la más cara”.
  • Negotiate: listen to the interviewer's suggestion, respond to what they say, give ground where it's reasonable or hold your position with new arguments.
  • Close the agreement: “Entonces, ¿quedamos en que elegimos la segunda?”.

You don't have to discuss all four options, but you should talk about at least three. And don't stay passive: steer the conversation too, move from one option to another and ask the interviewer for their opinion (“¿Usted qué piensa al respecto?”, “¿Está de acuerdo con lo que acabo de decir?”).

You can change your mind, as long as you explain why. And you can stick to your position even if the interviewer disagrees: you aren't penalised for disagreeing. What counts is how you argue, how you react and that you work together to reach a decision.

Which expressions work for C1 Task 3?

At C1, “yo creo que” or “estoy de acuerdo” are no longer enough. These are expressions I recommend in the course. Pick two or three from each group that feel natural to you; if you force them, they sound memorised.

To give a nuanced opinion:

  • “Desde mi punto de vista…”
  • “Si tuviera que posicionarme, diría que…”
  • “No me atrevería a generalizar, pero…”
  • “Lo que sí parece claro es que…”

To propose and rule out:

  • “¿Qué le parece si nos decantamos por…?”
  • “Yo descartaría esta opción, porque…”
  • “Si a usted le convence, podríamos quedarnos con…”

To compare:

  • “Mientras que con la primera propuesta se beneficiaría…, con la segunda…”
  • “Si bien esta opción es más llamativa, la otra resulta más realista”.
  • “Esta propuesta es más económica y, por tanto, más viable que…”

To pick up on what the interviewer says:

  • “Al hilo de lo que usted ha dicho, añadiría que…”
  • “Tal y como usted ha mencionado…”
  • “Como usted decía, …”

To concede or disagree politely:

  • “Tiene usted razón en parte; sin embargo…”
  • “Entiendo lo que dice, pero quizá habría que matizar que…”
  • “Permítame discrepar en este punto…”

To close the agreement:

  • “Pues quedamos entonces en…”
  • “Creo que los dos coincidimos en que…”

For more resources at this level, see also subjunctive structures for the DELE C1 speaking test.

Example 1: choosing the activity for a culture week

It's a made-up situation, but it's the kind that comes up in the exam.

Situation: you're on the committee organising the main activity of your school's culture week. Conditions: the budget is small, the activity must involve as many students as possible and it must take place at the school. Options: a film season, a cookery workshop, an open-air concert and a guided trip.

  • Rule out: “Yo empezaría descartando la excursión, porque se haría fuera del centro y el transporte encarecería mucho la actividad”.
  • Propose: “Si tuviera que posicionarme, me inclinaría por el taller de cocina, que es la opción más participativa: la gente no mira, hace”.
  • Compare: “El concierto seguramente atraería a más público, eso hay que reconocerlo; ahora bien, es la opción más cara y depende del tiempo que haga. El ciclo de cine es barato, pero genera poca interacción entre los alumnos”.
  • Negotiate and close: if the interviewer argues for the films, you could reply: “Es un buen argumento, porque cumple con el presupuesto. Aun así, creo que el taller implica más a los alumnos, y eso es lo que nos piden. ¿Le parece que nos quedemos con el taller?”. And once they agree: “Perfecto, entonces quedamos en el taller de cocina”.

Example 2: choosing a campaign poster

Situation: you're working with your local council on a recycling campaign and you have to choose the poster. Conditions: it has to reach the whole neighbourhood, be easy to remember and encourage people to change their habits. Options: a poster with a humorous slogan, one with striking figures, one featuring children and one with an artistic image.

A possible approach: “Lo primero es pensar a quién queremos llegar. La imagen artística la descartaría, porque puede quedar muy bonita, pero no está claro que se entienda el mensaje. Si el objetivo es todo el vecindario, yo apostaría por el eslogan humorístico, porque el humor se recuerda. Eso sí, reconozco que los datos impactantes dan seriedad a la campaña, aunque corren el riesgo de pasar desapercibidos. ¿A usted cuál le convence más?”. From there, listen, respond to their arguments and close the agreement.

Which mistakes should you avoid in Task 3?

  • Describing the options one by one without taking a position. Weak: “La primera opción es un ciclo de cine. La segunda es un taller…”. Strong: “De las cuatro opciones, hay dos que me parecen claramente más adecuadas para esta situación, y le explico por qué”.
  • Giving opinions without arguments. Weak: “Elijo el concierto porque me gusta”. Strong: “El concierto es la opción más atractiva para un público joven, aunque pierde sentido con un presupuesto tan limitado”.
  • Forgetting the conditions on the card. They're the basis of the negotiation: mention them.
  • Turning it into a monologue. It's a dialogue: speaking and listening turns have to alternate, and bringing the interviewer in helps you a lot.
  • Bringing memorised speeches. The situation on the card almost never matches a prepared text, and it shows.
  • Not closing. The task is about reaching a decision: finish by making clear which option you've chosen.

Frequently asked questions about DELE C1 speaking Task 3

What topics do the situations cover?

Situations from public, educational or professional life: organising an activity, choosing a campaign, solving a problem in a neighbourhood or a company, choosing a service. You get a choice of two, so you can go for the one you feel more comfortable with.

Do I have to make my option win?

No. What's assessed is how you negotiate: how you justify your proposal, how you assess the others, how you react to what you're told and how you reach a decision together.

Can I say I don't have an opinion?

A bare “no sé” adds little. Better: “No es algo sobre lo que tenga mucha experiencia, pero a primera vista me inclinaría por…”. That shows you can get by with C1 resources.

Should I use tú or usted with the interviewer?

It depends on what you agreed during the ice-breaker questions. If you don't know and don't want to take a risk, use usted.

Does Task 3 count as much as the others?

Yes. In the analytic mark all three tasks are worth the same, and the holistic mark for the whole test is added on top. To pass the DELE C1 you need at least 30 out of 50 in the listening and speaking group, and another 30 out of 50 in the reading and writing group; the groups don't compensate for each other.

In short

  • You choose one of two cards and get one minute to read it; the task lasts 4 to 6 minutes and isn't prepared beforehand.
  • There's a situation, some conditions and four options: you have to agree on one.
  • Start with what you'd rule out, talk about at least three options and mention the conditions.
  • Have a real dialogue: pick up on the interviewer's words, ask for their opinion and steer the conversation too.
  • You can give ground or hold your position, but always with arguments, and close the agreement explicitly.

If you're preparing for the DELE C1, my online course includes strategies for every part of the exam, examples with comments, a community, a chat for your questions and group calls: https://c1.aporeldele.com/. If you're not sure whether you're at C1 or somewhere between B2 and C1, take the level test first. And if you'd like free resources, updated models that simulate the exam and reminders before every exam session, sign up for the newsletter. You may also want to read about the 7 mistakes in the DELE C1 speaking test.

In this video I explain Task 3 (in Spanish):

¡A por el DELE! 🇪🇸