To pass the DELE A2 you don't need to pass every part separately. In fact, you can fail an entire part and still get the pass mark (“apto”). Hard to believe? As a DELE examiner, in this article I explain how DELE A2 scoring works, what the two assessment blocks are and why 29 points in one of them means a fail. At the end I give you 5 tips to pass, whether you need the exam for Spanish citizenship or for any other reason.

If you prefer to watch it, here's the video (in Spanish):

The 4 parts of the DELE A2 and how many points each is worth

The DELE A2 exam has four parts and they are all worth the same: a maximum of 25 points each.

  • Reading comprehension: 25 points.
  • Listening comprehension: 25 points.
  • Written expression and interaction: 25 points.
  • Oral expression and interaction: 25 points.

25 + 25 + 25 + 25 makes 100 points for the whole exam. Nothing unusual so far. The important part comes next.

How the DELE A2 is scored: the two blocks and the 30 points

Pay close attention here. The DELE A2 result is not calculated part by part. The four parts are grouped into two blocks of 50 points:

  • Block 1: reading comprehension + written expression and interaction.
  • Block 2: listening comprehension + oral expression and interaction.

To pass you need at least 30 points in each block, adding up the two parts inside it. It doesn't matter how those points are split between the two parts: the only thing that counts is reaching 30 in each block.

Example: failing the writing test and still passing

Imagine you get 10 out of 25 in the writing test. With the usual logic, you'd have failed that part, because you got less than half. But in the DELE A2 what counts is the total for the block.

If you got 20 out of 25 in reading, the maths is: 20 + 10 = 30 points. You reach 30 in block 1, so that block is passed.

What's more, if you get the maximum in one part, 25 points, you only need 5 points in the other part of that block to reach 30. That's why you can fail an entire part and still get the diploma.

The downside: 29 points in one block means a fail

Parts compensating each other within a block is good news, but there's a flip side: the blocks don't compensate each other.

If you get the maximum in block 1, 50 points, but only 29 in block 2, the whole exam is graded “no apto” (fail) and you don't get the diploma, even though your total is 79 out of 100.

In that case you can request a review of your grade from your Instituto Cervantes candidate area. It's a separate process with its own deadline, and it doesn't guarantee your score will change, but if you were very close to 30 it can be worth it.

The takeaway: prepare every part, with no blind spots

Knowing how the assessment works, the conclusion is clear: you need to go into the exam with all your skills well balanced. It's not about preparing just one part, it's about having no blind spots.

And don't chase perfection either. Someone who scores 100 gets exactly the same diploma as someone who scores 60, with no distinction at all. The goal is to reach 30 in each block with some margin, not to do everything perfectly.

5 tips to pass the DELE A2

1. Know the exam inside out

You need to walk into the exam knowing what you'll be asked, what the tasks look like, how much time you have and how to do each task efficiently so you can finish everything.

Having the level and knowing how to do the exam are two very different things. I'm telling you this as an examiner: I've seen people with a weaker level who prepare the exam very well and pass more easily, and with more points, than others with a good level who go in blind. Unprepared candidates get nervous, waste time, do the tasks wrong and make mistakes on the answer sheet.

2. Find your weakest part and strengthen the one that compensates for it

Identify which part you find hardest. Work on it, of course, but above all make sure the other part of its block is really well prepared, because that's the one that compensates.

For example, if the writing test is the hardest for you, work a lot on reading comprehension too. That way, your reading points can make up for the ones you might lose in writing.

3. Writing test: don't improvise, bring prepared structures

The writing test is not the moment to be very creative. The tasks are always the same and what the instructions ask for repeats from one exam session to the next: ask a question, suggest a plan, accept or cancel a plan, ask for advice, give advice…

So you need to go into the exam with structures and options for writing, with a skeleton in your head of how you'll do each task. On exam day you just fill in that skeleton with the points you're given.

That's exactly why I published a book: A por el DELE A2. Prepara la Prueba Escrita, with 60 model writing tasks: 20 for task 1, 20 for task 2 option 1 and 20 for task 2 option 2. Each model includes the task, a sample answer and notes on structure and grammar. It's not about memorising texts, but about understanding how they're built and creating your own set of structures and phrases for exam day.

4. You pass the speaking test before you walk into the room

You don't pass or fail inside the room. Of course, that's where you're assessed, but what makes you pass is the work you've done beforehand. You spend about 12 minutes in the room, and everything that happens there is predictable: at this level there's no improvising.

You get 12 minutes in the preparation room, but the real preparation happens at home, because structures and topics repeat. You won't get exactly the same photo, but you will get a scene that's practically the same as one from another year. Practise out loud, record yourself and listen back: are you missing vocabulary? Are you repeating words? Could you add an example?

And to practise with the most common exam topics, I have a platform with 8 DELE A2 speaking test models at a very affordable price.

5. Study in short, consistent sessions every day

It's much more effective to study a little every day than to leave it for one or two days a week and cram for hours. Our brain processes information better when it's spread out consistently over time: it gets time to digest it and come back to it.

It's also far more realistic to find 30 minutes a day to study, review or do a model than to block out a whole morning to do models for four hours straight.

FAQ about DELE A2 scoring

How many points do I need to pass the DELE A2?

You need at least 30 out of 50 points in each of the two blocks. That means at least 60 out of 100 overall, but split so that you reach 30 in each block.

Can I pass the DELE A2 if I fail one part?

Yes. Within each block the parts compensate each other. If you fail the writing test but do very well in reading, you can reach 30 in that block and pass the exam.

Do the two blocks compensate each other?

No. Even with 50 points in one block, if you don't reach 30 in the other the result is a fail.

Does the diploma show my score?

No. The diploma is the same for someone who scores 60 and someone who scores 100, with no distinction. What matters is getting the “apto”.

Is the scoring the same for the DELE A2 for Spanish citizenship?

Yes. The DELE A2 is the same exam for every candidate, whether they take it for citizenship or for any other reason.

Summary

  • The DELE A2 has 4 parts worth 25 points each, 100 points in total.
  • The parts are grouped into two blocks of 50 points: reading + writing and listening + speaking.
  • To pass you need 30 points in each block. Parts compensate within a block; blocks don't compensate each other.
  • Prepare every part with no blind spots and strengthen the one that compensates for your weakest part.
  • Know the exam, bring prepared structures for writing, prepare the speaking test at home and study a little every day.

Resources to prepare for the DELE A2

If you want to go a step further and prepare every task with guidance, I have the online course “A por el DELE A2”. You follow it at your own pace from home and prepare every part of the exam: reading, listening, writing and speaking. There are more than 40 lessons where I explain absolutely everything, direct access to me via chat for any question, a student community, live group calls and an AI chat I trained myself. You'll find it here: a2.aporeldele.com.

And if you'd like free resources, sample tasks and reminders before each exam session, join the newsletter: recursos.aporeldele.com/boletin.

It's not a difficult exam if you prepare well. ¡A por el DELE! 🇪🇸