Free DELF B2 preparation: the 10 best free resources and an 8-week plan

Free DELF B2 preparation is entirely possible: official resources and public websites cover all four papers. The hard part is knowing where to look and in what order to work. This guide brings together the 10 best free resources, explains what each one covers and gives you an 8-week plan to use them.

Does free DELF B2 preparation really work?

Yes, as long as you are organised. A paid course mainly gives you three things: a programme, practice papers and feedback on your writing and speaking. The first two are available for free, and they are good. The third is harder to find, so you will need other ways to get your texts read and to practise speaking. We cover those below.

Before you start, remember what the exam involves. There are four papers, each marked out of 25: listening, reading, writing and speaking. You need 50 out of 100 overall and at least 5 out of 25 in every paper. Good free DELF B2 preparation must therefore cover all four papers, not just the ones you enjoy.

1. The official sample papers from France Éducation international

This is the most important resource, and it is free. France Éducation international, which designs the exam, publishes complete DELF B2 sample papers on its Exemples de sujets page. For the group papers, each example includes:

• the candidate booklet, the paper exactly as you will receive it.
• the marker's booklet, with the expected answers.
• the invigilator's booklet, which contains the transcript of the recordings.
• the audio files for the listening paper.

The page also offers a speaking example and the official marking grids for writing and speaking. One thing to know: two formats of the comprehension papers are currently used in official sessions. They differ in the number of exercises and questions, the length of the documents and the form of the questions. France Éducation international states that neither format helps or hurts candidates. So practise with both examples.

2. The official preparation advice

On its preparation advice page, France Éducation international explains each paper exercise by exercise, with models and practical tips. Audio files come with the listening exercises. Read this page before your first paper: it helps you avoid the most costly method mistakes. Our guide Is the DELF B2 hard? 15 tips to pass builds on this advice.

3. A free DELF B2 practice test online at delfb2.net

To work in real exam conditions, take our test no. 1 online. It is free, follows the official format, uses real audio and marks the comprehension papers instantly. You can take it skill by skill or in full on our DELF B2 tests page. If you prefer paper, the same test is available as a PDF with answers.

If you are not sure you have the level yet, start with our free level test. In a few minutes it shows your strengths and weaknesses, so you can build your free DELF B2 preparation around your real needs.

4. RFI: listening practice in exam conditions

RFI's learning site, Le français facile avec RFI, has a section on French diplomas. For the DELF, it covers the B2 listening paper in seven free practice sessions. It is an excellent addition to the official papers for the skill many candidates neglect.

RFI also publishes exercises sorted by level, including a B2 series. They are based on the news, like the exam documents. To practise with method, compare your answers with our corrected listening practice.

5. The Journal en français facile

Every weekday, RFI broadcasts the Journal en français facile: a real news bulletin of about ten minutes. It is published with its transcript, and two bonus exercises appear each week. Listen once without the text, then again with the transcript. Note new expressions: you will use them in both writing and speaking.

6. TV5MONDE Apprendre le français

TV5MONDE runs a free, interactive website for learning French through videos, with more than 2,000 exercises. Its B2 level is called B2 Avancé. The "Regards sur l'actualité" series is especially useful, because it deals with topics close to those in the exam. The site has no DELF section, but its video comprehension exercises train exactly the skills that are tested. It also offers a short free level test.

7. Grammar and vocabulary lessons

Language accounts for a large part of your writing and speaking marks. On delfb2.net, the B2 grammar lessons explain each point with examples, common traps and corrected exercises. The vocabulary by theme pages cover the main exam topics: the environment, work, technology, health and education. Our DELF B2 vocabulary guide explains how to learn them efficiently.

8. Writing and speaking topics to practise

For the production papers, regular practice matters most. Pick one topic a week from our speaking topics and from the free prompts in the writing studio, which has a timed editor. Before you write, read our corrected writing sample: it shows what a marker expects, criterion by criterion.

9. Your local library

Many public libraries lend French-as-a-foreign-language textbooks, including DELF preparation books. Ask at yours: it is the simplest way to use a textbook without buying it. Our list of the best DELF B2 books helps you choose which one to borrow.

10. A conversation partner

The weak point of any free preparation is speaking. A language exchange, or tandem, solves this: you help someone with your language, and they help you with French. Give your partner a speaking topic, present your view for five minutes, then ask them to argue against you. It is the best simulation of the debate with the examiner.

What about the French CPF or France Travail?

Many candidates living in France look for a course funded by the CPF, the French personal training account. Be careful: on its CPF page, France Éducation international currently lists only the TCF tout public and the TCF IRN among its eligible certifications. The DELF B2 tout public record in France Compétences' specific register is inactive. Before signing up for a course advertised as "CPF-funded", check on Mon Compte Formation what is really covered.

If you are registered with France Travail, discuss your plan with your adviser: French courses can sometimes be funded, case by case. It is neither automatic nor guaranteed.

What still costs money

Preparation can be free, but the exam is not. Each centre sets its own registration fee, which varies by country: our DELF B2 registration guide explains how to find it. Personal feedback on your writing and speaking is the other thing that usually costs something. If you want more tests and automatic marking of your writing, our passes are a one-off payment, with no subscription.

An 8-week plan for free DELF B2 preparation

Every day, keep fifteen minutes for French news and your vocabulary. For a more detailed programme, follow our 8-week study plan.

Mistakes to avoid when you prepare alone

• Collecting resources without using them. Two official papers worked through in depth are worth more than twenty saved links you never open.
• Doing only comprehension exercises. They are easy to mark on your own, so they feel reassuring. But writing and speaking are worth just as many points.
• Practising without a timer. On exam day, time is limited. Get used to working in real time from the very beginning.
• Reading the transcripts too early. Listen without the text first, answer the questions, then check with the transcript.
• Putting off the mock exam. A full paper in real conditions shows you where you really stand. Take one at the start and one at the end.
• Ignoring the marking criteria. The official grids tell you exactly what earns points. Read them before you write your first text, not after.

Set yourself regular study times as well. Without a teacher or a class, your timetable replaces the course. Three one-hour sessions a week are worth more than one long day now and then. Tell a friend about your exam date, too: a little outside pressure helps you keep going when motivation drops in the middle of the programme.

How to make up for not having a teacher

• Use the official grids. Mark each text yourself with the writing grid, criterion by criterion.
• Record yourself speaking. Listen back to your monologue and check its structure, linking words and length.
• Keep an error notebook. Read it again before each new topic.
• Compare with corrected samples. Our annotated examples show what earns marks.

In short

Free DELF B2 preparation rests on three pillars: the official France Éducation international sample papers, RFI and TV5MONDE exercises, and regular practice of the production papers. Start with a test to measure your level, follow an 8-week plan and mark your work with the official grids. With regular effort, free DELF B2 preparation can take you all the way to the diploma.