Key takeaways
- Three dedicated DELF B2 prep books dominate the market: ABC DELF B2 by CLE International, Le DELF B2 100% reussite by Didier, and Reussir le DELF B2 by Didier. Each has a different strength.
- Edito B2 by Didier is a general B2 coursebook, not an exam prep book. Use it to build your level, not in your final 8 weeks of exam prep.
- No single book contains everything. The ideal setup is one dedicated prep book plus one general coursebook if you are building up from solid B1.
- Free resources from France Education internationale (official past papers) and French public radio are genuinely excellent and cost nothing.
- Mock exams under timed conditions matter more than any book. The best book you own is worthless if you only read it and never practise under exam conditions.
When I was preparing for my B2, I bought two books, consulted a third from the library, and wasted money on one that turned out not to be what I needed. This guide is what I wish someone had told me upfront: which books are real, what each is actually for, and what you can get for free.
The landscape: dedicated prep vs general coursebooks
There is an important distinction between DELF B2 prep books and general B2 French coursebooks. Both have a role, but they are not interchangeable.
Dedicated DELF B2 prep books are organised around the exam format. They include practice questions for each section, methodology advice, and usually two to four complete practice exams. These are for the final 8 to 12 weeks before your exam date.
General B2 coursebooks build the language skills you need to reach B2. They cover grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, and speaking at B2 level, but they are not structured around exam technique. These are for the months before you switch into exam-prep mode.
Mixing them up is a common mistake. Using a general coursebook two weeks before your exam will not help you. Using only a prep book when you are not yet at B1 level will not work either.
ABC DELF B2 by CLE International
The ABC DELF B2 by CLE International (3rd edition) is one of the most widely used DELF B2 prep books. It covers all four sections with around 200 practice activities (roughly 50 per skill) plus complete practice exams.
What it is good for: structured, section-by-section preparation. The methodology pages are clear and practical. The activities ramp up in difficulty within each section, which is useful if you are building skills alongside exam technique. The audio materials for the listening section are well-produced.
What it is less good for: if you are already confident in your skills and just want full exam simulations, the activity-by-activity structure can feel slow. The answer keys are adequate but not as detailed as Didier's.
Who should buy it: candidates at solid B1 who want a methodical, skills-building approach to exam prep. Also good for learners who like working through activities before tackling full tests.
Le DELF B2 100% Reussite by Didier
The Le DELF B2 100% Reussite by Didier (2021-2022 edition) is organised differently. It leads with methodological guidance and then goes straight to four complete DELF B2 practice exams (two in the book, two accessible digitally through the companion app).
What it is good for: mock exam practice. If your priority is realistic exam simulation, this is probably the best single book. The practice exams are close in feel to the real thing, and the digital format makes the listening sections easy to do at home.
What it is less good for: if you need skill-building activities and step-by-step methodology, the content is lighter than ABC DELF B2. It assumes you have already done the groundwork.
Who should buy it: candidates in the final 6 to 8 weeks before their exam who already have solid B2 skills and need exam simulation above all. Also useful as a second book if you have already worked through ABC DELF B2.
Reussir le DELF B2 by Didier
Reussir le DELF B2 by Didier is an older title in the Didier catalogue. It has strong reviews among candidates who have used it, and it is still widely available.
What it is good for: solid methodology and well-structured practice material. It remains a reliable choice for the comprehension sections.
What it is less good for: it predates the most recent format updates to the DELF B2, so some of the exam structure guidance is less current than the 100% Reussite title. The writing and speaking methodology sections are also less detailed.
Who should buy it: a reasonable secondary choice if Le DELF B2 100% Reussite is unavailable. Worth checking the edition date when you buy.
A prep book is a tool, not a syllabus. The candidates I saw succeed were the ones who used their books to identify their gaps, then practised those gaps under exam conditions, not the ones who read their books cover to cover.
Edito B2 by Didier (general coursebook, not exam prep)
Edito B2 by Didier is a general French B2 method. It is designed for coursework, not for DELF prep directly. Twelve units, each built around a cultural theme, covering all four skills at B2 level.
What it is good for: building the language base you need before exam prep. If you are at high B1 and have several months before your exam, working through Edito B2 is a genuinely good way to reach real B2 level across all skills. It is also excellent if you are taking a course and your teacher uses it.
What it is less good for: if you are within 8 to 10 weeks of your DELF B2 date, Edito B2 is not the right tool. It will build your French but will not teach you exam technique or give you realistic practice under exam conditions.
Who should buy it: learners who are not yet at B2 level and want to get there before switching to dedicated exam prep. Also candidates who want to complement their exam prep with richer language input across the semester.
Free resources that are genuinely worth using
Books are not the only thing. Several free resources are excellent for B2 preparation.
Official past papers from France Education internationale. France Education internationale publishes sample subjects and past papers on their website. These are the closest thing to the real exam you can get, and they cost nothing. Practise with them under timed conditions.
French public radio. France Inter, France Info, and RFI are all free to stream. France Info is close to B2 listening difficulty. RFI runs a "Journal en francais facile" that sits at low B2 to B1. France Inter general programming is genuinely B2 or above. Listen daily.
TV5Monde. The TV5Monde website has free video content with optional subtitles, exercises, and some DELF-specific preparation materials. The pedagogical exercises on TV5Monde are particularly useful because they are built around authentic video rather than simplified scripts.
Transcript-based podcasts. Podcasts that publish their transcripts let you listen, then read to check what you missed. "Choses a Savoir" and "Le Mouv" are popular with B2 learners, though transcript availability varies.
Books give you the knowledge. Practice gives you the score.
Complete DELF B2 mock sections with instant, criteria-based feedback so you know what your level actually is before exam day.
How to actually use these books
The mistake most self-study candidates make is treating the book as the preparation. The book is the scaffold, not the building.
A routine that works:
- Read the methodology section for a skill once, not repeatedly.
- Do the warm-up activities for that section, checking your answers and understanding every error.
- Do one full timed section under exam conditions. No pausing, no dictionary.
- Review your answers, understand the patterns in your errors.
- Repeat for the next section. Then do a full mock once a month.
For production ecrite specifically: read the methodology once, then write at least eight timed practice essays before your exam. Get feedback on each one. Reading about essay structure does not improve your essays. Writing essays improves your essays.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to buy more than one prep book?
Probably not. One dedicated prep book (ABC DELF B2 or Le DELF B2 100% Reussite) is sufficient for most candidates, supplemented by official past papers from France Education internationale. Buying three books and skimming all of them is less useful than working through one carefully.
Are older editions of these books still useful?
For methodology and skill-building activities, yes. The grammar of an argument has not changed. For exam format accuracy, check the edition: the DELF B2 exam format has been updated in recent years (notably around 2020), and older editions may reflect the previous structure.
Is there a free online course for DELF B2 prep?
Several platforms offer free DELF content. TV5Monde has structured DELF preparation resources. France Education internationale publishes official sample materials. YouTube has a number of channels with DELF methodology content, though quality varies. Paid online courses exist but add cost without necessarily adding structure beyond what a good prep book provides.
Which book should I buy if I can only buy one?
If you are in the skill-building phase (more than 10 weeks out, at solid B1): ABC DELF B2 by CLE International. If you are in the final exam-simulation phase (within 8 weeks, already at solid B2): Le DELF B2 100% Reussite by Didier. Either way, supplement with official past papers from France Education internationale.
Written by
Sophie Mercier
Sophie passed her DELF B2 after a few years of self-study. She writes about study plans, resources, and the parts of the journey no syllabus mentions, like exam-day nerves.