DELF B2 writing tips: method, structure, and how to hit every criterion

What the DELF B2 writing task actually is

The production écrite at B2 is a single writing task. You receive a prompt, typically one or two sentences presenting a situation, and you write a response of around 250 words in 60 minutes.

The task type is most often an argued essay (give your opinion on a question) or a formal argumentative letter (write to an institution, association, or editor expressing a position). Both require a position, developed arguments, a formal register, and a conclusion.

The marking grid awards up to 25 points across four criteria. Understanding what each criterion is actually looking for is the most direct way to improve your score.

The four marking criteria and what they actually reward

Criterion 1: task completion and respect of the instruction

This criterion asks whether you responded to the task as stated. It rewards: addressing the subject asked (not a different or more comfortable version of it), writing within the appropriate format (letter or essay as requested), reaching approximately the required length, and including all elements specified in the prompt.

Common failure: writing a general essay on a topic when the prompt asked for a formal letter, or responding to a related topic because the actual topic seemed harder. Read the prompt twice before writing a word.

Criterion 2: coherence and cohesion

This criterion evaluates whether the text flows logically from one idea to the next. It rewards: a clear structure (introduction, body, conclusion), paragraph organisation with one main idea per paragraph, logical connectors used correctly and with variety, and transitions that signal the movement between ideas.

What costs marks: paragraphs without clear focus, connectors used incorrectly (donc to mean mais, or car after a consequence rather than a cause), and text that lists points without connecting them.

Criterion 3: lexical range and accuracy

This criterion evaluates the breadth and precision of your vocabulary. At B2, the examiner wants vocabulary that goes beyond the everyday: synonyms of common words, domain-specific terms where appropriate, idiomatic expressions used correctly.

What costs marks: using the same word five times in 250 words, very basic vocabulary for an advanced task, and false friends or Anglicisms used carelessly.

Criterion 4: grammatical control

This criterion evaluates the range and accuracy of grammatical structures. At B2, it rewards: correct use of the subjunctive where required (bien que, pour que, à condition que), conditional structures, relative clauses, passive voice, and complex sentence structures.

What costs marks: errors in agreement, incorrect verb tense sequences, or sentences that are syntactically incomplete. Note that at B2, attempting a complex structure and making one error is generally better than avoiding it entirely.

At B2, attempting a complex structure and making a minor error outscores writing only in simple structures to be safe. The range criterion explicitly rewards ambition.

The planning method: five to eight minutes before you write

Most candidates write for 60 minutes and run out of time or direction. The planning method takes five to eight minutes and pays for itself in coherence marks.

Step 1: read the prompt twice. Identify the task type (essay or letter), the exact question, and any required elements (address a specific institution, include a proposal, etc.).

Step 2: note your position. Write one sentence stating your view. This becomes your thesis.

Step 3: identify two or three arguments. For a 250-word essay, three arguments is usually one too many. Two well-developed arguments are stronger than three thin ones.

Step 4: sketch the structure. Introduction (3-4 sentences), argument 1 with development (4-5 sentences), argument 2 with development (4-5 sentences), concession if appropriate (2-3 sentences), conclusion (2-3 sentences). Count roughly.

Step 5: note five to six words you want to use. Write them down before you start. This prevents word-hunting mid-sentence and builds vocabulary confidence.

Structure for a DELF B2 essay

A reliable structure for the argued essay format:

Introduction (3-4 sentences). Name the topic. Situate it briefly. State your thesis clearly. Do not explain your arguments yet.

Body paragraph 1 (5-6 sentences). State your first argument explicitly. Develop it with one concrete example or piece of reasoning. Use a connector to signal the transition: En premier lieu, il convient de souligner que...

Body paragraph 2 (5-6 sentences). State your second argument. Develop it. Signal the transition from paragraph 1: Par ailleurs, il faut également considérer que...

Concession and rebuttal (optional, 3-4 sentences). Acknowledge the strongest opposing view. Rebut it. The certes... mais or certes... cependant construction is ideal here.

Conclusion (2-3 sentences). Restate the thesis in different words. Open to a broader question or call to reflection if the topic warrants it. Do not introduce new arguments.

Structure for a DELF B2 formal letter

The formal letter requires a slightly different frame:

• Opening formula appropriate to the addressee: Madame, Monsieur, for an institution you do not know; Monsieur le Directeur, if the role is specified.
• First paragraph: state clearly why you are writing and what you are asking for or responding to.
• Body paragraphs: your arguments, as in the essay structure above.
• Closing formula: Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées. (This formula is long but expected and cannot be shortened informally.)
• Your name below.

Register: the errors that are easiest to avoid

Register errors are one of the most consistent point-losers in DELF B2 writing, and they are the most avoidable.

Avoid contractions and informal shortenings. In formal writing, il ne faut pas not il faut pas, je ne suis pas not je suis pas. These are register markers, not just grammatical errors.

Avoid colloquial vocabulary. C'est super important instead of ceci revêt une importance considérable. Les gens can be used, but les individus, les citoyens, les personnes concernées signal a more formal register.

Avoid first person plural if the task calls for an individual voice. Some candidates write nous pensons when the prompt asked for a personal opinion. Use je when the task specifies your opinion.

Use impersonal constructions where they lift the register. Il convient de noter que, il est important de souligner que, force est de constater que all signal formal register without being pompous.

Time management for 60 minutes

A plan that works for most candidates:

• Minutes 0 to 8: Read the prompt, plan (see method above), note vocabulary.
• Minutes 8 to 50: Write. Do not stop to revise heavily as you go. Trust the plan.
• Minutes 50 to 60: Re-read for agreement errors, verb tenses, and register. Fix specific errors rather than rewriting passages.

The most common timing error: candidates spend 55 minutes writing and five seconds checking. A ten-minute review catches the errors that cost the most marks for the least effort.

Common mistakes that cost points at B2

Misreading the task. Addressing the wrong question or producing the wrong task type (essay instead of letter) is a criterion 1 failure that affects the entire score.

Body paragraphs that list rather than develop. Three arguments of two sentences each is B1 structure. Two arguments of four sentences each, with a specific example for each, is B2 structure.

No conclusion. Stopping mid-text because time ran out reads as an incomplete essay. Keep two minutes in reserve.

Using the same connector repeatedly. Mais four times signals limited range. Prepare synonyms before you start.

Writing more than required. A 350-word essay is not more impressive than a 250-word one. It is harder to read and the extra material is often weaker.

Reading about the criteria only goes so far. Working through a complete corrected DELF B2 sample paper shows how they play out on a real script, including the errors that cost marks.

Frequently asked questions

Does my handwriting affect the score?

The content marking is not affected by legible handwriting. However, if the examiner cannot read a word, they cannot award marks for it. Write clearly. If you are taking the computer-delivered version, this is not a concern.

Should I plan an essay or a letter if the prompt gives me a choice?

Choose based on what you can do better. The letter is more structured and some candidates find it easier because the format is prescribed. The essay gives slightly more freedom but requires you to impose your own structure. In my experience, candidates who choose carefully do better than those who always default to one format.

How important is the conclusion?

Very. The conclusion is the last thing the examiner reads. It should restate your thesis and bring the essay to a close, not introduce new arguments or trail off. Even a short, clean conclusion is better than none.

Can I use examples from my own life?

Yes. Personal examples are acceptable as long as they are relevant and stated clearly. Vague personal references ("I once saw someone who...") are weaker than precise ones ("In my own city, the decision to extend cycling lanes in 2019 reduced car traffic on the main axis by approximately a third over two years"). Precision signals linguistic control.

Written by

Camille Fournier

Camille teaches French and coaches candidates through DELF preparation. She writes about exam technique: what each task is really marked on, and how to spend your time in the room.