Short answers to the questions candidates ask most about the writing prueba of DELE (A1 to C2) and SIELE.
A1 45-65 in all (a 15-25 word form and a 30-40 word text); A2 130-150; B1 230-270; B2 300-360; C1 400-470; C2 800-950 across three tareas. SIELE asks for 100-150 and 250-300 words.
It costs marks. At A1, a Tarea 2 text under 20 words is not assessed; at B2, a text under 100 words scores 0 for genre adequacy.
Yes, in the second tarea at A2, B1, B2 and C1 you choose one of two options, and in SIELE Tarea 2 you also choose one of two. Each option lists the points you must cover.
Passing on what others said. At C1, Tarea 1 asks you to listen twice to a talk and write a text that summarises and evaluates it and gives your opinion. At C2, Tarea 1 combines a recording with 2-3 texts, and Tarea 2 turns notes into a formal text.
Yes. In Tarea 1 you hear an informative recording twice, take notes and write a letter or email based on it.
DELE is taken on paper at an exam centre, so you write by hand. SIELE is on a computer, with a word counter and a Spanish keyboard on screen.
DELE A1 25 minutes, A2 45, B1 60, B2 80, C1 80 and C2 150. SIELE gives 50 minutes for both tareas, split as you like.
Trained raters, on official scales where band 2 is the pass level. At A1, A2, C1 and C2 two raters mark independently and the mean is taken. SIELE writing is marked by accredited SIELE raters.
Yes. Any coherent, educated variety of Spanish is accepted in what you write.
Every tarea is described on the writing description page, worked examples are on the writing samples page, and the full rules for points and passing are on the writing scoring page.
To practise, work through single tareas in the app or take a full timed mock test.
Written by Kirill O'Nayd
Language test expert and educator at TestSucceed, where he builds the DELE and SIELE practice tasks and mock tests and has spent years taking apart how each Instituto Cervantes prueba awards its points. See all TestSucceed preparation materials.