Bonjour!
Do you want to take the DELF B1 but you don't know what skills are required to pass the exam?
In this article, we present you the 20 essential points of DELF B1 grammar for you to succeed the exam.
At this level of French, the DELF B1 (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française - level B1) assesses learners' ability to understand and use simple and common expressions in French.
During the exam, you will need to demonstrate independence, using appropriate DELF B1 grammar.
Tenses and conjugations can be tricky for some learners, and certain structures like complex negation, relative pronouns, and the gerund can give you a headache.
Don't worry and don't try to be perfect. With daily practice and study, you will be able to master them.
Here is the list of the 20 essential points of DELF B1 grammar that you must master!
1. Definite, indefinite and partitive articles :
Know how to use “le”, “la”, “les” (definite articles) and “un”, “une”, “des” (indefinite articles) and “du”, “de la”, and “des” (articles partitives) correctly.
2. Expressions of quantity :
Use quantity expressions pour communiquer de manière précise et variée, such as “beaucoup de” , “trop “de, “un “peu de”, “assez de”, etc.
3. Adjectives :
Understanding the agreement of adjectives based on gender and number, as well as knowing when to place adjectives before or after the noun.
Agreement of adjectives (“une personne gentille”)
Position of adjectives (“mon ancien patron)
4. Direct and indirect object pronouns :
Know the use of direct and indirect complement pronouns for fluid communication, avoiding repetitions (“le, la, les” and “lui, leur”).
5. The pronouns “en” and “y” :
Know the use of the pronouns “en” and “y” for fluid communication and avoid repetition in the sentence by replacing complements of quantity and complements of place.
6. Possessive adjectives :
Master the use of possessive adjectives to express possession, such as “mon/ma/mes”, “ton/ta/tes”, “son/sa/ses”, etc.
7. Demonstrative adjectives :
Mastering demonstrative adjectives is essential for expressing relationships in time and space such as “ce/cet/cette/ces”.
8. Prepositions of place :
Know the use of prepositions of place to describe locations and directions such as “à côté de,” “derrière” “devant,” “sur,” “sous,” “entre,” etc.
9. Comparatives and superlatives :
Understand the formation of comparatives (“plus que”, “moins que”, “aussi que”) and superlatives (“le plus, “le moins”) to express comparisons.
10. Regular and irregular verbs in the present tense :
Know how to conjugate regular verbs (-er, -ir, -re) and certain irregular verbs in the present indicative.
11. The expression of the future :
Know how to distinguish the uses of futur simple from those of the near future (futur proche). Know how to conjugate regular verbs (-er, -ir, -re) and certain irregular verbs in simple future tense.
12. Past tenses (imparfait, passé composé):
Know how to use the imperfect tense (imparfait) to describe habitual actions in the past and the past tense (passé compose) to talk about one-off events.
13. The subjunctive :
Know how to formulate the necessity, a request, an emotion with the subjunctive.
Be able to nuance your point of view with subjunctive conjunctions (“Bien que”, “quoique”)
14. Time prepositions :
Use time prepositions to correctly express relationships in time, such as "avant", "après", "pendant", "depuis", "il y a", “pour”, etc.
15. Conditional sentence structures :
Understand and use conditional structures to express hypotheses, assumptions and hypothetical situations.
In particular with the first conditional structure : Si + present + futur simple”
And the second structure : Si + imparfait + conditionnel présent”.
16. Simple relative pronouns :
Master the use of simple relative pronouns to enrich sentence structure and express ideas in more complex ways, such as "qui", "que", "où" et “dont".
17. The gerund :
Construct simple sentences using the gerund in various contexts to express simultaneous actions or circumstances.
"En mangeant, il a vu le film." (Il a vu le film pendant qu'il mangeait.)
18. Complex negation :
Be able to express negative ideas in more elaborate ways such as“ne pas, ne plus, ne jamais, ne personne, ne rien…”
19. Interrogatives :
Mastery of interrogative structures in French is essential to ask questions clearly and precisely.
Formation of questions (est-ce que, inversion, etc.)
Interrogative pronouns (qui, que, quoi, où, comment, combien)
20. Common Idiomatic Expressions :
Recognizing and using common idioms.
Such as: “Faire la grasse matinée”
Literal translation: “To do the fat morning.”
Meaning: To sleep in.
“Avoir le coeurs sur la main”.
Literal translation: “To have the heart on the hand.”
Meaning: To be generous.
In summary, candidates have a fairly wide range of DELF B1 grammar which will allow him to describe situations, explain a problem or an idea in sufficient detail and express his thoughts on abstract or cultural subjects.
These grammar points provide a solid foundation for passing the DELF B1 exam, however, it is also important to practice written and oral comprehension, as well as written and oral production to properly prepare for the DELF B1 exam.
DELF B1 courses with French via Skype, how does it work?
At French via Skype, we help you prepare for the DELF B1 exam, guaranteeing you 100% success!
Our DELF B1 courses are delivered online via Skype, Zoom or Teams or on the platform of your choice covering all aspects of the French language in order to best support you in your objectives.
Our DELF B1 tuition is personalized, tailored to your specific needs and pace allowing you to achieve your goals more effectively than in a group or classroom setting.
- We will design a personalized study plan for you, based on your specific needs and your language level.
- We offer an effective preparation with tailored learning materials (full range of DELF B1 grammar, ressources and assessments).
- Our French lessons target key areas such as listening, reading, writing and speaking and meticulously work on each DELF B1 grammar point such as French connectors or the subjunctive to ensure that each area meets the requirements required for the DELF B1 exams.
- For homework, we will assign you work to practice grammar if necessary, develop your vocabulary and prepare written and oral comprehension, written and oral production tasks. The homework will then be prepared and reviewed by your teacher.
- We offer you great planning flexibility. Our DELF French tutor is available all year, during the holidays and after work hours.
At French via Skype, we are happy to support DELF students to guarantee their success at exams since 2014.
Some testimonials from students who have prepared for the DELF B1 exam with us are below.
" I’m studying with Laure for about one year now and I’m very satisfied with her very targeted and well-organised French lessons. If you like to invest your limited time well and aiming for a fast improvement of your French level Laure is the right teacher for you. The lessons are intense and you better be well prepared and do your homework as Laure is a very strict teacher ;). First I found it very challenging to work so hard on my pronunciation but I realized quickly that this is key to a higher level of French. Also I was very happy about the amount of time one talks in her lessons as I know from my own German teaching experience that this is crucial for an improvement of the communications skills. Together with Laure I prepared for the DELF B1 and thanks to her I passed it with incredible 91%. I could highly recommend her as French teacher. “
Erika Mantrino
(DELF B1) German teacher, Geneva
" I started learning French through group classes when I first moved to Geneva, but as I started to advance, I wanted to focus more intensely with grammar, writing and conversational skills. Laure immediately understood what I needed to work on as I explained that I would like to take the DELF exams and that French is critical for my career in the UN. She prepared me very well with the exam's reading and writing exercises, and fortunately, I was able to pass my DELF B1 exam. As I continue to work with her, I appreciate that she is a patient, very structured, and motivating teacher -- I would recommend Laure to anyone who wants to improve on French! "
Tomoka Nakamura
(DELF B1) UN staff, Geneva
” As a native English speaker who has lived in Geneva for several years, I have had quite a few not-so-successful attempts at improving my French. That all changed after I started my lessons with Laure! Very quickly Laure identified the “gaps” in my French and we began work on them. Laure is very dedicated to the lesson planning and sends feedback soon after each lesson with vocabulary and grammar points to work on and to keep momentum. Her help in preparing me to pass the B1 exam was invaluable. More than anything, I have more confidence to interact in French, which has been fantastic to my work and everyday life. I would highly recommend Laure – if you want to learn or improve your French, she is the best teacher you will find! Thank-you Laure! “
Eleanor Curtis
(DELF B1) Head of Finance, Geneva
“ I undertook 11 months of lessons to prepare the DELF B1 with Laure and was amazed by how much my French improved over this time. I had not studied French since high school, and prior to these lessons, could not have imagined being able to hold a conversation in French. Laure’s interactive and engaging lessons quickly became a highlight of my week. Laure emphasises practicing speaking the language - all our lessons were conducted completely in French and even during casual conversation, she encouraged discussion of sociopolitical issues. She has a lot of experience in preparing students for the DELF exams and her expertise in this area shone through during lessons as she guided us through the syllabus in a relatively short period of time. I highly recommend Laure for anyone considering learning French - she’s an extremely effective teacher and she gave me the confidence to continue developing my skills in the language.”
Dr Dana Lee
(DELF B1) - Melbourne
At French via Skype, we specialize in preparation for the DELF B1 exam, you can certify your French language level well-equipped and with complete confidence.
If you would like to discuss your needs with us, we will be pleased to develop a teaching plan for you.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if you would like to sign up for lessons.
À bientôt !
