DELE A2 Reading: What the Exam Really Expects (and How You Can Prepare for It)

The Reading Comprehension test is the first part of the DELE A2 exam. For many students, this section can feel intimidating, especially because they think they need to understand every word in the text. Fortunately, that is not what the exam is designed to evaluate.

The DELE exam focuses on whether you can identify the main ideas of a text and locate specific information in everyday written materials. In other words, the goal is not perfect comprehension but practical reading ability.

At this level, the exam reflects the kinds of texts you might encounter in daily life: emails, advertisements, notices or short articles.

Structure of the DELE A2 Reading Test

The reading test lasts 60 minutes and contains four tasks with a total of 25 questions.

Each task focuses on a slightly different reading skill.

Task	Type of text	Skill evaluated
Task 1	Personal text (email, message)	Understanding main ideas and details
Task 2	Short public texts	Finding specific information
Task 3	Several short texts	Matching information
Task 4	Longer text	Identifying main ideas

Students do not need to understand every word in order to answer the questions successfully.

(If you feel a little tired, this might be a good moment to pause. When you are ready, continue reading).

What Examiners Are Really Looking For

At A2 level, the reading test evaluates whether you can perform basic reading tasks that appear in everyday life. For example:

• understanding an email from a friend

• interpreting an advertisement

• identifying useful information in a notice

• understanding the general idea of a short article

Because of this, many students discover that reading strategically is more helpful than translating every sentence.

A Simple Reading Strategy (3 Steps)

Many learners find it useful to approach reading tasks in three stages.

Step 1 — Look at the questions first

Before reading the text carefully, take a moment to read the questions.

This can help you understand what information you are looking for.

Step 2 — Scan the text

Instead of reading every sentence slowly, try to locate keywords.

Examples:

• names

• places

• repeated words

  
  

These often guide you to the relevant part of the text.

Step 3 — Confirm the answer

Once you think you have found the answer, go back to the text and check that the information really supports your choice. The correct answer should always appear in the text.

(If you feel a little tired, this might be a good moment to pause. When you are ready, continue reading).

Task 1: Understanding a Personal Text

In Task 1, candidates read a personal text of about 250–300 words and answer five multiple-choice questions. These texts are often:

• emails

• personal messages

• informal letters

In the model exam used here (Examen 1, Dele A2, Edelsa), the text is an email written by Roxana, who has recently moved to Barcelona and is writing to a friend to explain how things are going. She talks about:

• moving to Barcelona

• finding an apartment

• her roommates

• her impressions of the city

The questions require the reader to identify specific information.

Mini Reading Practice

Here is a simplified example inspired by Roxana’s email.

Question

Why is Roxana in Barcelona?

a) For workb) For studiesc) For family reasons

If you read the text carefully, Roxana mentions that her apartment is close to her office and that she works in the mornings.

This information suggests that the correct answer is:

✔ a) For work

In this type of question, the answer is usually supported by one small detail in the text.

(If you feel a little tired, this might be a good moment to pause. When you are ready, continue reading).

Vocabulary Themes That Appear Frequently

Reading texts at this level often include vocabulary related to everyday life. For example:

Housing

• piso

• habitación

• compartir piso

• alquiler

Personality

• simpático

• tímido

• reservado

• abierto

Daily life

• trabajo

• oficina

• compañeros

• horario

Becoming familiar with these themes can make reading tasks feel much easier.

Quick Self-Check

You might ask yourself a few questions after reading this guide.

✔ Do I try to translate every word when I read?

✔ Do I usually read the questions before the text?

✔ Do I return to the text to confirm my answers?

✔ Do I recognize common vocabulary related to daily life?

If some of these still feel difficult, that is completely normal. Reading strategies develop gradually with practice.

A Final Thought

Reading in another language is a skill that develops over time. As students become more familiar with everyday texts, they often realize that they understand much more than they expected.

Little by little, the reading section of the DELE exam begins to feel less intimidating and more manageable.

In the Next Article

In the next post we will explore Task 2 of the DELE A2 reading test, where candidates work with short advertisements and public announcements.

This section requires a slightly different strategy and often becomes one of the easiest parts of the exam to score points.