Exam Structure
The FIDE test is divided into an oral part ("speaking & comprehension") and a written part ("reading & writing").
Table of Contents
Oral Exam Structure
You are asked to introduce yourself.
Task: 1–2 min. Name, age, nationality, where you live, languages, work, hobbies.
Tip: go with a prepaired introduction about yourself.
You are given an image and asked to describe it
Task: 1–2 min. Example: supermarket checkout.
Tips: describe people, actions, objects. Use “Sur l’image, je vois…”.
Then the examiner propose an dialogue (usually based on the image shown above).
Task: 2 min role-play with examiner.
Example: cashier ↔ client at supermarket.
Tip: try to drag the conversation if possible.
Then the examiner asks an open ended question. To either to know your opinion or a short comparison.
Task: 2 min discussion.
Example: shopping habits, frequency, Swiss products.
Tip: if you are targeting B1, try to use tenses other than present. try to keep the fluidity (even at the expense of small grammer mistakes)
Examiner proposes A1–A2 or A2–B1 (depending on the candidates performance on Section 1).
Candidate may choose the other, however has to sign a document indicating the choice.
Candidate continues with the selected level (either A1-A2 or A2-B1)
Candidate has to describe a given image. This usually has a sequence of images to describe an event.
Then candidate has to do the dialogue with the examiner.
Example scenarios:
- Post office: send parcel
- Doctor: confirm appointment
- Public transport: ask for next bus
- Administration: opening hours
Candidate gets 2 topics, chooses 1, then gives opinion + answers questions.
Example topics:
- Shopping online vs in-store
- Car, bike, or public transport for work commute
Follow-ups: “Pourquoi ?”, “Avantages/inconvénients ?”, “Et dans le futur ?”
Tip: questions are asked so you could use both past tense and future tenses, so try to use them instead of just using present tense.
Difficulty follows chosen level from Section 2.
- A1-A2 users will do the first two sets (A1 & A2 Levels)
- A2-B1 users will do the last two sets (A2 & B1 Levels)
For each level, 2 situations with 3 texts (so 6 audios per level, 12 audios for the full test).
Examiner reads the question and plays the audio.
Candidate can listen to the same audio 2 times, and take notes as needed.
short clips (25-35 words). usually straight forward.
choose the correct illustration (out of three answers (a,b or c)).
medium length clips (30-45 words). may contain distractor information.
choose the correct illustration (out of three answers (a,b or c)).
longer clips (35-55 words). contains distractor information.
must answer orally in a full sentence. examiner will note it down for you.
Note: Examiner will always write down your answer.
Candidate should not mark the response on the paper (it's purely an oral exam).
The oral exam lasts about 40 minutes and has two parts: speaking and comprehension.
Spoken (Parler)#
The speaking part has two sections. The first section always start at the A2 level. It will be used to determine your level (A1-A2 or A2-B1), and the second section will be based on your performance in the first section.
Section 1:
Two examiners sit with you: one leads the conversation and the other observes. In the first section, you complete A2-level tasks. These typically include:
- 🖼️
Image description: you look at a picture and describe what you see—people, places and actions.
- 🎭
Role-play: you act out a common situation (e.g., phoning to cancel or reschedule an appointment) to show how you handle practical tasks.
- 💬
General questions: the examiner asks about a topic (for example, housing); you explain your preferences and experiences.
Section 2:
After these tasks, the examiners decide whether you should continue with easier A1-A2 tasks or move on to more demanding A2-B1 tasks. You can accept their recommendation or choose the other level, but if you disagree, you must sign a paper to confirm that this was your decision.
If you choose the A1–A2 route, you'll describe a picture. Then you'll have a short dialogue with the examiner based on a sequence-of-events image they show.
If you succeed at A2 and move on to A2-B1, you will pick one of two topics (e.g., continuing education vs. a festival) and answer questions that ask you to compare ideas, describe experiences or discuss pros and cons; these questions often require you to use the past or conditional tenses.
Choosing the right level matters because the listening section will follow the same level you pick.
Comprehension / listening (Comprendre)#
The listening section assesses how well you understand spoken language. It uses the same level (A1-A2 or A2-B1) that was decided after the speaking section. There are two situations, each with three short recordings. You can hear each recording twice.
Listening Task Examples:
A1 Level:
The examiner describes a situation, plays a 25–35-word audio and you choose the correct illustration.
A2 Level:
Works the same way as A1, but the recordings are longer (30–45 words) and may contain distractor information. Again you choose the correct illustration.
B1 Level:
The recording is longer again (35–55 words), and you must answer orally in a full sentence.
Users who has selected A1-A2 will do the first two sets (A1 Level and A2 Level), while A2-B1 users will do the last two sets (A2 Level and B1 Level).
The listening part accounts for one-third of the oral score, while the speaking section counts for two-thirds.
The written exam lasts 60 minutes. The exam is made up of three modules out of a total of six; you complete either modules 1-3 (A1–A2) or modules 4-6 (A2–B1). You can choose to take either exam, irrespectively of the level you have selected for the oral part. Before starting, the examiner explains the tasks and you may ask questions.
Each module contains a reading comprehension and a writing task. Examples of tasks include:
- 🔍
Finding information: read a letter or note and copy specific details to answer a question.
- 📝
Filling out a form: provide your name, address and other basic information.
- ✉️
Writing an email or letter: for example, ask to reschedule a meeting.
- 📄
Choosing a summary: read a short text and select the correct summary from three options.
These tasks start at the lower end of the level and become gradually more challenging. Practicing with mock exams and learning how to extract key details from texts will help you succeed.
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