DALF C2 · Paper 2
Written comprehension and production in the DALF C2
Three and a half hours to work with a set of documents of about 2,000 words and write a structured text of at least 700 words, in a required genre.
The paper at a glance
- Duration
- 3 h 30
- Marks
- 50 points
- Documents
- A set of several documents, about 2,000 words in total
- What you do
- A structured text of at least 700 words: article, editorial, report, speech, letter...
How the paper runs
You choose one topic out of two options. Each is based on a set of documents of about 2,000 words in total. You have three and a half hours and a monolingual dictionary lent by the centre.
The instructions set the genre of the text to produce, and often the role you take on and the position you must defend. You write a text of at least 700 words that draws on the documents, but also on your own arguments and examples.
It is not a synthesis
At C1, the synthesis forbids any personal opinion. At C2, it is the opposite: the documents are raw material serving your argument. You select from them what supports your point, set it against your own ideas and build a long, coherent, convincing argument.
Genres and their conventions
| Genre | What is expected |
|---|---|
| Article | A catchy title, often a standfirst, a clear progression that informs and argues. |
| Editorial | A firm, committed position expressing the newspaper's line. |
| Report | A structured organisation, a register suited to the recipient, and findings or recommendations matching the task assigned. |
| Speech | An address to an audience, well-handled rhetorical devices, a conclusion that leaves its mark. |
| Letter | Salutations and sign-offs suited to the recipient and to what is at stake. |
A method for the three and a half hours
| Step | Suggested time |
|---|---|
| Read both topics and choose | 10 min |
| Read the documents in detail, annotate, sort the ideas | 40 min |
| Build a detailed outline, with arguments and examples | 30 min |
| Write | 1 h 40 |
| Reread, count the words, correct | 30 min |
What the examiners assess
Compliance with the instructions (genre, role, position, length), relevant use of the documents, the quality of your personal contribution, the construction and strength of the argument, command of register, the richness and precision of vocabulary and accuracy of language.
How to practise
- Read editorials, public reports and speeches to absorb their conventions.
- Practise writing 700 words under timed conditions, in a different genre each time.
- Work on hedging expressions and connectors of formal register: « dès lors » (consequently), « en tout état de cause » (in any event), « il n'en reste pas moins que » (the fact remains that).
Updated on 10 October 2026