French: 'fide' exam practice materials?

Language Corner
21
I had my FIDE french test yesterday.

I need a A1 for my B permit. But I was qualified as a A2-B1 after the oral by examiners. And continue the exam in that level.

If any one need any more information I will be happy to share.

I had a private tutor online for 3 weeks straight before the exam( around 15 one hour sessions every day) and had a month of intense beginners public class in last Dec.

Nothing in between and that was all.

22
So which level did you get in the end?

Anyway thanks for the useful information. Than it sounds that it's not that hard as I thought. I attended language course and got the diploma for B1 but my feeling was that I just got it because I was paying for the course The description for B1 level seemed far above to my language skills. So maybe I was wrong, maybe I was just too demanding/skeptical.

Currently my language skills are far better but still the speaking part is just null :P, ok maybe just A2. I have recently downloaded DELF B1 sample papers. I can do the listening and reading parts with no effort, so lets assume I'll do them at 80%, than I just need 10% for the writing and the bare minimum 5% for the oral part

I was just searching this forum for an answer regarding getting the passeport des langues based on DELF. From the fide website I found only that it costs 20 CHF. The DELF certificate lists the acquired points/competence on each area, i.e. reading/writing/listening/speaking. I hope they will accept whatever speaking competence one have listed on DELF B1 as a B1 level...

However, based on what I've just read here about the FIDE exam, I might just re-think it again. Maybe there's no point in taking the DELF. The advantage of FIDE is that you can take the exam every week instead of only a few times a year on fixed schedule (in fact not that fixed, as for the speaking part you'll be appointed at a random day)

Thanks!

23
DELF is harder than fide in my granted limited experience. I’m certified to teach fide courses but not yet to evaluate. I’d go for fide over DELF if you plan to stay in Switzerland—you can take it more frequently if needed and it’s more focused on functioning in a language.

That being said, fide isn’t and probably won’t be recognized on an international level.

24
That's stressing and hard to self-evaluate. I guess I will feel ok with using French once I get up to B2+ as it was with English. I'm totally aware that I've already forgot the English grammar, make spelling mistakes and my accent is not perfect but I just don't care about it much The language is a communication tool and as long as it serves the purpose each time it's good enough.

Even though I know some French it still takes effort to process the language, so speaking and writing performance varies a lot. Sometimes it just clicks, the other day I forget the necessary expressions and my mind goes down the rabbit hole looking in my English section of the brain :P

25
Actually this thread did not touch the subject of which materials are best to practice for this exam.

What do you think about https://www.editionslep.ch/la-suisse-en-jeu-1 is it useful?

26
Hi , could you provide me details of ORAL exam. What are the topic which you faced? And what else I can expect apart from the sample available online.

Thanks

27
Hi, i had fide 2 weeks ago in lingua centre in Lausanne.

First I had to say few words about myself.

On the picture I had there was a man, side to the washing machine with water on the floor. The man was holding telephone to his ear.

So she asked me to describe what I think happened

After I had to imagine that I’m the man and it happened to me, so I had to call and the lady was on the other side of the telephone.

After she asked me questions do I have a social media like Facebook, Instagram etc and what is my opinion about them, are they useful or dangerous

Last question what would my life looked like it there wasn’t smartphones around

For comprendre you go different room with different person.

You have 3 parts

1. Yo have paper with 3 pictures, lady plays a text and asks you a question, you need to show 1 picture as an answer

2. Answers are in writing and you choose 1 after listening to dialogue

3. The lady ask you questions and answers from your head.

All dialogues I listen to were about renting an apartment, starting from conversation when to come to see it, what documents must have, adress up to agreement for renting and getting the keys. So just life situation

Writing, after first 2 parts they asked me if I wanted to do A2 level or B1. I choose A2.

So you have few pages to do starting from reading text and filling gaps like your name, phone number etc

That a text that i want to get married and need some information from commune. You have some questions on the right, on the left text and you have to underline answers to the questions on the right.

Next page had write demande for attestation de domicile to comune and again some questions on the right like why I need it, for when I need it etc

Last page it asked me to write email to the letting agency to change a date and time for viewing the house.

28
Hello , Could you please share with me what topics were asked in speaking/oral section for you?

29
Hi Mary,

I know it's a long shot but you wouldn't still happen to have practice exam papers for fide french would you?

I'm about to sit the FIDE exam shortly and unfortunately it looks like they have removed all practice exams from their official website. There is 1 mock exam but it only includes 1 single question for speaking and 3 questions for listening.

Please let me know either way if you can.

Thanks in advance.

30
I haven't taken Fide but from my friends who have taken it, it's quite similar to DELF. There are lots of good DELF materials from all levels here: http://www.delfdalf.fr/delf.html

Even if the tests have some differences, extra French practice can never hurt

31
hi there mary please can you help me , can you share your exams questions. or guide me . i too cannot find the stuff you are talking about on the fide site.

will appreciate any guidance

thank you

zooie

32
Hello,

I have to appear for A1 Oral exam. I came to know there are around 12 topics/scenarios that should be prepared and we get one of those in the exam. Please can someone help sharing the topics that must be covered during preparation for FIDE.

I could not find list of topics of fide-info.ch and fide.services.ch

Any tips for exam preparation will also be helpful.

Thank you in advance.