Nivelo Guide

DELE B2 Writing Tips — Tareas 1 & 2

The 12 connectors that signal B2, the register rules that catch most candidates, and worked structures for both tareas. Plus the grammatical patterns that move you from B1 writing to B2 writing.

May 19, 2026·12 min read

What DELE B2 writing actually tests

Prueba 2 has two writing tasks back-to-back inside an 80-minute window:

Tarea 1 — Formal letter or email (~150 words). Complaint, request, job inquiry. Heavy register requirements.
Tarea 2 — Opinion article, essay, or review (~150-180 words). Responds to a prompt with stats or a quote. Tests argumentation + abstract vocabulary.

Pass mark for Prueba 2: 30/50. Most candidates squeeze Tarea 1 easily but lose points on Tarea 2 — either by going too short, too generic, or by accidentally writing at B1 register.

The 12 connectors that signal B2

Examiners scan for register-appropriate connectors. Memorize these — they move your writing from B1 to B2 instantly:

Para añadir información: además, asimismo, por otra parte, cabe destacar que
Para contrastar: sin embargo, no obstante, a pesar de que, pese a
Para concluir: en definitiva, en suma, por consiguiente, así pues
Para ejemplificar: a modo de ejemplo, pongamos por caso, valga como ejemplo

Pick 3-4 connectors per text. Cramming all 12 into a 180-word essay reads forced. Repetition of "además" + "sin embargo" is the B1 tell — vary them.

Tarea 1 — The register playbook

What makes a Tarea 1 response B2 (not B1):

Formal opening — "Me dirijo a ustedes", "Estimados/as Sres./Sras.". Never "Hola".
Passive impersonal — "se anunciaba", "se me ofreciera" — shows register-shifting command.
Subjunctive after triggering verbs — "agradecería que se procediera". B2 marker.
Conditional + subjunctive in indirect requests — "si fuera posible, agradecería que…".
Formal closing — "Quedo a la espera de su pronta respuesta", "Le saluda atentamente".

Memorize 3-4 openings and 2-3 closings until automatic. The B1 tell is "Hola, quería decirles que…" — costs points immediately.

Tarea 2 — Essay structure that scores

Structure template (commit this to muscle memory):

Introduction (1-2 sentences): State topic + stance. "En los últimos años, el trabajo a distancia ha pasado de ser una excepción a convertirse en la norma. En mi opinión, esta tendencia resulta mayoritariamente positiva."
Body (3-4 sentences): 2 reasons with examples. "Por un lado… Por otro lado…"
Counterargument (1-2 sentences): Acknowledge the other side. "No obstante, cabe destacar que…"
Conclusion (1 sentence): "En definitiva, considero que… siempre y cuando se establezcan límites claros."

B2 markers in this structure: connector variety, present subjunctive after triggers ("siempre y cuando se establezcan"), abstract vocabulary ("conciliar", "aislamiento").

Mistakes that fail candidates

Underlength. 90 words when 150 required = automatic point loss.
Casual register in Tarea 1. "Hola, quería decirles…" → fail.
No connectors. Sentences in isolation read B1 even if grammar is right.
Generic content. "Es bueno y también es malo" tells the examiner nothing — give a specific example, even invented.
Indicative where subjunctive belongs. "Es importante que la gente sabe…" → fail. "…sepa…" → B2.

How to practice

Write one Tarea 1 + one Tarea 2 per week. 25-minute timer each. Get them graded.
Keep an error log. Review before each new piece.
Read native opinion articles weekly (El País, La Vanguardia). Steal phrasing.
Read your own essays aloud. Heavy sentences = simplify.

Take Nivelo's free 5-min Spanish test to confirm B2 before exam day. The 30-min paid test gives writing-specific feedback with corrected errors and priority improvements.

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