The synthesis is the difference
The C1 written paper asks for a synthèse de documents — reading several texts and producing a single coherent summary of what they collectively say, without inserting your own opinion, followed by an argued essay in which you may.
- The synthesis must be balanced across the documents, not a summary of the longest one.
- It must be in your own words — lifting sentences is penalised.
- A word count applies and is enforced.
- Only the essay takes your own position.
What else changes from B2
- Implicit meaning — what a text implies, not only what it states.
- Register and nuance handled deliberately.
- Longer listening with denser argument and less redundancy.
- Speaking from a document rather than from a prompt.
The synthesis is a learnable technique rather than a test of raw French, and it is the part most responsive to practice. Candidates who fail C1 usually fail the synthesis on method, not on language.
C1 — FAQs
2 questions
For selective programmes and language-centred subjects, often yes. B2 covers most others.
A single balanced summary of several texts, in your own words, without your own opinion.
More levels (a1–c2) question types
Sources
Written from the test board's own published material and checked on 1 October 2026.