The present study attempts to approach the design of the examination papers intended for the acquisition of the A1 level French language certification of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages from the perspective of multimodal semiotic theory and social semiotics. The subjects of study are the booklets of the candidate's tests proposed by France Education International as the standard exam for obtaining the DELF Prim and DELF Junior A1 level of diplomas. A comparartive study of these two paradigms in terms of their specification, design and production of illustration is attempted while a reasoning is developed about the ways in which key concepts from the field of semiotics can be used for the systematic analysis and design of characteristics of such assessment tests. In the context of visual literacy, Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen make the image, as a semiotic system, capable of producing acts of communication and interaction through the intertwining of semiotic modes (images, proxemics, font type, layout, color, typography, graphic design, paper type, printing options, etc.) of the subject under examination, highlighting its multimodal nature as well as the need to utilize multiliteracy in foreing language assessment. This composes the starting point of a research in progress that will attempt to examine multimodality and the role of translation in the assessment of French as a foreing language.