Goethe B1 Lesen: Format, Task Types & Tips
Lesen is the first written module of the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 exam and carries 100 points out of 300 for the written part. You have 65 minutes to complete five reading tasks that test a range of comprehension skills. Understanding the format in advance removes exam-day surprises and lets you spend your preparation time where it counts.
Updated 2026-04-19
Overview of the five parts
| Part | Task type | Text type | Items | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | True / false (Richtig / Falsch) | Magazine or newspaper article | 5 statements | 25 |
| Teil 2 | Matching notices | Short announcements / advertisements | 5 people → 8 notices | 25 |
| Teil 3 | Multiple choice (A / B / C) | Continuous text (blog, letter, article) | 5 questions | 25 |
| Teil 4 | True / false | Formal text (instructions, regulations) | 5 statements | 15 |
| Teil 5 | Multiple choice (A / B / C) | Informational text | 5 questions | 10 |
Teil 1 — True / False article
You read a longer article (250–350 words) on an everyday topic — health, travel, technology, community events. Five statements appear below the text and you decide whether each is richtig (correct) or falsch (incorrect) according to the article.
Key skill: paraphrasing. The correct answer rarely uses the exact wording of the text. Train yourself to recognise synonyms and restatements (e.g., "günstig" in the text, "preiswert" in the statement).
- ›Read the five statements first to know what to look for.
- ›Underline the section of the text that decides each statement.
- ›If a statement mixes something true with something false, it is falsch.
- ›Do not use outside knowledge — all answers come from the text.
Teil 2 — Matching notices
Five people each have a need or situation described in one or two sentences. You match each person to the notice (advertisement, sign, announcement) that best meets their need. There are eight notices — three will not be used.
- ›Read all five people descriptions carefully before looking at the notices.
- ›Highlight keywords: activity type, time of day, target group, conditions.
- ›A notice matches only if it satisfies all key conditions of the person description.
- ›Eliminate obvious mismatches first to narrow your choices.
- ›Each notice can only be used once.
Teil 3 — Multiple choice text
A medium-length continuous text (200–300 words) — often a blog post, personal letter, or magazine article — is followed by five multiple-choice questions with three options each (A, B, C). Questions may ask about the author's opinion, a detail mentioned in the text, or the main idea of a paragraph.
- ›Questions follow the order of the text — work through them sequentially.
- ›Eliminate clearly wrong options first, then decide between the remaining two.
- ›Watch for "extreme" answer options (always, never, only) which are usually wrong.
- ›The correct answer often paraphrases the text rather than quoting it directly.
Teil 4 — True / False formal text
A shorter formal text — workplace rules, course descriptions, rental terms — is paired with five true/false statements. The scoring is lower per item (3 points each), so do not spend disproportionate time here.
Teil 5 — Multiple choice informational text
The final part presents factual information — statistics, a short report, a comparison — with five questions. Each question carries only 2 points. Attempt all five even if uncertain, since wrong answers are not penalised.
Scoring and passing
Lesen is worth 100 points in total (though the points per part sum varies by exam version — the published breakdown above reflects current Modellsatz distributions). You need at least 45 points in the Lesen module to pass it (the overall passing threshold is 60 % across all modules), and you must pass every individual module.
Preparation strategies
- ›Work through at least two complete Goethe B1 Modellsätze under timed conditions.
- ›Build a vocabulary log of paraphrase pairs (e.g. günstig / preiswert, häufig / oft).
- ›Read authentic German texts daily: news, blog posts, product descriptions.
- ›For Teil 2, practise matching job ads or event listings to hypothetical candidates.
- ›Time yourself per part and adjust your pace over 4–6 weeks of practice.
Start practising
Goethe B1 Lesen