How to Prepare for Goethe B1 Schreiben

Aufgabe 1 — Email reply (usually informal)

Aufgabe 1 asks you to write approximately 80 words replying to an email or message. It is usually informal — typical task types are an informal email to a friend, an invitation, a thank-you email or cancelling an appointment. A complaint letter (Beschwerdebrief) is the formal exception. The prompt specifies 3–4 content points you must address.

• ›Address every content point — missing one costs significant marks.
• ›Use the correct register: "Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren" and "Mit freundlichen Grüßen" for formal texts; "Liebe/r" and "Viele Grüße" for informal.
• ›Open with one sentence of context before moving to the main content.
• ›Aim for 75–90 words (circa 80): under 40 words the whole Aufgabe scores 0, and going significantly over wastes time without extra points.
• ›End with a polite closing sentence or call to action where appropriate.

Aufgabe 2 — Opinion / argumentative text

You write ~80 words expressing and justifying your opinion on an everyday topic — for example, whether learning languages is important, whether cities should ban cars, or whether it is better to live in the city or countryside. The prompt usually shows a forum question and asks you to post your view.

• ›State your position clearly in the first sentence.
• ›Give at least two reasons or examples that support your view.
• ›Acknowledge a counter-argument briefly and refute it (this shows argumentation skill).
• ›Use opinion connectors: Meiner Meinung nach, Ich bin der Ansicht, dass, Einerseits…andererseits, Außerdem, Deshalb.
• ›Avoid lists of bullet points — write in connected, flowing sentences.
• ›Aim for about 80 words: under 40 words the whole Aufgabe scores 0, while writing far more earns nothing extra.

Aufgabe 3 — Short note or email

The shortest task asks for approximately 40 words. It is typically a short polite message to someone you address with Sie — registering for a course, a short thank-you, or asking for information. This is worth fewer points but should take only 15 minutes if you write efficiently.

• ›Use an appropriate greeting and sign-off.
• ›State the purpose immediately — no long preamble.
• ›Check you have covered every item in the bullet-point prompt.
• ›Count words: aim for 35–45. If you fall under 20, the whole Aufgabe scores 0.

How examiners grade Schreiben

Each task is graded by two trained examiners independently. The grade is based on four criteria weighted differently across tasks:

• ›Task completion (Erfüllung): have you addressed all required content points?
• ›Coherence (Kohärenz): does the text flow logically with appropriate structure and connectors?
• ›Range of vocabulary (Wortschatz): do you use B1-appropriate variety rather than repeating the same basic words?
• ›Grammatical structures (Strukturen): are your sentences grammatically correct? Some errors are acceptable at B1.

Common mistakes to avoid

• ›Writing in your native language accidentally — always write in German from the first word.
• ›Missing a content bullet point from the prompt — re-read the prompt after writing.
• ›Writing far too many words (e.g. 150 for Aufgabe 1): there is no upper limit, but the extra words earn nothing and cost time.
• ›Repeating the same sentence starters: vary with "Außerdem," "Deshalb," "Ein weiterer Grund ist," "Was mich betrifft."
• ›No paragraphing: break formal letters into: opening, problem statement, request, closing.
• ›Forgetting the closing formula — "Mit freundlichen Grüßen" for formal texts is mandatory.

Preparation plan

• ›Week 1–2: Study the five Aufgabe 1 task types. Write one per day, then compare with a model answer.
• ›Week 3: Focus on Aufgabe 2. Write one opinion text daily on a different topic. Check that you state position → reasons → counter → conclusion.
• ›Week 4: Timed full practice. Complete all three tasks in 60 minutes, then self-assess.
• ›Throughout: Build a personal phrase bank — 20–30 go-to expressions for each task type.
• ›Final week: Review your errors. Identify the two or three grammatical mistakes you repeat most and drill them with targeted exercises.