Schreiben is one of the four modules of the Goethe-Zertifikat B1, alongside Lesen, Hören, and Sprechen. It lasts 60 minutes and contains three tasks. Each module is scored out of 100 points, and 60 points are needed to pass a module. Modules can also be taken separately. Formats are updated now and then, so check the current model papers on the Goethe-Institut site before you start timing yourself.
The three tasks at a glance
The tasks move from personal to public to formal, and each has its own length.
- Aufgabe 1: an informal email to a friend, about 80 words, in which you address the content points listed in the instructions.
- Aufgabe 2: a contribution to an online discussion or forum, about 80 words, in which you give your opinion.
- Aufgabe 3: a short formal email, about 40 words, for example to apologize, change an appointment, or ask for information.
How the writing is assessed
The published rating scale looks at four things: task fulfillment (the first criterion on the official assessment grid), whether the text hangs together (Kohärenz), the range and accuracy of your vocabulary (Wortschatz), and your grammar structures (Strukturen). Fulfilling the task means covering every content point and choosing the right register. A tidy text that ignores one point still has a gap, so tick the points off one by one before you write the final sentence. A practical self-check is to read your text three times: once for content points, once for verbs and word order, and once for endings and capital letters.
Aufgabe 1: the informal email
Open with a greeting such as Liebe Anna, or Lieber Tom, and close with Viele Grüße or Bis bald. Answer each content point in order, using one or two sentences per point. Because you know the reader, use du.
Subordinate clauses lift the quality of a short text. Remember that the conjugated verb goes to the end: Ich kann leider nicht kommen, weil ich morgen arbeiten muss. Useful frames are Ich schreibe dir, weil ..., Ich würde mich freuen, wenn ..., and Leider habe ich keine Zeit, aber ...
Here is a sample of how two short sentences can carry three content points. Suppose a friend asks you to help with a move on Saturday: Liebe Anna, vielen Dank für deine Nachricht! Leider kann ich am Samstag nicht helfen, weil ich arbeiten muss, aber ich könnte am Sonntag kommen. A refusal, a reason, and an alternative fit into two short sentences.
Aufgabe 2: the forum contribution
State your position early, give two reasons, add a short example from daily life, and finish with a closing sentence. Phrases that signal opinion include Meiner Meinung nach ..., Ich bin der Meinung, dass ..., Einerseits ... andererseits ..., and Ein Vorteil ist, dass ... Do not copy the sentences of the post you are replying to. React to the idea and say something of your own.
Because the audience is a forum, a short greeting or none at all is fine. Keep your tone friendly but not slangy.
A short model on working from home: Ich finde, dass man zu Hause konzentrierter arbeiten kann. Außerdem spart man Zeit, weil man nicht zur Arbeit fahren muss. Andererseits fehlt der Kontakt zu den Kollegen. Deshalb halte ich eine Mischung aus beidem für sinnvoll. Link ideas with deshalb, trotzdem, außerdem, and denn, and remember that deshalb, trotzdem and außerdem take the verb straight after them (Deshalb halte ich...), while denn leaves normal word order (denn ich habe...).
Aufgabe 3: the formal email
Use Sehr geehrte Frau Weber, or Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt, and close with Mit freundlichen Grüßen. Switch to Sie. Polite requests use the Konjunktiv II: Könnten Sie mir bitte ... schicken? and Ich würde gern wissen, ob ... Since the task is only about 40 words, state the reason for writing in the first sentence, then make one clear request.
A common slip is mixing registers, for example starting with Sie and slipping into dir later. Reread once for this alone.
A compact model: Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt, leider kann ich morgen nicht zum Termin um 10 Uhr kommen, weil ich krank bin. Könnten wir einen neuen Termin vereinbaren? Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Maria Keller. It names the problem, gives the reason, and makes one request in two sentences.
One workable timing plan
Sixty minutes is not much, so decide your split in advance. One workable plan is about 20 minutes for Aufgabe 1, 25 for Aufgabe 2, 10 for Aufgabe 3, and the last 5 for checking verb positions, capital letters on nouns, and endings. Practice with a clock, then adjust the split to suit your own pace.
Practice set
Five quick checks. Answers are below.
- Put the words in order, starting with weil: weil / ich / morgen / arbeiten / muss
- Write the opening line of a formal email to Frau Weber.
- Make this request polite for a formal email: "Gib mir bitte die Unterlagen."
- Start a forum opinion that uses a dass-clause about working from home.
- Your Aufgabe 2 text has 62 words and the target is about 80. What do you add?
Show the answers
- weil ich morgen arbeiten muss. The conjugated verb (muss) goes to the end of the clause.
- Sehr geehrte Frau Weber,
- Könnten Sie mir bitte die Unterlagen geben? (schicken also works.)
- For example: Ich bin der Meinung, dass Homeoffice viele Vorteile hat. Any correct dass-clause is fine.
- A concrete reason or short example from daily life, not filler or repeated sentences.