Goethe B1

Goethe B1 Writing Practice

Practice Goethe B1 writing tasks with structured templates for informal emails, forum opinion posts, and formal correspondence.

Written and reviewed by DeutschMeister TeamGoethe exam preparation team

Last reviewed: August 2026

Overview of the 3 Goethe B1 Writing Tasks (Schreiben)

The Schreiben module takes 60 minutes and requires completing three distinct tasks: an informal email (Part 1, ~80 words), a forum post expressing an opinion (Part 2, ~80 words), and a short formal email (Part 3, ~40 words).

Part 1: Writing a Personal Message (~80 Words)

In Part 1, you write a personal letter or email to a friend addressing three given points (e.g., describing an event, explaining why something happened, and suggesting an upcoming meeting). Use friendly salutations like 'Liebe Julia,' and informal connectors.

Part 2: Expressing an Opinion in an Online Forum (~80 Words)

Part 2 tests your ability to express and justify an opinion on a controversial social topic (e.g., online shopping vs. local stores, public transport fares). Use opinion expressions like 'Meiner Meinung nach...', 'Ich bin davon überzeugt, dass...', and provide concrete reasoning.

Part 3: Drafting a Short Formal Email (~40 Words)

Part 3 requires writing a concise formal message to a teacher, supervisor, or landlord (e.g., excusing your absence from a course or requesting an appointment). Use formal salutations ('Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,') and polite subjunctive structures ('Ich möchte Sie bitten...').

B1 Connectors for Cohesive Writing

Elevate your writing score by using B1 conjunctions: causal connectors (weil, da, deshalb), concessive connectors (obwohl, trotzdem), and coordinating structures (nicht nur... sondern auch, zwar... aber). Ensure correct verb positioning for subordinate clauses.

Common Pitfalls in the B1 Writing Exam

Common errors include failing to address all three bullet points in Part 1, confusing formal and informal registers in Part 3 (mixing 'du' and 'Sie'), and submitting answers well below or excessively above the word count targets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are the three writing tasks weighted in the final score?

Part 1 is worth 40 points, Part 2 is worth 40 points, and Part 3 is worth 20 points, totaling 100 raw points. All tasks are evaluated on task fulfillment, coherence/text structure, vocabulary variety, and grammatical accuracy.

What happens if I write fewer words than requested?

Writing slightly fewer words will not fail you if all bullet points are addressed thoroughly. However, falling significantly below the word count (e.g., 50 words instead of 80) usually means content points lack development, leading to score deductions.

Can I use bullet points instead of full paragraphs in B1 writing?

No, you must write continuous prose using well-structured paragraphs and cohesive transitions. Writing simple bullet lists will result in substantial penalties in the coherence and text structure assessment criteria.

Written and reviewed by DeutschMeister TeamGoethe exam preparation team

Last reviewed: August 2026

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