The written section of higher-level exams often becomes an insurmountable obstacle for many learners — and there are several reasons for this.
Modern foreign language teaching is largely focused on practical skills. Many courses prioritize speaking and listening. Dialogues in typical situations are frequently practiced. Grammar, of course, is also taught and practiced — but mainly through exercises such as inserting words, matching, or modifying them, without active practical application in communication.
Modern foreign language teaching is largely focused on practical skills.
Why is writing so challenging?
Even in the writing sections of A1 and A2 level exams, the approach is often “write something — and that’s enough.” Only at B1 level do the tasks become slightly more realistic: you need to write a short formal letter, express an opinion on a situation, or share your impressions with a friend.
In the Goethe-Zertifikat B2 exam, the bar is significantly raised. A formal letter must now include arguments, explanations, responses to all prompts, and polite phrasing — it is no longer a simple note. Moreover, in the first part of the written section, a relatively extensive text on a given topic must be produced.
Clearly formulated bullet points to address in the text help structure the written response.
These bullet points do provide support — they help you structure your text. With guidance from an experienced teacher, learners can minimize errors, avoid constructions they struggle with, and use strong structures that demonstrate advanced language proficiency. Such preparation is part of our Goethe-Zertifikat B2 preparation course. Reaching B2 level may require time and effort, but it is entirely achievable — even for those who have only written chat messages before.
As for the TestDaF exam, the situation is different. In the paper-based version, the writing task consists of a single essay with no word limit — only time: 60 minutes. The task has a loose structure, and the order of points can be changed. In TestDaF digital, no bullet points are provided at all. The main goal is to demonstrate the ability to argue, justify, weigh perspectives, and analyze.
Memorized phrases won’t earn high scores. First understand what to say — then how to say it.
When assessing the text, the examiner focuses primarily on the overall impression. This is where the main difficulty arises: memorized expressions won’t earn high scores. Working with C1-level topics takes time. You must first understand what you want to say — then consider how to say it.
What can be done to improve your starting position?
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Read more in German. This doesn’t mean Grimm's fairy tales or advertising slogans. Subscribing to German press is ideal. You’ll see how exam-relevant topics are presented — environmental protection, social debates, etc. Our free Telegram channel Ampel offers curated article selections — a great start for vocabulary expansion and thematic insight.
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Work intensively with reading and listening texts from B1, B2, and C1 level textbooks. The topics will often be familiar. These texts provide not only key arguments but also examples of clear, "German-style" expression. Don’t just focus on multiple-choice tests — work with transcripts too.
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Professional preparation. Even with a good vocabulary, you might struggle to meet exam expectations. Time is often too short for structured texts or precise phrasing. Many do not understand the difference between argumentation and justification or how to properly weigh arguments. Synthesizing from multiple sources is also a complex skill. That’s why expert advice — like in our Goethe B2 or TestDaF prep courses — is essential.
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Practice. No one writes perfectly the first time. Writing is a skill that must be trained. The more you practice, the better your results. It’s crucial to practice with tasks that closely resemble actual exams. Your teacher must be familiar with the specific assessment criteria. Otherwise, they’ll just correct a comma — not point out a missing argument.
In the Exams section on our website, you can submit writing tasks based on exam-style topics, in a format that closely mirrors the real exam experience. Your work will be assessed according to official exam criteria. You’ll receive not just a score, but detailed feedback — helping you clearly see what to improve and how to get better, faster, smarter.
It’s crucial to practice with tasks that closely resemble actual exams.
