The telc B1 exam: structure, tasks and how to prepare

The telc B1 certificate is the proof most often demanded in Germany: for naturalisation, for many apprenticeships, for extending a residence permit. The exam is very manageable — provided you know how it is built. That second part is what people underestimate.

How it is structured

The exam has a written and an oral part. The written part runs about 150 minutes:

1. Reading — adverts, short articles, instructions. You hunt for specific information rather than understanding every word.
2. Language elements — grammar and vocabulary in context. The part where systematic practice pays off fastest.
3. Listening — announcements, conversations, a short radio piece. Each recording plays only once or twice.
4. Writing — usually a semi-formal e-mail or letter.

The speaking test lasts about 15 minutes and is taken in pairs: you introduce yourself, talk about a topic, and plan something together — an outing, a party, a move. You get 20 minutes of preparation beforehand.

Where marks are usually lost

• Time. Not missing knowledge, but spending too long on one task. If you have never practised under real exam conditions, you discover this on the day.
• The letter. Greeting, opening, the actual request, closing — a fixed structure you learn once and reuse. Marks are rarely lost to grammar; they are lost because part of the task went unanswered.
• The paired speaking test. You are also assessed on whether you respond to your partner. Reciting a prepared speech loses marks precisely there.
• Translating in your head. If you think in your first language and translate, you are too slow for the listening section.

How to prepare sensibly

Two things matter more than everything else: complete mock exams against the clock and speaking aloud with a partner. Both feel uncomfortable, which is exactly why they work. Drilling grammar in isolation helps least at this stage.

Our telc exam preparation runs for two weeks and is almost entirely exam simulation: real task formats, real time limits, followed by correction. If you are not yet sure your level is enough for B1, settle that first with a free placement test.

Note: the exam itself is sat at a licensed telc examination centre. We prepare you for it and tell you where to register.