For telc B2 writing, a memorized text is not enough if you really want to show B2.

Before you practice writing, you should first look at the scoring criteria and not just at word count or Redemittel (set phrases). For telc B2 writing, a memorized text helps you very little if, on exam day, you cannot write a suitable, coherent, and grammatically correct email with it.

I am a telc examiner and, as academic director, I run a language institute in the Philippines. Fluedy is not a partner of telc gGmbH.

You first need to understand how your text is scored

In the Schriftlicher Ausdruck (written expression) module, you have 30 minutes. There are two tasks, and you choose one of them. Task A is a request for information, Task B is a complaint.

In both cases, you write a semi-formal text as an email. The text must be at least 150 words long. Each task has four Leitpunkte (content points).

For the score, it is not enough to simply mention all four points briefly. You are assessed on whether you develop at least three Leitpunkte or two Leitpunkte and one additional aspect that fits the topic in detail. According to telc, handling a Leitpunkt appropriately means more than just one Satzgefüge (complex sentence).

So before you practice, take a close look at the scoring criteria in the official practice test for telc Deutsch B2. You can also find an English Fluedy article about Goethe-Zertifikat B2 Schreiben and its scoring criteria here. If individual phrases in the criteria are unclear, you can also look at the official telc English B2 model test. There, the criteria are described in English.

It is not enough to just know how long the text should be or which Redemittel (set phrases) you can use. When you practice, ask yourself:

• Have I fully completed the task?
• Have I developed the content points enough?
• Is my text logical and well connected?
• Am I using appropriate vocabulary?
• Is my grammar solid enough for B2?

This is how you check whether you have understood the criteria correctly.

You should prepare both task types and decide only after that

Many learners focus mainly on one task type during preparation, for example the complaint. That is risky. On exam day, you may find that you do not like the topic of your preferred task or that you do not have the vocabulary you need for it.

So prepare both task types thoroughly. You should go into the exam knowing:

Ich kann beide Aufgabentypen schreiben und entscheide mich für die Aufgabe, bei der ich mein bestes Deutsch zeigen kann.

(I can write both task types and choose the one where I can show my best German.)

You make your choice based on the topic and on what you can do linguistically with it. Ask yourself:

• Which topic do I know more vocabulary for?
• Which topic gives me better examples?
• Which task can I develop more fully?
• In which task can I show my language skills better?

Then decide and start. Avoid practicing almost only one task type and suddenly having to switch to the other one in the exam.

B2 shows in connected sentences and suitable structures

At B2, you should connect your thoughts in a meaningful way. It is not enough to simply put many sentences one after another. You also need to know how Konnektoren (connectors) affect sentence structure and Verbposition (verb position).

Konnektoren change sentence structure

Make sure you can form Hauptsätze and Nebensätze (main and subordinate clauses) reliably. Do not just memorize Konnektoren. Practice them so that you can use them correctly.

Hauptsatz + Hauptsatz:

Das Hotel war sehr teuer. Trotzdem war das Zimmer nicht sauber.

(The hotel was very expensive. Still, the room was not clean.)

Hauptsatz + Nebensatz:

Ich war enttäuscht, weil das Zimmer nicht sauber war.

(I was disappointed because the room was not clean.)

Nebensatz + Hauptsatz:

Obwohl das Frühstück im Preis enthalten sein sollte, mussten wir zusätzlich dafür bezahlen.

(Although breakfast was supposed to be included in the price, we had to pay extra for it.)

Practice especially:

weil – obwohl – da – wenn – dass – während – sodass

(because – although – since – if – that – while – so that)

And:

deshalb – daher – trotzdem – außerdem – dennoch

(therefore – thus – nevertheless – also – nonetheless)

Make sure you can form Hauptsätze and Nebensätze (main and subordinate clauses) reliably.

In a request for information, you need more than direct questions

In a Bitte um Informationen, you should not just put question after question at B2.

Instead of:

Wie viel kostet der Kurs?

(How much does the course cost?)

you can write:

Außerdem würde ich gerne wissen, wie viel der Kurs kostet.

(I would also like to know how much the course costs.)

When you write an indirect question, make sure the conjugated verb comes at the end:

wie viel der Kurs kostet

(how much the course costs)

Konjunktiv II (subjunctive II) also helps you phrase questions and requests more politely and appropriately:

• Könnten Sie mir bitte mitteilen, …?
• Würden Sie mir bitte erklären, …?
• Ich würde gerne wissen, …
• Wäre es möglich, …?
• Ich wäre Ihnen dankbar, wenn …

You should use these structures flexibly and grammatically correctly.

Variety does not mean as complicated as possible

B2 does not mean that every sentence has to be as long and complicated as possible. A mix of different sentence structures is often stronger:

Ich war sehr enttäuscht. Obwohl ich mich sofort an die Rezeption wandte, konnte das Problem nicht gelöst werden. Darüber hinaus wurde mir mitgeteilt, dass kein anderes Zimmer verfügbar sei.

(I was very disappointed. Although I went to the front desk right away, the problem could not be solved. In addition, I was told that no other room was available.)

Show different structures, but do not overdo it.

Korrektheit + Vielfalt + angemessene Komplexität

(Accuracy + variety + appropriate complexity)

A somewhat simpler but correct sentence is better than a very complicated construction full of mistakes. So do not use difficult structures just because they sound advanced.

In a complaint, you need to develop the problem and its consequences

In a complaint, you should not just list what was bad or what did not match the description.

For example:

Das Zimmer war schmutzig. Das Frühstück war nicht inklusive. Das Personal war unfreundlich.

(The room was dirty. Breakfast was not included. The staff was unfriendly.)

Instead, develop your complaint points further. For example:

In Ihrer Anzeige wurde angegeben, dass das Frühstück im Preis inbegriffen sei. Vor Ort mussten wir jedoch jeden Morgen zusätzlich dafür bezahlen. Da wir nur über ein begrenztes Reisebudget verfügten, mussten wir deshalb auf zwei geplante Ausflüge verzichten, auf die wir uns sehr gefreut hatten.

(Your ad stated that breakfast was included in the price. However, on site we had to pay extra every morning. Since we only had a limited travel budget, we therefore had to give up two planned excursions that we had been very excited about.)

Here you also explain the effects:

Was wurde versprochen? → Was ist tatsächlich passiert? → Welche Folgen hatte das für dich? → Was erwartest du jetzt?

(What was promised? → What actually happened? → What were the consequences for you? → What do you expect now?)

That makes your complaint more concrete and personal. The text then feels less standardized, and you get the chance to use more B2 vocabulary, connectors, and more complex sentence structures.

Redemittel only help if the grammar supports them

Redemittel (set phrases) are helpful. They make it easier for you to get started and help you structure the text. But a correctly memorized Redemittel does not make the whole text a B2 text.

For example:

Mit großem Interesse habe ich Ihre Anzeige gelesen und möchte mich gerne näher über Ihr Angebot informieren.

(I have read your advertisement with great interest and would like to learn more about your offer.)

If it is followed by, for example:

❌ Ich möchte wissen wann beginnt Kurs und wie viel kostet.

(I want to know when the course starts and how much it costs.)

then you can see grammatical uncertainty in the rest of the text. Better:

Zunächst würde ich gerne wissen, wann der Kurs beginnt und wie hoch die Teilnahmegebühr ist.

(First, I would like to know when the course starts and how high the participation fee is.)

So the rule is:

Redemittel lernen + Grammatik üben + Redemittel korrekt und flexibel anwenden.

(Learn Redemittel + practice grammar + use Redemittel correctly and flexibly.)

So do not just memorize complete texts. You have to adapt your Redemittel to the specific topic and continue the following sentences correctly in terms of grammar.

Short planning and time-pressure practice are part of the preparation

Many learners can write a good text at home but have problems with time management in the exam. So practice regularly with a timer. For some practice texts, you can even give yourself a few minutes less than in the exam.

That way, you get used to planning and writing under time pressure. Also practice deciding between the two tasks. That decision also takes time at the beginning.

Do not start with the first sentence right away. Take a short time for a small plan:

Schreibanlass → Inhaltspunkte → Beispiele/Details → Wortschatz → passende Konnektoren

(Writing prompt → content points → examples/details → vocabulary → suitable connectors)

Make a concrete idea for at least one idea under each content point. telc recommends not taking detailed notes and not writing out the whole text first and then copying it. Keep your outline and ideas in keywords.

A short plan often even saves you time while writing, because you already know what you want to say and how you want to structure the text. This also helps you avoid realizing at the end that an important point is missing or was only covered very superficially.

Also try not to keep writing until the last second. Leave a few minutes at the end to check your text systematically. Do not just read through the text again; instead, look specifically for the mistakes you often made in your practice texts.

Check especially sentences with:

weil – obwohl – dass – wenn – indirekten Fragen

(because – although – that – if – indirect questions)

This is where verb position errors happen quickly. So also use your corrected practice texts during preparation and find out which mistakes you keep making. From that, you can create a personal checklist for the exam.