The B1 Goethe Writing Exam Structure — Tips to Maximize Your Writing Score

The writing section (Schreiben) of the B1 Goethe exam has 3 Teile — and each one has its own requirements. You need to fully cover everything the prompt asks for to score well; there's no single formula that works for all three parts.

In this post, I've put together real exam experience and how to allocate your time, length, and tone for each Teil. If you want to stay close to the overall format before exam day, check out our post on the B1 Goethe exam — all 4 skills.

First up is Teil 1. The prompt usually asks you to write a letter to a close friend or neighbor. Topics revolve around everyday life — a picnic, organizing a birthday party, inviting someone out...

In this part, the prompt gives specific points to cover (Aufgabenpunkte). Your letter needs to fully address every point the prompt asks for — missing even one point costs you points easily.

Note: for this kind of letter to someone close, use the informal du and everyday tone. Avoid overly formal phrases or vocabulary that aren't necessary.

For letter-writing tasks — both Teil 1 and Teil 3 — you can memorize standard opening lines, closing lines, thank-you phrases... so you don't waste time on these repeated parts during the exam.

Spend about 18 to 20 minutes on Teil 1. Don't spend too long here or you'll run short on time for Teil 2 and Teil 3.

For Teil 1, around 80 words is enough. Concise, on-point, covering every point in the prompt — that matters more than writing long but rambling.

Teil 2 makes up the largest share of your total writing score. I'd recommend allocating at least 25 minutes to this Teil.

You'll discuss a topic and give your personal opinion. Start by stating the topic in your opening. There are sentence templates you can memorize so you don't spend too much time thinking about your opening and closing.

Sign up for the B1 Writing course at LalaDeutschWeg to get a free set of sentence templates you should use in the B1 writing exam.

After that, clearly state your opinion or personal view on the topic. In the body, lay out your arguments one by one to support your view. Remember to use connectors (Konjunktoren) to make your writing tighter and more coherent — for example außerdem, jedoch, deshalb, einerseits... andererseits.

You should include at least one sentence discussing the opinion of the person mentioned in the prompt. In your conclusion, restate your view once more to reaffirm your position.

For Teil 2, I usually come up with ideas quickly and develop them just as fast in writing. Personal tip: I actively read articles and follow the news to build knowledge across different topics. The richer your vocabulary, the easier Teil 2 becomes.

Teil 2 also needs about 80 words, with strong, clear arguments — it doesn't need to be long, just complete and convincing.

Sign up for the B1 Writing course to get a free topic-based vocabulary set, connectors, and detailed explanations.

Teil 3 is another letter — but this time it's a formal letter to your boss or someone you're not close with.

Note: for Teil 3, don't use the informal du like with friends — use the formal Sie. Teil 3 calls for a short, concise letter that gets straight to the point.

For this part, around 40 words is enough. Teil 3 is an "easy points" section if you're careful — don't lose points needlessly from the wrong form of address or a missing opening/closing.

Full opening and closing, all the required points covered — and you've already secured most of the Teil 3 score.

On grammar: small mistakes with gender (der-die-das) or case (Kasus) — as long as they're not serious and don't change the overall meaning — examiners are usually lenient and won't penalize heavily for those minor slips.

What matters more: sticking to each Teil's requirements, hitting the right length, using the right tone, and keeping a clear structure.

LalaDeutschWeg runs B1 writing courses to help you prepare better and feel more confident before your upcoming exam — get a new prompt every week, graded and corrected by teachers with detailed feedback against the Goethe rubric.

Check out the B1 Writing course to choose the right plan and get bundled materials when you sign up.

Good luck with your studying and your exam.