Language course
Englisch
Telc B2 German at a glance: exam structure, task formats and practical tips for targeted preparation and greater success in the exam.
Telc B2 is a standardised language exam developed by Telc GmbH. It is aimed at adult candidates who wish to study or work in a German-speaking environment and want to demonstrate their qualifications.
Level B2 on the CEFR scale means that the language is no longer limited to everyday topics. The candidate must be able to handle abstract concepts and specialist vocabulary with confidence:
The Telc B2 exam therefore tests not only grammar knowledge, but also the ability to communicate effectively in real situations.
The structure of the Telc B2 exam consists of a written and an oral part. Both parts are assessed separately, but the result is determined on the basis of the total score. The format is clearly regulated, so you can prepare for each type of task in advance.
The written exam lasts a total of approximately 140 minutes and covers reading comprehension, language elements, listening comprehension and written expression.
Each task tests specific language competences required for level B2: text comprehension, vocabulary and grammar, listening comprehension and written expression.
It is important to manage time correctly. Even candidates with good language skills can lose points if they work through individual tasks too slowly or are rushed at the end of the test. Therefore, the strategy for taking the exam is no less important than language skills themselves.
The module involves working with newspaper and magazine articles, informational texts, advertisements and notices. The task aims to test the following:
Particular attention should be paid to keywords, synonyms and paraphrases, as the correct answers are often not taken verbatim from the text. To successfully pass the B2 Telc exam, regular practice is essential. The free exercises offered by the Deutsch Vorbereitung service are very helpful for this.
This module tests grammar and vocabulary in context, not theoretical knowledge of rules. The candidate must:
The focus is on verb tenses, passive voice, modal constructions, prepositions, fixed vocabulary and logical connections between parts of a text.
The listening comprehension includes dialogues, interviews, radio spots and short monologues modelled on real everyday and professional situations. The listening comprehension consists of three parts. In the official telc B2 exam, the audio texts are played only once. Global understanding, detail understanding and selective understanding are tested.
During the listening comprehension, you should not stop at an incomprehensible section and try to memorise specific words or sentences. If the candidate was distracted or did not understand part of the recording, they should continue listening attentively, as the general meaning often becomes clear from the subsequent context. Trying to recapture the previous moment usually results in losing further information.
The written part of the Telc B2 exam consists of a semi-formal email in the telc Deutsch B2 exam. 30 minutes are available for this task. The text should contain at least 150 words and adequately address the given guiding points.
Not only linguistic correctness is assessed, but also the logical structure of the text, clear argumentation and the appropriateness of the style for the given task.
The oral exam is usually conducted as a pair exam. There is a brief introductory phase before it begins, which is not assessed. The assessed part consists of three tasks: Talking about experiences, Discussion and Planning something together. The preparation time is 20 minutes.
Not only linguistic correctness is assessed, but also interactivity: the ability to listen to the partner, respond to their utterances, maintain the conversation, find compromises, etc.
In the first assessed part of the oral exam, participants talk about their own experiences. Several topics are available to choose from. Each person speaks for up to 1.5 minutes about a chosen topic. The other person then asks appropriate follow-up questions.
In this phase it is important:
In this section, candidates exchange opinions, ask each other questions, agree or disagree. The ability to do the following is assessed:
Successful participation in the discussion depends not only on the correctness of the language, but also on the ability to listen to the partner, build responses logically and maintain a polite and constructive tone during the exchange of opinions.
In the final phase, the partners must reach a joint decision, for example about organising an event, planning a trip or choosing the optimal course of action. Particularly important here are the skills of collaboration, compromise and clear formulation of proposals.
| Part of the exam | Duration (minutes) | Type of task | Points (max.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | together with Language elements: 90 minutes | Working with texts, searching for details | 75 |
| Language elements | Part of the 90-minute written exam | Grammar and vocabulary in context | 30 |
| Listening | 20 | Listening to dialogues and announcements | 45 |
| Writing | 30 | Writing an argumentative text | 45 |
| Oral part | approx. 15 min. (2 participants) / approx. 25 min. (3 participants) | Presentation and dialogue with a partner | 75 |
The duration of the Telc B2 exam may vary slightly depending on the examination centre.
The task format is designed to test various aspects of language competence. The telc Deutsch B2 exam consists of a written and an oral part. Within these two parts of the exam there are several sub-sections with different task formats.
First, you should skim the text quickly to identify the topic and keywords. Standard reading exercises for Telc B2:
After completing the task, you should check the logic of the text to avoid accidental errors.
This module checks the correct use of structures. The focus is not on isolated rules, but on the functional application of forms. These include:
Thorough preparation for the Telc B2 exam with regular practice helps to automate the selection of the correct options.
The natural speaking speed is maintained. Therefore, in Telc B2 listening comprehension it is important to focus on meaning rather than on every individual word.
Effective techniques:
This way you can avoid loss of information. If part of the audio was missed, do not panic. Continue listening: as a rule, the content becomes clear from the further context.
Writing in Telc B2 involves composing a formal or semi-formal text of approximately 150 to 200 words. The module tests not only grammar and vocabulary knowledge, but also the ability to express thoughts logically and in a structured manner in writing.
When preparing for the written task, it is essential to:
Typical variants of written tasks:
Requirements for the finished text:
Do not start writing immediately: first create a plan and think through the structure. This will help you stay logical, save time and make the text more convincing.
The oral part of the Telc B2 exam assesses the candidate's ability to express their thoughts clearly, logically and coherently, maintain a conversation and interact with their interlocutor in dialogues and discussions. Components of the oral exam:
A clear organisation of the utterance significantly increases the assessment. The candidate is recommended to:
Even if the candidate does not know the exact words, it is important to respond to the partner and maintain the dialogue, as this is also taken into account in the assessment.
The maximum total score is 300 points. Of these, 225 points are allocated to the written exam and 75 points to the oral exam. To pass the exam, 60% of the maximum score must be achieved in each part of the exam, i.e. 135 points in the written and 45 points in the oral part.
The assessment of the Telc B2 exam is based on the total score achieved in the written and oral parts. The first part (reading, language knowledge, listening comprehension, writing) can earn up to 225 points, the second part (presentation, discussion, joint task) up to 75 points.
The assessment follows a scale that takes into account:
Success depends not only on grammar and vocabulary knowledge, but also on the ability to communicate logically and clearly and to adhere to the task format.
To pass the exam, at least 60% of the total possible points must be achieved in each part: approximately 135 in the written and 45 in the oral part.
If participants did not pass or did not take one of the two parts of the exam — the written or the oral exam — they can retake the relevant part within the current calendar year or in the following calendar year. The overall exam can in principle be retaken any number of times.
| Module | Maximum score | Minimum requirements for passing |
|---|---|---|
| Written part | 225 | 135 |
| Oral part | 75 | 45 |
| Overall result | 300 | 180 |
Preparation for the Telc B2 exam should cover all key skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The optimal preparation time for most candidates is 8 to 12 weeks, so that all parts of the exam can be worked through systematically and time management strategies can be developed.
Before you begin training, you should familiarise yourself with the official Telc B2 materials. Sample tests help you understand the type of tasks, the expected structure of answers and the assessment criteria. It is recommended to complete the practical B2 Telc exercises for each module separately in order to identify strengths and weaknesses, analyse errors and flag topics that require additional training.
One of the key success factors for the exam is the ability to manage time effectively. It is therefore advisable to set a timer for each module during the training phase in order to practise speed and concentration.
It is not recommended to spend too long on difficult tasks. It is better to continue the test and return to the problematic sections at the end. This approach reduces stress and the feeling of rushing during the actual exam.
To be as well prepared as possible, it is advisable to regularly complete the full Telc B2 test without interruptions. This allows you to assess your stamina and concentration during the 2 hours and 20 minutes of the written part. You can simulate the conditions of the oral module by practising a presentation and a discussion with a partner.
Even well-prepared candidates can lose points due to typical mistakes. You should therefore bear these in mind during training.
The absence of clear logic in the written part worsens the result. Recommendation: before writing the text, create a brief plan with introduction, argumentation and summary.
Excessive focus on difficult passages leads to a lack of time. Candidates spend too much time on one section and ultimately do not manage to work through the entire text. As a result, some tasks remain unanswered.
To avoid this, you should control time carefully:
This way you can distribute your time evenly and increase your chances of a successful result.
A short answer is not sufficient to demonstrate your language skills. Therefore prepare a brief plan with introduction, arguments and conclusion. This also applies to a two-minute presentation.
The incorrect use of subordinate clauses or conjunctions affects the overall assessment. Recommendation: practise typical B2 patterns in context and do exercises on tense and word order.
Successful preparation for Telc B2 includes working through all modules, time management, simulations under real conditions and the analysis of typical mistakes. Systematic practice over a period of 8 to 12 weeks significantly increases the chances of successfully passing the exam.
For effective preparation for the Telc B2 exam, it is important to use high-quality and proven materials. These include:
The Deutsch Vorbereitung service provides training materials free of charge, making preparation accessible to all candidates. In combination with official tests and textbooks, this allows you to prepare optimally for the exam.
It is also helpful to familiarise yourself with information about the course of the exam in order to select the optimal exam format.
Do you have questions?
Ask our assistant!
