All grammar, traps and tips for Sprachbausteine Teil 2 (telc B1)

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What is Sprachbausteine Teil 2? Format, task and points

The Sprachbausteine section is part of the written portion of the telc B1 exam. It does not test reading comprehension but specifically tests grammar and vocabulary. Sprachbausteine consists of two parts: Teil 1 and Teil 2. This article is about Teil 2.

In Sprachbausteine Teil 2 you read a short text, usually a letter or an email. Ten words are missing from the text. The gaps are numbered, in the actual exam from 31 to 40. Below the text there is a list of fifteen words, labelled with the letters a to o. Your task is to choose the correct word from this list for each gap.

Important: of the fifteen words, only ten fit. The other five words are extra and do not fit into any gap. These five words are called the Distraktoren or the traps. Each word may only be used once. You do not write anything yourself — you only choose.

Good to know

Sprachbausteine almost always tests small but important words: Konjunktionen, Präpositionen, Pronomen, verb forms and question words. Exactly these word groups determine the grammar in the sentence. Anyone who has a firm command of these word groups solves Teil 2 quickly and without stress.

Feature	Sprachbausteine Teil 2
Text type	Short letter or short email with ten gaps
Gaps	10 (in the exam numbers 31 to 40)
Choice	15 words (a to o), of which 10 are correct and 5 are traps
Rule	Each word may only be used once
What is tested	Grammar and vocabulary (no own sentences)
Points	15 points for Teil 2, i.e. 1.5 points per gap

Sprachbausteine gives a total of 30 points: 15 points for Teil 1 and 15 points for Teil 2. Each correct gap in Teil 2 is worth 1.5 points. It is therefore worth being confident here, because these points are easy to achieve with good grammar.

👉 Exercises in preparation for the telc B1 exam

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Step by step: how to solve the task correctly

Many learners immediately read only the individual gap and guess. That is a mistake. Sprachbausteine Teil 2 has a clear logic. With a fixed approach you will find the correct words reliably.

Step 1: Read the whole text once

First read the whole letter without filling in the gaps. This way you understand what it is about, who is writing and to whom. This is important because some gaps depend on the meaning of the whole text.

Step 2: Look at the gap carefully

Look at what comes before and after the gap. Ask yourself three questions: is this a main clause or a subordinate clause? Where is the verb? Which type of word does the gap grammatically require — a Konjunktion, a Präposition, a Pronomen or a verb form?

Step 3: Identify the word category

Decide on the word category first, not on the individual word immediately. If you know that a Konjunktion is missing, you only need to choose between a few Konjunktionen. This quickly reduces the number of possibilities.

Step 4: Eliminate the traps

Cross out words that do not fit grammatically. In the end, five words will remain that do not fit into any gap. This is normal and actually a good sign that you have worked correctly.

Golden rule

Solve the easy gaps first — the ones you are sure about. This removes several words from the list. The difficult gaps then automatically become easier because fewer words remain.

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The typical traps, tricks and mistakes at a glance

The word list is never random. The authors deliberately place similar words next to each other so that you make mistakes. Those who know the typical traps can avoid them. Here are the most common stumbling blocks from real tasks.

Trap	What it is about	Example
Similar words	Two words look almost the same but have a different function	wenn (condition) versus wann (question word)
Verb position	Main clause or subordinate clause? The correct Konjunktion depends on this	weil with verb at the end versus denn with normal word order
Case trap	Dativ or Akkusativ for the Pronomen	mir (Dativ) versus mich (Akkusativ)
Konjunktiv bait	Polite form with Konjunktiv II instead of simple present	hätte, würde, möchte
Number trap	Singular or plural for the verb	würde (one person) versus würden (several)
Präposition pair	Two Präpositionen with different meanings	seit (ongoing) versus vor (completed)
Wrong da-word	Pronominaladverb does not match the verb	darüber informieren versus dafür
Register trap	Du-form versus Sie-form in the letter	eure versus Ihre
Genus trap	Wrong article or wrong Genus for the noun	das Angebot versus die Anfrage
Word repetition bait	A word from the text appears in the list but does not fit the gap	A word looks familiar and tempts you to the wrong place

The biggest mistake is to look only at the meaning. In Sprachbausteine it is almost always grammar that decides. Therefore, for every gap ask not only what fits, but also why it fits grammatically.

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Grammar checklist 1: Konjunktionen, word order and easily confused words

Most gaps in Teil 2 are connecting words. Anyone who understands word order immediately recognises which Konjunktion fits. There are three groups, and each group places the verb differently.

Nebensatz-Konjunktionen — verb at the end

After these words the verb goes right to the end of the sentence. This is the most important identifying feature.

Word	Function	Example
weil	gives a reason	Ich schreibe Ihnen, weil ich Lust hätte.
dass	states a content or a fact	Mein Lehrer hat gesagt, dass Sie Kurse anbieten.
ob	open yes-no question	Ich weiß nicht, ob der Kurs frei ist.
wenn	condition or repeated time	Wenn es der Terminkalender erlaubt, fahren wir.
damit	states a goal	Ich übe viel, damit ich die Prüfung bestehe.
obwohl	contrast	Obwohl es regnet, gehen wir wandern.

Hauptsatz-Konjunktionen — verb stays in position 2

These words connect two main clauses. They stand in position zero and do not change the word order. The verb stays in position two.

und, aber, oder, denn, sondern: Wir fahren zwar Ski, aber der Winter ist nicht unsere Sache.
Remember the pair zwar … aber. It almost always signals a contrast.

Konjunktionaladverbien — position 1 with inversion

These words stand at the beginning of the sentence. After them comes the verb first and then the subject. This is called inversion.

deshalb, deswegen, daher, darum (consequence): Daher würden wir uns freuen.
trotzdem (contrast), dann (time), außerdem (addition).

Easily confused words — the most common pairs

Pair	How to tell them apart
wenn / wann	wenn = condition or repeated time. wann = question word asking about time.
weil / wenn	weil gives a reason. wenn gives a condition.
ob / dass	ob = yes or no is open. dass = the matter is certain.
als / wenn	als = once in the past. wenn = repeated or in the future.
der, die, das	can be an article, a relative pronoun or a demonstrative. In a relative clause the verb goes to the end.

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Grammar checklist 2: Präpositionen, Pronomen and da-Komposita

The second large group in Teil 2 consists of Präpositionen and Pronomen. Here a single letter often decides between right and wrong.

Temporal Präpositionen — do not confuse seit and vor

seit = something starts in the past and is still continuing now: Ich lerne seit drei Jahren Deutsch.
vor = a point in time in the past, completed: Ich war vor drei Jahren in Berlin.
Tip: if a verb is in the present tense and the action is ongoing, seit almost always fits — not vor.

Fixed verb-Präposition combinations — learn as pairs

Many verbs have a fixed Präposition. This combination must be learnt by heart because it follows no logic.

Verb with Präposition	Example
sich interessieren für	Ich interessiere mich sehr für Ihre Kurse.
sich freuen auf / über	Wir freuen uns auf gemeinsame Touren.
warten auf	Ich warte auf Ihre Antwort.
informieren über	Mein Lehrer hat mich darüber informiert.
Antwort auf (noun)	Für Ihre Antwort auf meine Fragen danke ich Ihnen.

Personal Pronomen — Dativ or Akkusativ

Here you need to know which case the verb requires. This is a very common trap.

Person	Dativ	Akkusativ
ich	mir	mich
du	dir	dich
wir	uns	uns
Sie (polite)	Ihnen	Sie

Verbs with Dativ: helfen, danken, gefallen, gehören, Spaß machen, antworten. Example: Das macht uns viel Spaß.
Verbs with Akkusativ: informieren, fragen, brauchen, kennen. Example: Mein Lehrer hat mich informiert.
Reflexive verbs: sich freuen, sich interessieren, sich entscheiden, sich Sorgen machen. Example: Ich mache mir Sorgen. (here Dativ mir)

Pronominaladverbien — the da-words

For things, not for people, you use da plus Präposition. Which da-word is correct depends on the verb.

darüber = über das (informieren über → darüber): Er hat mich darüber informiert, dass …
dafür = für das: Sind die Kosten dafür schon enthalten?
Further: darauf, daran, damit, davon. Always pay attention to the Präposition of the verb.

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Grammar checklist 3: Konjunktiv, Modalverben, verb forms and question words

The last group consists of verb forms and question words. Here the focus is on politeness, on singular and plural and on the correct question word.

Konjunktiv II — the polite form

In letters the Konjunktiv II is often used. It makes wishes and requests polite. These forms are very popular in the list.

hätte (from haben): Ich hätte noch eine Frage.
wäre (from sein): Das wäre sehr nett.
würde (auxiliary verb): Wir würden uns freuen.
könnte (from können): Könnten Sie mir helfen?
möchte (from mögen): Ich möchte den Bodensee kennen lernen.

Modalverben — conjugation and end of sentence

The Modalverben are können, müssen, dürfen, sollen, wollen and möchten. The Modalverb stands in position two, the infinitive stands at the end of the sentence.

Example: Man kann abends mit dem Computer weiterlernen.
Pay attention to the person: ich kann, wir können; ich möchte, wir möchten.

Subject and verb — singular or plural

The verb always agrees with the subject. A very subtle but common trap.

One subject in the singular → verb in the singular: er würde, sie möchte.
One subject in the plural → verb in the plural: die Kollegen sprechen, wir würden.

Question words and quantity words

Word	Function	Example
wie viele	asks about a number (countable)	Wie viele Teilnehmer nehmen teil?
wie viel	asks about a quantity (uncountable)	Wie viel kostet der Kurs?
wie	asks about the manner	Wie läuft der Kurs ab?
ein paar	means a few, a fixed expression	Noch ein paar Worte zu uns selbst.
zu wenig	not enough	Ich habe zu wenig Gelegenheit zu sprechen.
einmal / mal	makes a request friendlier	Rufen Sie uns einfach einmal an.

Study tip

Never learn these small words in isolation — always learn them in the whole sentence. This way you memorise the word order and the case at the same time. That is exactly what Sprachbausteine Teil 2 tests.

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FAQ — Sprachbausteine Teil 2

How many gaps does Sprachbausteine Teil 2 have and how many points are there?

Teil 2 has ten gaps, in the exam numbers 31 to 40. In total Teil 2 gives fifteen points, i.e. 1.5 points per correct gap. Together with Teil 1, Sprachbausteine gives thirty points.

Why do five words from the list never fit?

The list contains fifteen words but there are only ten gaps. The five extra words are traps. They often look similar to the correct words but do not fit grammatically or in terms of meaning. If five words remain at the end, you have probably worked correctly.

Which grammar is tested most often?

Most often you will encounter Konjunktionen with their word order, Präpositionen, personal Pronomen in the Dativ and Akkusativ, Pronominaladverbien such as darüber or dafür, the Konjunktiv II for politeness, as well as Modalverben and question words. Anyone who has a firm command of these areas solves most gaps without any problems.

What is the most common mistake in Sprachbausteine Teil 2?

The most common mistake is to look only at the meaning and not at the grammar. Often several words fit the sense but only one fits the grammar in the sentence. Therefore always look at the position of the verb and at the case.

How do I recognise whether a Konjunktion belongs in a main clause or a subordinate clause?

Look at the position of the verb. If the verb is at the end of the sentence, a Nebensatz-Konjunktion belongs there — such as weil, dass, wenn or damit. If the verb stays in position two, a Hauptsatz-Konjunktion such as aber or denn belongs there, or an adverb such as deshalb with inversion.

Sprachbausteine Teil 2 (telc B1):All grammar, traps and tips