Goethe B2 Leading a Discussion

All Information about the Discussion in the Goethe B2 Speaking Exam

What happens in this part?

After the short presentation, a five-minute conversation follows, in which you and your partner discuss a statement. You receive a short impulse – often a sentence or quote – and each person expresses and explains their opinion.

Quick overview of the process

• No extra preparation time: the discussion starts immediately.
• Each person should speak for about half of the time.
• Goal: express opinions, give reasons, respond to the other and ask questions.

What skills are assessed?

• Clear position with examples and short explanations.
• Flexible communication: listening, reacting, agreeing or disagreeing.
• Logical thought structure that examiners can follow.
• Linguistic accuracy: grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary.

Popular discussion topics

• Digital media and privacy
• Sustainable consumption vs. economic growth
• Public transport or private car?
• A mandatory gap year after school
• Artificial intelligence in daily life

Useful phrases for fluent exchange

• Opinion: I believe that …
• Agreement: I can totally relate to that.
• Disagreement: I see that differently because …
• Asking: How would you apply that in real life?
• Giving an example: A concrete example would be …

Expert tip from Olena

Olena – founder of this learning platform and developer of all exercises in collaboration with teachers and examiners from various countries – recommends:

Don’t try to plan the entire conversation. Instead, prepare three core ideas. Listen actively and refer to your partner’s point before giving your next argument. This makes the exchange feel real rather than two separate monologues.

Experiences and feedback

• Examiner Sabine L., Hamburg: Authentic follow-up questions show strong communication skills.
• Former candidate Nikos: Weekly online chats helped me become more spontaneous.
• Coach Fatima R.: Saying something like “Let me think for a moment” gives you time without breaking the flow.

Three-step plan for your preparation

• Each week, choose two impulse sentences and discuss them for five minutes with a learning partner.
• After each session, reflect: which transitions worked well, where were questions missing?
• Before the exam, think through three typical topics in bullet points to have spontaneous ideas ready.

With this approach, you'll be able to lead a confident discussion and meet the current evaluation criteria – an essential step toward passing your B2-level German exam.