DTZ Assessment: How Your Result is Determined

For each exam section, there are exactly three possible levels: below A2, A2, or B1. This is intentionally kept simple to make it clear what the result means.

B1 means: You meet the requirements for this section. A2 means: You can communicate, but not yet at B1 level. Below A2 means: In this section, you still need to practice more before the DTZ is useful.

Listening and Reading are evaluated as objective tasks — right or wrong, with no room for discretion. On the certificate, they appear as a combined result, not as two separate scores.

This means: If you are strong in one of the two parts, it can compensate for a weakness in the other to some extent. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to become proficient in both areas.

Writing and Speaking are subjective performances — there is no "right answer" that can be matched against a template. Therefore, trained assessors evaluate them according to clear criteria.

For Writing, they primarily look at: Have all four main points been addressed? Is the letter communicatively appropriate (salutation, closing, clear thread)? How confident is the linguistic form (grammar, spelling)?

For Speaking, they pay attention to similar things: How fluently and understandably do you speak? How well can you react to your interlocutor? How confidently do you use vocabulary and grammar?

On the DTZ certificate, you will see three results: one for Listening/Reading combined, one for Writing, and one for Speaking. Each result is below A2, A2, or B1.

Passing "at B1" generally means that all three sections are B1. If one section is only A2, you have a partial result at A2 — for many purposes, this is not sufficient as B1 proof. What exactly your authority or employer accepts depends on the individual case.

Some providers show you a "prediction: 87% B1 probability" after just three clicks. That's dishonest. A serious assessment requires at least a few real answers per skill — otherwise, we're just guessing, and that doesn't help you.

That's why we give you an honest message at the beginning if we don't have enough data yet. As soon as you have completed enough tasks, you will see an assessment per skill — but always only based on what you have actually shown.

A result that tells you nothing about the next steps is of little value. That's why we always link the evaluation to a concrete recommendation: What should you practice first this week? Which skill will bring you the fastest progress?

For example, if you are already close to B1 in Listening, but still at A2 in Writing, the answer is clear: Invest more time in Writing in the coming weeks. Classic "sprinkler" practice of all skills wastes time — targeted work on weaknesses gets you to your goal faster.

Assessment is not an end in itself for us. It is a tool that helps you invest your practice time well.

You can recognize a serious assessment by the fact that it honestly shows you where you stand — even if the result is uncomfortable. Anyone who shows you a "B1 score" after the first task is selling you an illusion. Anyone who tells you "here are your strengths, here are your weaknesses, here is a concrete next exercise" truly helps you.