DTZ Assessment: How Your Result is Determined

For each exam section, there are exactly three possible levels: below A2, A2, or B1. This is deliberately kept simple so that the meaning of the result is clear.

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

Listening and Reading are evaluated as objective tasks — right or wrong, with no room for interpretation. 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's worth becoming 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: Are all four key points addressed? Is the letter communicatively appropriate (salutation, closing, clear flow)? 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 respond 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.

In addition, there is the overall result: B1, A2, or below A2. It is B1 if you achieve B1 in Speaking and additionally B1 in at least one written section — either in Listening and Reading or in Writing. Whether the certificate is sufficient for your specific purpose is decided by the institution where you submit it.

Some providers show you a 'prediction: 87% B1 probability' after just three clicks. This is 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 based only on what you have actually demonstrated.

A result that doesn't tell you anything 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 'watering can' 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 wisely.

You can recognize a serious assessment by its honest portrayal of 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' is truly helping you.