telc B1 Writing — one task, clear criteria

The task presents you with a short situation: you have received a letter, an email, or an advertisement and you need to respond to it. Four key points tell you what must be in your answer — for example: "Thank you for the invitation", "Say when you are available", "Ask if you should bring something", "Suggest an outing".

Your job is not to be creative. Your job is to address each of the four points — with correct grammar, appropriate politeness, and a clear structure. A letter that only addresses three points will lose points in the first criterion, even if the language is perfect.

The most common mistake is overlooking a key point. Those who write the letter in one go, without ticking off the key points on the side, regularly forget one. Rule of thumb: before you write, briefly note the four points on your draft paper and tick them off as soon as you include them in the letter.

The second mistake is falling into purely memorized phrases. "I hope I have been able to satisfy you with my answer and remain with kind regards" is not B1 German — it is memorized. The assessment rewards flexibly used phrases, not entire blocks of text.

The third mistake is underestimating the formal framework. Salutation, date (if required), closing formula, and signature are part of formal correctness. Those who end the letter in the middle of a paragraph lose points unnecessarily.

Task: Are all four key points addressed and adequately elaborated? If a point is missing or only answered with one sentence, it will cost points here.

Communicative Design: Does the letter sound like a letter? Do the salutation, tone, and closing fit the situation? Is the text structured and easy to read? Phrases that do not fit the situation (too formal to a friend, too casual to a landlord) will be deducted here.

Formal Correctness: How many errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and at what density? B1 does not require error-free writing — but controlled use of familiar structures. A few simple errors in more complex sentences score better than a flawless string of main clauses.

The most productive type of training is a real 30-minute task with a stopwatch, on paper or in a text field without autocorrect, followed by honest review — not by looking at a sample letter. Those who only read sample letters write sample letters; those who write themselves and then compare learn their own mistakes.

Build up a small stock of phrases that you actually use: a way to say thank you; a way to suggest an appointment; a way to politely decline. Five or six building blocks that you can vary confidently are better than twenty building blocks that you only half know.