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telc B1 Speaking — in pairs, three parts
Last updated: July 20, 2026
The exam with the most potential for nerves and the clearest structure. If you understand what each of the three parts actually tests, you'll listen carefully to your partner instead of getting stuck on a speech.
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- Duration
- approx. 15 minutes including preparation
- Format
- Pair exam. Two candidates, two examiners.
- Preparation
- approx. 20 minutes preparation time with notes (alone)
- Part 1
- Making contact (free introductory conversation)
- Part 2
- Speaking coherently on a topic
- Part 3
- Solving a task together / planning something
What each part truly tests
Part 1 — Making contact: A short, guided conversation where you introduce yourself, answer brief questions from your partner, and ask questions yourself. It assesses whether you can react appropriately and fluently enough in an everyday introductory situation. A monologue that is too long is counterproductive here — the task is a conversation, not a presentation.
Part 2 — Speaking coherently: You receive a topic with guiding points and speak coherently about it for 2–3 minutes, often from a personal perspective. Your partner listens and asks a brief follow-up question at the end. It assesses the ability to develop a topic independently — with examples, with personal opinions, with a recognizable structure.
Part 3 — Planning something together: You are given a situation (planning a party, preparing a trip, choosing a gift) and agree on a common outcome. The interaction is assessed: making suggestions, reacting to suggestions, politely disagreeing, reaching an agreement. Those who only persuade their partner lose points. Those who only agree also lose points.
What examiners truly assess
Two criteria: linguistic appropriateness (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation within a B1-typical range) and fulfillment of the task (did you do what the part required?). Both criteria work together — perfect German that does not fulfill the task will not get the highest mark; decent German with clear task fulfillment certainly will.
- Vocabulary range: Can you talk about everyday topics (family, work, leisure, travel, health) with sufficient variety?
- Grammatical accuracy: Do you use subordinate clauses, Konjunktiv II ("Ich würde..."), Perfekt and Präteritum appropriately for the situation?
- Pronunciation & intonation: Are you understandable without effort?
- Task logic: In Part 3 — do you make suggestions, react to suggestions, and reach a recognizable agreement?
- Politeness & register: "Ich finde...", "Was hältst du davon...", "Das ist eine gute Idee, aber..." — are these phrases you can vary confidently?
How to realistically practice speaking
You can't practice speaking alone — but you can practice parts of it. Record yourself answering Part 1 questions and giving your Part 2 presentation, and listen back the same day. Hearing your own filler words, repetitions, and pauses is the most effective feedback you can get without a partner.
For Part 3, you need a practice partner. Ideally, someone at a similar level with whom you can take turns role-playing exam situations — suggestion, reaction, alternative, agreement. Ten minutes of structured pair practice is worth more than an hour of unstructured small talk.
Build up a small stock of personal "evidence" — three to four stories from your life (a vacation, a move, a celebration, a job) that you can adapt to different topics in Part 2. This way, you'll never be at a loss when a new topic comes up.