The writing section (Schreiben) is the part of the TELC B1 exam that candidates worry about most — and honestly, that worry isn't unfounded. It's the only section marked by a human examiner, and it's worth 45 out of 225 marks — a full 20% of your total score.
But it's also one of the most predictable sections in the entire exam. Once you understand exactly how it's marked, scoring consistently becomes much more achievable.
What Is the TELC B1 Writing Task?
You have 30 minutes to write a semi-formal letter or email of approximately 150–200 words.
You're given:
- A scenario (e.g. "You have just moved to a new city and you're writing to your German language class")
- A list of 4 required points you must address (e.g. introduce yourself, explain why you moved, ask about the class schedule, suggest meeting up)
Your job is to write a cohesive text that covers all four points in an appropriate register. That's it. Deceptively simple — until you're staring at it with 30 minutes on the clock.
How Is It Marked? The TELC B1 Rubric
The writing section is assessed on 3 criteria, each worth up to 15 points:
1. Kommunikation (Communication) — 15 points
Did you address all required points? Are your ideas clear and relevant?
- 15 points: All 4 points addressed clearly and appropriately
- 10 points: 3 of 4 points addressed, or all 4 addressed but some are unclear
- 5 points: Only 2 points addressed, or significant relevance issues
- 0 points: Fewer than 2 points addressed, or response is entirely off-topic
This is the most important criterion. Examiners check every point. Miss one — even by half a sentence — and you lose at minimum 5 marks.
2. Formale Richtigkeit (Formal Accuracy) — 15 points
Grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation.
- 15 points: Very few errors, high accuracy throughout
- 10 points: Some errors but communication is not impeded
- 5 points: Frequent errors that sometimes impede communication
- 0 points: Errors throughout that consistently impede communication
You don't need perfect German to score well here. Consistent use of correct basic structures (present tense, simple past, Konjunktiv II for suggestions) scores higher than ambitious sentences riddled with errors.
3. Kohärenz (Coherence) — 15 points
Logical structure, flow, and use of connecting words.
- 15 points: Well-structured, logical progression, varied connectors
- 10 points: Generally coherent with some structural weaknesses
- 5 points: Difficult to follow in places, limited connectors
- 0 points: No discernible structure
Connectors are your friend here. Using words like zunächst, außerdem, jedoch, deshalb, abschließend systematically demonstrates coherence — and they're easy to memorise in advance.
The Passing Mark for Writing
You need 27 out of 45 (60%) to pass. There's no individual criterion minimum — the 60% applies to the total of all three criteria combined.
This means:
- Score 15+7+5 (total 27) → Pass
- Score 5+5+5 (total 15) → Fail, even if your overall exam score is close to 60%
The Most Common Mistakes
1. Missing one of the four required points Candidates get absorbed in writing well about three points and completely forget the fourth. Before you start writing, number the four required points on your rough paper and tick them off as you address each one.
2. Register errors The task specifies semi-formal register — writing to an organisation, a new acquaintance, a formal contact. Using very informal language (du, slang) or overly formal language (sehr geehrte Damen und Herren when addressing a friend) in the wrong context loses marks.
3. Too short or too long Under 120 words: examiners may question whether all points were addressed. Over 220 words: not penalised directly, but longer writing means more potential for errors.
4. Jumping between points Starting with your opening line, then jumping randomly between points — this kills coherence marks. Use a simple structure: introduction → point 1 → point 2 → point 3 → point 4 → closing.
5. Overly ambitious grammar Writing Ich würde mich sehr freuen, wenn Sie mir die Möglichkeit geben könnten, an Ihrem Kurs teilzunehmen is impressive if correct but costly if wrong. Ich nehme sehr gerne an Ihrem Kurs teil. Das würde mich sehr freuen. is simpler, almost certainly correct, and scores just as well on accuracy.
A Template That Works Every Time
[Opening]
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren / Liebe [Name],
[Introduction/Reason for writing — point 1]
Mein Name ist [Name] und ich schreibe Ihnen, weil...
[Body — points 2, 3, 4]
Zunächst möchte ich Ihnen mitteilen, dass...
Außerdem würde ich gerne wissen, ob...
Abschließend möchte ich vorschlagen, dass...
[Closing]
Ich freue mich auf Ihre Antwort.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Viele Grüße,
[Name]
This structure covers all three criteria at once: all points addressed (Kommunikation), clear connectors (Kohärenz), consistent formal register (Formale Richtigkeit).
How AI Feedback Helps
The hardest part of improving your writing is knowing which criterion you're actually losing marks on. Is it missing points? Grammar errors? Structure? Without feedback, you can't tell.
LanguagePrep's writing section provides AI feedback aligned with the TELC B1 rubric — scoring each of the three criteria separately and explaining specifically what to improve. This mirrors how your real exam will be marked, which is the point.
The most effective preparation: write one practice letter every 3 days for 4–6 weeks, getting scored feedback each time. By exam day, hitting 60% on writing becomes routine rather than stressful.
Practise the writing section with AI feedback →
Quick Reference
- Time: 30 minutes
- Length: 150–200 words
- Format: Semi-formal letter or email
- Required: Address all 4 given points
- Marked on: Communication (15) + Accuracy (15) + Coherence (15)
- Pass mark: 27/45 (60%)
- Marked by: Human examiner (not automated)