Goethe C2 Writing Exam —
rewriting and a long text

Task Format in C2 Writing

The C2 writing module (as of October 2026) takes 80 minutes and has two tasks. You can start with either one.

• Aufgabe 1 — revise a short talk (Kurzreferat), 20 minutes, 20 points. You rewrite ten passages and must use a given word unchanged, e.g. Zweifel or einverstanden. Same meaning, new structure: „Am Anfang waren die Schüler skeptisch.“ + Zweifel → „Am Anfang hatten die Schüler Zweifel.“
• Aufgabe 2 — one of four topics, 60 minutes, approx. 350 words. In the official model test: a letter to the editor about three statements on mobility at work, an e-mail to a TV editorial team, or a book review for a literature forum. Graders check that you cover every aspect, justify your view with examples, structure clearly and match style to the text type.

C2 vs C1 — What Is the Difference?

C1 Writing:

75 minutes · forum post approx. 230 words + message approx. 120 words · four criteria.

C2 Writing:

80 minutes · rewriting a short talk + one text of approx. 350 words (letter to the editor, e-mail, review) · precise style and text type.

Typical C2 Writing Topics

• Philosophical and cultural questions: identity, memory, freedom
• Science and society: research ethics, belief in progress, technology
• Literature and art: text commentaries, reviews, interpretations
• Political theory: democracy, pluralism, international order
• Language and communication: language change, multilingualism, digital language
• History and the present: culture of remembrance, historical responsibility

Strategies for C2 Writing

• Read quality German texts every day. "Die Zeit", "Merkur", "Der Spiegel" essays, cultural press — if you don't read at this level, you cannot write at this level.
• Learn academic writing conventions. Opening sentences that establish a thesis. Paragraphs with topic sentences. Concluding formulations that go beyond the obvious.
• Build an argument library. Note compelling arguments, examples and counter-arguments for common topics. Not for memorisation — for activating thoughts under time pressure.
• Avoid generic statements. "Nowadays this is an important topic" — that is C1 level. C2 begins with precision, nuance and a concrete intellectual position.
• Train Aufgabe 1 separately. Take sentences from newspaper articles and rebuild them: verb to noun, active to passive, clause to prepositional phrase. These 20 points are the most predictable on the paper.
• Practise text revision. Write a text, wait 24 hours, read it like a stranger. What sounds weak? What sounds formulaic? Rewrite — that is academic writing.

What Is the Goethe C2 Required For?

The Goethe-Zertifikat C2 is the highest level of the Goethe exams. Many universities accept it as proof of German for study; each university decides which certificates it accepts.