Three facts to lock in before Day 1
- The B2 exam has 4 modules: Lesen (65 min), Hören (40 min), Schreiben (75 min), Sprechen (15 min). Each module is scored out of 100; you need at least 60% per module for the Modul-Zertifikat, or 60% overall for the full Goethe-Zertifikat B2.
- Schreiben is your biggest 14-day point lever. Five to fifteen points are realistically gainable with focused practice. Hören and Lesen improve more slowly on this timeframe.
- Digital format is now standard: you work on a Goethe-Institut laptop with a German keyboard layout. Sprechen still happens in person with two examiners.
| Day | Main block (60 min) | Schreiben (30 min) | Memorise (15 min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modellsatz B2 Lesen against the clock | — | Redemittel: stating opinion |
| 2 | Modellsatz B2 Hören against the clock | Forumsbeitrag outline — 4 Leitpunkte | Konnektoren: causal (weil, da, denn) |
| 3 | Lesen Teil 2 + 3 deep-dive | Full Forumsbeitrag (~150 words, 30 min) | Konnektoren: consecutive (deshalb, daher) |
| 4 | Hören Teil 1 + 2 — note-taking technique | Formal Brief outline | Redemittel: making suggestions / requests |
| 5 | Practice on the digital Goethe platform | Full formal Brief (~100 words, 30 min) | Konnektoren: concessive (obwohl, trotzdem) |
| 6 | Sprechen Teil 1 — record 5 min | — (rest the writing hand) | Redemittel: argumentation („zum einen…, zum anderen…") |
| 7 | Mid-plan Modellsatz full mock (3-hour block) | The Schreiben from the mock | Error-pattern inventory |
| 8 | Mock review: list weak parts | Forumsbeitrag — rewrite the weakest Leitpunkt | Konjunktiv II base forms |
| 9 | Drill the weak skill | Formal Brief with Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren | Redemittel: polite request |
| 10 | Sprechen Teil 2 — 4-min mini-talk | Forumsbeitrag (new topic) | Konnektoren: temporal |
| 11 | Sprechen Teil 3 — discussion with partner or AI | Formal Brief (complaint topic) | Redemittel: counter-argument |
| 12 | Second Modellsatz mock — Lesen + Hören on the clock | Forumsbeitrag under live conditions | Final correction list |
| 13 | Recovery + list revision | Outlines only, no full drafts | — |
| 14 | Day before the exam: light review, early bedtime | — | Re-read Mit freundlichen Grüßen + standard phrases |
Plan around two hours of focused work per day. The order is what matters — a daily Schreiben output and two full timed mocks across the fortnight beat any volume of unstructured practice.
Week 1 — Diagnose and embed
Lesen
Lesen B2 has five parts, 65 minutes, 30 items. Most candidates lose points on Teil 3 (newspaper text, true/false) and Teil 5 (formal text, matching). On Days 1, 3 and 5 you do the official Modellsatz against the clock. The goal isn't a perfect score — it's measuring where you ran out of time. Teil 3 trick: scan the questions first (keywords), then read only the keyword neighbourhoods carefully.
Hören
Hören has four parts, 40 minutes. Days 2 and 5 are Modellsatz days. Note rule: only nouns and verbs in shorthand, never sentences. e.g. „Klima → Berlin 2030 → Bus elektrisch". Teil 2 (interview) is usually easiest, Teil 4 (discussion) hardest — for Teil 4, track whose opinion is which.
Schreiben — Forumsbeitrag
Days 2 and 3 are full Forumsbeitrag drafts. Format: 150 words, 30 minutes, no salutation or sign-off, all four Leitpunkte developed. Modellsatz 2026 rubric: Aufgabenerfüllung 0–25, Kohärenz 0–25, Wortschatz 0–25, Strukturen 0–25. Most common trap: a Leitpunkt only mentioned, not developed — up to 10 points off.
Schreiben — formeller Brief
Days 4 and 5 are Part 2 (formal letter / email). 100 words, ~30 minutes. Salutation: Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren (unknown recipient) or Sehr geehrter Herr / Sehr geehrte Frau + surname. Sign-off: Mit freundlichen Grüßen. Four blocks: reason, request, detail, close.
Week 2 — Mocks and polish
On Day 7 you do a full Modellsatz B2 in one sitting: Lesen (65 min) → 10-min break → Hören (40 min) → 10-min break → Schreiben (75 min). Simulate Sprechen separately. The real value isn't the score; it's the fatigue map — you discover at which hour your concentration drops.
Days 8–11 spend on whatever the mock exposed. Lesen Teil 3 weak? One Deutsche Welle B2-level article per day plus five self-written true/false questions. Hören Teil 4 weak? A German discussion podcast at 1.5x speed, count speaker switches. Schreiben weak? Isolate the weakest Leitpunkt and rewrite only that paragraph — not the whole text.
Sprechen — tactics for each of the three parts
| Teil | Task | Time | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Vorstellung | Introduce yourself + 3 questions to your partner | 3 min | 5-sentence template: name, languages, motivation, hobby, B2 goal |
| 2 — Vortrag | 4-min mini-talk from a visual prompt | 4 min | Intro (15 sec) → 2 main points (3 min) → conclusion (15 sec); your Konnektoren list earns its keep here |
| 3 — Diskussion | Discussion until a compromise | 5 min | Points come from using Redemittel („Ich verstehe Ihren Punkt, aber…"), not from „winning" |
Digital format — keyboard day
On the Goethe-Institut platform you work with a German keyboard: Y and Z are swapped, ä/ö/ü/ß directly accessible. On Day 5 do the Modellsatz in the digital version and watch how often you stumble on Y/Z. You can learn the 6 key positions in 30 minutes.
B2 pass marks
| Module | Total points | Pass mark (60%) |
|---|---|---|
| Lesen | 100 | 60 |
| Hören | 100 | 60 |
| Schreiben | 100 | 60 |
| Sprechen | 100 | 60 |
What you do NOT need in 14 days:
- New grammar (e.g. Konjunktiv II Plusquamperfekt) — barely shows up at B2
- 200-word vocabulary apps — Redemittel and Konnektoren lists have better ROI
- Switching textbooks — one Modellsatz and one AI-feedback tool are enough
Common point-loss traps to avoid
- Treating a Leitpunkt as a heading rather than an idea. A bullet like „1. Reasons — convenience" without 2–3 developed sentences loses up to 10 points in Aufgabenerfüllung.
- Mixing registers in the formal Brief. Formal emails demand Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren + Mit freundlichen Grüßen and never the du form.
- Burning time on Hören Teil 1. You only hear it once — perfectionism here steals minutes from Teil 4. Mark your best guess and move.
- Practising without a stopwatch. Comfort pace doesn't prepare you for exam tempo. From Day 7, every drill runs against the clock.
If you have less than 14 days
With 7 days: halve Week 1, keep Week 2 intact. Day 1–3 Modellsatz against the clock (Lesen + Hören + 1 Forumsbeitrag); Day 4–7 full mock + targeted drills + Sprechen simulation. No new grammar. Keep your Redemittel and Konnektoren lists at hand for every drill.
Sprechen Teil 2 — worked example (4-minute mini-talk)
Visual prompt: „Public transport in my hometown."
- Intro (15 sec): „I'd like to talk about öffentlicher Verkehr in my hometown — what works, what doesn't, and what I would change."
- Point 1 — what works (90 sec): Reliability, frequency, ticketing apps. Konnektoren: zum einen…, zum anderen…, darüber hinaus.
- Point 2 — what doesn't (90 sec): Late-night gaps, accessibility, fare complexity. Konnektoren: jedoch, trotzdem, im Gegensatz dazu.
- Conclusion (30 sec): One concrete suggestion (more night buses, integrated ticket). Close with Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit.
The last 48 hours
Day 13: review only. Read your Redemittel list, sketch one Forumsbeitrag outline in 5 minutes, then rest. Day 14: no new material. Eat breakfast, take your ID and registration confirmation, arrive 30 minutes early.
Frequently asked questions
Train with the 2026 format
Forumsbeitrag, semi-formal email, AI feedback against the 4 official criteria.
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