Introduction
German writing practice works best when it feels like the real exam. Grammar exercises can improve one rule. However, they do not teach you to plan, manage time, choose tone, and complete a full task.
Goethe, telc, and DTZ exams use different formats. Still, many writing situations are similar. Learners often write messages, requests, complaints, invitations, opinions, and practical emails. Therefore, you can build useful skills across several exams.
This guide gives you ten realistic tasks. Each task includes the situation, content points, planning advice, useful language, and a review focus. Use the tasks under time pressure. Then correct and rewrite your answer.
What is the best way to practice German writing?
Use one complete exam-style task. Plan for three minutes. Write without a dictionary. Check every content point. Then review grammar, structure, and tone. Finally, rewrite the text. This full cycle builds stronger exam performance than copying model answers.
The five-step practice cycle
- Understand the situation: Who writes to whom, and why?
- Plan the content: Write one keyword for every required point.
- Write under a timer: Use reliable language you already know.
- Review with criteria: Check task, structure, tone, vocabulary, and grammar.
- Rewrite and repeat: Apply the correction in a new, similar task.
How to score your own text?
Area | Question | Score yourself |
Task | Did I answer every point? | 0-2 |
Tone | Is the style formal or informal as needed? | 0-2 |
Structure | Are ideas ordered and connected? | 0-2 |
Vocabulary | Did I use clear and suitable words? | 0-2 |
Grammar | Can the reader understand every sentence? | 0-2 |
1. Cancel a birthday invitation
Level: A2/B1 · Recommended length: ~40-50 words
Situation: Your friend invited you to a birthday party. You cannot attend. Thank your friend. Explain the reason. Suggest another meeting. Ask one question.
Practice goal: Informal message and complete content.
Useful language: Danke für deine Einladung. Leider kann ich nicht kommen, weil … Wie wäre es mit …?
Expert review focus: Do not give only a reason. Make the next step clear.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
2. Change a doctor’s appointment
Level: B1 · Recommended length: ~60-80 words
Situation: Write to a clinic. Give the date and time of your appointment. Explain why you cannot come. Suggest two new times. Ask for confirmation.
Practice goal: Formal request, dates, and polite questions.
Useful language: Ich habe am … einen Termin. Leider … Wäre ein neuer Termin am … möglich?
Expert review focus: Check Sie language and clear time information.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
3. Ask a language school for information
Level: B1 · Recommended length: ~60-80 words
Situation: You want to join a German course. Ask about the start date, timetable, price, level test, and course materials.
Practice goal: Question forms and information requests.
Useful language: Ich interessiere mich für … Könnten Sie mir bitte mitteilen, …?
Expert review focus: Group questions logically. Avoid repeating “Ich möchte” in every sentence.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
4. Complain about noise in your building
Level: B1 · Recommended length: ~80-100 words
Situation: Write to the building manager. Describe the noise. Explain when it happens. Say how it affects you. Ask for a solution.
Practice goal: Formal complaint with facts and a clear request.
Useful language: Seit zwei Wochen … Besonders abends … Ich bitte Sie deshalb um …
Expert review focus: Stay polite. Use exact facts instead of emotional attacks.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
5. Reply to a friend who wants to visit
Level: B1 · Recommended length: ~80-100 words
Situation: Your friend plans to visit your city. Suggest accommodation, transport, two activities, and the best month.
Practice goal: Friendly advice and reasons.
Useful language: Du könntest …, weil … Außerdem empfehle ich …
Expert review focus: Give reasons. Do not write only a list.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
6. Write a forum opinion about online courses
Level: B1/B2 · Recommended length: ~100-120 words
Situation: A forum asks whether online German courses are better than classroom courses. Give your opinion, two reasons, one example, and a short conclusion.
Practice goal: Opinion structure and logical development.
Useful language: Meiner Meinung nach … Ein Vorteil ist … Zum Beispiel … Deshalb …
Expert review focus: Keep one clear position. Connect each reason to the topic.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
7. Request a repair from your landlord
Level: A2/B1 · Recommended length: ~50-70 words
Situation: Your heating does not work. Explain the problem, say when it started, describe the effect, and request a repair date.
Practice goal: Practical housing communication.
Useful language: Seit Montag funktioniert … nicht. In der Wohnung ist es … Könnten Sie …?
Expert review focus: Use a direct request and important details.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
8. Apologise for missing a work meeting
Level: B1 · Recommended length: ~60-80 words
Situation: Write to your manager. Apologise, explain briefly, ask for the notes, and suggest a short follow-up meeting.
Practice goal: Professional tone and responsibility.
Useful language: Es tut mir leid, dass … Könnten Sie mir … schicken? Ich könnte …
Expert review focus: Do not give a very long personal story.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
9. Organise a class activity
Level: A2/B1 · Recommended length: ~60-80 words
Situation: Write to classmates about a weekend activity. Suggest a place, time, transport, cost, and what everyone should bring.
Practice goal: Clear organisation and group communication.
Useful language: Wir könnten … Der Treffpunkt wäre … Bitte bringt … mit.
Expert review focus: Make the plan easy to follow.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
10. Describe a learning problem and ask for help
Level: B1 · Recommended length: ~80-100 words
Situation: Write to your German teacher. Explain which skill is difficult, give an example, describe your current practice, and ask for advice.
Practice goal: Reflective writing and specific requests.
Useful language: Ich habe Schwierigkeiten mit … Zum Beispiel … Was würden Sie mir empfehlen?
Expert review focus: Be specific. “German is hard” gives too little information.
Planning box
- Reader and tone: __________
- Main purpose: __________
- Content point 1: __________
- Content point 2: __________
- Content point 3: __________
- Final request or conclusion: __________
How to turn one task into three lessons
One writing task should not end after correction. First, identify your three most important errors. For example, you may miss a task point, use the wrong word order, and repeat the same word.
Next, create one small exercise for each error. Write five weil sentences. Replace gut with more precise words. Build a checklist for content points.
Finally, write a second task with the same language function. After a complaint about noise, write a complaint about a damaged product. This transfer step shows whether you truly learned the correction.
A model feedback example
Learner sentence: “Ich kann nicht kommen, weil ich muss arbeiten und ich möchte neuer Termin.”
Problem | Correction | Reason |
Word order | weil ich arbeiten muss | The verb goes to the end after weil. |
Article and adjective | einen neuen Termin | Termin is masculine accusative here. |
Missing polite request | Könnten wir einen neuen Termin vereinbaren? | A full request fits the situation better. |
Improved version: “Leider kann ich nicht kommen, weil ich arbeiten muss. Könnten wir einen neuen Termin vereinbaren?”
Weekly German writing practice plan
Day | Activity | Time |
Monday | One timed informal message | 25 minutes |
Tuesday | Grammar from Monday’s errors | 15 minutes |
Wednesday | One formal email | 30 minutes |
Thursday | Rewrite Wednesday’s email | 15 minutes |
Friday | One opinion text | 30 minutes |
Saturday | Review error log and vocabulary | 20 minutes |
Sunday | Full exam-style writing practice | 45-60 minutes |
Common practice mistakes
- Copying model answers without writing your own text.
- Using a dictionary for every sentence during timed practice.
- Checking grammar before checking task completion.
- Collecting feedback without rewriting.
- Practising only topics you already like.
- Writing many texts but never tracking repeated errors.
How Test German can make practice more useful
Test German uses exam-style tasks for Goethe, telc, and DTZ preparation. You can write under realistic conditions and receive immediate feedback.
The feedback can explain grammar, word order, vocabulary, spelling, and task relevance in your own language. Therefore, you do not need to guess why a sentence is weak.
Use the platform as a learning cycle. Write once, study the feedback, rewrite, and try a related task. This method turns German writing practice into measurable progress.
Conclusion
German writing practice should train complete communication. Therefore, use real situations, clear content points, a timer, and a review checklist.
The ten tasks in this guide cover important exam functions. They train informal and formal writing, requests, complaints, opinions, advice, and planning.
Choose one task today. Write it without help. Then get detailed feedback and rewrite it. Regular practice with this process can improve both confidence and exam control.
FAQ
How many writing tasks should I complete each week?
Two or three complete tasks are useful when you also correct and rewrite them.
Should I write with a dictionary?
Use no dictionary during timed practice. You can use one during review.
Are these tasks exactly from an official exam?
They are original exam-style practice tasks. Use official model tests for exact exam layouts.
How can I improve faster?
Track repeated errors and practise one weak area in the next task.
Should I memorise full model answers?
No. Memorise flexible phrases and structures, then adapt them.
Can AI correct task relevance?
An exam-focused AI tool can check whether you answered required points, not only grammar.
Disclaimer:
Dieser Blog dient ausschließlich zu Informations- und Aufklärungszwecken. Die Inhalte können durch andere Quellen überprüft werden. Der Autor übernimmt keine rechtliche Verantwortung für Entscheidungen, die auf Grundlage dieser Informationen getroffen werden.
