Goethe B1 Speaking: Format, Scoring and Set Phrases

Speaking is a conversation with structure

The Goethe B1 Speaking module (Sprechen) normally takes place in pairs, lasts around 15 minutes and comes with about 15 minutes of preparation time. In the official model set it consists of three parts: planning something together, presenting a topic, and giving feedback and answering questions.

Notes are useful during preparation, but you are expected to speak freely. A memorised text can collapse the moment the topic is worded slightly differently. Communicative functions are far more reliable: suggesting, asking follow-up questions, giving reasons, disagreeing, structuring and repairing.

The three parts at a glance

These timings help you train, but they are not a signal to count your sentences to the second. What counts is showing all the functions and responding to the person in front of you.

Preparation time: keywords instead of a script

Divide your sheet of paper visibly:

Planung (planning) — the points, your own suggestion, an alternative, an open question.
Präsentation (presentation) — topic, personal experience, the situation in your home country or immediate surroundings, advantages/disadvantages, opinion.
Notfall (emergency) — two repair sentences.

Write „Ort: Park / bei Regen Café“ (place: park, café if it rains) instead of „Ich würde vorschlagen, dass wir uns in einem schönen Park treffen, weil …“ (I would suggest that we meet in a nice park, because …). A full sentence on your sheet tempts you into reading aloud, and it costs you preparation time.

Part 1: reaching a decision together

Good planning is not two monologues taking turns. Every contribution should pick up the previous one:

• Suggestion: „Wie wäre es, wenn wir uns am Samstagvormittag treffen?“ — how about meeting on Saturday morning?
• Reaction: „Samstag passt mir. Vormittags muss ich allerdings arbeiten.“ — Saturday works for me, but I have to work in the morning.
• Alternative: „Könnten wir stattdessen gegen 15 Uhr beginnen?“ — could we start around 3 p.m. instead?
• Clarification: „Gut. Wer bringt dann die Getränke mit?“ — good. Who brings the drinks, then?
• Result: „Dann halten wir fest: Samstag um 15 Uhr im Park …“ — so let’s agree: Saturday at 3 p.m. in the park …

Do not say ja to every idea straight away. Cooperation also shows in changing your mind with a reason. The full technique is described in Speaking Part 1: planning together.

Part 2: a presentation you can actually speak

Use a simple map:

1. „Ich spreche heute über …“ — today I am speaking about …;
2. personal experience;
3. the situation in a familiar environment or in your home country;
4. one advantage and one disadvantage;
5. your own opinion with a reason;
6. a short closing.

The transitions do not have to sound academic. „Zuerst möchte ich von meiner Erfahrung berichten. Danach nenne ich einen Vorteil und einen Nachteil.“ (First I would like to talk about my experience. After that I will name one advantage and one disadvantage.) is perfectly usable. One concrete example carries more weight than three abstract sentences.

You will find more on this in Speaking Part 2: presentation.

Part 3: listening becomes visible

After your partner’s talk you give a short piece of feedback and ask a question. „Sehr interessant. Wie ist deine Meinung?“ (Very interesting. What is your opinion?) is too empty if the presentation already contained a clear opinion.

Refer to something concrete:

„Du hast gesagt, dass Onlinekurse besonders für Berufstätige praktisch sind. Das kann ich gut verstehen. Lernst du selbst lieber allein oder in einer Gruppe?“ — You said that online courses are especially practical for working people. I can understand that. Do you prefer studying alone or in a group?

When you receive a question, answer it directly and add a reason or an example. Three clear sentences beat one long detour.

Set phrases (Redemittel) by function

Structuring

• „Zuerst möchte ich …, danach …“ — first I would like to …, after that …
• „Ein wichtiger Vorteil ist …“ — an important advantage is …
• „Auf der anderen Seite …“ — on the other hand …
• „Zusammenfassend denke ich, dass …“ — to sum up, I think that …

Reacting

• „Das sehe ich ähnlich, weil …“ — I see it much the same way, because …
• „Ich verstehe deinen Punkt, allerdings …“ — I understand your point, however …
• „Damit bin ich einverstanden. Wir sollten noch … klären.“ — I agree with that. We still need to clarify …

Asking follow-up questions

• „Wie genau meinst du das?“ — what exactly do you mean by that?
• „Kannst du ein Beispiel nennen?“ — can you give an example?
• „Meinst du damit, dass …?“ — do you mean by that that …?

Repairing

• „Einen Moment, ich formuliere das anders.“ — one moment, let me put that differently.
• „Mir fehlt gerade das genaue Wort. Ich meine …“ — I can’t find the exact word right now. I mean …
• „Kannst du die Frage bitte noch einmal wiederholen?“ — could you repeat the question, please?

Learn two formulations per function. A list of fifty phrases does not make anything spontaneously available to you.

What helps with a difficult partner

Your partner says very little: ask open but concrete questions: „Welcher Ort wäre für dich am besten und warum?“ (Which place would be best for you, and why?) Do not carry the whole conversation on your own.

Your partner talks a great deal: step in politely: „Darf ich kurz etwas ergänzen?“ (May I briefly add something?) or „Das ist ein guter Punkt. Bei der Uhrzeit sehe ich es etwas anders.“ (That’s a good point. On the time I see it a little differently.)

Your partner does not understand you: do not repeat the same sentence more loudly. Rephrase it more simply or give an example.

Your partner makes mistakes: do not correct them like a teacher. React to the meaning and keep the shared task moving.

Evaluating a self-recording properly

Record one planning conversation and one presentation. Listen in three passes:

1. Task: did I cover all the required functions?
2. Clarity: where does the thought break off, or where does a pause sit with no repair?
3. Language: which two errors keep coming back?

Transcribe one difficult minute at most. A complete, perfect transcript improves your next conversation less than repeating one problematic passage.

A 30-minute partner training session

• 3 minutes of individual preparation;
• 4 minutes of planning conversation;
• 3 minutes of presentation each;
• 2 minutes of feedback and question each;
• 6 minutes of feedback with one strong point and one priority each;
• 5 minutes repeating the weakest passage.

Swap topics and order at your next session. New speaking prompts are available at Goethe B1 Sprechen.

The realistic goal

B1 speaking is allowed to contain an accent, small pauses and self-corrections. The goal is not flawless stage delivery. The goal is to plan comprehensibly, present coherently, react attentively, and stay able to act when a word is missing.