The four modules: what Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen test
How a German exam is built, what each module demands, and which part most candidates fail on.
Every exam follows the same basic structure
Whatever the board, a German exam consists of four modules: Lesen (reading), Hören (listening), Schreiben (writing) and Sprechen (speaking). The first three are usually sat in writing on one day; speaking is separate, often in pairs with another candidate.
Passing normally requires 60 per cent of the points. How those 60 per cent are counted, per module or across the whole exam, depends on the board.
Reading and listening: no room for interpretation
Both modules consist of closed tasks: multiple choice, matching, true or false. The answer is in the text or the recording, and a mark is either right or wrong.
That is exactly why these modules can be marked purely by machine, with no language model involved: a comparison with the stored answer key is enough. Whoever doubts a mark can be shown the key and the place in the text.
Writing: the part most people fail on
In the writing you work on a given situation, usually a reply to a message, a forum post or a complaint, and have to cover several Leitpunkte (points).
The commonest loss of points comes not from grammar but from a missed Leitpunkt. A missing point costs far more under task fulfilment than a handful of mistakes in verb position. Whoever misjudges the time and never reaches the last point loses disproportionately.
Speaking: the flow is marked, not perfection
Depending on board and level, the oral exam has two or three parts: making contact, a short presentation, and a joint conversation or discussion.
Pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, grammar and whether the task was fulfilled are marked. Short pauses and self-corrections are expressly not a reason to mark down. Whoever falls silent looking for the perfect sentence loses points for fluency.
Frequently asked questions
- How many points do I need to pass?
- Normally 60 per cent. In the Goethe-Zertifikat that threshold applies per module, in telc to the exam as a whole.
- Can I skip a module?
- No. All four modules belong to the exam. In the Goethe-Zertifikat you can, however, spread the modules over different dates.