You are sitting in the exam room. In front of you lies a task sheet: "Write an email to your landlord" or "You cannot come to the language course."
Your mind goes blank. How do I start? How do I end?
Don't panic. The "Writing" part of the A1 exam (Goethe/Telc) is actually like painting by numbers. There is a fixed structure. If you know this structure, you have already secured half the points.
The Structure: Always the Same!
No matter what the topic is, your short text (approx. 30 words) always needs these 4 building blocks:
- Salutation: Who are you writing to? (Friend or Stranger?)
- Reason: Why are you writing? (Sick? Invitation? Question?)
- Solution/Question: What needs to happen? (New appointment? Apology?)
- Closing: The sign-off.
Template 1: The Apology (Very Common!)
Task: You are sick and cannot come to the German course or work.
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
ich bin leider krank und kann heute nicht zum Kurs kommen.
Bitte entschuldigen Sie mich.
Viele Grüße
[Your Name]
(Translation: Dear Sir or Madam, unfortunately I am sick and cannot come to the course today. Please excuse me. Best regards.)
Template 2: Changing an Appointment
Task: You have an appointment with a doctor/landlord, but you don't have time.
Sehr geehrte Frau Müller / Sehr geehrter Herr Müller,
ich habe am Montag um 10 Uhr einen Termin.
Leider muss ich arbeiten und kann nicht kommen.
Können wir einen neuen Termin machen?
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[Your Name]
(Translation: Dear Ms. Müller / Mr. Müller, I have an appointment on Monday at 10 AM. Unfortunately, I have to work and cannot come. Can we make a new appointment? Sincerely.)
Template 3: Replying to a Friend
Task: A friend invited you to dinner. Reply to them.
Liebe Maria / Lieber Thomas,
vielen Dank für die Einladung!
Ich komme sehr gerne.
Soll ich etwas mitbringen? Salat oder Saft?
Bis bald
[Your Name]
(Translation: Dear Maria / Dear Thomas, thank you for the invitation! I would love to come. Should I bring something? Salad or juice? See you soon.)
Caution: Du or Sie?
This is the biggest trap. Read the task carefully!
- Are you writing to "Herr Meyer" or "the housing company"? → Sehr geehrte... / Mit freundlichen Grüßen (Formal)
- Are you writing to "Lisa" or "a friend"? → Liebe... / Viele Grüße (Informal)
If you mix this up, you will lose points.
Get Your Letters Corrected (Important!)
It is not enough to just read these letters. You have to write them.
But who tells you if they are correct? Your partner? Google Translate?
Better: Our V-IZ AI Trainer (in the Premium Package).
You type in your letter, and the AI immediately shows you every mistake and suggests better words. This ensures you go into the exam perfectly prepared.
Practice writing now:
Basics for Letters (A1.1):
➡️ Learn writing step-by-step (A1.1)
Write Letters with AI Feedback (Complete Package):
➡️ Get your letters corrected here (Select Premium)
0 comments