Exam Tips
Prüfungstipps / Everything you need to know about the exam
Exam Format / Prüfungsformat
B1 Preliminary (PET)
Reading
Lesen
6 parts
- Part 1: Notices & short texts (5 MCQ)
- Part 2: Matching people to texts (5 items)
- Part 3: Long text comprehension (5 MCQ)
- Part 4: Gapped text - removed sentences (5 items)
- Part 5: Multiple-choice cloze (6 gaps)
- Part 6: Open cloze (6 gaps)
Writing
Schreiben
2 parts
- Part 1: Reply to an email (~100 words)
- Part 2: Write an article or story (~100 words)
Listening
Hören
4 parts
- Part 1: Short conversations - MCQ
- Part 2: Longer conversation/monologue - MCQ
- Part 3: Gap-fill from a longer talk
- Part 4: Interview - MCQ
Speaking
Sprechen
4 parts (with another student)
- Part 1: Personal interview
- Part 2: Photo description (1 minute each)
- Part 3: Collaborative discussion task
- Part 4: General conversation about Part 3 topic
Time Management / Zeitmanagement
Don't spend too long on one question. If you don't know, move on and come back later.
Verbringe nicht zu lange mit einer Frage. Wenn du es nicht weißt, mach weiter und komm später zurück.
In the Reading paper, read the questions FIRST, then the text. You'll know what to look for.
Beim Lesen: Lies ZUERST die Fragen, dann den Text. Dann weisst du, wonach du suchen musst.
In Writing, spend 2-3 minutes planning before you start writing. Check your work at the end.
Beim Schreiben: Verbringe 2-3 Minuten mit Planen, bevor du anfängst. Kontrolliere am Ende deine Arbeit.
On the real exam day, in Listening: read the questions before the recording plays and predict possible answers.
Am echten Prüfungstag, beim Hören: Lies die Fragen, bevor die Aufnahme läuft, und sag mögliche Antworten voraus.
In Speaking, don't give very short answers. Try to say 2-3 sentences for each question.
Beim Sprechen: Gib keine sehr kurzen Antworten. Versuche 2-3 Sätze pro Frage zu sagen.
Common Mistakes / Häufige Fehler
Writing too little in the Writing paper.
Always check the minimum word count. A2: 25+ and 35+ words. B1: about 100 words each.
Prüfe immer die Mindestwortzahl. A2: 25+ und 35+ Wörter. B1: jeweils ca. 100 Wörter.
Not answering all parts of a writing question.
Read the task carefully. Make sure you include ALL the points mentioned in the question.
Lies die Aufgabe sorgfältig. Stelle sicher, dass du ALLE genannten Punkte berücksichtigst.
Using the wrong tense.
Look at time words: yesterday = Past Simple, now = Present Continuous, every day = Present Simple.
Achte auf Zeitwörter: yesterday = Past Simple, now = Present Continuous, every day = Present Simple.
Forgetting articles (a/an/the).
German has articles too! Remember: a/an = ein/eine (first time), the = der/die/das (specific).
Deutsch hat auch Artikel! Denk dran: a/an = ein/eine (erstes Mal), the = der/die/das (bestimmt).
In Speaking, giving one-word answers.
Always expand your answers. Instead of 'Yes', say 'Yes, I do, because...' and give a reason.
Erweitere immer deine Antworten. Statt 'Yes', sag 'Yes, I do, because...' und gib einen Grund.
Panicking when you don't understand a word.
It's OK! Try to understand the general meaning from the context. You don't need every word.
Das ist OK! Versuche die allgemeine Bedeutung aus dem Kontext zu verstehen. Du brauchst nicht jedes Wort.