DTZ cheat sheet

The DTZ listening section has four parts with 20 items total; Part 1 plays each of its short everyday texts twice, Parts 2-4 play each text once.

Part 1 items are true/false or multiple-choice on short messages, announcements and phone calls; the answer is usually a single stated fact, not an inference.

Part 2 requires assigning statements to speakers or pictures; track who says what, because distractors repeat vocabulary from the wrong speaker.

Part 3 is multiple-choice on a longer conversation or interview; the correct option paraphrases the audio rather than reusing its exact words.

Part 4 asks for short written answers (a number, time, place or name); spelling and numerals must be legible, and only the key word is scored.

Time management rule: read the next task's options during the pause after each item, since the recording is not stopped for you.

Numbers, prices, dates and times are the most frequent trap: the text often names one figure and then corrects it, and the corrected figure is the answer.

Negative and contrast markers (nicht, kein, sondern, eigentlich, allerdings) reverse the meaning of the preceding clause and usually carry the decisive information.

The reading section has five parts with 20 items in roughly 45 minutes; Parts 1-4 are matching or multiple-choice, Part 5 is short-answer.

Part 1 matches short notices or ads to situations; the correct match must satisfy every stated condition, so one unmet condition eliminates the option.

Part 2 is multiple-choice on a longer press or information text; questions follow the order of the text, so answer in sequence and locate the relevant paragraph.

Part 3 is matching advertisements to requirements; cross out each ad as soon as a hard requirement (price, date, location, opening hours) fails.

Part 4 is a gap-fill choosing from a word bank; decide the missing word class (noun, verb, preposition, connector) before scanning the options.

Part 5 short answers must be copied from the text in the exact form given; do not paraphrase, and answer with the minimum words needed.

Keyword strategy: the question stem and the matching text passage usually share one or two content words, while the surrounding words differ.

Distractor rule: an option that repeats the text's wording verbatim is often wrong; the correct option restates the same idea with different vocabulary.

The writing section has two tasks: a semi-formal letter or e-mail of about 80 words, and an opinion or argumentative text of about 120 words, in about 45 minutes total.

The letter task supplies three content points (Inhaltspunkte) and all three must be addressed; an unaddressed point caps the score regardless of language quality.

Letter conventions: salutation with comma and lowercase start of the next line (Sehr geehrte Frau ..., / Liebe ...), closing greeting (Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Viele Grüße) and a signature line.

Register rule: use Sie + surname and full verb forms in formal letters; use du + first name, contractions and shorter clauses only in informal ones.

Opinion task structure: introduction stating the topic, two or three body paragraphs each with a claim plus a reason or example, and a conclusion restating the position.

Cohesion markers that raise the rating: deshalb, außerdem, trotzdem, einerseits/andererseits, zum Beispiel, zusammenfassend.

Word-count rule: falling more than about 20 percent below the required length loses content points; writing far over the limit costs time and adds errors without extra credit.

Grammar accuracy counts more than complexity: control of verb position in subordinate clauses (weil, dass, obwohl) and correct verb-second in main clauses are core criteria.

The speaking section is a paired exam of about 15 minutes in three parts: contact/introduction, describing a picture or topic, and planning or negotiating something together.

Part 1 questions cover name, origin, profession, languages, family and hobbies; answers of one full sentence with a reason score better than single words.

Part 2 requires a structured description: say what is visible, then interpret or comment, using prepositions of place (im Vordergrund, hinten, links) and present tense.

Part 3 is a joint planning task; you must make suggestions (Ich schlage vor, ...), react to the partner (Das ist eine gute Idee, aber ...) and reach an agreement.

Interaction points come from asking the partner questions and responding to theirs; monologuing or ignoring the partner lowers the interaction rating.

Rating criteria are fulfilment of the task, coherence, vocabulary range, and grammatical accuracy plus pronunciation; fluency alone is not scored separately.

Repair phrases to keep speaking: Wie bitte? Können Sie das wiederholen? Moment, ich überlege kurz. - silence costs more than a hesitation marker.

Do not switch to English; a missing word is handled by describing it in German (das Ding, mit dem man ...) rather than by a loanword or a pause.