Writing
What the writing section asks
You write short texts in Estonian: a message, an informal email or letter, a short narrative, or a simple opinion. Actual tasks may specify content points and a length; follow their published instructions rather than a universal word-count claim. Assessors look at task completion, range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar, and register.
Core rules
- Answer every bullet point. If the task says 'say where, when and with whom', each point needs a clear sentence.
- Match register. Use sina 'you' (singular, informal) with a friend; use teie 'you' (plural/polite) with an adult stranger or an institution. Keep it consistent: Ära unusta... (informal) vs Ärge unustage... (polite).
- Open and close naturally: Tere! / Lugupeetud proua! and Parimate soovidega / Lugupidamisega.
- Estonian has no future tense. Use the present and a time expression: Homme lähen kinno 'Tomorrow I'll go to the cinema'; Laupäeval toimub pidu 'The party takes place on Saturday'.
- Use time and place cases correctly: laupäeval 'on Saturday', kell viis 'at five', kinos 'in the cinema', kinno 'to the cinema'.
- Link sentences with ja, kuid, sest, seepärast, näiteks; avoid starting every sentence with Ma.
Worked example
Task: write an email to a friend inviting them to a film on Saturday and asking them to bring a friend. Draft sentence: „Tere, Jaan! Laupäeval läheme kinno. Tuleb hea film. Kas sa tuled ka? Võta sõber kaasa!“ Reasoning: läheme is present tense used for a planned future event; laupäeval is the adessive time form; Kas introduces the yes/no question Kas sa tuled ka?; sa is the subject and tuled follows it; Võta is the imperative of võtma. All content points are covered in four short sentences.
Traps that cost marks
- Writing under the word limit or padding with repeated sentences.
- Copying the task wording instead of producing your own sentence.
- Mixing sina and teie forms in one text.
- Forgetting the question mark in yes/no questions or using English punctuation.
- Using a nominative object after a negative: Ma ei osta pileti → Ma ei osta piletit.
Faithful information and a clear request
When writing from supplied information, preserve the condition that affects the recipient’s action. A changed time, an exception or a required response must not disappear in paraphrase. Remove invented benefits or obligations. Revision should check task completion and register before individual word endings; a polite sentence is still inadequate if it communicates the obsolete time.