Goethe A2 cheat sheet

The Lesen paper lasts about 30 minutes and has 4 parts (Teile 1-4); each part uses a different task type, so read the task instructions before the text.

Teil 1: short texts (notices, ads, emails) with multiple-choice items; the correct option paraphrases the text, so match meaning, not identical words.

Teil 2: a longer article or report with multiple-choice questions; questions follow the order of the text, so locate the answer paragraph by paragraph.

Teil 3: matching short ads or notices to situations; each situation has exactly one matching text and some texts are distractors that are never used.

Teil 4: true/false (richtig/falsch) items on short texts; a statement is false also when the text says the opposite or does not support it.

Watch for negation and contrast markers: nicht, kein, nie, nur, außer, aber, trotzdem, statt - these frequently flip the correct answer.

Time rule: about 7 minutes per part; mark uncertain items and return after finishing the easier parts.

Signal words for location or time answers: morgens, abends, ab, bis, geöffnet, geschlossen, abends nur für Mitglieder.

The Hören paper lasts about 30 minutes and has 4 parts; each recording is played twice (Teil 1 and 2 twice, and the short items in Teil 3 are also repeated), so use the first pass for gist and the second for details.

Teil 1: short everyday dialogues or announcements with multiple-choice answers; the distractors are usually mentioned in the recording before the correct answer.

Teil 2: a longer monologue (radio, answering machine, announcement) with true/false or multiple-choice items; numbers, times and prices are common answer targets.

Teil 3: short notices or announcements matched to pictures or situations; listen for the key noun and the place or activity.

Teil 4: a discussion or interview with multiple-choice items; the second speaker often corrects the first, so the final statement carries the answer.

Read the items during the pause before each recording; underline the question word (wer, wann, wo, wie viel, warum).

Numbers trap: prices, platform numbers, and times are often corrected mid-sentence ("nicht um acht, sondern um Viertel nach acht").

If you miss an item, guess and move on; the recording is not paused and later items depend on the next text.

The Schreiben paper lasts about 30 minutes and has 2 tasks: a short message (SMS/email) of about 30 words and a semi-formal email of about 40-50 words.

Task 1 (message): answer all three content points (Inhaltspunkte) in the prompt; missing one point loses points regardless of grammar.

Task 2 (email): use a greeting and closing appropriate to the relationship: Liebe/Lieber + first name for friends, Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren or Liebe Frau/Herr + surname for formal.

Standard openings: "Wie geht es dir?" (informal) and "Ich schreibe Ihnen, weil ..." (formal); standard closings: "Viele Grüße" / "Bis bald" and "Mit freundlichen Grüßen".

Word count is a guide, not a hard limit: aim slightly above the target (about 35-55 words) so all content points are covered.

Keep sentences short and use known structures; a correct simple sentence scores better than a complex sentence with broken word order.

Verb position rules to check: verb second in main clauses, verb last with weil/dass/wenn, and infinitive at the end with modal verbs (Ich muss noch arbeiten).

Formal email uses Sie consistently (Ihnen, Ihre, können Sie); informal uses du/ihr (dir, dein, kannst du).

The Sprechen paper is a group exam (usually two candidates) of about 15 minutes with 3 parts, preceded by a short introduction round with the examiner.

Teil 1: introduce yourself using cue cards (Name, Alter, Land, Wohnort, Sprachen, Beruf, Hobby); answer in full sentences and spell your name if asked.

Teil 2: ask and answer questions on everyday topics using the prompt words; form a question with the verb in position 2 (Wann beginnt der Kurs?) or a W-word plus verb.

Teil 3: plan something together (party, trip, visit) and negotiate: make a suggestion with "Wollen wir ...?" or "Ich schlage vor, dass ...", then agree or counter.

Useful agreement phrases: "Das ist eine gute Idee", "Einverstanden", "Ja, gerne"; disagreement: "Das finde ich nicht so gut", "Lieber ...".

Ask your partner at least one question in Teil 3; interaction (reacting to the partner) is part of the assessment, not only grammar.

Pronunciation and fluency are rated separately from accuracy; speak at a steady pace, and self-correct only obvious errors.

Prepare a fixed self-introduction template before the exam so Teil 1 needs no improvisation.