Writing at A2 is short, but it is strictly marked: you have to cover every content point, use the right tone and stay close to the word count. This guide explains Goethe A2 Schreiben and telc A2 Schreiben (Start Deutsch 2) task by task, with model texts, useful phrases and a checklist you can use in the exam. Whether you need help with an A2 e-mail in German, the telc form task, or general German A2 writing exam tips, you will find a step-by-step method here. When you are ready, write a full task in our mock exams.
What the exam looks like
| Goethe-Zertifikat A2 | telc Deutsch A2 (Start Deutsch 2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 30 min | part of a 50-minute block together with Lesen |
| Teil 1 | Short informal message (SMS or e-mail to a friend), 3 content points, 20–30 words | Form: fill in 5 missing entries using information from a short text (1 point each) |
| Teil 2 | Short semi-formal or formal e-mail (e.g. to a superior or teacher), 3 content points, 30–40 words | Short informal letter or e-mail: choose 3 of 4 content points, 1–2 sentences each, approx. 40 words, with opening and closing |
| Scoring | Each Teil marked for Aufgabenerfüllung and Sprache (levels A–E: 5 / 3.5 / 2 / 0.5 / 0); 20 checkpoints converted to 25 points | Teil 1: 5 points. Teil 2: up to 3 points per content point (3 / 1.5 / 0) plus up to 1 point for communicative form, max. 10. Total 15 |
Important (Goethe): a text shorter than half the target word count, or one that is off-topic, gets 0 points for Aufgabenerfüllung. Cover all three points and write the full length.
Strategy for each part: Goethe A2 Schreiben
Teil 1: Informal message (20–30 words)
- Read the situation and number the three points on the task sheet.
- Write one sentence per point. Three clear sentences plus greeting and closing are enough for 20–30 words.
- Use du and an informal greeting: Hallo Paula, / Liebe Paula, / Lieber Tim, and close with Liebe Grüße / Viele Grüße.
- Check: are all three points there? Are verbs in second position?
Time: about 10–12 minutes, including checking.
Teil 2: Formal or semi-formal e-mail (30–40 words)
- Decide: Sie or du? To a teacher, landlord, boss or office: Sie.
- Greeting: Sehr geehrte Frau Wagner, / Sehr geehrter Herr Braun, or, less formal, Liebe Frau Wagner,. Closing: Mit freundlichen Grüßen + your name.
- Answer the three points in order, one or two sentences each. Use a connector (weil, denn, aber, deshalb) to link ideas.
- Keep Sie consistent: Können Sie mir …? Ihre E-Mail, always with a capital S.
Time: about 15 minutes. Leave a few minutes for the answer sheet.
Strategy for each part: telc A2 Schreiben
Teil 1: Completing a form
- Read the form first: which five entries are missing?
- Find each piece of information in the short text. Usually it is a date, a number, a name, a place or a choice (e.g. a course type).
- Copy carefully. Spelling counts: a wrong letter in a name or a wrong number can cost the point.
Typical trap: the text mentions two dates or two addresses. „Ich wohne noch in der Bahnstraße 5, aber ab 1. Juni in der Gartenstraße 12.“ Read the form label: neue Adresse → Gartenstraße 12.
Teil 2: Informal letter or e-mail (approx. 40 words)
- Read all four content points and choose three that you can write easily and correctly.
- Write 1–2 sentences for each chosen point. Each point is worth up to 3 points, so every one must be clear.
- Do not forget greeting and closing: they are part of the mark for communicative form.
- Write about 40 words. Much shorter usually means a point is missing; much longer means more risk of mistakes.
Time at telc: plan at least 20 minutes for Schreiben inside the 50-minute block.
Redemittel: useful phrases for A2 writing
| Function | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| Informal greeting | Hallo Max, / Liebe Sara, / Lieber Tim, | Hi Max, / Dear Sara, / Dear Tim, |
| Formal greeting | Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, / Sehr geehrte Frau Wagner, | Dear Sir or Madam, / Dear Ms Wagner, |
| Thanking | Vielen Dank für deine/Ihre Nachricht. | Thank you for your message. |
| Apologising | Es tut mir leid, aber … / Entschuldigung, dass … | I’m sorry, but … / Sorry that … |
| Accepting | Ich komme gern. / Das ist eine tolle Idee. | I’d love to come. / That’s a great idea. |
| Declining | Leider kann ich nicht kommen, weil … | Unfortunately I can’t come because … |
| Asking | Kannst du …? / Können Sie mir bitte sagen, …? | Can you …? / Could you please tell me …? |
| Suggesting | Wollen wir …? / Wie wäre es mit …? | Shall we …? / How about …? |
| Reason / result | weil (verb at end), denn, deshalb (verb next) | because, because, therefore |
| Adding / contrast | und, auch, außerdem, aber | and, also, besides, but |
| Informal closing | Liebe Grüße / Viele Grüße / Bis bald! | Best wishes / See you soon! |
| Formal closing | Mit freundlichen Grüßen | Kind regards |
Sample tasks and model texts
Sample task 1 (Goethe Teil 1 style)
You are on the train and will be late for a meeting with your friend Paula. Write an SMS to Paula (20–30 words):
- apologise and say that you will be late,
- explain why,
- suggest a new time and place.
Model text (29 words):
Hallo Paula,
es tut mir leid, ich komme zu spät. Mein Zug hat 30 Minuten Verspätung. Können wir uns um 19 Uhr vor dem Café treffen?
Liebe Grüße
Ana
Annotations: informal greeting and closing; point 1 = es tut mir leid, ich komme zu spät; point 2 = Mein Zug hat … Verspätung; point 3 = question with time and place. Simple, correct sentences score better than long ones with mistakes.
Sample task 2 (Goethe Teil 2 style)
You cannot come to your German course tomorrow. Write an e-mail to your teacher, Frau Wagner (30–40 words): say that you cannot come, give a reason, ask for the homework.
Model text (35 words):
Liebe Frau Wagner,
leider kann ich morgen nicht zum Deutschkurs kommen, denn ich habe einen wichtigen Termin beim Arzt. Können Sie mir bitte die Hausaufgaben per E-Mail schicken? Vielen Dank!
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Ana Silva
Annotations: Sie-form throughout; denn links the reason without changing word order; polite request with Können Sie mir bitte …?; formal closing with full name.
Sample task 3 (telc Teil 2 style)
Your friend Mia invites you to her birthday party on Saturday. Write an e-mail (approx. 40 words). Choose three of these points: say thank you and accept · ask what you should bring · ask how to get there · ask who else is coming.
Model text (39 words):
Liebe Mia,
vielen Dank für deine Einladung! Ich komme gern am Samstag zu deiner Party. Soll ich einen Salat mitbringen? Ich komme mit dem Bus, aber wie komme ich von der Haltestelle zu dir?
Bis bald!
Liebe Grüße
Ana
Annotations: three points chosen (thanks/accept, what to bring, how to get there); each clearly recognisable; informal register with du/dir/deine.
Practice: telc-style form (5 items)
Read the text and complete the form for Herr Okoye.
Ich heiße Daniel Okoye und komme aus Nigeria. Ich bin am 14. März 1995 geboren. Im Moment wohne ich noch bei einem Freund, aber ab dem 1. Mai habe ich eine eigene Wohnung in der Lessingstraße 8 in 04109 Leipzig. Ich möchte einen Abendkurs machen, weil ich tagsüber arbeite. Bezahlen möchte ich lieber mit Überweisung, nicht bar.
| Anmeldung Sprachkurs | |
|---|---|
| Name, Vorname | Okoye, Daniel (Beispiel) |
| Herkunftsland | (1) ______ |
| Geburtsdatum | (2) ______ |
| Adresse ab 1. Mai | (3) ______ |
| Kurs: Vormittag / Abend | (4) ______ |
| Zahlung: bar / Überweisung | (5) ______ |
Answer key
- Nigeria
- 14.03.1995
- Lessingstraße 8, 04109 Leipzig (not his friend’s address)
- Abend
- Überweisung
Checklist before you hand in
- Have I covered every required content point (Goethe: 3 of 3; telc: 3 of 4)?
- Is the word count right (Goethe 20–30 / 30–40; telc approx. 40)?
- Greeting and closing match the register (du or Sie)?
- Is the verb in second position in main clauses, and at the end after weil and dass?
- Nouns capitalised? Sie/Ihnen/Ihr capitalised in formal texts?
- For the form: names, numbers and dates copied exactly?
Common mistakes in A2 Schreiben
- Missing a content point. This costs the most points. Correction: tick each point as you write it.
- Mixing du and Sie. ✗ Sehr geehrte Frau Wagner, kannst du … → ✓ Sehr geehrte Frau Wagner, können Sie …
- Wrong word order after weil. ✗ weil ich bin krank → ✓ weil ich krank bin.
- Wrong word order after deshalb. ✗ deshalb ich komme später → ✓ deshalb komme ich später.
- Perfect tense with the wrong auxiliary. ✗ Ich habe nach Berlin gefahren. → ✓ Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren.
- Lower-case nouns. ✗ ich habe einen termin → ✓ ich habe einen Termin.
- Copying the task sentences. Correction: use your own words; copied text does not show your language.
- Writing far too much. Correction: stay near the word count; extra sentences add risk, not points.
Weekly practice plan
- Monday: learn five greeting/closing pairs and five request phrases by heart.
- Tuesday: write one informal message (20–30 words) in 10 minutes.
- Wednesday: write one formal e-mail (30–40 words) in 15 minutes.
- Thursday: fill in a German form (e.g. a library or gym registration) to practise dates and addresses.
- Friday: correct your texts with the checklist; rewrite one cleanly.
- Weekend: one full writing section in a mock exam, timed.
Next steps
- Write complete tasks in our German mock exams.
- Practise the full written exam with timing in the exam simulator.
- Review grammar for writing (word order, perfect tense) in the German A2 course.
- Read the other A2 guides: A2 Hören, A2 Lesen, A2 Sprechen.
FAQ
How many words do I need to write in Goethe A2 Schreiben?
Teil 1 is 20–30 words and Teil 2 is 30–40 words. If a text is shorter than half of the target, it scores 0 for task completion.
How many points can I get in telc A2 Schreiben?
15 points: 5 for the form (Teil 1) and up to 10 for the letter (Teil 2). The overall pass mark for telc A2 is 36 of 60 points; no separate minimum for Schreiben is stated in the practice test, so check with telc for the current rules.
Do I have to answer all four points in the telc A2 letter?
No. You choose three of the four points and write one or two sentences on each.
Is there a separate pass mark for Goethe A2 Schreiben?
No. Schreiben counts towards the written part, where you need at least 45 of 75 points, plus at least 60 of 100 overall.