Common Mistakes in the Goethe A2 Exam and Where Points Are Lost
Level:A2Duration:~1 h 45 minFee:~€110–150Validity:UnlimitedFormat:Single sitting
Last updated: 4 October 2026 · Verified against current official Goethe-Institut sources
Many lost points in Goethe A2 come from misapplying task rules. The official model exam and the Terms and Conditions of 1 September 2025 show clearly where these mistakes turn into lost points.
Exam-rule mistakes
- Relying on Speaking and neglecting the written part: below 45 written means a fail.
- Forcing an ad onto every person in Reading part 4: one answer is X and each ad is used once.
- Expecting a second hearing in Listening parts 2 and 3.
- Leaving answer transfer to the end without reserving the roughly 3 minutes per section.
Writing mistakes
| Mistake | Effect | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping a content point | Low band for task completion | Number the three points before writing |
| Fewer than 10 words in part 1 or 15 in part 2 | E (0) → task scores 0 | Part 1: 20–30, part 2: 30–40 words |
| “du” and an informal closing in part 2 | Loss under register | Sehr geehrter Herr … / Mit freundlichen Grüßen |
| Writing off topic | E (0) → task scores 0 | Answer the task sentence directly |
Speaking mistakes
- In part 1, saying a single word instead of forming a question with the card.
- In part 2, answering only one of the card prompts and stopping.
- In part 3, reading out your own diary without reacting to your partner.
- Long silences: if you don’t understand, say “Wie bitte?” or “Können Sie das wiederholen?”
Official sources
The exam rules and figures in this guide were checked against the official sources below.
Related guide
See your mistakes in data
Work through Goethe A2 tasks on Zertifly and see which error type costs you the most points.