Goethe B1 Grammar Topics: The Structures the Exam Really Needs
Level:B1Duration:~3 hoursFee:~€150–250Validity:UnlimitedFormat:Modular
Last updated: 30 September 2026 · Verified against current official Goethe-Institut sources
The Goethe-Institut’s free official documents do not include a separate B1 grammar list: the Wortliste covers vocabulary and the model exam shows the tasks. Grammar is scored directly under the “structures” criterion in Writing and Speaking and decides comprehension in Reading and Listening. The topics below are the structures the B1 tasks demand.
Priority structures by task
| Task | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Writing 1 / Speaking 1 | Konjunktiv II for suggestions and requests | Wir könnten … / Hättest du Lust, …? |
| Writing 2 | Subordinate clauses: weil, dass, obwohl, wenn | Ich finde, dass …, obwohl … |
| Writing 2 / Speaking 2 | Paired connectors | einerseits … andererseits, nicht nur … sondern auch |
| Writing 3 | Polite requests, modal verbs | Könnten Sie mir bitte …? |
| Speaking 2 | Past tenses: Perfekt and Präteritum | In meinem Land war das früher … |
| Reading 5 / Listening 2 | Passive and the language of rules | Das Rauchen ist nicht erlaubt / wird kontrolliert. |
Core B1 grammar list
- Subordinate clauses with verb-final order; als vs wenn.
- Relative clauses and relative pronouns.
- Infinitive with zu; um … zu / damit.
- Passive (present and simple past) and passive with modal verbs.
- Konjunktiv II: würde, hätte, wäre, könnte.
- Präteritum and Plusquamperfekt; nachdem / bevor.
- Verbs with prepositions and da-/wo- compounds (darauf, worauf).
- Adjective endings, comparison and the genitive with wegen / trotz.
An efficient study order
- Start with the subordinate clauses and Konjunktiv II you need most in Writing and Speaking.
- Use each topic in at least three sentences of a Writing task.
- Keep an error log: verb position, article/endings, tense.
- Check the same error again in a new text a week later.
Official sources
The exam rules and figures in this guide were checked against the official sources below.
Related guide
Measure your grammar by writing
Write Goethe B1 tasks on Zertifly and see which structures cost you points under the “structures” criterion.