Goethe B1 Sample Questions: Every Task Type in All 4 Modules
Level:B1Duration:~3 hoursFee:~€150–250Validity:UnlimitedFormat:Modular
Last updated: 30 September 2026 · Verified against current official Goethe-Institut sources
The Goethe B1 task types are fixed: Reading and Listening each have 30 items, Writing has three tasks and Speaking has three parts. The official adult model exam matches the real exam in task types, item numbers and timings; this guide walks through every part the way the sample questions do.
Reading and Listening task types
| Part | Task | Items | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading 1 | Blog text – true/false | 6 | 10 min |
| Reading 2 | Two press texts – a/b/c | 6 | 20 min |
| Reading 3 | 7 situations, 10 ads – matching | 7 | One situation has no ad: 0 |
| Reading 4 | Reader comments – yes/no | 7 | 15 min |
| Reading 5 | Rules/instructions – a/b/c | 4 | 10 min |
| Listening 1 | 5 short announcements – T/F + a/b/c | 10 | Heard twice |
| Listening 2 | Guided tour/talk – a/b/c | 5 | Heard once |
| Listening 3 | Everyday conversation – T/F | 7 | Heard once |
| Listening 4 | Radio discussion – who says what? | 8 | Heard twice |
Writing and Speaking tasks
- Writing task 1 (20 min): an email to a friend of about 80 words covering three points.
- Writing task 2 (25 min): an opinion post of about 80 words on a discussion topic.
- Writing task 3 (15 min): a polite message of about 40 words to a formal contact (apology, request).
- Speaking part 1: plan something with your partner (~3 min); part 2: a five-slide presentation (~3 min); part 3: feedback and a question on the presentation (~2 min). Preparation time is 15 minutes.
How to work with sample questions
- Take the model exam once under the official timings without breaks.
- For every wrong Reading or Listening answer, note the cause: vocabulary, negation, wrong speaker or timing.
- Check writing against the official criteria: task completion, coherence, vocabulary and structures.
- Re-test the same task type with a different set; a high score on a memorised set proves nothing.
Listening parts 1 and 4 are played twice; parts 2 and 3 only once. Practise with that difference.
Official sources
The exam rules and figures in this guide were checked against the official sources below.
Related guide
Practise Goethe B1 questions in exam format
Work through timed Goethe B1 Reading and Listening tasks on Zertifly and get your writing assessed against the official criteria.