Goethe B1 Writing Task 3: Formal Email
Updated: 24 September 2026 · Checked against official exam sources
The official adult model’s third writing task is an email of about 40 words requiring a polite apology, explanation, greeting and closing.
A way to approach it
Use a greeting suitable for the recipient. State why you are writing and why you cannot attend in short, direct sentences.
Final check
Do not copy the tone of a personal email; check greeting, reason and closing.
Practise with the official sample
Take the relevant part of the Goethe-Institut adult model set to its official time. Use the key for Reading and Listening and the published criteria for Writing and Speaking. In your next attempt, measure whether the same error recurs.
Official sources
The exam rules and figures in this guide were checked against the official sources below.
Related guide
Practise this skill in exam format
After reviewing the official sample, practise the relevant skill with a timer on Zertifly.