TestDaF Speaking Assessment Criteria: How Are Your Recordings Scored?
Last updated: 25 July 2026 · Based on the official assessment description
Seven digital TestDaF Speaking responses are recorded automatically and reviewed by trained raters. Assessment goes beyond grammar: task and situation fulfilment, accurate source use, fluency, intelligible pronunciation and range of expression all matter.
Seven tasks and speaking times
| Communicative task | Typical situation | Speaking time |
|---|---|---|
| Give advice | Private student setting such as a cafeteria | 45 seconds |
| Weigh options | A student decision | 1 min 30 sec |
| Summarise a text | Student working group | 2 minutes |
| Compare information and comment | Seminar discussion | 1 min 30 sec |
| Present a topic | Tutorial/preparatory programme | 2 min 30 sec |
| Report arguments and comment | Seminar or discussion | 2 minutes |
| Criticise measures | City or university information event | 1 min 30 sec |
Official assessment criteria
- Is the response relevant to the task topic?
- Are all points in the prompt covered sufficiently?
- Does it fit the task and situation, carrying out the required action such as summarising, weighing, criticising, commenting, justifying or suggesting?
- Where required, is source information accurate and reported in the candidate's own words?
- Is speech fluent, clear and intelligible, with pronunciation and intonation that support understanding?
- Is expression appropriate and precise, with varied grammar, vocabulary and useful phrases?
- Does the response remain understandable despite some errors?
A recording review checklist
| Check | Question while listening |
|---|---|
| Task | Did I perform the required communicative action? |
| Coverage | Did I address every point in the prompt? |
| Organisation | Can the listener hear an opening, main points and conclusion? |
| Sources | Did I report text/graphic information accurately in my own words? |
| Fluency | Do long pauses disrupt the message? |
| Pronunciation | Do stress and intonation support understanding? |
| Language | Did I vary connectors, vocabulary and structures? |
Fluency is not the same as speed
The official criterion asks for fluent, clear and intelligible speech, with pronunciation and intonation that make understanding easy. Speaking very fast is not an advantage by itself. Planned pauses are possible, but long silences can weaken coverage and comprehensibility.
An accent-free performance is not stated as a requirement. The objective is an easily understandable response that fulfils its communicative purpose.
What is not an official point grid?
The public TestDaF page does not disclose points per task or a percentage weight for pronunciation. Invented task-level scores are therefore not reliable.
The overall assessment is transferred to the 0–20 section scale. Scores of 10–15 are TDN 4 and 16–20 are TDN 5, but one practice recording cannot produce an exact official score.
Track recurring strengths and weaknesses against the criteria rather than relying on one practice number.
A TDN 4-oriented recording method
- Record every task type using the official preparation and speaking time.
- On the first replay, check only whether the task was completed.
- On the second, review organisation, source accuracy and reasons.
- On the third, mark fluency, pronunciation, grammar and repeated vocabulary.
- Repeat with a new topic rather than memorising one response.
Official sources
Tasks, timing and criteria come from current TestDaF format, evaluation and preparation pages.
Related guides
Make the criteria visible through recording
Replay timed responses and review task fulfilment, fluency and language separately.