Goethe-Zertifikat B1: format, time and pass mark
Teile, timing and the pass rule for Goethe-Zertifikat B1.
Modules
- Reading Lesen65 minutes
- Listening Hören40 minutes
- Writing Schreiben60 minutes
- Speaking Sprechen15 minutes
Pass mark
- Each module is marked out of 100 and passes at 60.
- In this app you are marked ready when every module is at least 70.
Source: Goethe-Institut: Goethe-Zertifikat B1, Durchführungsbestimmungen (Stand 1 Sept 2025); Modellsatz and Übungssatz Erwachsene
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FAQ
What score do you need to pass?
Each module is marked out of 100 and passes at 60. In this app you are marked ready when every module is at least 70.
How long is Reading?
Reading is 65 minutes.
How long is Listening?
Listening is 40 minutes.
How long is Writing?
Writing is 60 minutes.
How long is Speaking?
Speaking is 15 minutes.
How to prepare
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 asks you to follow a blog, press texts, ads, comments and rules; to follow talks and conversations; to write a personal email, a forum opinion and a short formal message; and to plan, present and react with a partner.
The written modules and speaking are scored as the level page describes. The suggested minutes inside writing are a plan, not three separate exam clocks. One timer covers the three texts.
A worked example
Ich finde die Idee gut, weil sie im Alltag funktioniert. Ein Problem bleibt aber der Preis.
A forum sentence states a position and a limit. That is the shape of the B1 opinion, not a list of adjectives.
B1 writing fails quietly when the text is friendly but never says yes, no, or a condition.
What usually drops the point
- Writing the forum post as a letter to a friend, with no opinion.
- Using weil and then putting the verb in second position.
- Presenting a topic you like instead of the prompt you were given.
How to use the mock
Spend real time on weil, dass and word order before you add more vocabulary. The sentence builder in the app is the place to drill that, then the mock.
- Write four sentences with weil, each with the verb at the end.
- Turn a personal story into two forum sentences: opinion, reason.
- Present one course topic for two minutes and let a partner ask one question.
Author: Fahrplan Deutsch. Last reviewed 2026-10-27. reviewed: false. A native-speaker review is still open. This page is not a Goethe-Institut paper.