Free Practice Questions for Schleswig-Holstein MSA English

Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card

100+ Questions

100% Free

Loading practice questions...

Same family resources

Explore More Schleswig-Holstein MSA

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

Schleswig-Holstein Intermediate School Leaving Certificate (MSA) German

Practice Questions100 questions

Schleswig-Holstein Intermediate School Leaving Certificate (MSA) Mathematics

Practice Questions100 questions

Exam Review

Key Facts: Schleswig-Holstein MSA English Exam

135 min

Total Englisch exam time: 105-minute schriftlicher Prüfungsteil plus 30-minute sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil

Durchführungsbestimmungen zu den zentralen Abschlussprüfungen ESA/MSA 2025/26, MBWFK

B1 (GER)

Target CEFR level for MSA-Niveau Sprechen/Sprachmittlung descriptors, above the ESA-Niveau (A2)

Durchführungsbestimmungen ESA/MSA, schleswig-holstein.de

2 + 2 + 1

MSA Englisch sets two Hörverstehen-Aufgaben, two Leseverstehen-Aufgaben and one Schreiben-Aufgabe in the written part

ZAB Schleswig-Holstein, Fachspezifische Hinweise Englisch

1:1 weighting

The schriftlicher and sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteile combine equally for the Englisch Prüfungsnote

schleswig-holstein.de, Zentrale Abschlüsse ESA/MSA

1-6 Noten

Whole Schulnoten scale used for MSA grading; no +/- tendency marks are permitted

Durchführungsbestimmungen ESA/MSA, Section 7.2

08.05.2026

Written Englisch date in the 2025/26 main MSA session; Nachschreibtermin 21.05.2026

schleswig-holstein.de / ZAB Schleswig-Holstein Prüfungstermine

Free 100-question English-language MCQ study bank for Schleswig-Holstein MSA Englisch, calibrated to B1/Jahrgangsstufe-10 level per the Fachanforderungen Englisch Sekundarstufe I. Official exam: schriftlicher Prüfungsteil (Hörverstehen/Leseverstehen/Schreiben, 105 min) plus sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (Sprechen/Sprachmittlung, 30 min), 1:1 weighted; written date 08.05.2026, Nachschreibtermin 21.05.2026. Not an official-format simulation; no fee for regular school candidates.

Sample Schleswig-Holstein MSA English Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Schleswig-Holstein MSA English exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Before answering detailed questions on a Leseverstehen text in the MSA exam, which strategy should you use first to quickly find out what a text is generally about?

A.Skim the text once for its topic and overall gist

B.Translate every word into German before reading

C.Memorise the text word for word

D.Answer the questions before reading the text

Explanation: Skimming means reading quickly for the general topic and gist before hunting for specific details, which is the recommended first step for any Leseverstehen text. It saves time for the detailed short-answer and multiple-choice items that follow.

2Read the notice: 'Kiel Sports Centre - Pool closed for maintenance from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May. Normal opening hours resume the following Monday.' When can visitors swim again?

A.From Monday 11 May

B.From Monday 4 May

C.The pool never reopens

D.Only on Friday 8 May

Explanation: The notice says normal hours resume 'the following Monday' after the closure ends on Friday 8 May, which is Monday 11 May. Reading exactly which day a closure period starts and ends is a key detail-reading skill.

3Read: 'Finn forgot his gym kit at home, so he had to borrow one from the school lost-and-found box. His trainers were two sizes too big and he tripped twice during the lesson.' Why did Finn trip during the lesson?

A.Because he was wearing borrowed trainers that did not fit properly

B.Because he had not practised the exercises before

C.Because the gym floor was wet

D.Because his teacher pushed him

Explanation: The text links Finn's tripping directly to the oversized borrowed trainers he had to wear because he forgot his own kit. This tests recognising a cause-and-effect chain across two sentences.

4An article begins: 'A growing number of secondary schools across Schleswig-Holstein are introducing bike-repair workshops so that students can learn basic maintenance skills.' What is this article mainly about?

A.Schools teaching students how to repair bicycles

B.A new law requiring students to cycle to school

C.Results of a regional cycling race

D.Complaints about broken school bicycles

Explanation: The opening sentence states the main topic directly: schools setting up workshops so students can learn to maintain bikes themselves. Finding the main idea in the opening lines is especially useful for longer Sach-/Gebrauchstexte.

5A class survey shows how MSA-level students in Schleswig-Holstein spend a typical free afternoon: Sport 38%, Gaming 30%, Reading 18%, Other 14%. According to the table, which activity is the second most popular?

A.Gaming

B.Sport

C.Reading

D.Other

Explanation: Sport is the most popular at 38%, and Gaming is the next highest at 30%, making it the second most popular activity. Reading numerical data accurately in tables and graphics is a named Leseverstehen skill.

6Read: 'Babysitter wanted! Reliable teenager needed for two evenings a week to look after a friendly 6-year-old. Please call Mrs. Petersen on 0431-XXXXXX.' What kind of text is this?

A.A classified advert placed by a parent looking for help

B.A newspaper report about childcare shortages

C.An official school notice about work experience

D.A diary entry written by a teenager

Explanation: The short, direct wording with a job description and contact number is typical of a classified advert, and it is placed by Mrs. Petersen, who is looking to hire someone, not by a person seeking work. Recognising who is speaking helps identify the text's purpose.

7Read: A: 'Are you coming to Lena's party on Saturday?' B: 'I'd really like to, but my grandparents are visiting and I promised to spend the whole weekend with them.' What can you infer about B?

A.B will probably not go to the party

B.B has already agreed to go to the party

C.B does not like Lena

D.B has no plans for the weekend

Explanation: Although B says 'I'd really like to,' the explanation about a prior promise to the grandparents strongly suggests B will not attend the party. Making inferences from context rather than only literal words is an important reading skill.

8Read: 'Some people claim that part-time jobs distract teenagers from their studies. I would argue the opposite - working a few hours a week teaches responsibility and time management that actually improves how students organise their schoolwork.' What is the writer's attitude toward teenagers having part-time jobs?

A.Generally positive, seeing part-time work as beneficial for students

B.Completely negative, seeing no value in part-time work

C.Neutral, refusing to state a personal view

D.Unsure, unable to decide either way

Explanation: The writer explicitly argues against the view that jobs distract students and instead claims part-time work builds useful skills, which is a clearly positive stance. Spotting signal phrases like 'I would argue the opposite' helps you find a writer's Standpunkt quickly.

9You need to find only the departure time of a train in a long timetable text. Which reading technique is most efficient?

A.Scanning quickly for the specific time you need

B.Reading every word of the timetable in order

C.Reading only the title of the timetable

D.Guessing the time without reading the text

Explanation: Scanning means searching a text quickly for one specific piece of information, such as a time, name or number, without reading everything else in detail. It is the most time-efficient technique for locating a single fact.

10In a 'multiple matching' Leseverstehen task, you are usually asked to match short text extracts to a list of headings or summary statements. What is the main skill this task format tests?

A.Identifying the main idea of each short extract and matching it to the correct heading

B.Correcting the grammar mistakes in each extract

C.Translating each extract into German

D.Writing your own heading for each extract

Explanation: Multiple matching tasks test whether you can quickly identify the central idea of several short texts and connect each one to the heading or summary that fits it best. It is a named task format in the Leseverstehen section of the MSA exam.

About the Schleswig-Holstein MSA English Exam

Schleswig-Holstein MSA Englisch is the compulsory erste-Fremdsprache examination for the Mittlerer Schulabschluss, sat at the end of Jahrgangsstufe 10 under the Durchführungsbestimmungen zu den zentralen Abschlussprüfungen ESA/MSA. Its content follows the Fachanforderungen Englisch Sekundarstufe I (2014) at MSA level, which the MBWFK explicitly targets to Niveau B1 of the Gemeinsamer europäischer Referenzrahmen - a step up in breadth, depth and candidate independence from the ESA (A2) exam sat a year earlier, and well below the literary-analytical depth of gymnasiale-Oberstufe Abitur Englisch. The official exam has two parts: a 105-minute schriftlicher Prüfungsteil testing Hörverstehen, Leseverstehen and Schreiben across four named Themenbereiche (Persönliche Lebensgestaltung; Schule, Ausbildung und Beruf; Teilhabe am gesellschaftlichen Leben; Kultur und Geschichte), and a 30-minute sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil testing Sprechen and mündliche Sprachmittlung, usually conducted as a paired oral exam. This free bank of 100 original multiple-choice questions is an English-language study adaptation covering grammar (tenses, passive voice, conditionals, reported speech, relative clauses, modals), topic vocabulary, reading and listening comprehension, writing conventions, speaking functional language, and oral mediation strategies - built to help Jahrgangsstufe-10 candidates check and reinforce that content. It is not a simulation of the official listening-audio, free-response writing, or live paired-speaking format.

Exam sponsor: Ministerium für Allgemeine und Berufliche Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur des Landes Schleswig-Holstein (MBWFK), with task development by IQSH-coordinated Fachkommissionen and administration through ZAB (Zentrale Abschlussarbeiten). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Official written Schleswig-Holstein MSA examination in Englisch (erste Fremdsprache), set centrally under the Durchführungsbestimmungen zu den zentralen Abschlussprüfungen ESA/MSA (Erlass vom 14.11.2025 - III 334). The schriftlicher Prüfungsteil (105 minutes) covers Hörverstehen (two Prüfungsaufgaben), Leseverstehen (two Prüfungsaufgaben) and Schreiben (one Aufgabe, e.g. formal/informal email, article/report/comment, blog/diary entry, flyer/form, or application letter), based on the four Fachanforderungen Themenbereiche: Persönliche Lebensgestaltung, Schule/Ausbildung/Beruf, Teilhabe am gesellschaftlichen Leben, and Kultur und Geschichte. The sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (30 minutes, usually a paired Zweierprüfung, occasionally a Dreierprüfung with +15 minutes) covers Sprechen (a Warming-up, a Dialogue on advantages/disadvantages, and a Long-term Speaking/photo-description monologue) and mündliche Sprachmittlung between English and German, assessed against MSA-level (B1) descriptors. Both parts count 1:1 toward the Englisch Prüfungsnote. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation only - it does not reproduce the official listening audio, free-response writing, or live speaking/mediation format.

Time Limit

135 minutes total: 105 minutes for the schriftlicher Prüfungsteil (Hörverstehen, Leseverstehen, Schreiben), plus 30 minutes for the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (Sprechen und mündliche Sprachmittlung), scheduled separately (school-chosen window). In the 2025/26 main session the written Englisch date was Friday 8 May 2026 (Nachschreibtermin: Thursday 21 May 2026), with the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil held 18-20 May or 27-29 May 2026.

Passing Score

Results are reported as whole Schulnoten (1 sehr gut to 6 ungenügend); no +/- tendency marks are permitted. The published 2021 MSA Englisch Korrekturanweisung scored the written part (Listening/Reading/Writing) and the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (Speaking/Mediation) at 50 points each for a 100-point total, converted to a Note via bands such as 100-92=1, 91-81=2, 80-67=3, 66-50=4, 49-30=5, 29-0=6 (bands can be recalibrated yearly). Under GemVO §16, the Englisch Endnote typically combines the doubled Vornote (coursework grade) with the single Prüfungsnote, divided by three. To be awarded the MSA overall, a candidate may have at most one Note 5 and no Note 6 across all subjects; progressing to the gymnasiale Oberstufe additionally requires an average of 3.0 or better across Deutsch, Mathematik and Englisch.

Exam / Certification Fees

No exam fee for regular enrolled students; the MSA is a state school examination administered by the MBWFK.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Study emphasis 16%

Reading comprehension (Leseverstehen)

Main ideas, details, inferences and writer attitude across Sach-/Gebrauchstexte and short narratives, using MSA-level task formats.

Study emphasis 10%

Listening comprehension (Hörverstehen)

Understanding announcements, dialogues and short talks on everyday topics, adapted as transcript-based MCQ items.

Study emphasis 11%

Tenses and aspect

Present perfect vs. simple past, past progressive, past perfect, and future forms in narrative and everyday contexts.

Study emphasis 9%

Passive voice and conditional sentences

Active vs. passive voice including passive with modals, and conditional type I/II.

Study emphasis 9%

Reported speech, relative and connecting structures

Reported speech and questions, defining relative clauses, question tags, and connectors.

Study emphasis 7%

Modal verbs and word formation

Modal verbs and Ersatzformen, gerunds vs. infinitives, comparatives/superlatives, adverb formation.

Study emphasis 12%

Topic vocabulary (Themenbereiche)

Vocabulary across Persönliche Lebensgestaltung, Schule/Ausbildung/Beruf, and Teilhabe am gesellschaftlichen Leben.

Study emphasis 8%

Speaking and functional language

Functional phrases for warming-up, describing photos, opinions, discussion and agreement/disagreement.

Study emphasis 8%

Writing and text types (Schreiben)

Study emphasis 6%

Oral mediation (Sprachmittlung)

Conveying gist and key facts between English and German in everyday situations.

Study emphasis 4%

Culture and history (Kultur und Geschichte)

The anglophone Lebenswelt, multicultural society, learning from the past, and creative expression.

Preparing for the Schleswig-Holstein MSA English Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Results are reported as whole Schulnoten (1 sehr gut to 6 ungenügend); no +/- tendency marks are permitted. The published 2021 MSA Englisch Korrekturanweisung scored the written part (Listening/Reading/Writing) and the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (Speaking/Mediation) at 50 points each for a 100-point total, converted to a Note via bands such as 100-92=1, 91-81=2, 80-67=3, 66-50=4, 49-30=5, 29-0=6 (bands can be recalibrated yearly). Under GemVO §16, the Englisch Endnote typically combines the doubled Vornote (coursework grade) with the single Prüfungsnote, divided by three. To be awarded the MSA overall, a candidate may have at most one Note 5 and no Note 6 across all subjects; progressing to the gymnasiale Oberstufe additionally requires an average of 3.0 or better across Deutsch, Mathematik and Englisch.
Assessment: Official written Schleswig-Holstein MSA examination in Englisch (erste Fremdsprache), set centrally under the Durchführungsbestimmungen zu den zentralen Abschlussprüfungen ESA/MSA (Erlass vom 14.11.2025 - III 334). The schriftlicher Prüfungsteil (105 minutes) covers Hörverstehen (two Prüfungsaufgaben), Leseverstehen (two Prüfungsaufgaben) and Schreiben (one Aufgabe, e.g. formal/informal email, article/report/comment, blog/diary entry, flyer/form, or application letter), based on the four Fachanforderungen Themenbereiche: Persönliche Lebensgestaltung, Schule/Ausbildung/Beruf, Teilhabe am gesellschaftlichen Leben, and Kultur und Geschichte. The sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (30 minutes, usually a paired Zweierprüfung, occasionally a Dreierprüfung with +15 minutes) covers Sprechen (a Warming-up, a Dialogue on advantages/disadvantages, and a Long-term Speaking/photo-description monologue) and mündliche Sprachmittlung between English and German, assessed against MSA-level (B1) descriptors. Both parts count 1:1 toward the Englisch Prüfungsnote. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation only - it does not reproduce the official listening audio, free-response writing, or live speaking/mediation format.
Time limit: 135 minutes total: 105 minutes for the schriftlicher Prüfungsteil (Hörverstehen, Leseverstehen, Schreiben), plus 30 minutes for the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (Sprechen und mündliche Sprachmittlung), scheduled separately (school-chosen window). In the 2025/26 main session the written Englisch date was Friday 8 May 2026 (Nachschreibtermin: Thursday 21 May 2026), with the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil held 18-20 May or 27-29 May 2026.
Exam / certification fees: No exam fee for regular enrolled students; the MSA is a state school examination administered by the MBWFK. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Schleswig-Holstein MSA English: Suggested Study Strategy

1Anchor grammar drills to the Jahrgangsstufe-9/10 list: present perfect vs. simple past, past progressive/perfect, passive voice (including with modals), conditionals I/II, reported speech and questions, relative clauses, question tags and modal verbs.

2Practise the real MSA reading and listening task formats named in the Fachanforderungen - short answer, multiple choice, multiple matching, table completion and true-false-justification - rather than only literary extracts.

3Rehearse the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil out loud: a two-minute warming-up conversation, a dialogue discussing advantages and disadvantages to reach an agreement, a photo-description Long-term Speaking task, and a short oral mediation between English and German.

4Learn the productive writing formats by name and register: formal and informal email, article/report/comment, blog/diary entry, flyer/form/handout, and application letter - each has its own expected structure and tone.

5Build vocabulary by the four Fachanforderungen Themenbereiche (Persönliche Lebensgestaltung; Schule, Ausbildung und Beruf; Teilhabe am gesellschaftlichen Leben; Kultur und Geschichte) rather than as an unsorted word list, since exam texts are organised around these areas.

6Practise mediation in both directions - summarising an English notice in German, and explaining a German notice or custom in English - since the sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil always tests Sprachmittlung both ways.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the official Schleswig-Holstein MSA Englisch exam multiple-choice?

No. The official exam has two parts: a schriftlicher Prüfungsteil (105 minutes) testing Hörverstehen, Leseverstehen and Schreiben using closed, half-open and free-writing tasks, and a separate sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (30 minutes) testing Sprechen and mündliche Sprachmittlung in a paired oral exam. This bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation for learning and checking the underlying content, not a simulation of the official format.

What CEFR/GER level does this exam target?

The MBWFK's Durchführungsbestimmungen state that the Sprechen/Sprachmittlung criteria are assessed against the MSA-Niveau (B1) of the Gemeinsamer europäischer Referenzrahmen (GER/CEFR), a level up from the ESA-Niveau (A2) used a year earlier and well below Abitur-level Englisch.

How long is the exam and what does it include?

The Gesamtzeit is 135 minutes: a 105-minute schriftlicher Prüfungsteil (Hörverstehen, Leseverstehen, Schreiben) plus a 30-minute sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (Sprechen, mündliche Sprachmittlung), the latter scheduled separately, usually as a paired (Zweierprüfung) oral exam.

How is the exam graded?

Listening and Reading are scored per item on an integer scale with no examiner discretion, since items are closed or half-open; Writing allows half-point scoring. A published 2021 Korrekturanweisung split the 100 available points evenly, 50 for the written part and 50 for Speaking/Mediation, converting the total to a whole Schulnote (1-6, no +/- signs).

Is there an oral component?

Yes - unlike some other German states, Schleswig-Holstein's Englisch MSA always includes a sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil (Sprechen und mündliche Sprachmittlung) as part of the same subject grade, not as a separate optional oral exam. It typically runs 30 minutes for a pair of candidates, plus deliberation time for the examiners.

When was the exam held in 2026?

In the 2025/26 main session the written Englisch date was Friday 8 May 2026, with a Nachschreibtermin on Thursday 21 May 2026. The sprachpraktischer Prüfungsteil ran in one of two school-selected windows, 18-20 May or 27-29 May 2026.

Is there an exam fee?

No. The MSA is a state school examination in Schleswig-Holstein, and regular enrolled students pay no separate fee for the Englisch paper.