10.2 Schreiben Teil 2: Writing Short Messages and Formal Emails

Writing Short Messages and Formal Emails for Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Schreiben Teil 2

Schreiben Teil 2 is the single highest-value writing task on the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 examination. While Teil 1 (form filling) awards 5 raw marks, Teil 2 awards 10 raw points. After the 1.66 weighting, Teil 2 is worth about 16.6 of the 100 points.

The task presents you with a short prompt describing an everyday situation and lists three mandatory content points (Leitpunkte). You must write a short, understandable message (typically an e-mail, note or letter) of about 30 words (circa 30 Wörter) that covers every content point and uses a suitable greeting and closing.

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1. How Teil 2 Is Scored (Official Criteria)

Two graders mark your text independently. Their scores are averaged and rounded to a whole number. The Goethe-Institut's test description and Modellsatz use this scheme:

The maximum is 3 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 10 points. Two consequences follow:

• Every content point is worth 3 of the 10 points. Leaving one out costs all 3 points for that point, and no amount of extra text can make up for it.
• Spelling mistakes cost points only when they make the text hard to understand. Grammar matters in the same way: an error only costs points if it makes a content point unclear.

The official sample scripts show how this works in practice. A 33-word message with small errors (Gibt es einen Kulturprogramm, a lowercase ich in mid-text) received the full 10 points: every content point was clear, and Hallo! with Viele Grüße was accepted as a greeting and closing. A 61-word message received only 6.5 points because two content points were only partly understandable and the greeting did not suit the text type.

CRITICAL EXAM RULE: Write at least one clear sentence for each content point, in the order given. Content earns 9 of the 10 points.

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2. Register Selection: Formal vs. Informal Communication

Before putting pen to paper, determine whether the situation demands a formal (formell) or informal (informell) register. The register affects the one point for text-type conventions (Kommunikative Gestaltung): in an official sample, a greeting that did not suit the text type cost half a point.

When to Write Formally

Use the formal register whenever writing to:

• A hotel, pension, landlord, or real estate agency
• A doctor, clinic, or hospital
• A language school, adult education center (Volkshochschule), or university
• A company, store, customer service desk, or potential employer
• An official government office (Bürgeramt, Ausländerbehörde)
• A stranger, customer, or supervisor

When to Write Informally

Use the informal register whenever writing to:

• A friend, acquaintance, or neighbor on first-name terms
• A classmate or fellow language course student
• A family member or relative

Register Comparison Table

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3. The Golden Rule of German Correspondence: Lowercase After Salutations

One of the most frequent mechanical errors made by English speakers involves the capitalization of the first word following the opening greeting.

In standard German correspondence:

1. The salutation ends with a comma (Sehr geehrte Frau Becker, or Lieber Stefan,).
2. The body text begins on the next line.
3. The very first word of the body text MUST begin with a lowercase letter, because grammatically it continues the sentence opened by the greeting!

CORRECT (German Syntax):
Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,
ich schreibe Ihnen, weil ich den Termin absagen muss.
^--- "ich" is lowercase!

INCORRECT (English Syntax):
Sehr geehrte Frau Müller,
Ich schreibe Ihnen, weil...
^--- A capital "Ich" here breaks the spelling convention

EXCEPTION: The first word begins with a capital letter ONLY if it is an inherently capitalized word—specifically, a German noun (e.g., Vielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail) or the formal personal pronoun Sie / Ihnen (e.g., Sehr geehrter Herr Meyer, Sie haben mich gestern angerufen).

Keep this rule in proportion. At A1, spelling mistakes only cost points when they make the text hard to understand, so the comma convention is worth following, but the content points matter far more.

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4. Plug-and-Play Sentence Templates for the Top 3 Prompt Scenarios

Typical A1 message tasks fall into three communicative types. The official test description mentions short messages such as an apology or a request for information, and the Modellsatz asks you to write to a tourist office. Learning these sentence patterns lets you handle most content points quickly.

Archetype 1: Cancellations, Apologies, and Rescheduling (Absage & Entschuldigung)

Common scenario: You cannot attend a doctor's appointment, a language class, or a friend's party, and must explain why, apologize, and propose another time.

Archetype 2: Information Inquiries and Bookings (Informationen erfragen)

Common scenario: You want to register for a course or rent a vacation apartment, and must ask about dates, prices, and registration forms.

Archetype 3: Confirmations, Invitations, and Arrangements (Zusagen & Einladungen)

Common scenario: A friend invites you to a birthday party, dinner, or excursion, and you must thank them, confirm your attendance, and offer to bring food or drink.

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5. Full Worked Model Response (10/10 Benchmark)

To understand how these elements combine into a perfect score, let us analyze a complete examination task.

The Examination Prompt

Sie haben einen Termin beim Zahnarzt (Dr. Weber) am Donnerstag um 15:00 Uhr.
Sie können aber nicht kommen.

Schreiben Sie eine E-Mail an die Zahnarztpraxis:

• Grund für die Absage (Warum können Sie nicht kommen?)
• Entschuldigung (Bitten Sie um Entschuldigung)
• Neuer Termin (Bitten Sie um einen neuen Termin)

Schreiben Sie ca. 30 Wörter.
Schreiben Sie zu allen drei Punkten.
Vergessen Sie nicht die Anrede und den Gruß am Schluss.

The 10/10 Model Response

Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Weber,

ich kann am Donnerstag um 15:00 Uhr leider nicht zu meinem Termin kommen, denn ich muss arbeiten. Es tut mir sehr leid. Können wir den Termin bitte auf Freitag um 10:00 Uhr verschieben?

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Susanne Berger

Scoring Analysis Using the Official Criteria

Structural Checklist

• Greeting: Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Weber, is a correct formal greeting with the masculine ending -er and a comma.
• Lowercase start: ich kann … follows the comma rule.
• Content point 1 (reason): …, denn ich muss arbeiten. gives a clear reason. Denn keeps normal main-clause word order, which is safer at A1 than weil.
• Content point 2 (apology): Es tut mir sehr leid.
• Content point 3 (new appointment): Können wir den Termin bitte auf Freitag um 10:00 Uhr verschieben? has the modal verb in position 1 of the question and the infinitive at the end.
• Closing: Mit freundlichen Grüßen (no comma) and the full name suit the formal register.

Word Count

• Greeting and closing: 10 words (Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Weber = 5; Mit freundlichen Grüßen Susanne Berger = 5).
• Body: 33 words.
• Total: 43 words, in line with the circa 30 Wörter instruction. The three body sentences do all the work; there is no need to write more.

Score Using the Official Scheme

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6. Word Count and Time Management

1. Length: Aim for about 30 to 40 words, as the task says. The official scheme awards points for content and text-type conventions, not for length. In the official samples, a 33-word message scored 10 points, while a 61-word message scored 6.5 because two content points were only partly understandable. Writing much more mainly adds chances for unclear sentences.
2. Suggested timing (about 13 minutes of the Schreiben time):
   • Minutes 1–2: Decide on the register and plan one sentence for each content point.
   • Minutes 3–9: Write the message directly on the Antwortbogen. Only the answer sheet is marked, so avoid drafting in the booklet and copying it out.
   • Minutes 10–13: Check that each content point is clearly answered, then check verb position, greeting, closing and the capital S in formal Sie/Ihnen.