11.2 Sprechen Teil 2: Asking for and Giving Information with Word Cards
Key Takeaways
Sprechen Teil 2 is worth 6 of the 15 speaking raw points: each candidate asks two questions (2 points each) and answers two (1 point each).
The moderator names a topic, such as Einkaufen or Wochenende, and each candidate draws a face-down card with a word to build a question.
The group works in a round: you ask another candidate, who answers and then asks the next person, first on topic 1 and then on topic 2.
Both W-questions and yes/no questions work; what counts is that the question fits the card and the topic and is understandable.
If you do not understand a question, say 'Wie bitte?' or 'Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?'; asking for help is an official A1 strategy.
The Task in Brief
Sprechen Teil 2 is called Um Informationen bitten und Informationen geben (asking for and giving information). According to the official test description, it tests whether you can ask for simple information on familiar everyday topics, such as food and drink, family or shopping, and answer the same kind of question from other candidates.
| Feature | Official detail |
|---|---|
| Group | up to four candidates and two examiners; in an individual exam an examiner is your partner |
| Topics | two topics, one after the other (the Modellsatz uses Einkaufen and Wochenende) |
| Cards | face-down action cards (Handlungskarten), each showing a word |
| Your tasks | 2 questions and 2 answers in total |
| Time | about 60 seconds per candidate |
| Points | 2 per question + 1 per answer = 6 raw points |
How the Round Works
- The moderator names the first topic and shows the procedure with an example. In the Modellsatz, the examiner takes the card Stadtplan under the topic Einkaufen and asks: Wo kann ich einen Stadtplan bekommen? The assessor answers: An der Information im Bahnhof.
- The first candidate draws a card and asks another candidate a question that uses the word and fits the topic.
- That candidate answers, draws a card and asks the next candidate.
- The round continues until everyone has asked one question and answered one.
- The moderator names the second topic, and the round is repeated.
At the end, every candidate has produced two questions and two answers. If a candidate cannot be understood and does not react to a request for repetition, the moderator steps in and keeps the conversation going.
Turning a Topic and a Word into a Question
The card gives you a word; the topic gives you the context. Combine both in one short, natural question.
| Topic | Card | W-question | Yes/no question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Einkaufen | Brot | Wo kaufen Sie Brot? | Kaufen Sie Brot im Supermarkt? |
| Einkaufen | Schuhe | Wo kaufst du Schuhe? | Kaufst du gern Schuhe? |
| Wochenende | Kino | Wann gehen Sie ins Kino? | Gehen Sie am Wochenende ins Kino? |
| Wochenende | Sport | Welchen Sport machst du am Wochenende? | Machst du am Wochenende Sport? |
| Essen und Trinken | Frühstück | Was essen Sie zum Frühstück? | Trinken Sie Kaffee zum Frühstück? |
| Familie | Geschwister | Wie viele Geschwister hast du? | Hast du Geschwister? |
| Wohnen | Balkon | Wie groß ist Ihr Balkon? | Hat Ihre Wohnung einen Balkon? |
Two reliable patterns
- W-question: question word + verb in position 2 + subject + rest: Wo wohnen deine Eltern?
- Yes/no question: verb in position 1 + subject + rest: Hast du Geschwister?
Both types can earn full points if the question fits the card and is understandable. Stay on the topic: if the topic is Wohnen and your card says Balkon, a question about the weather on the balcony misses the point of the task.
Vary your question words
If you have a second card on the same kind of topic, change the question word so that your questions do not sound memorised:
| Question word | Example (topic Wochenende) |
|---|---|
| Was | Was machen Sie am Sonntag? |
| Wann | Wann stehen Sie am Samstag auf? |
| Wo | Wo frühstücken Sie am Wochenende? |
| Mit wem | Mit wem gehen Sie ins Kino? |
| Wie oft | Wie oft treiben Sie Sport? |
| Wie lange | Wie lange schlafen Sie am Sonntag? |
| Welche / Welchen | Welchen Film sehen Sie gern? |
du or Sie?
Both are acceptable. The official test description uses du in its example (Wo wohnen deine Eltern?), and many candidates use Sie with adults they do not know. Choose one form and use the matching verb ending: Hast du …? / Haben Sie …?
Giving Good Answers
An answer earns up to 1 point, so it only needs to be clear and relevant:
- Hast du Geschwister? → Ja, ich habe einen Bruder.
- Wo kaufen Sie Brot? → In der Bäckerei neben meiner Wohnung.
- Was machst du am Wochenende? → Ich treffe Freunde und gehe ins Kino.
A one-word answer (Ja.) may be understandable, but a short sentence shows clearly that you understood the question. Keep answers short, because the next candidate is waiting.
When you do not understand
The official inventory lists asking for help with understanding as an A1 strategy, and the test description's own example shows it in use:
- Wo wohnen deine Eltern?
- Entschuldigung, wie bitte?
- Wo wohnen deine Mama und dein Papa?
- In der Ukraine.
Useful phrases: Wie bitte? / Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? / Noch einmal, bitte. / Was bedeutet …?
How Teil 2 Is Scored
| Element | Full points | Half points | 0 points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Each question (2 per candidate) | 2: task fulfilled and understandable | 1: only partly fulfilled because of language or content problems | not fulfilled or not understandable |
| Each answer (2 per candidate) | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
The examiners ask three things: Does the candidate understand the question or request? Does the candidate formulate it appropriately? How understandable is the utterance? Comprehensibility decides, not the number of errors. Wo du kaufst Brot? has a word-order error but is still understandable, so it may lose only part of the points. Brot? on its own does not show that you can form a question.
Sample Round (Topic: Einkaufen)
- Moderator: Unser erstes Thema ist Einkaufen. Bitte nehmen Sie eine Karte und fragen Sie Ihren Partner.
- Candidate A (card: Obst): Kaufen Sie Obst auf dem Markt?
- Candidate B: Nein, ich kaufe Obst im Supermarkt. (card: Geschenk) Was kaufen Sie als Geschenk für Ihre Mutter?
- Candidate C: Ich kaufe Blumen. (card: Preis) Was kostet ein Kilo Äpfel?
- Candidate A: Ungefähr zwei Euro.
Every question uses the card's word and stays on the topic, and every answer is one clear sentence.
How many raw points are one question and one answer worth in Sprechen Teil 2?
1 point each.
2 points per question and 1 point per answer.
3 points per question and 3 per answer.
1.5 points for each question-and-answer exchange.
Topic: Einkaufen. Card: Brot. Which question fits best?
Wo kaufen Sie Brot?
Brot ist lecker.
Wie alt ist Ihr Brot?
Fahren Sie mit dem Brot?
Your partner asks you a question that you do not understand. What is the best reaction?
Stay silent until the examiner moves on.
Answer a different question that you prepared.
Say 'Das weiß ich nicht' and stop.
Say 'Entschuldigung, wie bitte?' or ask your partner to repeat the question.
Topic: Familie. Card: Geschwister. Which question and answer are both complete and appropriate?
Geschwister? — Ja.
Hast du Geschwister? — Geschwister sind Brüder und Schwestern.
Hast du Geschwister? — Ja, ich habe eine Schwester.
Wo ist Geschwister? — In Berlin.
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.