Preparing for the writing part (Schreiben) of the Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 (the adult A1 exam)? A1 writing is short and predictable: you fill in a simple form and write one short message. This page gives you original DeuTale practice for both tasks — with model answers, notes on what makes an answer work, and the common mistakes that can make an answer incomplete or hard to understand. These are DeuTale practice materials, not official exam questions; for the current format and official practice tests, always use the official Goethe A1 practice materials.
Jump to Teil 1 (form), Teil 2 (short message), the independent practice, the self-check, or the writing toolkit.
The A1 writing section at a glance
In Start Deutsch 1, writing has two short tasks:
- Teil 1 — Formular ausfüllen: you read a short situation and complete the missing details on a simple form (name, address, date of birth, and so on).
- Teil 2 — Kurze Mitteilung: you write a short message or email (around 30 words) that covers three given points.
For A1 practice, aim for clear, relevant, understandable sentences that cover every requested point — not long or clever ones. Exact task wording and timing can change, so confirm them in the official Goethe model test before your exam.
Which A1 exam is this? This page focuses on the adult Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1. telc Deutsch A1 and ÖSD Zertifikat A1 also certify CEFR level A1, but they are different exams with their own papers and instructions — if you take one of those, use that provider’s official model test.
Teil 1 — Formular ausfüllen (form completion)
You get a short text about a person or situation and a form with missing fields. Your job is to put the right information in the right field — and sometimes to add one small detail of your own (like today’s date or a signature).
What a strong answer does: transfers each detail accurately into the correct field, paying attention to names, numbers, dates, spelling, and capital letters.
Practice 1 — Course registration
Situation: Anna Meyer wants to register for a German course (course number A1-2). She was born on 12 March 1998, lives at Gartenstraße 8, 10115 Berlin, and her phone number is 0176 4455667.
Complete fields 1–5:
| Formular | |
|---|---|
| Familienname | Meyer |
| Vorname | ______ (1) |
| Geburtsdatum | ______ (2) |
| PLZ / Ort | ______ (3) |
| Kursnummer | ______ (4) |
| Telefon | ______ (5) |
Answers: (1) Anna · (2) 12.03.1998 · (3) 10115 Berlin · (4) A1-2 · (5) 0176 4455667
Watch out for: writing the date as 12 March instead of 12.03.1998; putting the first name under Familienname; forgetting the postal code (PLZ).
Practice 2 — Library card (with your own details)
Situation: You are registering yourself for a library card today. Your name is Omar Khalil, born 5 July 2001, from Egypt, living at Lindenweg 21, 80331 München.
Complete fields 1–6. Fields 5 and 6 are not in the text — you supply them yourself.
| Formular | |
|---|---|
| Name | ______ (1) |
| Geburtsdatum | ______ (2) |
| Land | ______ (3) |
| Adresse | ______ (4) |
| Datum (heute) | ______ (5) |
| Unterschrift | ______ (6) |
Answers: (1) Omar Khalil · (2) 05.07.2001 · (3) Ägypten (German, not “Egypt”) · (4) Lindenweg 21, 80331 München · (5) today’s date, e.g. 05.08.2026 · (6) your own name as a signature, e.g. O. Khalil
Watch out for: copying the country in English; leaving the Datum / Unterschrift blank because they weren’t in the text — those you must add yourself.
Teil 2 — Kurze Mitteilung schreiben (short message)
You write a short message (about 30 words) that reacts to a situation and covers three points. Structure every message the same way: greeting → cover the three points → closing.
All responses below are original DeuTale practice answers — not official exam answers. Use them as models, then write your own.
Guided example 1 — Invite a friend
Situation: Write to your friend Lisa. Invite her to your birthday. Say: when, where, and what to bring.
Plan: friendly greeting → day → place → one concrete thing to bring → closing.
Model answer:
Hallo Lisa, ich habe am Samstag Geburtstag. Die Party ist um 18 Uhr bei mir zu Hause. Bring bitte einen Salat mit. Kommst du? Viele Grüße, Maria
Why it works: greeting + all three points (Samstag / bei mir / einen Salat) + closing, in short correct sentences. Note “what to bring” is a concrete item — a checkable point.
Weak answer: „Samstag Party 18 Uhr komm.” → no greeting, no closing, not full sentences.
Guided example 2 — Cancel and apologise
Situation: Write to your teacher Herr Klein. You are ill and cannot come to the course. Say: why, that you are sorry, and when you come back.
Model answer:
Sehr geehrter Herr Klein, leider bin ich krank und kann heute nicht zum Kurs kommen. Das tut mir leid. Ab Montag bin ich wieder da. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Omar Khalil
Why it works: uses the polite (Sie) form because it is written to a teacher, and covers all three points. Note: after the greeting comma, the next line continues with a lowercase word: Sehr geehrter Herr Klein, → leider bin ich krank …
Guided example 3 — Change an appointment
Situation: Write to your friend Tom. You can’t meet on Friday. Say: that Friday doesn’t work, why, and suggest a new day.
Model answer:
Hallo Tom, am Freitag kann ich leider nicht. Ich muss arbeiten. Können wir uns am Sonntag treffen? Liebe Grüße, Lena
Guided example 4 — Ask for course information
Situation: Write to a language school. You want information about a German course. Ask: when it starts, how much it costs, and whether places are free.
Model answer:
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ich möchte einen Deutschkurs machen. Wann beginnt der Kurs? Was kostet er? Haben Sie noch Plätze frei? Vielen Dank im Voraus. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Sara Ahmadi
Why it works: three clear questions (one per point), and the formal opening and closing match — Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren pairs with Mit freundlichen Grüßen.
Independent practice (write it yourself first)
Try these without looking below. Cover all three points, then check your work against the answer key.
Practice 5 — Accept an invitation. A friend invited you to dinner on Saturday. Reply: thank them, say you will come, and ask what to bring.
Practice 6 — Report late arrival. Write to a colleague. Say: you will be late, why, and when you will arrive.
Practice 7 — Explain an absence. Write to your course teacher. Say: you were not in class yesterday, why, and that you will do the homework.
Practice 8 — Ask someone to bring something. Write to a friend before a picnic. Ask them to bring drinks, say you will bring the food, and agree a meeting time.
Answer key
5. Hallo Nina, vielen Dank für die Einladung! Ich komme gern am Samstag. Soll ich einen Nachtisch mitbringen? Liebe Grüße, Ali
6. Hallo Frau Weber, ich komme heute leider später. Der Bus hat Verspätung. Ich bin um 10 Uhr im Büro. Viele Grüße, Sara
7. Sehr geehrte Frau Braun, gestern war ich leider nicht im Kurs, weil ich beim Arzt war. Die Hausaufgaben mache ich zu Hause. Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Omar
8. Hallo Tom, bringst du bitte die Getränke mit? Ich bringe das Essen. Treffen wir uns um 14 Uhr im Park? Liebe Grüße, Lena
A1 writing self-assessment checklist
Use this after each message. It is a DeuTale self-check based on the demands of A1 writing — it is not an official exam score. Only an authorised examiner gives an official result.
- Did I cover all three points (or every form field)?
- Is there a greeting and a closing?
- Are my sentences short, simple and correct (verb in position 2)?
- Did I choose du or Sie correctly — and keep the greeting and closing in the same register?
- Are names, numbers, dates and times written correctly?
- Are nouns capitalised (der Kurs, die Party)?
- Is the message relevant — not memorised sentences that don’t fit?
A1 writing toolkit (useful phrases)
Reusable building blocks for any A1 message:
- Greetings: Hallo … (friendly) · Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren / Sehr geehrter Herr … / Sehr geehrte Frau … (formal)
- Closings: Viele Grüße / Liebe Grüße (friendly) · Mit freundlichen Grüßen (formal)
- Give a reason (two safe options): Ich kann nicht kommen. Ich muss arbeiten. (two simple sentences) · or with weil: Ich kann nicht kommen, weil ich arbeiten muss. (verb goes to the end after weil)
- Suggestions & questions: Können wir uns am … treffen? · Haben Sie noch Plätze frei?
- Dates & times: am Samstag, um 18 Uhr, ab Montag · write dates as 12.03.1998
- Apology: Das tut mir leid. · Es tut mir leid, aber …
Word-order tip: when a sentence starts with a time word, the verb still comes second and the subject moves after it. See it in the model answers above: Leider bin ich krank, Am Freitag kann ich nicht, Ab Montag bin ich wieder da. For more, see DeuTale’s guide to German word order and the verb-in-position-2 rule and to German greetings.
Common A1 writing mistakes
- Missing a required point — check the instructions once before writing and once after finishing.
- Writing too much — more words means more errors. A1 rewards short and correct.
- Wrong word order — the verb goes in position 2: Am Samstag habe ich Zeit ✓, not Am Samstag ich habe Zeit ✗.
- Mixing du and Sie — a friend gets du; a teacher, office or school gets Sie, and the closing must match.
- Nouns without capitals — Party, Kurs, Grüße all start with a capital letter.
- Copying details wrongly — a wrong digit makes the transferred information incorrect, so compare every number carefully with the prompt.
- Memorised sentences that don’t fit — the message must answer this situation.
Keep practising
This page focuses on writing. For the full A1 exam and the other modules:
- Try full practice tests with A1/A2 mock exams
- Not sure which exam to take? Compare providers in the German exams overview
- Build the words you need with the 500 essential A1 words for beginners
Official exam information: check the Goethe-Institut’s current A1 exam-training page and official model tests before your examination. DeuTale’s exercises on this page are independently created practice materials and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Goethe-Institut.
