Goethe-Zertifikat B1: Exam Format, Timing & Scoring
The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is a modular exam with four modules: Lesen (reading), Hören (listening), Schreiben (writing), and Sprechen (speaking). The modules can be taken individually or together as a whole. Each module is scored out of 100 points, and the pass mark is 60 points per module. This guide covers the two receptive modules, Lesen and Hören, which are the modules Solvi offers as timed mock exams.
Lesen: 65 minutes, 30 questions, 5 parts
| Part | What you do | Type | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Read a blog-style text and judge statements about it | Richtig / Falsch | 6 |
| Teil 2 | Read two articles, three questions on each | Multiple choice (3 options) | 6 |
| Teil 3 | Match seven situations to the right notice or advertisement | Matching (10 ads plus "no match") | 7 |
| Teil 4 | Read seven comments on a topic and judge each writer's position | Ja / Nein | 7 |
| Teil 5 | Read a set of rules or instructions and answer questions on it | Multiple choice (3 options) | 4 |
You may start with any part and move freely between questions inside the 65 minutes. The matching part (Teil 3) is the one candidates most often misjudge: there are ten advertisements for seven situations, three ads are distractors, and one option covers the case that nothing fits.
Hören: about 40 minutes, 30 questions, 4 parts
| Part | What you hear | Type | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Five short texts (announcements, messages, information), each played twice | Richtig / Falsch and multiple choice | 10 |
| Teil 2 | A presentation or talk heard as an audience member | Multiple choice (3 options) | 5 |
| Teil 3 | A conversation between native speakers | Richtig / Falsch | 7 |
| Teil 4 | A radio discussion with two guests and a moderator, played twice | Matching: who says what | 8 |
The 40 minutes are the length of the recording itself, including the reading pauses printed in the exam. The repeats are part of the exam: Teil 1 texts and the Teil 4 discussion are played twice, Teile 2 and 3 once. On Solvi the repeats are in the recording, exactly as in the exam room, so each clip plays once.
Scoring: 100 points per module, pass at 60
Your raw result (correct answers out of 30) is converted to points with the official conversion table printed in the sample sets. The conversion is close to proportional, with the pass mark set so that 18 correct answers give exactly 60 points:
| Correct (of 30) | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points (of 100) | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 |
Because the exam is modular, each module stands on its own: a 90 in Lesen does not rescue a 55 in Hören. Solvi scores your mock the same way, out of 100 per module.
Adults and youth versions
The B1 exam comes in two variants with identical format, timing, and scoring: Erwachsene (adults, recommended from age 16) and Jugendliche (youth, recommended from age 12). Only the topics and texts differ. The Goethe-Institut publishes two free sample sets per variant, a Modellsatz and an Übungssatz, and all four are on Solvi as timed mocks with the original audio and the published transcripts. The exam itself is a joint product of the Goethe-Institut, the ÖSD, and the Universität Freiburg/Schweiz.
Practice with the official sample sets
Work through the sets under real timing before you book: 65 minutes for Lesen with no pause, and the Hören recording start to finish. Then read the published transcripts for every text you misheard; the sample sets print them in full, which is the fastest way to find the vocabulary that cost you points.
Take the B1 mock exams
Four official B1 sample sets, timed and scored out of 100 per module, with the original audio.
Sources
All format, timing, and scoring facts on this page come from the official sample sets published by the Goethe-Institut as free preparation material: the Überblick and Vorwort printed in each Modellsatz, and the Umrechnungstabelle printed in the Übungssatz (Prüferblätter, p. 34). The sets are listed on the Goethe-Institut B1 practice page.