Four modules, four results
The Goethe-Zertifikat B2 tests reading, listening, writing and speaking in separate modules. Each is scored and passed on its own: you get 0 to 100 points per module, and 60 is a pass. A strong module does not make up for a weak one.
You can sit all four modules on one date or take them separately and complete the certificate over time. The certificate itself does not expire.
How the exam runs
- Lesen (reading): 65 minutes, 5 parts, 30 questions.
- Hören (listening): about 40 minutes, 4 parts, 30 questions. Some recordings play once, some twice.
- Schreiben (writing): 75 minutes, 2 parts. A forum post of about 150 words and a formal message of about 100 words.
- Sprechen (speaking): 15 minutes of preparation, then about 15 minutes in pairs. A short talk with follow-up questions and a discussion.
How the points work
Lesen and Hören have 30 questions each, converted to 100 points. In Schreiben and Sprechen, examiners rate your performance against fixed criteria, each on a scale from A (best) to E. The levels decide the points.
Each module's result gets a grade: sehr gut (90–100), gut (80–89), befriedigend (70–79), ausreichend (60–69). Below 60 the module is not passed. The scoring guide explains the details.
Where most people struggle
Lesen and Hören can be trained alone: you need practice tasks and the right answers. Schreiben and Sprechen are harder, because you need feedback, and feedback against the same criteria the exam uses. That is what Bereit is for: you write or speak, and Punkt grades it against the B2 criteria, with the level, the points and the mistakes that cost you most.