A2 Schreiben Teil 1 – Short Message

What Is Goethe A2 Schreiben Teil 1?

Schreiben Teil 1 is the first writing task in the Goethe A2 exam. You receive a short prompt — usually an SMS, a note on a shared noticeboard, or a brief message from a friend or colleague — and must write a short reply of approximately 30 to 40 words. The task tests whether you can communicate basic information clearly and concisely in everyday German. You have about 10 minutes to complete this task, making speed and directness essential.

This task simulates the kind of quick written communication you encounter daily in Germany: replying to a text from a friend, leaving a note for a roommate, or responding to a colleague's question. The Goethe-Institut includes it in the A2 exam because it tests fundamental communicative competence — the ability to understand a simple prompt and produce a fitting, complete response.

How Schreiben Teil 1 Is Scored

Examiners evaluate your short message on three criteria. Task fulfillment (Inhalt) checks whether you addressed every point mentioned in the prompt. If the prompt asks you to do three things — say whether you can come, ask what to bring, and suggest a meeting time — all three must appear in your response. Missing even one point costs significant marks.

Communicative design (kommunikative Gestaltung) evaluates whether your message is clear, understandable, and appropriate for the situation. A message to a friend should sound friendly and natural, not stiff or overly formal. The greeting and sign-off should match the context — Hallo Lisa! for a friend, not Sehr geehrte Frau Schmidt.

Grammar and vocabulary (sprachliche Richtigkeit) assesses whether your language is correct for A2 level. Examiners do not expect complex grammar — simple, correct sentences are better than ambitious structures with errors. Using basic connectors like und, aber, and auch is sufficient at this level.

Example Task

You receive an SMS from your friend asking if you can come to a party on Saturday. Write a short reply. In your message:

• Say whether you can come
• Ask what you should bring
• Suggest a time to meet

How to Structure Your A2 Short Message

The key to Teil 1 is a simple, reliable structure that you can apply to any prompt.

Start with a greeting. For informal messages to friends, use Hallo [Name]! or Hi [Name]! For semi-formal messages (to a colleague or acquaintance), Liebe/Lieber [Name], works well. The greeting takes only a few words but shows you understand the social context.

Address each prompt point in order. Read the prompt carefully and write one or two sentences for each required point. Do not skip any point, and do not add unnecessary information. If the prompt says "say whether you can come," write Ja, ich komme gerne! or Leider kann ich nicht kommen. If it says "ask what to bring," write Was soll ich mitbringen? Directness is valued at A2 level.

End with a brief sign-off. Bis dann! (See you then!), Bis Samstag! (See you Saturday!), or Liebe Grüße, [Name] are all appropriate for informal messages. The sign-off signals that your message is complete.

Common Prompt Types in Teil 1

The Goethe A2 exam draws from a limited set of everyday scenarios for Teil 1. The most common prompt types include responding to a party or event invitation (accepting or declining, asking about details), replying to a friend's suggestion to meet up (confirming, proposing a different time or place), answering a question from a colleague or roommate (providing information, asking a follow-up question), and leaving a note about a practical matter (cancelling plans, explaining an absence, passing on a message).

Familiarizing yourself with these prompt types means you can prepare template responses that you adapt to the specific details on exam day, saving valuable time under pressure.

Word Count Strategy for Teil 1

The target is 30 to 40 words. This is very short — roughly four to six sentences. Many A2 candidates make the mistake of writing too little (missing content points) or too much (introducing errors and wasting time). Count your words during practice until you develop an intuitive sense for the right length.

A practical approach: write one sentence for the greeting, one sentence per prompt point, and one sentence for the sign-off. With three prompt points, that gives you five sentences — typically 30 to 40 words. This formula works for almost every Teil 1 task.

Common Mistakes in A2 Schreiben Teil 1

The most frequent error is missing a content point. Candidates read the prompt, start writing, and forget to address one of the required elements. Before you finish, always re-read the prompt and check each point against your response.

Using the wrong register is another common issue. If the prompt is a message from your friend Lisa, writing Sehr geehrte Frau Lisa is inappropriate. Match your language to the situation: informal for friends, slightly more polite for acquaintances or colleagues.

Writing too much introduces unnecessary grammar errors and wastes time that you need for Teil 2 and Teil 3. Stick to simple, correct sentences. Ja, ich komme gerne. Soll ich einen Kuchen mitbringen? is better than an elaborate paragraph.

Practice A2 Schreiben Teil 1 on Deutsch Fox

On deutschfox.com, you can practice Teil 1 tasks with realistic exam prompts. The AI examiner checks whether you addressed all content points, used appropriate register and greeting, and stayed within the expected word count. Instant feedback after each attempt helps you build speed and accuracy — essential skills for the time-limited A2 Schreiben section. The error memory feature tracks your recurring mistakes across practice sessions, so you know exactly which patterns to focus on before exam day.