telc Deutsch B1 runs as a 150-minute written paper in three blocks, followed by a 15-minute paired oral exam taken after 20 minutes of supervised preparation.
Block 1 - Leseverstehen + Sprachbausteine, 90 minutes. Handed out together as one paper. There is no signal to move between them; the split is yours to make. This is the only block where time management is part of the test.
Block 2 - Hörverstehen, about 30 minutes. Runs to the recording, not to your pace. Answers are transferred to the answer sheet within the section.
Block 3 - Schriftlicher Ausdruck, 30 minutes. One letter or email covering three given points.
Oral exam - about 15 minutes, in pairs. Preceded by 20 minutes of supervised preparation in which you may take notes and keep them for the exam itself.
| Part | Items | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leseverstehen | 25 | 90 min shared | 75 |
| Sprachbausteine | 20 | 90 min shared | 30 |
| Hörverstehen | 20 | 30 min | 75 |
| Schriftlicher Ausdruck | 1 | 30 min | 45 |
| Written | 66 | 150 min | 225 |
| Mündlicher Ausdruck | 3 parts | ~15 min | 75 |
| Total | 300 |
Two observations follow from the table, and both are counterintuitive.
Sprachbausteine has the best points-per-minute on the paper. 30 points from items that take seconds each, sharing a block with a section whose items can take minutes. Doing it first is close to free marks.
Reading and listening together are half the exam. 150 of 300 points come from comprehension rather than production. Candidates who focus preparation on grammar are optimising the smallest block.
Bring photo ID - it is checked and it is the one thing that can stop you sitting the exam. Allow around three hours at the centre for the written part, more if the oral exam is the same day.
Answers must be on the answer sheet. Anything written only on the question paper is not marked, and running out of time to transfer is a genuine and avoidable way to lose points.
Usually yes, on the same day, though larger centres sometimes schedule the oral exam separately. The centre tells you when you register - ask if it matters for travel.
Yes, short breaks between blocks. The 150 minutes counts working time only, so allow about three hours at the centre for the written part.
Photo ID and a pen. No dictionaries, notes, phones or smartwatches. ID is checked, and a missing or expired document means you cannot sit the exam.
Leseverstehen and Sprachbausteine together first, then Hörverstehen, then Schriftlicher Ausdruck. The oral exam follows. Only the first block lets you set your own pace.
Sit a full simulation under exam timing and see exactly where your points go.