To truly impress the examiners during the TELC B1 Sprechen and Schreiben sections, you need to show you can use advanced grammatical structures. Two of the most important concepts taught at the B1 level are the Konjunktiv II (Subjunctive II) and the Passiv (Passive voice).
Here is a simplified guide on how to integrate them into your exam workflow.
1. Konjunktiv II: Politeness, Wishes, and Unreal Scenarios
The Konjunktiv II is primarily used to express wishes, imaginary situations, and—most importantly for the exam—extreme politeness.
How to form it (The easy way)
For 90% of verbs, the easiest way to form Konjunktiv II is to use würde + Infinitive.
- Ich würde gerne einen Kaffee trinken. (I would like to drink a coffee.)
The major exceptions you MUST memorize are haben (hätte), sein (wäre), and the modal verbs (könnte, müsste, sollte, dürfte).
How to use it in the exam
- Making polite requests in the Email: "Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen?" instead of "Können Sie mir helfen?".
- Proposing ideas in the Oral part (Gemeinsam etwas planen): "Wir könnten am Samstag in den Park gehen. Wäre das in Ordnung für dich?"
2. Das Passiv: Focusing on the Action
The passive voice is used when the action is more important than who is performing the action. It's often used in news, formal procedures, and descriptions.
How to form it
Passive voice requires an auxiliary verb (werden) + the Partizip II (Past Participle) of the main verb at the end of the sentence.
- Active: Der Mechaniker repariert das Auto. (The mechanic repairs the car.)
- Passive: Das Auto wird repariert. (The car is being repaired.)
How to use it in the exam
- Describing processes: If you have to describe a picture or how something works.
- Formal Writing: It makes your writing sound much more professional. For instance: "Die Rechnung muss bis morgen bezahlt werden." (The invoice must be paid by tomorrow.)
By actively forcing yourself to use at least one Konjunktiv II and one Passiv sentence in your written exam and oral exams, you immediately signal to the examiner that you possess a strong B1 foundation!