| telc B2-C1 Exam Structure and Content telc exams generally consist of listening, reading, language elements, writing and speaking sections. These sections contain subtests. Reading The reading test includes three different task types: reading for the main idea, reading for detail and selective reading. It expects test takers to broadly understand written texts in everyday situations in a university or work-related context. They should also be able to pull information out of texts of different types. These text types can be blog posts, informative texts, and texts on administrative, legal, financial and technical topics. Test takers are then given questions and answers about the texts and are expected to find the correct answers. Test takers have 50 minutes to complete this section. Listening Like the reading section, the listening section includes three task types: listening for the main idea, listening for detail and selective listening. In the listening test, test takers are expected to understand spoken language in everyday situations and in personal, work or student-related contexts. Listening passages can be conversations between two people, a presentation or lecture, opinions voiced during a television program, a conference call or a discussion. After each passage, or once all of them have been played, test takers get questions about what they heard. They are expected to find the correct answers. Test takers have about 40 minutes to complete this section. Language Elements The language elements section assesses candidates’ accuracy in grammar and word use, along with their command of sociolinguistic appropriateness. The aim of the language elements test is to close the gap between understanding a text and actively engaging with it. The language elements test has two parts. In the first, test takers are expected to complete an informal dialogue by choosing suitable spoken words or expressions (discourse markers). They need to grasp the communicative situation as a whole. In the second part, test takers are given a letter or email in a university or work-related context. In both cases, they must choose the right expressions to complete the texts. Test takers have 20 minutes to complete this section of the exam. Writing The listening and reading tests, which ask test takers to understand a written and/or spoken text, assess passive language skills. In the Writing and Speaking tests, test takers are expected to show their active language skills. The writing section calls for the ability to write for professional or academic purposes and to produce well-structured texts on a complex topic. It also calls for expressing ideas convincingly, organizing them logically and showing clarity of expression. Test takers are given two different scenarios. Each one introduces the topic. Then two opposing statements are given to push test takers to think about these scenarios. Their task in this section is to discuss the pros and cons of one of the given topics and to state a personal opinion. Test takers have 60 minutes to complete this section. Speaking Each telc speaking exam is normally held with two candidates. There are two examiners for each exam. In exceptional cases, such as an odd number of candidates at the exam center, three candidates may be examined together. The exam is meant to be a conversation, not an interrogation. The examiners’ main task is to oversee the conversation, and they are asked to speak as little as possible. For the exam to serve its purpose, it is more important that the candidate holds an active conversation with their speaking partner. The candidate should respond to what their partner says without trying to dominate the conversation. Both candidates are expected to take part in the conversation in a way that builds an interesting dialogue on various topics. When a speaking partner struggles to express what they want to say, a candidate who tries to help makes a positive impact on their grade. The oral exam takes about 15 minutes with two candidates and 25 minutes with three. Before the exam starts, each candidate has 20 minutes to prepare with the help of candidate sheets. These sheets give the details of the tasks the candidate needs to complete. During this preparation time, the candidate is not allowed to communicate with their speaking partner. How Long Is telc Valid? Just like TestDaF, DSH and Goethe-Zertifikat, telc language certificates do not expire. Once you pass the test, the certificate is valid indefinitely. However, some universities may ask you to retake the test, in line with their own practices and regulations. This can happen when there is a large time gap between the test date and the current date. A current language score may be requested, usually once 2 or 3 years have passed since the language test. How Can You Prepare for telc Language Proficiency Exams? Exam preparation can be a hard process for people who do not know any German. The same goes for those whose German is below B2 on the CEFR. telc is an exam that calls for preparing with special strategies and expert guidance. Preparing the right way means using quality, official prep materials, joining German courses, taking practice tests and getting used to an unconventional exam format. You can join our German courses to prepare for the telc exam the right way. For more details, you can contact us. | 
