telc B1 Speaking: Partner Dialogue and Preparation

The telc B1 oral exam normally has two participants, three parts and about 15 minutes of examination time. You receive 20 minutes of preparation. Use that time to understand the prompts and make notes you can speak from.

Prepare notes that leave room for a reply

Identify the topic, the information you need to convey and possible questions for your partner. A full script makes it harder to adapt when somebody answers differently. In preparation, note a few reasons, examples and alternatives. During the conversation, listen before choosing the next point from your notes.

Original topic exchange: travelling to work

Anna: Ich fahre meistens mit dem Bus. Das dauert etwas länger, aber ich kann unterwegs lesen. Wie kommst du zur Arbeit? Max: Mit dem Fahrrad. Bei gutem Wetter finde ich das angenehm. Wenn es stark regnet, nehme ich auch den Bus. Anna: Das würde ich gern ausprobieren. Ist der Radweg bei dir sicher?

This original teaching dialogue contains an experience, a reason and a follow-up question. Neither speaker simply lists facts about transport. Try it with a different topic and ask one question that depends on your partner’s answer. That question is a useful check that you are listening rather than waiting to deliver your next sentence.

Original planning task: a study afternoon

Plan an afternoon for your learning group. Decide the place, time, materials and food. Add a constraint: one person can only join after 16:00. One partner suggests a plan; the other checks whether it meets the constraint and proposes a change. Finish by agreeing who will contact the group.

Wir könnten um 16.30 Uhr in der Bibliothek anfangen. Ich reserviere einen Gruppenraum. Kannst du die anderen fragen, welche Aufgaben sie üben möchten? Dann bringen wir passende Materialien mit.

The original model divides responsibility and links the materials to the group’s needs. Expand it into an exchange, not a monologue. If your partner rejects the library, ask for a reason and propose an alternative. A final summary should include decisions you actually agreed on, not new instructions introduced at the last moment.