Mastering the TELC B1 Writing: Giving Advice to a Friend – My German Journey

Okay, so, let me be honest. I’ve been living in Berlin for almost two years now, and while I can order a Bier and ask for directions (mostly), writing in German still feels… intimidating. Especially when it comes to the TELC B1 Writing exam. They want me to be able to give advice, really advise someone, not just a polite “das ist gut” or “das ist schlecht.” It feels a lot more important than it probably is, but I know it’s a key step in feeling really confident in my German. So, I’ve been trying to practice, and I wanted to share what I’m finding useful, particularly when it comes to the ‘Give Advice to a Friend’ task – that’s what the examiners specifically asked me about.

The Problem with ‘Ich glaube…’ – My Initial Struggles

At first, everything I wrote sounded so formal and stilted. I was relying way too much on “Ich glaube…” and “Ich denke…” trying to express my opinion. It felt incredibly unnatural. My friend, Alice, who’s studying German, told me, “Stop saying you think! Just say what you think!” It sounded so simple when she said it, but actually doing it was a huge mental shift. I realized I was so worried about sounding sophisticated that I was losing the conversational flow. I even got a little stressed out in a practice test just because I was overthinking the wording. It’s not helpful.

Real-Life Scenarios and German Dialogues

The key, I’ve discovered, is to think about how I actually would talk to a friend. Let’s say my friend, Luke, is complaining about his new girlfriend, Sarah. He says, “Ich habe das Gefühl, Sarah ist nicht ehrlich. Sie lügt immer!” (I feel like Sarah isn’t honest. She’s always lying!). My first instinct is to say, “Das ist schlecht!” (That’s bad!), but the task is to give advice.

Instead, I could say: “Ich verstehe, dass du dich frustriert fühlst. Vielleicht solltest du ihr sagen, wie du dich fühlst. Vielleicht ist sie einfach nervös, aber es ist wichtig, dass du das offen ansprichst. Was sagst du zu dieser Idee?” (I understand that you feel frustrated. Maybe you should tell her how you feel. Maybe she’s just nervous, but it’s important that you address it openly. What do you think of this idea?).

See? It’s more helpful and empathetic. The exam wants to see that.

Useful Vocabulary – Beyond “Gut” and “Schlecht”

Obviously, “gut” and “schlecht” are important, but they aren’t enough. I’ve been building my vocabulary around offering solutions and expressing concern. Here are some phrases I’ve found really useful:

• “Ich glaube, du solltest…” (I think you should…) – This is a good starting point but don’t overuse it!
• “Vielleicht könntest du…” (Maybe you could…) – Offering suggestions.
• “Was hältst du davon?” (What do you think of that?) – Engaging your friend and getting their input.
• “Es wäre gut, wenn…” (It would be good if…) – Suggesting improvements.
• “Du solltest dir das gut überlegen.” (You should think about that carefully.) – Offering a cautionary suggestion.
• “Ich bin sicher, du wirst es schaffen.” (I’m sure you’ll manage it.) – Offering encouragement.

I practiced using these with small, low-pressure situations. I even used them when ordering Kuchen at the bakery – “Ich glaube, ich nehme den Schoko-Kuchen, bitte!” (I think I’ll take the chocolate cake, please!). It felt silly at first, but it helped me get more comfortable.

Mistakes and Corrections – Learning from Luke

During a practice test, I made a classic mistake – I focused too much on grammar. I was trying to use the perfect past tense (“Ich hatte geglaubt…”) and it just sounded completely wrong in the context of giving advice. Alice pointed out that it was completely unnecessary and made my writing sound stiff. She encouraged me to keep it simple and conversational. She said, “Luke wäre nicht so kompliziert!” (Luke wouldn’t be so complicated!). And she was right. The examiners want to assess your ability to communicate effectively, not your perfect German grammar.

Putting it All Together – A Sample Response

Let’s imagine Luke tells me his problem again. Here’s how I might respond, aiming for a B1 level:

“Luke, das tut mir leid zu hören. Ich verstehe, dass du dich wirklich schlecht fühlst, weil Sarah dich nicht ehrlich behandelt. Ich glaube, du solltest ihr sagen, wie du dich fühlst. Du könntest sagen: ‘Sarah, ich bin sehr frustriert, weil ich das Gefühl habe, du lügst oft. Das ist für unsere Beziehung nicht in Ordnung.’ Was hältst du davon? Vielleicht solltest du auch darüber mit einem Freund sprechen, der dir gut einfällt.” (Luke, I’m sorry to hear that. I understand that you feel really bad because Sarah isn’t treating you honestly. I think you should tell her how you feel. You could say: ‘Sarah, I’m very frustrated because I feel like you’re often lying. That’s not okay for our relationship.’ What do you think of that? Maybe you should also talk about it with a friend who you trust).

Final Thoughts – Relax and Be Human

Honestly, the biggest thing I’ve learned is to relax. Don’t try to write like a German professor. Write like you would talk to a friend. Focus on being empathetic and offering helpful suggestions. The TELC B1 Writing exam is about demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively, not about achieving perfect grammatical precision. Los geht’s! (Let’s go!) – start practicing, and remember, even small steps make a difference.

Do you want to see some more examples?