TELC B2 Sprechen: The 3-Part Speaking Strategy (with Redemittel Cheat Sheet)

The TELC B2 Sprechen exam is where the jump from B1 to B2 becomes most visible. At B1, examiners accept simple opinions and basic interaction. At B2, they expect structured argumentation, nuanced positions ("teilweise einverstanden"), and the ability to negotiate and compromise. The speaking section is worth 100 out of a possible total score — and it must be passed independently.

The format has three parts: a Präsentation (presentation), a Diskussion (discussion with your partner about both presentations), and Gemeinsam planen (a joint planning task). You receive 20 minutes of supervised preparation time before the exam. The oral exam itself takes about 15–20 minutes for both candidates together.

Part 1: Präsentation (Structured Presentation)

Duration: about 3–4 minutes per candidate. You receive a topic card with a question (like "Sollte Homeoffice die Norm werden?" or "Brauchen wir ein Tempolimit auf Autobahnen?") and some bullet points or statistics. You give a short structured presentation, then your partner and the examiners may ask brief follow-up questions.

The B2 presentation skeleton has five elements:

• •Einleitung (Introduction): Name the topic and why it is relevant. "Das Thema meiner Präsentation ist… Dieses Thema ist aktuell, weil…"
• •These / Position: State your position clearly. "Ich vertrete die Meinung, dass…" / "Meines Erachtens…"
• •Argument 1 + Beispiel: Your strongest argument with a concrete example. "Dafür spricht, dass… Zum Beispiel…"
• •Gegenargument + Entkräftung: Acknowledge the opposing view and counter it. "Man könnte einwenden, dass… Dem halte ich entgegen, dass…" This is what separates B2 from B1 — showing you can argue both sides.
• •Fazit (Conclusion): Summarise your position. "Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass… Deshalb bin ich der Überzeugung, dass…"

This 5-part skeleton works for any topic. Memorise the framework, practise it with 4–5 different topics, and you will be able to give a confident B2-level presentation on exam day regardless of the specific question.

Part 2: Diskussion (Discussion with Your Partner)

Duration: about 6 minutes. After both presentations, you and your partner discuss both topics. The examiners expect genuine interaction: asking questions, responding to arguments, agreeing partially, disagreeing politely, and building on each other's ideas. This is not two monologues — it is a real discussion.

The biggest upgrade from B1 to B2 in this section is nuance. At B1, "Ich stimme zu" or "Ich stimme nicht zu" is enough. At B2, examiners want to hear partial agreement, conditional agreement, and qualified disagreement:

• •Full agreement: "Da stimme ich Ihnen vollkommen zu." / "Das sehe ich genauso." / "Ich teile Ihre Meinung."
• •Partial agreement: "In gewisser Hinsicht haben Sie recht, allerdings…" / "Das stimmt teilweise, aber man muss auch bedenken, dass…" / "Grundsätzlich stimme ich zu, möchte aber einschränken, dass…"
• •Polite disagreement: "Da bin ich anderer Meinung." / "Das sehe ich etwas anders." / "Ich kann Ihren Standpunkt nachvollziehen, bin aber nicht überzeugt, weil…"
• •Countering an argument: "Dem möchte ich widersprechen, denn…" / "Das Argument überzeugt mich nicht, weil…" / "Man darf aber nicht vergessen, dass…"
• •Asking for clarification: "Könnten Sie das etwas genauer erläutern?" / "Was genau meinen Sie damit?" / "Haben Sie dafür ein konkretes Beispiel?"

Part 3: Gemeinsam planen (Joint Planning Task)

Duration: about 5–6 minutes. You and your partner receive a scenario: plan a charity event, organise a company outing, prepare a farewell party for a colleague, or choose a gift for a mutual friend. You must discuss options, negotiate, and reach a joint decision.

The key functions you need to demonstrate:

• •Making suggestions: "Ich würde vorschlagen, dass wir…" / "Wie wäre es, wenn wir…" / "Eine Möglichkeit wäre, …" / "Wir könnten in Betracht ziehen, …"
• •Responding to suggestions: "Das klingt nach einem guten Plan." / "Das ist ein interessanter Vorschlag, aber haben Sie bedacht, dass…" / "Ja, das wäre eine Möglichkeit. Alternativ könnten wir aber auch…"
• •Compromising: "Wie wäre es mit einem Kompromiss?" / "Könnten wir uns darauf einigen, dass…" / "Ich wäre bereit, … wenn im Gegenzug…"
• •Reaching a conclusion: "Dann sind wir uns also einig, dass…" / "Lassen Sie uns zusammenfassen: Wir haben beschlossen, dass…" / "Gut, ich denke, wir haben einen Plan."

At B2, you must actually negotiate — not just politely accept everything your partner says. The examiners want to see you make counter-suggestions, express preferences, and work towards a compromise. A discussion where both candidates just say "Ja, gute Idee" to everything will score poorly on Aufgabenbewältigung.

The Complete B2 Redemittel Cheat Sheet

Here are the essential B2 Redemittel organised by communication function. Memorise 2–3 from each category and you will always have the right phrase ready:

• •Presenting your position: "Ich vertrete die Auffassung, dass…" / "Meines Erachtens…" / "Aus meiner Sicht…" / "Ich bin der festen Überzeugung, dass…"
• •Supporting with evidence: "Das lässt sich damit begründen, dass…" / "Ein Beleg dafür ist…" / "Studien zeigen, dass…" / "Nehmen wir als Beispiel…"
• •Transitioning: "Kommen wir nun zum nächsten Punkt." / "Ein weiterer Aspekt ist…" / "Darüber hinaus möchte ich anmerken, dass…" / "In diesem Zusammenhang ist auch wichtig, dass…"
• •Summarising: "Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass…" / "Alles in allem…" / "Abschließend möchte ich betonen, dass…" / "Um es auf den Punkt zu bringen: …"
• •Asking questions: "Darf ich dazu eine Frage stellen?" / "Wie stehen Sie zu…?" / "Was halten Sie von der Idee, dass…?" / "Sehen Sie das auch so?"

B2 Sprechen Scoring Criteria

TELC B2 Sprechen is assessed on these criteria:

• •Aufgabenbewältigung (Task Completion): Did you complete all three parts? Did you present, discuss, and plan? Did you interact with your partner and reach a conclusion in Part 3?
• •Flüssigkeit und Kohärenz (Fluency and Coherence): Do you speak fluently with natural pauses (not awkward silences)? Do your ideas connect logically? Do you use discourse markers?
• •Ausdrucksfähigkeit (Range of Expression): Do you use B2-appropriate vocabulary and structures? Can you express nuance (partial agreement, qualified opinions)? Can you paraphrase?
• •Korrektheit (Accuracy): Are your sentences grammatically acceptable at B2 level? Occasional errors are fine — systematic errors in basic structures (word order, verb conjugation) are penalised.
• •Aussprache und Intonation (Pronunciation): Can the examiners understand you clearly? Is your intonation appropriate for questions, statements, and emphasis?

Fluency and task completion carry the most weight. A candidate who speaks confidently with some grammar errors scores higher than a candidate who speaks perfectly but hesitantly and incompletely. The examiners want to see communication competence, not linguistic perfection.

Common B2 Sprechen Mistakes

• •Giving a B1-level presentation. Simply stating "Ich finde X gut" and listing two points is not B2. You need the 5-part structure: introduction, thesis, argument with example, counter-argument, and conclusion.
• •Not interacting with your partner. Treating the discussion as two separate monologues instead of a real exchange. React to what your partner says — refer to their points by name.
• •Agreeing with everything. Saying "Ja, gute Idee" to every suggestion in Part 3 does not show negotiation skills. Push back at least once and suggest an alternative.
• •Going silent when thinking. Long pauses kill your fluency score. Use filler phrases: "Das ist eine interessante Frage. Lassen Sie mich kurz überlegen…" / "Also, wenn ich darüber nachdenke…"
• •Switching to English or your native language. This immediately reduces your score. If you cannot find a word, describe it in German.
• •Not concluding Part 3. Always end the planning task with a clear summary of what you decided. "Also, wir haben beschlossen, dass…"

How to Practise B2 Sprechen Effectively

Practising B2 speaking alone is harder than B1 because the exam demands interaction and nuanced discussion. Talking to yourself in the mirror can help with Part 1 (presentation), but it does not prepare you for the back-and-forth of Parts 2 and 3.

LevelKraft gives you real TELC B2 Sprechen prompts for all three parts. Record your response and receive AI-powered feedback on fluency, coherence, vocabulary range, grammar accuracy, and task completion. The feedback tells you exactly which Redemittel to add, where your structure breaks down, and whether your argumentation reaches B2 level. Practise 5–6 sessions and your speaking confidence will transform.