Rilke
Speaking at Goethe B2: give a talk, lead a discussion
The B2 speaking exam has only two parts, but both ask a lot: a structured talk, and a discussion in which you argue, respond and take a position at the end.
The format
You sit the exam in pairs — there is also a version for one candidate — and it lasts about 15 minutes. Beforehand you prepare alone for 15 minutes. Notes are allowed, but in the exam you should speak freely. Dictionaries and phones are not allowed.
| Teil | Task | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vortrag halten — giving a talk on one topic out of two, then questions | approx. 4 min each, approx. 8 min together |
| 2 | Diskussion führen — exchanging positions on a controversial question | approx. 5 min together |
Teil 1: giving a talk
The situation: you are giving a short talk in a seminar. You choose one of two topics; each comes with three guiding points, such as describe several options, describe one of them in more detail and name and weigh up advantages and disadvantages. Your talk needs an introduction, a main part and a conclusion. Afterwards your partner asks you questions — and after their talk, you ask them some.
| Section | Phrases | |
|---|---|---|
| introduction | {de | Ich möchte heute über … sprechen. / Mein Vortrag besteht aus drei Teilen: Zuerst …, dann …, zum Schluss …} |
| describing options | {de | Es gibt verschiedene Möglichkeiten, … / Eine Möglichkeit ist …, eine andere …} |
| going into detail | {de | Auf … möchte ich etwas genauer eingehen. / Das bedeutet konkret, dass …} |
| weighing pros and cons | {de | Ein großer Vorteil ist … Dem steht gegenüber, dass … / Ich halte … für sinnvoller, weil …} |
| conclusion | {de | Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, … / Ich danke Ihnen fürs Zuhören. Haben Sie Fragen?} |
Example notes (our own)
Thema: Weiterbildung neben dem Beruf
- Einleitung: viele wollen sich weiterbilden, wenig Zeit → drei Wege, einer genauer, Bewertung
- Möglichkeiten: Abendkurs · Online-Kurs · Bildungsurlaub
- genauer: Online-Kurs — flexibel, aber Disziplin nötig; Beispiel: Kollege, Programmieren, 6 Monate
- Vor-/Nachteile: Abendkurs = Kontakt, aber müde · online = flexibel, aber einsam · Bewertung: Mischung
- Schluss: Fazit + Dank + Fragen?
The topic here is further training alongside a job: three routes (evening class, online course, educational leave), one in detail, then pros and cons. Key words, not sentences — that way you speak freely and still keep track. Four minutes is longer than it sounds: practise the talk against the clock.
Teil 2: leading a discussion
You are members of a debating club and discuss a controversial question — for example whether supermarkets should have to donate food, or whether homework should be abolished. The sheet lists a few prompts to help. You are expected to
- exchange your position and arguments,
- respond to your partner's arguments,
- sum up at the end whether you are for or against.
| Purpose | Phrases | |
|---|---|---|
| taking a position | {de | Ich bin klar dafür/dagegen, weil … / Meiner Ansicht nach …} |
| responding | {de | Da muss ich dir widersprechen. / Das ist ein guter Punkt, aber … / Da gebe ich dir recht.} |
| asking for detail | {de | Wie meinst du das genau? / Hast du ein Beispiel dafür?} |
| compromise | {de | Vielleicht liegt die Wahrheit in der Mitte: …} |
| summing up | {de | Für mich überwiegen also die Vorteile, deshalb bin ich dafür.} |
Lead the conversation, don't just argue
Examiners also mark whether you open the conversation, keep it going and bring it to an end — and whether you use du and Sie appropriately. Ask your partner for their view when it goes quiet, and let them finish.
How it is marked
In both parts, task fulfilment, vocabulary, structures and pronunciation count. In the talk, coherence and fluency are added, as well as how well you ask and answer questions; in the discussion, interaction and the right register. The Sprechen module gives a maximum of 100 points; you pass with 60.
Typical mistakes
Reading the talk out or reciting it — examiners listen for a natural way of speaking.
Forgetting the second guiding point: describe one option in more detail really means in more detail, with an example.
In the discussion, only listing your own arguments without engaging with your partner's.
Not summing up at the end which side you are on.
And with Rilke?
In the Rilke app you practise the talk and the discussion with the app as your partner and get an assessment against Goethe's criteria. Your device measures speaking pace, pauses and filler words by itself. How writing works at B2 is in the guide to Schreiben B2.