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telc B1 Sprachbausteine Teil 1: pick the word that fits each gap

Abderrahmane Dioubi · 2 November 20265 min read

What the paper looks like

SprachbausteineTeil 1

Lesen Sie den Brief und wählen Sie bei jeder Lücke 21 bis 30 die richtige Lösung a, b oder c.

This is Sprachbausteine Teil 1, just like on exam day. You read a letter with gaps, and for each gap you pick the word ‘a’, ‘b’ or ‘c’ that fits.

The method

  1. 1Read the whole sentence

  2. 2Try all three words in the gap

  3. 3Pick the word that fits the sentence

Let's do gap 21 together

1Read the whole sentence

Einladung zum Geburtstag

vielen Dank für deine Einladung ___ (21) deinem Geburtstag.

The word before gap 21 is „Einladung“, which means ‘invitation’. The missing word has to go with it.

2Try all three words in the gap

  • a Einladung zu deinem Geburtstag✓
  • b Einladung für deinem Geburtstag✕
  • c Einladung von deinem Geburtstag✕

Say each line out loud. „Einladung für deinem Geburtstag“ and „Einladung von deinem Geburtstag“ do not sound right, and „Einladung zu deinem Geburtstag“ does.

3Pick the word that fits the sentence

Einladung zu deinem Geburtstag

German says „Einladung zu deinem Geburtstag“, which means ‘invitation to your birthday’, so you write ‘a’ in box 21.

Say the whole sentence with each word before you choose, even quietly in your head. Your ear often catches a wrong word before you can say why.

Your turn: gap 21 in a new letter

Nachricht an eine Freundin

ich komme am Samstag etwas später, ___ (21) ich noch arbeiten muss.

21  Ich komme am Samstag etwas später, ___ ich noch arbeiten muss.

Not quite. Look at the end of the sentence. Is the verb „muss“ in second place, or at the end?

The answer is ‘a’. Uwe gives a reason for coming late, and the verb „muss“ comes last, which is „weil“. Word ‘b’, „denn“, would put „muss“ in second place.

The answer and the explanation are shown above.

Three traps in the gaps

Wrong words in Teil 1 often hide behind one of these three traps.

  1. The right meaning in the wrong form

    In gap 22, „mitgebracht“ has the right meaning. But after „Kann ich“ you need the basic form „mitbringen“, so the form has to fit too.

  2. The small word that goes with the verb

    In gap 23, „Ich freue mich auf“ means ‘I look forward to’ something that is still coming. „Auf“ goes with „sich freuen“ when the party has not happened yet.

  3. The verb at the end

    In „Ich rufe Sie an, ___ ich eine Frage zu Ihrer Anzeige habe.“ the verb „habe“ is last. Only „weil“ sends the verb to the end.

When two words both look possible, check them against these three traps. The word that passes all three is the right one.

Questions

How long is telc B1 Sprachbausteine Teil 1?

It has no time of its own. Leseverstehen and Sprachbausteine share one 90-minute block, so you plan your own time.

How many gaps are in Sprachbausteine Teil 1?

Ten. Each gap has three words, ‘a’, ‘b’ and ‘c’, and only one word fits.

Are these the real exam texts?

No. They are Velang practice papers from the app, written in the same format as the exam.

Practise Sprachbausteine Teil 1 on the real exam paper in the app, with Vel checking every answer.

Start free

Sources and notes

  • Format facts: telc Deutsch B1 practice test (telc gGmbH). Sprachbausteine Teil 1 has ten gaps with three words each, and Leseverstehen and Sprachbausteine share 90 minutes. See telc.net.
  • The German letters and gaps are Velang practice papers from the app, not real exam papers.
  • Velang is not part of telc.