telc B1 Speaking Part 3: Planning Something Together

telc B1 Speaking Part 3 (Sprechen Teil 3, called Gemeinsam etwas planen, "planning something together") is the last part of the telc Deutsch B1 oral exam. Once you understand what the examiners want, many candidates find it the friendliest part. There are no texts to summarise and no opinions to defend in front of a table of statistics. You and your partner simply plan something together: a party, a trip, a present or a favour for a friend.

Still, many people lose points here. Some talk too much, some agree with everything, and some run out of time without ever deciding anything. This guide shows you how to avoid these traps and go into the exam with a clear, practised routine.

1. telc B1 Speaking Part 3 format at a glance

According to telc, the telc Deutsch B1 oral exam (mündliche Prüfung) is taken in pairs and lasts about 15 minutes. There are normally two examiners in the room. The exam has three parts:

Before the exam you get 20 minutes of preparation time for all parts. During this time you see the task sheets for Parts 2 and 3. You may make notes (keywords) and bring them into the exam room, but you should speak freely, not read sentences aloud.

The Part 3 task sheet

You and your partner receive the same sheet.

The sheet contains:

• A short situation, for example: Eine Kollegin aus Ihrem Deutschkurs zieht um. Sie möchten ihr beim Umzug helfen. ("A classmate from your German course is moving. You want to help her move.")

• A list of guiding points (Leitpunkte), usually written as short questions or keywords, such as:

  • Wann? (When?)

  • Wer hilft noch? (Who else helps?)

  • Transport?

  • Essen und Getränke? (Food and drinks?)

  • Kosten? (Costs?)

The list is a guide, not a strict checklist. You should cover the points, but you may also add your own ideas, such as the weather, a plan B or a present. That makes the conversation more natural and shows the examiners a wider range of German.

2. How Part 3 is scored

The whole oral exam is worth 75 points, and Part 3 accounts for up to 30 of them. Part 2 is also worth 30 and Part 1 is worth 15. So Part 3 makes up 40% of your speaking result, which is reason enough to practise it seriously. The oral exam is marked separately from the written exam, and to pass it you need at least 45 out of 75 points (60%).

The examiners judge your performance using four criteria:

Two points stand out:

1. Each candidate is assessed individually, but the task is cooperative. Helping your partner, asking questions and building on their ideas works in your favour.

2. A conversation without a clear result counts as an incomplete task. Even fluent, correct German can't make up for a plan that never comes together.

3. Typical telc B1 Part 3 topics

Gemeinsam etwas planen topics come from everyday life: free time, work, the German course, family, friends and neighbours. You won't be asked to plan a political campaign or a business merger. Collections of practice tasks show the same types of situation again and again:

Parties and celebrations

• A surprise party for a friend's birthday

• A farewell party for a colleague or for the end of the language course

• A summer party with colleagues, or a street party with neighbours

• A grandmother's 90th birthday in the garden

Trips and outings

• A day trip to the zoo or a lake with children

• A hiking or cycling tour with friends

• A city trip, or a class trip with the German course

• Going to a concert together

Helping someone

• Helping a classmate move house

• Visiting a sick friend at home or in hospital

• Helping a friend who has just had a baby

• Helping a neighbour with her balcony plants or a big family gathering

Presents and surprises

• Buying a joint present for a friend, teacher or colleague

• Picking a friend up at the airport with a surprise

Courses and projects

• Taking a cooking, dance or sports course together

• Organising an open day, a "Germany evening" or a coffee-and-cake afternoon for the course

• Making the classroom more welcoming

• Organising a flea-market stall or a charity collection

The details differ, but the guiding points are nearly always variations of the same questions:

That's good news. If you can talk confidently about time, place, people, food, money, transport and tasks, you're ready for almost any Part 3 topic.

4. The four-step strategy: Propose → React → Divide → Close

You don't need a different strategy for every topic. This simple four-step routine works for all of them:

Step 1: Propose (vorschlagen)

Open the conversation, name the task and make the first suggestion. If you are the one who starts, take the first guiding point.

Step 2: React (reagieren)

Respond to your partner's suggestion. Agree or disagree, and always give a reason. If you disagree, offer an alternative straight away. Then ask a question to pass the turn back: Was meinst du?

Steps 1 and 2 repeat for each guiding point. The easiest way to stay on track is to work through the points on the sheet in order. Whenever there's a pause, go to the next one: Und was ist mit dem Transport?

Step 3: Divide (Aufgaben verteilen)

Once the details are settled, decide who does what. Many candidates forget this step, but it shows the examiners that your plan is realistic and complete.

Step 4: Close (abschließen)

Summarise the plan in two or three sentences and confirm it together. This gives the examiners a clear result to mark.

5. Useful phrases (Redemittel) for Gemeinsam etwas planen

These phrases (Redemittel) work as templates. Learn the frame once and plug in the vocabulary for the topic. That way you won't freeze, even with a topic you've never practised.

Opening the conversation

• Wollen wir anfangen? (Shall we start?)

• Wir sollen zusammen … planen / organisieren. (We're supposed to plan / organise … together.)

• Am besten fangen wir mit … an. (Let's start with …)

• Zuerst sollten wir über … sprechen. (First we should talk about …)

Making suggestions

• Ich schlage vor, dass wir … (I suggest that we …)

• Wir könnten … (We could …)

• Wie wäre es, wenn wir …? (How about if we …?)

• Was hältst du davon, wenn wir …? (What do you think about us …?)

• Hast du Lust, …? (Do you feel like …?)

• Mein Vorschlag wäre, … (My suggestion would be …)

Asking for your partner's opinion

• Was meinst du? / Was denkst du darüber? (What do you think?)

• Passt dir das? (Does that suit you?)

• Bist du damit einverstanden? (Are you OK with that?)

• Hast du vielleicht eine andere Idee? (Do you maybe have another idea?)

Agreeing, always with a reason

• Ja, das ist eine gute Idee, weil … (Yes, that's a good idea, because …)

• Das finde ich gut. So … (I like that. That way …)

• Da hast du recht. (You're right.)

• Genau! Außerdem … (Exactly! What's more …)

• Einverstanden, das ist praktisch. (Agreed, that's practical.)

Disagreeing politely and offering an alternative

• Das ist eine gute Idee, aber … (That's a good idea, but …)

• Das ist zwar ein guter Vorschlag, aber … (That's a good suggestion, but …)

• Ich bin nicht sicher, ob das funktioniert, weil … (I'm not sure that will work, because …)

• Ich fände es besser, wenn wir … (I'd prefer it if we …)

• Ich würde lieber … Was meinst du? (I'd rather … What do you think?)

• Das geht leider nicht, weil … Aber wir könnten … (Unfortunately that won't work, because … But we could …)

Finding a compromise

• Vielleicht können wir beides machen. (Maybe we can do both.)

• Okay, dann machen wir es so: … (OK, then let's do it like this: …)

• Und wenn wir …? Dann sind wir beide zufrieden. (And what if we …? Then we're both happy.)

Talking about details

• Um wie viel Uhr treffen wir uns? (What time shall we meet?)

• Wie viel darf das kosten? / Wie viel Geld haben wir? (How much can it cost? / How much money do we have?)

• Wie kommen wir dorthin? Mit dem Bus oder mit dem Auto? (How do we get there? By bus or by car?)

• Wen laden wir ein? (Who shall we invite?)

• Was brauchen wir noch? (What else do we need?)

Dividing the tasks

• Wer kümmert sich um …? (Who takes care of …?)

• Ich kann … übernehmen. (I can take care of …)

• Willst du … machen? / Kannst du … organisieren? (Do you want to do …? / Can you organise …?)

• Dann machst du …, und ich mache … (Then you do …, and I'll do …)

Checking and closing

• Haben wir an alles gedacht? (Have we thought of everything?)

• Also, fassen wir zusammen: … (So, let's sum up: …)

• Wir sind uns also einig, dass … (So we agree that …)

• Gut, dann machen wir das so! (Good, let's do it that way!)

• Super, dann ist alles geklärt. (Great, then everything is settled.)

If you don't understand your partner

• Entschuldigung, kannst du das bitte wiederholen? (Sorry, can you repeat that, please?)

• Meinst du, dass …? (Do you mean that …?)

• Wie meinst du das? (What do you mean?)

Asking for clarification isn't a weakness. It's real communication, and the examiners value it.

Two grammar points to watch

1. Word order after weil, dass and wenn. The verb goes to the end of the clause (more in our guide to German sentence structure and word order):

Ich finde das gut, weil wir dann mehr Zeit haben.Ich schlage vor, dass wir um zehn Uhr anfangen.

2. Verb in position 2 after zuerst, dann and vielleicht. When the sentence starts with one of these words, the verb comes next:

Zuerst sollten wir … / Dann kaufe ich … / Vielleicht können wir …

Modal verbs carry most of the work in Part 3. Be confident with können / könnten, sollen / sollten, müssen, wollen and möchten. The forms könnten and sollten sound especially polite and natural for suggestions. They are Konjunktiv II forms, like fände and wäre.

6. A model task and example dialogue

The task

Einer Kursteilnehmerin beim Umzug helfen

Maria aus Ihrem Deutschkurs zieht nächsten Monat in eine neue Wohnung. Sie möchten ihr zusammen mit Ihrem Partner / Ihrer Partnerin beim Umzug helfen. Planen Sie, was Sie tun möchten.

• Wann?

• Wer hilft noch?

• Transport?

• Essen und Getränke?

• Was kann man Maria schenken?

(Translation: Helping a classmate move. Maria from your German course is moving into a new flat next month. You want to help her move together with your partner. Plan what you would like to do. When? Who else helps? Transport? Food and drinks? What could you give Maria as a present?)

The dialogue

Why this dialogue scores well

• ✅ Every guiding point is covered: date and time, helpers, transport, food and drinks, and the present.

• ✅ Both partners make suggestions. Neither of them just says yes to everything.

• ✅ There are three polite disagreements (the time, the van, the plant), each with a reason and an alternative.

• ✅ There's a plan B (Und wenn dein Nachbar keine Zeit hat …). It's a small extra that shows natural, flexible planning.

• ✅ The grammar is varied: weil, dass, ob and wenn clauses, modal verbs and könnten / fände.

• ✅ Tasks are divided, and the conversation ends with a clear summary.

• ✅ The turns are short, and each partner speaks about seven times.

7. Common mistakes and how to avoid them

What if your partner is weak, silent or too dominant?

You can't choose your partner, but you can manage the situation:

• If your partner is quiet, ask simple, direct questions: Was möchtest du lieber, Pizza oder Salat? That gives them an easy way in and shows the examiners your interaction skills.

• If your partner dominates, step in politely: Darf ich auch etwas vorschlagen? or Moment, ich habe noch eine Idee.

• If your partner makes mistakes, don't correct them. Just keep the conversation going in a friendly way.

Remember that you are assessed individually. A difficult partner doesn't automatically mean a bad result for you.

8. How to prepare: a four-week plan

Week 1: Build your phrase toolkit

• Choose two or three phrases for each step: opening, suggesting, agreeing, disagreeing, dividing tasks and closing.

• Write them on flash cards or a single cheat sheet.

• Review the grammar: weil / dass / wenn word order, verb in position 2 and modal verbs.

Week 2: Master the core vocabulary

Collect words for the topics that come up again and again:

• Time: am Wochenende, am Samstagvormittag, nächste Woche, um halb zehn. Revise telling the time and prepositions of time.

• Places: im Park, bei mir zu Hause, im Restaurant, am See

• Money: kosten, bezahlen, teilen, pro Person, günstig, teuer. Make sure your numbers are automatic.

• Transport: mit dem Zug / Bus / Auto, ein Auto mieten, abholen. See travel and transport vocabulary.

• Food: Getränke, Kuchen backen, Pizza bestellen, jeder bringt etwas mit. See food and drink vocabulary.

• Tasks: einladen, einkaufen, dekorieren, sich kümmern um, organisieren

Practise saying dates, times and prices out loud. Clear numbers matter for pronunciation and for the plan itself.

Week 3: Practise with real tasks

• Take one task a day from a practice book or online collection, and use a timer set to 5–6 minutes.

• Work with a partner if you can, from your course, a tandem partner or a friend. Switch roles: sometimes you open the conversation, sometimes your partner does.

• Disagree on purpose in some rounds, so that compromising becomes automatic.

• No partner? Play both roles aloud, or practise with a language-learning app or AI chat partner.

Week 4: Simulate the real exam

• Do full mock exams: 20 minutes of preparation, then Parts 1, 2 and 3 in a row.

• Record yourself and listen back. Check your word order, whether you covered all the guiding points, and whether you ended with a clear summary.

• Practise note-taking in the preparation time. Write keywords next to each guiding point, plus one or two phrases you want to use.

An example of good preparation notes:

Wann?      Sa 15., 10 Uhr (nicht 9!)
Wer?       Paul + Ahmed fragen
Transport? Nachbar → Lkw? / sonst Transporter (80 €)
Essen?     Pizza mittags, Getränke
Geschenk?  Gutschein Möbelgeschäft
→ "Wie wäre es, wenn …"  /  "Also, fassen wir zusammen …"

9. Exam-day tips

1. Use the 20 minutes wisely. Spend about a third of the preparation time on Part 3. Note one idea and, if you can, one alternative for each guiding point.

2. Agree on who starts. If neither of you begins, start yourself. Wollen wir anfangen? is all you need.

3. Keep to the form of address from Part 1. If you agreed on du (common between candidates), stay with du.

4. Follow the sheet. When the conversation stalls, move to the next point.

5. Listen actively. React to what your partner actually said, using their words: Pizza ist eine gute Idee, aber …

6. Speak clearly and at a calm pace, especially numbers, dates and names.

7. Don't stop for small mistakes. Correct yourself quickly if you notice, or just carry on.

8. Always close with a summary, even if time is short. Two sentences are enough.

9. Stay friendly and relaxed. A smile and a natural tone make the conversation better for both of you, and the examiners notice cooperation.

10. FAQ: telc B1 Speaking Part 3

Final thoughts

Part 3 doesn't reward the most complicated German. It rewards clear, cooperative communication that leads to a result. Learn a small set of reliable phrases, practise the Propose → React → Divide → Close routine with as many topics as you can, and always finish with a summary. Then this part can become the strongest part of your speaking exam.

Viel Erfolg bei der Prüfung! 🍀

Sources and further practice

• LingoMile: telc B1 Speaking Part 1, getting to know each other

• LingoMile: telc B1 Speaking Part 2, talking about a topic

• telc: Zertifikat Deutsch / telc Deutsch B1, official exam page with a free mock exam

• telc Deutsch B1 / Zertifikat Deutsch: official Übungstest 1 (PDF)