telc A2 letter examples: the form and the short e-mail
In the telc A2 writing part you first complete a form with five gaps and then write a short e-mail of 30–50 words. The e-mail task gives four points and you choose three. Below you will find a form example, three sample e-mails, phrases and the scoring.
By Olcay Sari, founder of Level Exams
Last updated: 2026-11-12
telc Deutsch A2 is also called “Start Deutsch 2”. The writing part has two tasks and is worth 15 points; the whole exam has 60 points and you need at least 36 to pass.
In the official exam, reading and writing are one block and you divide the time between them yourself. In the Level Exams mock exam the writing part has 25 minutes. The Goethe A2 writing part is different: it has no form, and you write two short messages.
The writing part at a glance
| Task | What you do | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1: Filling in a form (Formular) | You find the information in a short text and write it into the five empty fields of the form. | One point per field |
| Teil 2: E-mail or short letter | You reply to a message: you choose three of four points and write one or two sentences on each. | 10 |
Teil 1: How to fill in the form
The task gives a short text about a person and a form that is half completed. You fill the five empty fields with information from the text. You do not write sentences; each field needs a word, a date or a number.
In the example below your colleague Emre Aksoy wants to join a swimming club and asks you to complete the form for him.
| Field in the form | What the text says | What you write |
|---|---|---|
| Familienname | Mein Kollege Emre Aksoy möchte Mitglied werden. | Aksoy |
| Geburtsdatum | Er ist am 4. Mai 1994 geboren. | 04.05.1994 |
| Wohnort | Er wohnt seit zwei Jahren in Kassel. | Kassel |
| Trainingstage | Er kann nur dienstags und donnerstags kommen. | Dienstag, Donnerstag |
| Zahlungsweise | Den Beitrag möchte er bar bezahlen. | bar |
What to watch when filling in the form
- Take the information exactly as it is in the text; copy names of people and places letter by letter.
- Write what the field asks for: “Familienname” is the surname, “Vorname” the first name. Do not put both in one field.
- Write the date in figures, in the order day, month, year.
- The wording in the text may differ from the form: if the text says “dienstags”, the field takes “Dienstag”.
- Leave no field empty; if you are unsure, write the most likely information.
Teil 2: How to write the short e-mail
You receive a short message from a friend, your landlord or an institution and are asked to reply. Under the task there are four points; you choose three of them and write one or two sentences on each.
You do not have to write about the fourth point, and leaving it out costs nothing. Choose the three points you can write about most easily. The target is 30–50 words.
The structure of the e-mail
- Salutation: to a friend “Liebe Lena,” / “Lieber Paul,” / “Hallo Paul,”; to someone you address formally “Sehr geehrte Frau Krüger,” / “Sehr geehrter Herr Krüger,”; if you do not know the name “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,”.
- The first sentence links to the message you received: “vielen Dank für deine Einladung” / “vielen Dank für Ihre Nachricht”. The line after the salutation starts with a small letter.
- One or two sentences for each of your three points. Adding a short reason with “weil”, “denn” or “aber” lifts the text to A2 level.
- Closing and your name: “Viele Grüße” to a friend, “Mit freundlichen Grüßen” in a formal message.
- Do not mix du and Sie in one message; Sie, Ihnen and Ihr take a capital letter.
Example 1: Replying to a friend's concert invitation (du)
Task: Ihre Freundin Lena singt in einem Chor. Sie schreibt Ihnen, dass der Chor am Sonntag ein Konzert gibt, und lädt Sie ein. Antworten Sie Lena mit einer E-Mail. Wählen Sie drei von den vier Punkten aus und schreiben Sie zu jedem Punkt ein bis zwei Sätze: sich bedanken, kommen oder nicht, jemanden mitbringen, nach dem Weg fragen.
Liebe Lena, vielen Dank für deine Einladung. Ich komme sehr gern zu eurem Konzert, denn ich höre euren Chor so gern. Kann ich meine Schwester mitbringen? Sie singt auch und möchte euch kennenlernen. Bis Sonntag und viele Grüße Deniz
- The three points chosen: saying thank you, whether you are coming, and bringing someone. The question about the way was left out; three of four points are enough.
- A short reason with “denn”: “denn ich höre euren Chor so gern”.
- In the question the verb comes first and the separable verb goes to the end: “Kann ich meine Schwester mitbringen?”
Example 2: Replying to your landlady's message (Sie)
Task: Ihre Vermieterin, Frau Krüger, schreibt Ihnen: Am Donnerstag kommt ein Handwerker und repariert die Heizung in Ihrer Wohnung. Antworten Sie Frau Krüger mit einer E-Mail. Wählen Sie drei von den vier Punkten aus und schreiben Sie zu jedem Punkt ein bis zwei Sätze: wann Sie zu Hause sind, wo der Handwerker den Schlüssel bekommt, ein anderes Problem in der Wohnung, wie lange die Reparatur dauert.
Sehr geehrte Frau Krüger, vielen Dank für Ihre Nachricht. Am Donnerstag bin ich erst ab sechzehn Uhr zu Hause. Der Handwerker kann den Schlüssel aber bei meinem Nachbarn Herrn Sommer holen. Leider schließt auch das Fenster im Bad nicht richtig. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Hakan Öztürk
- Formal salutation and closing: “Sehr geehrte Frau Krüger,” and “Mit freundlichen Grüßen”.
- The three points chosen: when you are at home, where the key is, and another problem in the flat.
- “aber” and “leider” connect the sentences; at A2 that is enough.
Example 3: Studying together with a classmate (du)
Task: Ihr Kurskollege Paul schreibt Ihnen: Nächste Woche ist ein Test im Deutschkurs. Er möchte mit Ihnen zusammen lernen. Antworten Sie Paul mit einer E-Mail. Wählen Sie drei von den vier Punkten aus und schreiben Sie zu jedem Punkt ein bis zwei Sätze: einen Tag vorschlagen, einen Ort vorschlagen, sagen, was Paul mitbringen soll, nach den Themen im Test fragen.
Hallo Paul, gute Idee, wir lernen zusammen für den Test! Ich habe am Mittwoch nach dem Kurs Zeit. Bring bitte dein Kursbuch und die Wörterliste mit. Weißt du schon, welche Themen im Test kommen? Ich habe leider nichts notiert. Bis Mittwoch Zeynep
- This time the second point (the place) was left out: which three you choose is up to you.
- Suggestion and request in the du form: “Ich habe am Mittwoch nach dem Kurs Zeit.” / “Bring bitte … mit.”
- In the indirect question the verb goes to the end: “Weißt du schon, welche Themen im Test kommen?”
Useful phrases
| Purpose | Informal (du) | Formal (Sie) |
|---|---|---|
| Thanking | Vielen Dank für deine Einladung. / Danke für deine Nachricht. | Vielen Dank für Ihre Nachricht. / Vielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail. |
| Accepting | Ich komme gern. / Das passt mir gut. | Der Termin passt mir gut. |
| Declining with a reason | Leider kann ich nicht kommen, weil … | Leider habe ich an diesem Tag keine Zeit, denn … |
| Suggesting | Hast du am … Zeit? / Wir können … | Können wir einen anderen Termin finden? |
| Requesting | Kannst du bitte …? / Bring bitte … mit. | Können Sie mir bitte …? / Bitte schicken Sie mir … |
| Asking | Wann …? / Wo …? / Weißt du schon, …? | Wie lange dauert …? / Was kostet …? |
| Closing | Viele Grüße / Liebe Grüße / Bis bald | Mit freundlichen Grüßen |
How is it scored?
In the form each correct field is one point. The e-mail is marked out of 10 points: each of your 3 chosen points is marked separately, and the remaining point is for communicative form (salutation, closing, fitting the text type).
A point that is covered fully and clearly gets full marks, a partly covered point gets half, and a point you did not address gets nothing. Grammar mistakes are not penalised separately as long as the meaning is clear.
The writing part is worth 15 points in total; to pass the exam you need at least 36 points across all parts.
Common mistakes
- Trying to write about all four points and running over the time and word limit: three are enough.
- Covering a chosen point with a single word: write at least one full sentence for each point.
- Mixing du and Sie, or forgetting the salutation and closing.
- Putting first name and surname in one field of the form, or writing the date in words.
- Copying sentences from the message you received: write your own.
- Starting the line after the salutation with a capital letter: “Liebe Lena, / vielen Dank …” continues in lower case.
Sample question paper (PDF) and mock exam
More practice: the telc A2 page has sample questions with answers that you can do without signing in, and a sample exam (question paper with answers) as a PDF; both are free.
Frequently asked questions
›How many words should a telc A2 letter have?
The target is 30–50 words. The salutation, closing and your name count too.
›Do I get more points if I write about all four points?
No. Three points are marked; a fourth brings no extra points, it only costs time and raises the risk of mistakes.
›How long is the writing part?
In the official exam, reading and writing are one block and you divide the time yourself. In the Level Exams mock exam the writing part is 25 minutes.
›Is the writing part the same in telc A2 and Goethe A2?
No. telc A2 has a form and one e-mail. Goethe A2 has no form; you write two short messages, one personal and one semi-formal.
›Do I lose points for a spelling mistake in the form?
The information is in the text, so copying it exactly is the safest way. A field that cannot be read or contains wrong information earns no point.
›Is there a PDF or sample exam for telc A2 writing?
Yes. The telc A2 page has free sample questions with answers and a sample exam as a PDF. For the full exam routine, use the free online mock exam.
Have your e-mail scored
In the free telc A2 mock exam you complete the form and write your e-mail; an AI scores the e-mail against these criteria and gives feedback on each point.