Sprachbausteine B1 telc: 15 grammar patterns that always appear (+ interactive practice test)

Most B1 Learners Study the Wrong Things for Sprachbausteine

Sprachbausteine B1 telc is the section where most learners lose easy points…Trying to learn and refresh the entire German grammar up to B1 isn't the best strategy to prepare for this section of the test.

Sprachbausteine tests a surprisingly specific set of grammar patterns - the same ones, exam after exam. If you know which patterns to expect, you can stop wasting time on grammar that rarely appears and focus entirely on what actually gets tested and wins you points.

This guide gives you exactly that: the 11 high-frequency patterns for Teil 1 and the 4 key patterns for Teil 2, with exam-style examples for each one. Plus an interactive quiz to test your knowledge!

If you're looking for a complete overview of the telc B1 exam structure and what to expect on test day, start with our telc B1 exam guide.

What Are Sprachbausteine? (Quick Format Overview)

Sprachbausteine ("language building blocks") is a section in the telc B1 Reading & Language module. It has two parts:

Teil 1 is pure grammar. You're choosing between three options that test whether you know the right article, preposition, verb form, or connector.

Teil 2 looks like vocabulary, but the correct answer almost always depends on grammar patterns — verb + preposition combos, fixed phrases, register (formal vs. informal).

Both sections use everyday text types: emails to a landlord, letters to a friend, notices from a school. The grammar is practical, not academic.

The 11 Grammar Patterns Behind 80% of Sprachbausteine Teil 1

Instead of studying 100 grammar chapters, learn these 11. They cover the vast majority of gaps you'll see on exam day.

Pattern 1: Articles + Case After Verbs and Prepositions

This is the single most common pattern. You'll see gaps where you choose between der/die/das, ein/eine/einen, or kein/keine/keinen — and the correct answer depends on the case (Nominativ, Akkusativ, or Dativ).

What triggers the case:

• Prepositions: mit (+ Dativ), für (+ Akkusativ), in/an/auf (+ Dativ or Akkusativ depending on motion)
• Verbs: helfen (+ Dativ), fragen (+ Akkusativ), danken (+ Dativ)

Exam-style gap:

Ich möchte mich bei ______ Nachbarin bedanken.

a) meine  b) meiner  c) meinem

Answer: b) meiner — bei takes Dativ, Nachbarin is feminine → meiner.

How to train this: Don't memorize case tables in isolation. Instead, learn the 20–30 most common preposition + case combinations with a full example sentence. When you see a preposition in a gap, your brain should automatically trigger the case.

Pattern 2: Time and Place Prepositions

Seit, vor, in, an, ab, bis, um, am, im, nach, von ... bis — these show up constantly because telc texts describe events, schedules, and plans.

The most tested combinations:

Time expressionExampleseit + Dativseit zwei Jahrenvor + Dativvor einem Monatin + Dativin drei Wochenam + day/dateam Montag, am 5. Maiim + month/seasonim Januar, im Sommerum + clock timeum 8 Uhr

Exam-style gap:

Wir wohnen ______ drei Jahren in Berlin.

a) vor  b) seit  c) in

Answer: b) seit — duration continuing into the present → seit.

Key distinction: seit = started in the past, still ongoing. vor = completed in the past. This specific contrast appears in almost every exam.

Pattern 3: Verb Forms — Präsens, Perfekt, Präteritum

Gaps test whether you can pick the right tense and the right form. The most common contrasts:

• Perfekt vs. Präteritum: Ich habe gemacht vs. Ich machte (in letters, Perfekt is more common for regular verbs; Präteritum is common for haben, sein, and modals)
• Modal verbs in past: konnte, musste, durfte, sollte, wollte
• haben vs. sein as auxiliary: Ich bin gefahren vs. Ich habe gekocht

Exam-style gap:

Letztes Jahr ______ wir nach Spanien gefahren.

a) haben  b) sind  c) waren

Answer: b) sind — fahren uses sein in Perfekt (motion verb).

How to train this: Make a list of the 15–20 most common verbs that take sein (gehen, fahren, kommen, fliegen, laufen, bleiben, werden, passieren...). This list is finite and learnable in one session.

Pattern 4: Word Order and Conjunctions

This pattern tests whether you know the difference between:

• Coordinating conjunctions (und, aber, oder, denn, sondern) → verb stays in position 2
• Subordinating conjunctions (weil, dass, wenn, als, obwohl, bevor, nachdem) → verb goes to the end
• Sentence adverbs (deshalb, trotzdem, dann, deswegen) → verb comes immediately after (position 2, inverted)

Exam-style gap:

Ich konnte nicht kommen, ______ ich krank war.

a) deshalb  b) weil  c) trotzdem

Answer: b) weil — reason clause, verb goes to end (war at the end confirms this).

The trick for exam day: Look at where the verb is in the rest of the sentence. If it's at the end of the clause, you need a subordinating conjunction. If it's in position 2, you need a coordinating conjunction or sentence adverb.

Pattern 5: Pronouns — Akkusativ, Dativ, Possessive, Reflexive

You'll see gaps choosing between:

• Personal pronouns: ihn vs. ihm, sie vs. ihnen
• Possessive pronouns: mein/dein/sein/ihr + correct gender and case
• Reflexive pronouns: sich freuen, sich interessieren, sich treffen
• Formal vs. informal: Sie/Ihnen/Ihr vs. du/dir/dein

Exam-style gap:

Kannst du ______ bitte helfen?

a) mich  b) mir  c) mein

Answer: b) mir — helfen takes Dativ.

The formal/informal trap: In letter-based texts, watch the opening. Liebe Anna = du/dir/dein. Sehr geehrte Frau Müller = Sie/Ihnen/Ihr. Mixing these up is an easy mistake.

Pattern 6: Adjective Endings

Adjective endings appear especially in letter phrases and descriptions. The gaps test whether you know the ending after definite articles, indefinite articles, or no article.

The phrases that appear most often:

• mit freundlichen Grüßen (Dativ plural)
• ein neuer Job / eine neue Wohnung / ein neues Projekt
• der nächste Termin / die nächste Woche

Exam-style gap:

Ich habe einen interessant______ Artikel gelesen.

a) -e  b) -en  c) -er

Answer: b) -en — einen (Akkusativ, masculine, indefinite article) → adjective ending is -en.

Shortcut: After einen/einem/einer/eines, the adjective ending is almost always -en. This one rule covers a huge number of cases.

Pattern 7: Negation — kein vs. nicht

The rule:

• kein/keine/keinen replaces ein/eine/einen → negates nouns: Ich habe kein Auto.
• nicht negates verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and specific things: Ich komme nicht morgen.

Exam-style gap:

Leider haben wir ______ Zimmer mehr frei.

a) nicht  b) kein  c) keine

Answer: b) kein — Zimmer is neuter singular (ein Zimmer → kein Zimmer).

Pattern 8: Comparatives and Superlatives

Gaps with als (comparison) and wie (equality). Plus irregular forms: gut → besser → am besten, gern → lieber → am liebsten, viel → mehr → am meisten.

Exam-style gap:

Berlin ist größer ______ München.

a) wie  b) als  c) von

Answer: b) als — comparatives always use als, not wie.

The rule: so ... wie = equal. -er ... als = unequal. That's it.

Pattern 9: Konjunktiv II — Polite Requests and Hypotheticals

Very frequent in email/letter texts where someone makes a request:

• Könnten Sie mir bitte ... schicken?
• Ich wäre Ihnen sehr dankbar, wenn ...
• Ich würde gern einen Termin vereinbaren.

Key forms to know: würde, könnte, müsste, hätte, wäre, dürfte

Exam-style gap:

______ Sie mir bitte die Unterlagen schicken?

a) Können  b) Könnten  c) Konnten

Answer: b) Könnten — polite request in a formal email → Konjunktiv II.

How to recognize it: Formal emails almost always use Konjunktiv II for requests. If the text starts with Sehr geehrte..., expect würde/könnte/hätte/wäre in the gaps.

Pattern 10: Infinitive Constructions With "zu"

Three structures that appear regularly:

• um ... zu (in order to): Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Deutschland zu arbeiten.
• ohne ... zu (without): Er ging, ohne sich zu verabschieden.
• Infinitive with zu after common verbs: anfangen, versuchen, vergessen, planen, hoffen + zu + Infinitiv

Exam-style gap:

Ich habe vergessen, das Fenster ______.

a) schließen  b) zu schließen  c) geschlossen

Answer: b) zu schließen — vergessen requires infinitive with zu.

Pattern 11: Relative Clauses

Matching the correct relative pronoun to the gender/case of the noun it refers to:

• Der Mann, der neben mir wohnt... (masculine, Nominativ)
• Die Stadt, in der ich lebe... (feminine, Dativ after in)
• Das Buch, das ich gelesen habe... (neuter, Akkusativ)

Exam-style gap:

Das ist die Firma, bei ______ ich arbeite.

a) die  b) der  c) dem

Answer: b) der — Firma is feminine, bei takes Dativ → feminine Dativ relative pronoun = der.

The 4 Key Patterns in Sprachbausteine Teil 2

Teil 2 is labeled "vocabulary," but the right answer almost always depends on knowing these grammar-based patterns. To pass this part confidently, I highly recommend to check the 100 Redemittel cheat sheet and master the most essential telc b1 phrases like 'Wie wäre es, wenn wir...' .

Pattern 12: Verb + Preposition Combos

This is the backbone of Teil 2. You're choosing a word from a bank of 15, and the correct choice often depends on which preposition goes with which verb.

The combos that appear most:

How to train this: Learn these as chunks, not as separate words. warten auf is one unit. Practice with fill-in-the-blank: "Ich warte ______ Ihre Antwort" until auf comes automatically.

Pattern 13: Fixed Email and Letter Phrases

Teil 2 texts are almost always emails or letters. Knowing the standard phrases gives you 3–4 correct answers almost for free.

Phrases that appear constantly:

• Opening: vielen Dank für Ihre Nachricht / Ihren Brief
• Request: ich möchte Sie bitten... / könnten Sie mir bitte...
• Attachment: im Anhang finden Sie...
• Closing: über eine Antwort würde ich mich freuen
• Sign-off: mit freundlichen Grüßen

If you see a formal email with gaps in the opening and closing, these stock phrases are almost always the answer.

Pattern 14: Logical Connectors and Sequence Adverbs

Teil 2 often tests whether you can pick the right connector to link two ideas:

• Sequence: zuerst, dann, danach, später, schließlich
• Cause/result: deshalb, deswegen, daher
• Contrast: trotzdem, allerdings
• Addition: außerdem, auch

How to choose: Read the sentence before AND after the gap. If the second sentence is a logical result → deshalb. If it contradicts the first → trotzdem. If it adds information → außerdem.

Pattern 15: Formal vs. Informal Register

The text is either formal or informal. Everything in it must match. Gaps test whether you can stay consistent.

The fastest check: Look at the greeting. That tells you the register. Then every pronoun, verb form, and closing must match.

Sprachbausteine Strategy: 5 Tips for Exam Day

Tip 1: Read the full sentence before looking at options.Your brain will often "feel" the correct answer if you read the whole sentence first. Looking at options too early creates confusion.

Tip 2: Identify the category first.Before choosing, ask: Is this gap testing an article? A preposition? A conjunction? A verb form? Naming the category narrows your thinking immediately.

Tip 3: Use elimination.In Teil 1, one option is clearly wrong, one is "almost right," and one is correct. Cross out the obvious wrong answer first. In Teil 2, cross out words you've already used — each word from the bank can only be used once.

Tip 4: Watch for signal words.Signal words in the sentence tell you what's needed:

• weil → reason (verb to end)
• deshalb → result (verb in position 2)
• trotzdem → contrast
• seit → duration (still ongoing)
• vor → completed past

Tip 5: Don't spend more than 40 seconds per gap.You have roughly 10 minutes per Teil. That's 1 minute per gap. If you're stuck after 40 seconds, mark your best guess and move on. Easy points elsewhere are worth more than agonizing over one difficult gap.

Interactive Practice Quiz for Sprachbausteine B1 telc

FAQ

Which grammar topics are most important for Sprachbausteine B1 telc?

Articles + case, prepositions (time and place), conjunctions and word order, verb forms (Perfekt, modals), and pronouns. These five categories alone cover the majority of gaps in Teil 1. For Teil 2, add verb + preposition combos and fixed email phrases.

How can I practice for telc B1 Sprachbausteine with limited time?

Focus on patterns, not chapters. Take one practice test, identify which patterns cause your errors, then train only those patterns with targeted exercises. 30 minutes per day for 14 days is more effective than 3 hours of random grammar study.

What's the difference between Sprachbausteine Teil 1 and Teil 2?

Teil 1 is pure grammar: you choose from 3 options per gap. Teil 2 looks like vocabulary but depends on grammar logic — you choose from a word bank of 15. Both test recurring patterns, but Teil 2 also requires knowing fixed phrases and verb + preposition combinations.

How many points do I need in Sprachbausteine to pass telc B1?

Sprachbausteine is part of the "Lesen und Sprachbausteine" module. You need 60% in this combined module to pass. Since Sprachbausteine has 20 gaps total (10 per Teil), getting 12–14 correct puts you in a strong position. Every correct gap counts.

Are Sprachbausteine in telc B1 harder than in Goethe B1?

They're different. telc Sprachbausteine use a fixed multiple-choice format (Teil 1) and a word bank (Teil 2). Goethe B1 doesn't have an identical section — its "Lesen" module tests grammar differently. If you're taking telc specifically, practicing with telc-format materials is essential.