Prüfungsformate (Exam Formats) on SDS German Exam Prep

SDS-Prüfung — Formatübersicht (SDS Exam — Format Overview)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Prüfungsstruktur (Test Structure)

The SDS tests 4 skills in one session. The test is adaptive: it starts at a lower level and gets harder if you answer correctly. Mistakes early on can cap your maximum achievable level.

Skill	Format	Duration (approx.)	Levels
Reading	On-screen tasks (drag & drop, MC, true/false)	~30 min	pre-A1 → B2
Listening	Audio with on-screen tasks	~30 min	pre-A1 → B2
Writing	On-screen typing (tablet keyboard)	~30 min	pre-A1 → B2
Speaking	Live interview (phone/video call)	~10–15 min	pre-A1 → B2

Adaptives Scoring — so funktioniert es (Adaptive Scoring — How It Works)

Start (easy) → Correct → Harder question → Correct → Even harder → ...
                 ↓                           ↓
              Wrong → Easier question      Wrong → Level is capped

Critical implication: Take the first questions seriously. Early mistakes limit how high you can score.

SDS Lesen — Aufgabenformate (SDS Reading — Task Formats)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Überblick (Overview)

Reading tasks test your ability to understand written German at increasing difficulty. The test is adaptive.

Aufgabentyp 1: Wort ↔ Bild zuordnen (Task Type 1: Word ↔ Picture Matching) (pre-A1 / A1)

Format: Drag & drop — match a German word to the correct picture.

What you need: Basic vocabulary recognition (nouns, everyday objects).

Example:

Match: der Apfel → 🍎 | die Katze → 🐱 | das Auto → 🚗

SDS Hören — Aufgabenformate (SDS Listening — Task Formats)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Überblick (Overview)

Listening tasks test your ability to understand spoken German. Audio may play only once at higher levels (B1/B2), so “one-pass listening” is a critical skill.

Aufgabentyp 1: Wörter → Bilder (Task Type 1: Words → Pictures) (pre-A1 / A1)

Format: Hear 3 words → tap the 3 matching pictures from a set.

What you need: Recognize spoken words for everyday objects/concepts.

Example:

Audio: “Brot… Milch… Apfel” → Tap the pictures for bread, milk, apple

SDS Schreiben — Aufgabenformate (SDS Writing — Task Formats)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Überblick (Overview)

Writing tasks progress from basic spelling to composing structured emails and opinion texts. You type on a tablet/touch keyboard — practice this!

Aufgabentyp 1: Fehlende Buchstaben ergänzen (Task Type 1: Fill Missing Letters) (pre-A1)

Format: A word is shown with gaps → type the missing letters.

Example:

_ch_le → Schule Kra_kenh_us → Krankenhaus

Strategy:

Focus on common German spelling patterns: sch, ch, ei, ie, au, äu, ß/ss
Practice the vocabulary from all 10 SDS domains
Watch for umlauts: ä, ö, ü — know where they appear in common words

Aufgabentyp 2: Angaben in Formularfelder übertragen (Task Type 2: Copy Details into Form Fields) (pre-A1 / A1)

Format: Given a text (letter, card, message), fill in a form with specific details (name, address, phone, date, etc.).

SDS Sprechen — Aufgabenformate (SDS Speaking — Task Formats)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Überblick (Overview)

The speaking section is a live interview (phone or video call) during the test. An examiner calls you and asks you to do 1–4 tasks, depending on your level. You can speak Hochdeutsch (Standard German) or Mundart (Swiss German).

Aufgabentyp 1: Persönliche Fragen beantworten (Task Type 1: Answer Personal Questions) (A1 / A2)

Format: The interviewer asks about you — name, origin, family, job, daily life.

Example questions: