Everything you need to know and do on the day of the SDS exam.

Before the Test

The Night Before

  • Confirm test date, time, and location
  • Prepare your ID (Ausweis / Pass) — you NEED this
  • Charge your phone (in case you need it for directions)
  • Set 2 alarms
  • Get 7–8 hours of sleep
  • Don’t cram — light review only (skim email phrases, connectors)

Morning of

  • Eat a good breakfast
  • Arrive 15–20 minutes early
  • Bring: ID, test confirmation (if you received one), pen (just in case), water
  • Turn off your phone before the test (or put it on silent)

During the Test — General

Adaptive Scoring Awareness

The SDS is adaptive: it gets harder when you answer correctly and easier when you answer wrong.

Critical implication:

  • Take the first questions seriously — mistakes early can cap your maximum level
  • Don’t rush the easy questions — be accurate
  • If a question seems very easy, it might be because you got the previous one wrong

Time Management

  • Don’t spend too long on any single question
  • If stuck, make your best guess and move on
  • You can often go back to previous questions (check at the start)

Typing on Tablet

  • The test is on a tablet/computer with a touch keyboard
  • If you haven’t practiced this: the keyboard may be slower than you expect
  • Watch for umlauts: find ä, ö, ü on the keyboard BEFORE you start writing
  • Capitalization of nouns matters — know where the shift key is

During the Test — By Skill

Reading

  1. Read questions/statements FIRST
  2. Scan the text for keywords — don’t read every word
  3. Watch for negation (nicht, kein) and qualifiers (nur, ab, bis)
  4. If unsure, eliminate wrong options first

Listening

  1. Pre-read ALL options before audio plays
  2. Listen for keywords, not full understanding
  3. If you miss something, make your best guess and focus on the next question
  4. You may not get a second listen at B1/B2 level

Writing

  1. Read the prompt twice — count how many tasks it asks for
  2. Use the email template structure: greeting → reason → main content → closing
  3. Answer ALL parts of the prompt
  4. Use at least 2–3 connectors (weil, deshalb, ausserdem)
  5. Check: Are nouns capitalized? Umlauts correct? Greeting + sign-off present?
  6. Leave 2 minutes to re-read before submitting

Speaking

  1. The call can come at any point — be ready
  2. Speak in full sentences — never one-word answers
  3. It’s OK to pause: “Lassen Sie mich kurz überlegen.”
  4. It’s OK to ask for repetition: “Können Sie die Frage bitte wiederholen?”
  5. Self-correct if you catch a mistake: "…nein, ich meine…"
  6. Don’t memorize scripts — use your prepared structures flexibly
  7. If the questions get harder → that’s GOOD, it means you’re scoring well

Mindset

  • You have prepared. Trust your preparation.
  • Mistakes are normal. Even native speakers make mistakes. One wrong answer doesn’t ruin your score.
  • The test adapts to YOU. If it feels hard, that means you’re at a high level. Keep going.
  • Stay calm in speaking. The examiner is not trying to trick you. They want you to succeed.
  • It’s one test, not your whole life. You can retake it if needed. But you probably won’t need to.

After the Test

  • Results typically arrive in 2–4 weeks
  • You receive a level for each skill (reading, listening, writing, speaking)
  • If you need a specific level for a permit, check which skills count
  • If you didn’t reach your target level, identify weak areas and plan to retake

Emergency Phrases (if you blank during speaking)

Situation Say this
Don’t understand the question Entschuldigung, können Sie die Frage bitte wiederholen?
Need time to think Moment bitte, ich muss kurz überlegen.
Forgot a word Wie sagt man… / Ich kenne das Wort nicht, aber ich meine…
Want to correct yourself Nein, ich meine… / Also, ich wollte sagen…
Don’t know the answer Das ist eine schwierige Frage. Ich bin nicht sicher, aber ich denke…
Nervous and blank Take a breath. Say: Also… and start with something simple.