DTZ B1 Writing Brief: Phrases and Templates That Really Work

Do you know what cost me the most in the writing part? Not the grammar. Not the vocabulary. But the first thirty seconds — that moment when you're sitting in front of a blank sheet and thinking: How do I even start?

I had learned hundreds of vocabulary words in my exam preparation, listened to practice sentences, and worked through reading texts. But I had no answer to the simple question, “What sentence do I start a complaint letter in German with?" I had to figure it out during the exam itself — which of course took time.

This article is what I would have wished for back then: a compact collection of phrases and templates that really work. No academic textbook — just real sentences that you can easily learn, use, and move on.

The letter always has the same structure

Whether it's a request, complaint, invitation, or cancellation — the DTZ letter always follows the same basic structure. Once you internalize this structure, you never have to ask yourself what comes next.

That's all. No magic, no surprises. Whoever has this structure in the exam automatically writes the first lines — and has their mind free for the actual content.

The introductory sentence — the most important sentence in the letter

The first sentence after the salutation does everything. It states why you are writing. And it sets the tone — formal or relaxed, request or complaint. Here are the sentences that really work:

Between the main points — the secret of connectors

Here lies the difference between an A2 and a B1 answer. Both address the main points — but B1 connects them. The letter should flow, not look like a list.

The solution: Each new main point begins with a sentence that connects to the previous one or introduces a new perspective. These three word groups cover almost everything:

Phrases by letter type — directly applicable

Three situations occur most frequently: requests, complaints, and requests. Here are the building blocks you really need — sorted by situation.

In a request (course, information, offer)

In a complaint (landlord, hotel, company)

Requests and Closings — for every letter

My personal quick check before submission

At the end of the exam, I always took five minutes and asked myself these five questions. It sounds simple — but this check saved me at least two points:

• ✅ Is there a salutation? — “Dear Sir/Madam ...” or “Dear ...”
• ✅ Have all four main points been addressed? — Go through each one individually
• ✅ Are there connectors between the points? — No pure listing
• ✅ Is there a closing at the end? — “Best regards” or “Kind regards”
• ✅ Is the name signed? — Often forgotten

What no one told me before the exam

Before my DTZ exam, I thought that a good letter meant flawless grammar. That is not true. What really counts are four criteria — and grammar is just one of them. Equally important: whether all main points are there, whether the letter sounds coherent, whether the vocabulary is diverse.

A letter with three grammar mistakes that clearly addresses all four main points with connectors — that gets more points than a grammatically perfect letter that stopped at main point 3. That was the most important lesson I only understood after the course.

So: First structure, then content, then connectors, then grammar. In that order.

Frequently Asked Questions