DTZ B1 Speaking Part 3: Planning Together — Sample Dialogue, Phrases, and Strategy

I'll say it directly: Part 3 is my personal favorite of the entire DTZ exam. And I know that sounds strange — but hear me out for a moment.

After talking about oneself in Part 1, and analyzing a picture and sharing personal experiences in Part 2 — Part 3 comes with a completely different energy. Suddenly, there is a conversation partner. Not an examiner asking questions — but another candidate who is just as nervous as you are and who is supposed to plan something together with you. An outing. A celebration. A joint activity.

And that’s exactly what’s beautiful about Part 3: It feels like a real conversation. No more testing — but like what you have to do every day in German. Making plans, suggesting ideas, reacting to others. Those who understand this relax — and pass.

What really happens in Part 3

The examiner hands both candidates the same task sheet. Unlike in Part 2 — where each received their own picture — here everyone is in the same boat. This immediately reduces the pressure: No competition, no comparisons. You work together.

The sheet has a situation — for example: “You want to go on an outing with your German course." — and below are 5–6 keywords as planning aids. Nothing more. The rest is up to you and your conversation partner.

Here is the actual task sheet from the official g.a.s.t. practice set 1:

The last keyword — “…?" — is deliberately open. You are allowed to bring in your own ideas. This is not a trick, it’s an invitation. Those who suggest a seventh point that is not on the sheet show exactly what B1 means: to communicate spontaneously and independently.

The biggest misunderstanding about Part 3

The examiner does not evaluate the result. He evaluates the process. Whether you make suggestions. Whether you respond to the other’s ideas. Whether you ask questions when you don’t understand something. Whether you agree, disagree, or offer alternative ideas. This is the essence of Part 3 — and this is exactly what the B1 criterion describes: “Can initiate and maintain a conversation. Can plan something spontaneously, share ideas and opinions, make suggestions, and react to them."

In other words: A lively conversation that does not come to a firm conclusion after five minutes is rated better than a rigid, error-free listing of the bullet points without real exchange.

This is what a good planning conversation sounds like — Sample Dialogue

Here is an excerpt of how the conversation about the hiking task might sound. Pay attention to the structures: Suggestion → Reaction → Counter-question → Agreement. This is the pattern that always works.

What makes this dialogue so strong? No monologue. No list. Real variety — A makes a suggestion, B reacts, asks a question, A responds and brings a new idea. The conversation has a direction but remains open. There are compromises. There are follow-up questions. This is what B1 looks like.

Four Sentence Types — That’s All You Need

I have seen many candidates fail in Part 3 — not because of poor grammar, but because they lacked the conversation structures. Those who master these four sentence types can conduct any planning conversation:

Quick Reference — Phrases for Every Moment

The Three Most Common Mistakes — And How to Avoid Them

What planning topics come up in Part 3?

The topic in Part 3 is always a daily planning — something that you could actually organize as a migrant in Germany. Typical scenarios:

• Planning an outing or hike with the German course
• Organizing a farewell party or birthday celebration for someone
• Planning shopping for a joint event
• Arranging a weekend in another city
• Organizing a sports outing or game night

The bullet points on the sheet change depending on the scenario — but the basic structure always remains the same: place, program, food, who is coming, costs, time. Those who know these categories are prepared for any topic.

Frequently Asked Questions about Part 3