Abitur · 10% of test plan
Englisch — Sprachkompetenz for the Abitur Exam
English is the most common foreign language requirement in the German Abitur. The English Abitur tests reading comprehension, analytical writing, creative writing, and Sprachmittlung (mediation — translating the gist of a German text into English or vice versa). All language tasks are assessed on accuracy, vocabulary range, and task fulfilment.
Locale-specific study guides
Pass-rate data, regulatory context, and study tips for Englisch — Sprachkompetenz all change by candidate locale. Pick your context:
- Englisch — Sprachkompetenz · United StatesCalibrated for American candidates
- Englisch — Sprachkompetenz · United KingdomCalibrated for British candidates
- Englisch — Sprachkompetenz · IndiaCalibrated for Indian candidates
- Englisch — Sprachkompetenz · PhilippinesCalibrated for Filipino candidates
- Englisch — Sprachkompetenz · NigeriaCalibrated for Nigerian candidates
Common failure modes
These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.
- !Sprachmittlung errors: translating too literally instead of conveying the communicative intent
- !Insufficient vocabulary range in writing — using basic words instead of advanced equivalents
- !Not meeting the required format for the Textproduktion (production task)
Study tips
- 1Practice Sprachmittlung (mediation): read a German text, write the key ideas in English in your own words (not translation).
- 2Build C1-level English vocabulary by topic: politics, environment, society, technology.
- 3For analytical writing, follow the German Abitur essay structure: Introduction (Einleitung) → Analysis (Hauptteil) → Conclusion (Schluss).
Sample Abitur Englisch — Sprachkompetenz questions
These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real Abitur questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.
- 1
In the German Abitur, "Sprachmittlung" (mediation) requires:
- AWord-for-word translation of a text
- BConveying the key information and communicative intent from one language to anotherCorrect
- CSummarising in the same language as the original
- DWriting a personal opinion about the text
Why this answer?
Sprachmittlung is not translation — it is mediation. The candidate conveys the key information and communicative intent from one language to another, adapted for a specific addressee and purpose. Literal translation is specifically discouraged. This reflects real-world language use.
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Mathematik, Deutsch, English, Fremdsprachen — all Bundesländer.