Exam Writing: Responding to a Message
Exam Writing: Responding to a Message
The A2 writing exam typically shows you a short message with a problem — a cancelled plan, a changed time — and asks you to write back: react, explain, and propose an alternative, in that fixed order.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
React, explain, propose — a fixed three-part structure
Schade, dass du nicht kommen kannst! Ich verstehe, dass du krank bist. Vielleicht können wir uns nächste Woche treffen?
That's a shame you can't come! I understand you're sick. Maybe we can meet next week?
An A2 reply message always performs the same three moves, in order: react to the news (Schade, dass...), acknowledge you understood the reason (Ich verstehe, dass...), then propose an alternative (Vielleicht können wir...). Examiners grade this structure as much as any individual grammar point — get the three beats in the right order, and keep each sentence itself simple.
Schade, dass... uses a subordinate clause, not an infinitive
Schade, dass du nicht kommen kannst. (not Schade, nicht kommen zu können)
It's a shame that you can't come.
English can compress this into a gerund or infinitive ('a shame not being able to come'), but German virtually always expands it into a full dass-clause with its own subject and verb-final word order — reach for dass + a complete clause here rather than trying to build a compact infinitive phrase.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Schade, dass... | SHAH-deh dahs | That's a shame that... |
| Ich verstehe, dass... | ikh fer-SHTAY-eh dahs | I understand that... |
| Vielleicht können wir... | fee-LYKHT KUR-nen veer | Maybe we can... |
| Kein Problem. | kyn proh-BLAYM | No problem. |
| Wir machen es ein anderes Mal. | veer MAH-khen es eyen AHN-deh-res mahl | We'll do it another time. |
| Danke für deine Nachricht. | DAHN-keh fuer DY-neh NAHKH-rikht | Thanks for your message. |
| Liebe Grüße | LEE-beh GRUE-seh | Best wishes (informal letter closing) |
| Ich freue mich auf... | ikh FROY-eh mikh owf | I'm looking forward to... |
| Melde dich bald! | MEL-deh dikh bahlt | Get in touch soon! |