Eesti keele test

Writing in the B1 exam

The writing part comes first and takes 35 minutes. It has two tasks worth 25 points in total. The task descriptions and criteria come from Harno’s materials; the sample texts are ours.

Task 1: a note or a form

Fill in a form or write a note of about 50 words. The Harno booklet example: you leave work early and leave your colleagues a message. The task lists points, and you must answer each one:

  • why you are leaving early;
  • what time you are leaving;
  • who will cover for you;
  • how to reach you.
Sample note (≈ 50 words)

Head kolleegid! Kahjuks pean täna töölt varem lahkuma, sest mu poeg jäi haigeks ja pean temaga arsti juurde minema. Lähen ära kell kaks. Minu asemel võtab kliente vastu Kati, ta teab kõiki tänaseid kokkuleppeid. Kui midagi on vaja, helistage mulle numbril 5123 4567. Homme olen tööl tavalisel ajal. Tervitades Olga

Translation

Dear colleagues, Unfortunately I have to leave work early today: my son is ill and I need to take him to the doctor. I’m leaving at two. Kati will see the clients instead of me; she knows about all of today’s appointments. If you need anything, call me on 5123 4567. I’ll be at work at the usual time tomorrow. Best wishes, Olga

Task 2: a story or a personal letter

A text of about 100 words: a story on a given topic or a personal letter. Again the task comes with questions. In the Harno booklet, for example, you write about someone new you met: where you met, where they live and work, what they are like, what their hobbies are. In Harno’s official writing sample the topic is “Tervislik elu” (a healthy life): what you eat, whether you do sport, how you protect yourself from illness and how you treat it.

Sample letter about a new friend (≈ 100 words)

Tere, Mari! Aitäh sinu kirja eest! Tahan sulle rääkida oma uuest tuttavast. Tema nimi on Liis. Me tutvusime kuu aega tagasi eesti keele kursustel, sest istusime kõrvuti. Liis elab Tartus, aga töötab Tallinnas raamatupidajana, seepärast sõidab ta iga päev rongiga. Ta on rõõmsameelne ja abivalmis inimene: kui ma millestki aru ei saa, selgitab ta mulle kõik rahulikult. Vabal ajal käib Liis ujumas ja loeb palju. Eelmisel nädalavahetusel käisime koos kinos ja pärast seda jõime kohvi. Ma arvan, et meist saavad head sõbrad. Kuidas sinul läheb? Kirjuta mulle! Sinu Olga

Translation

Hi Mari! Thanks for your letter! I want to tell you about someone new I’ve met. Her name is Liis. We met a month ago at an Estonian course because we sat next to each other. Liis lives in Tartu but works in Tallinn as an accountant, so she takes the train every day. She is cheerful and helpful: if I don’t understand something, she calmly explains it all. In her free time Liis goes swimming and reads a lot. Last weekend we went to the cinema together and had coffee afterwards. I think we’ll become good friends. How are you? Write to me! Yours, Olga

Sample story on “Tervislik elu” (≈ 100 words)

Tervislik elu Ma püüan elada tervislikult. Hommikul söön tavaliselt putru ja joon teed, lõunaks söön suppi või salatit. Magusat söön harva, ainult nädalavahetusel. Sporti teen kolm korda nädalas: kaks korda käin ujumas ja laupäeval jalutan pikalt metsas. Talvel suusatan, kui on lund. Haiguste eest kaitsen end nii, et magan piisavalt, riietun ilma järgi ja pesen tihti käsi. Kui ma siiski haigeks jään, jään koju ja joon kuuma teed mee ja sidruniga. Kui palavik ei lange, lähen arsti juurde. Minu arvates on tervis kõige tähtsam.

Translation

A healthy life I try to live healthily. In the morning I usually eat porridge and drink tea; for lunch I have soup or a salad. I rarely eat sweets, only at the weekend. I do sport three times a week: I go swimming twice and on Saturday I take a long walk in the forest. In winter I ski if there is snow. I protect myself from illness by getting enough sleep, dressing for the weather and washing my hands often. If I do fall ill, I stay at home and drink hot tea with honey and lemon. If the fever doesn’t go down, I see a doctor. In my opinion, health is the most important thing.

How the text is assessed

According to Harno, a B1 writing task is done well when:

  • the text is on topic and fully covers every point of the task;
  • the task has been understood and the necessary information is given;
  • the text forms a logical whole and is easy to follow;
  • there are grammar and spelling mistakes, but they don’t get in the way of the meaning.

Note the last point: Harno’s official samples, presented as B1-level texts, contain mistakes — such as “suval” instead of suvel or “kui ma haigen” instead of kui ma olen haige. Answering every point and linking your sentences matters more than writing without a single error.

How to build a 100-word text

  • Opening — one sentence: a greeting in a letter, an opening line in a story.
  • Then 1–2 sentences per task point, in the order the task gives them. That makes it easy for the examiner to see you covered everything.
  • Link your sentences: sest, seepärast, aga, kuigi, kui, peale selle. Connected text is what sets B1 apart from A2.
  • Ending — one sentence: a conclusion, an opinion or a sign-off.
  • In a letter, choose sina or teie and keep to it.

Useful phrases

Tere, Mari! / Kallis Mari!
Greeting someone you know
Lugupeetud härra Tamm!
Formal greeting
Aitäh sinu kirja eest!
Thanks for your letter!
Kahjuks pean …, sest …
Unfortunately I have to …, because …
Esiteks … Teiseks … Lõpuks …
First … Second … Finally …
Peale selle … / Lisaks …
Besides … / In addition …
…, seepärast … / …, sellepärast et …
…, so … / …, because …
Kuigi …, …
Although …, …
Minu arvates … / Ma arvan, et …
In my opinion … / I think that …
Kui sul on küsimusi, helista mulle.
If you have any questions, call me.
Kirjuta mulle! / Ootan sinu vastust.
Write to me! / I look forward to your reply.
Tervitades / Lugupidamisega
Best wishes / Yours sincerely

Tips

  • Mark every point in the task before you write, and check afterwards that you answered each one.
  • “About 50” and “about 100” words: much shorter risks missing points; much longer leaves more room for mistakes.
  • Leave 5 minutes to check verb endings, cases after numbers and postpositions, and word order.
  • Write in joined-up handwriting, not block capitals, and legibly: anything unreadable counts as a mistake.
  • Practise on the exam topics: write one 100-word text a week and ask someone to check it.

Exam details are taken from Harno materials in September 2026. Rules can change, so check them on the Harno website before your exam.

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