Hmm... To be honest I think I did pretty well in the written exam, I think it might have been the oral that got me. I'm Swiss so I speak it with a slight accent and might have said a couple of words a bit Swiss-like - haha I dunno! Hmm well I mean if you get a forty, which is very achievable - a friend of mine got 39 I think - then you've got a 48 or a 49 there, and that's brilliant. I think my tip would be to really really learn how to write a letter or even a diary like last year. Letters pop up a lot and are fantastic as they give you a great opportunity to inject some personality into the exam - you could ask questions, recall some memories, make a couple of jokes even - they're good fun to write and show the examiner your engagement with the language, and separates you from the dull old formal speeches and persuasive pieces that most people do - not to say that that can't be done well! Am I making sense? Hope you enjoyed German this year and best of luck for the exam. I know I'm not a model for a raw study score, but if you need any help then ask away!