Junior Cert German: Yesterday's Junior Certificate German higher-level paper was described by one teacher as "manageable" with few surprises.

The exam included a comprehension piece on Germany's youngest rock band, as well as a letter-writing section where students were asked to respond to a letter from their Swiss pen-pal.

According to Noli Russell-Klein from St Brendan's college in Bray, her students found the exam to be a "very manageable paper". The inclusion of the reading comprehension on the band, known as Die Blues Kids, was particularly welcome, she said.

"It is a reading comprehension that is actually about things that they would talk about in English," she said.

"I think everything was as it should be. There is nothing that stands out."

At ordinary level, Ms Russell-Klein said many students emerged from the exam saying it was easier than they had expected.

Questions tested their understanding of advertisements and statements from four different individuals about their holiday plans. Another section asked them to put jumbled dialogue back into its most logical order.

"I was very happy," she said. "What they did say was it was easier than some of the work they had been doing."

Some students at this level may have found the listening comprehension a bit fast, Ms Russell-Klein warned. Section G - where students answer questions in English based on a comprehension piece - could be difficult. However, this year's piece was fine, she added.