Unlocking A-level German: 10 Crucial Grammar Topics You Need to Master

A-Level Germanis an exciting and rewarding endeavour. However, it also means grappling with more advanced grammar than you encountered at GCSE. In fact, the gap between GCSE and A-Level German is much wider than many students anticipate. Mastering German grammar at this stage is essential for exam success and confident communication. This guide will walk you through ten crucial grammar topics that A-Level German students must know, explaining each in a friendly tone with examples and tips for exam applications.

Why focus on grammar? Advanced grammar knowledge empowers you to express complex ideas, tackle translation challenges, and impress examiners with accuracy. Top exam marks often require using a variety of tenses and structures, and errors in grammar (like word order or case endings) can cost precious points. Beyond exams, strong grammar skills help you speak and write German more fluently in real-life situations. The good news is that with regular practice – and possibly some guidance from teachers or tutors – you can conquer these topics. (After all, 95% of Olesen Tuition’s A-Level students achieved an A or A in their final exam, thanks to a solid foundation in grammar and effective support.)*

Throughout this guide, we’ll clearly explain each grammar point and why it’s especially important at A-Level. You’ll also find examples, study tips, and insights into how each topic might appear in exams. If any of these feel challenging, remember you don’t have to study alone – private tuition, online classes, or group courses can provide personalised help to boost your skills. (Olesen Tuition offers all of these options, from one-to-one tutoring to small group courses, both in London and online.) Now, let’s dive into the ten key grammar topics you need to master for A-Level German success!

The 10 Most Important German Grammar Topics for A-Level German

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1. Verb Tenses and Moods 🚀

A-Level German expects you to command a range of verb tenses (present, past, future) and moods (indicative and subjunctive). This means going beyond the basics and being comfortable switching between tenses to describe events in different time frames and hypothetical situations. By now, you’ve learned the common tenses – Präsens (present), Präteritum (simple past), Perfekt (conversational past), Plusquamperfekt (pluperfect), Futur I/II (future tenses) – as well as the subjunctive forms (Konjunktiv I for reported speech and Konjunktiv II for hypotheticals). At A-Level, you’ll need to use many of these in essays and speaking exams, sometimes all in the same discussion!

Why it’s important: Examiners love to see a variety of tenses used correctly – in fact, top mark bands explicitly require it (e.g. present, past, future, and subjunctive forms). Using tenses accurately lets you narrate events and express opinions with nuance. For example, consider the sentence: „Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, würde ich jeden Tag Deutsch üben.“ – “If I had more time, I would practice German every day.” Here, the verb forms hätte (had) and würde…üben (would practice) are in the subjunctive mood, conveying a hypothetical situation. Mastering such constructions allows you to answer questions like “What would you do differently…?” or to discuss unreal scenarios – a common feature in oral exams and essays.

Tips for study and exams: Make sure you know the formation of each tense and when to use it. Create a timeline of tenses with example sentences. Practice converting sentences from one tense to another (e.g., present to past) to build flexibility. When writing practice essays, deliberately include multiple tenses – for instance, start in the present (Heutzutage lernen viele Schüler online…), then use a past tense to give an example from history, and a future tense or conditional to speculate. If you’re unsure about a tense, review a dedicated grammar guide or ask a teacher. Many students find the nuances of the subjunctive tricky, so don’t hesitate to get extra help – an experienced tutor can clarify these in no time, ensuring you use tenses fluently under exam pressure. (At Olesen Tuition, we devote time to drilling verb conjugations and tense usage until our students feel confident using them in speech and writing.)

2. Sentence Structure and Word Order 🧩

German sentence structure might initially seem like a puzzle, but understanding it is key to forming correct and sophisticated sentences. In simple main clauses, German follows a strict word order: Subject – Verb – Objects/Other Elements. The conjugated verb must be the second element in a main clause (the famous “verb-second” rule). For example: „Ich gehe heute ins Kino.“ – “I am going to the cinema today.” Here, gehe (go/am going) is the second idea in the sentence, after the subject. However, word order can change in different contexts – in yes/no questions, the verb comes first (“Hast du meinen Brief bekommen?”), and in subordinate clauses, the verb gets kicked to the end („…, weil ich heute ins Kino gehe.“).

Key rules to remember:

• Main clauses: Verb is always in the second position. If you start the sentence with something other than the subject (e.g. a time phrase or adverb), the subject moves after the verb. Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin. (Tomorrow I will travel to Berlin.) Here, morgen is in position 1, so fahre (am travelling) comes 2nd, and the subject ich follows.

• Subordinate clauses: Introduced by conjunctions like dass (that), weil (because), obwohl (although), etc., the conjugated verb goes to the end of the clause. Ich denke, dass Deutsch spannend ist. (I think that German is exciting.) Note how ist (is) is at the end of the dass-clause.

• Inversion for questions: Kannst du Deutsch sprechen? (Can you speak German?) – the verb kannst comes first. And don’t forget question-word order: Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?) – here wohnst is second because the question word Wo occupies the first position.

Why it’s important: Correct word order makes your sentences clear and coherent. It’s one of the most common areas where English speakers slip up, since English word order is more flexible. At A-Level, you’re expected to form longer sentences without word-order errors. Examiners will notice if your verb is in the wrong place, especially in subordinate clauses – such mistakes will be marked down under grammar accuracy. Moreover, using complex sentences (see next topic) effectively depends on getting the word order right at the juncture between clauses.

Tips: Practice by rearranging sentences. Take a simple sentence and try putting a time phrase at the start, or turning it into a weil clause, and adjust the word order accordingly. For example, start with „Ich lerne jeden Tag Deutsch.“ (I study German every day.) Now begin with Jeden Tag: „Jeden Tag lerne ich Deutsch.“ – notice the verb comes right after Jeden Tag. Next, turn it into a subordinate clause: „…, weil ich jeden Tag Deutsch lerne.“ – the verb lerne moved to the end. Doing this regularly trains you to instinctively place verbs correctly. Also, listen to or read plenty of German – you’ll start to feel the rhythm of German sentences. If you find yourself struggling, don’t worry: German word order is a common hurdle, but with explanations and practice it will click (many students have an “aha!” moment when it finally makes sense). Consider consulting resources like Olesen Tuition’s word order guides or asking your tutor to go over tricky cases like “Ich habe vor, morgen ins Kino zu gehen” (note how zu gehen goes to the end!). Mastering word order will dramatically improve both your writing and speaking clarity.

3. Complex Sentence Structures 🕸️

By A-Level, simple sentences alone won’t cut it – you’ll need to craft complex sentences to express detailed ideas and achieve higher marks. This involves using subordinate clauses and the special word-order rules that come with them. One essential concept is “Time, Manner, Place” (TMP) or, in longer sentences, Tekamolo, which governs the typical order of adverbials in a sentence. For instance, „Ich habe gestern (Time) mit großer Freude (Manner) in der Schule (Place) Deutsch gesprochen.“ – “Yesterday, I spoke German at school with great joy.” Germans usually place time elements first, then manner (how), then place, in the middle of a sentence. Getting this order right makes your sentences sound natural and polished.

Beyond adverb order, A-Level German requires you to handle various subordinate clause types:

• Relative clauses: These add extra information about a noun, using relative pronouns (der, die, das, welcher). „Das ist der Film, der mir sehr gefällt.“ – “That’s the film that I really like.” Here the relative clause der mir sehr gefällt describes der Film. Note that in the relative clause, the verb gefällt comes at the end. Using relative clauses can greatly elevate your writing by linking ideas and avoiding repetitive short sentences. In essays, for example, you might write: „Die Autorin, die 1920 geboren wurde, beschreibt…“ (The author, who was born in 1920, describes…).

• Infinitive clauses: These often involve zu + infinitive constructions, including purpose clauses like um…zu. „Sie lernt viel, um die Prüfung zu bestehen.“ – “She studies a lot in order to pass the exam.” Infinitive clauses allow you to express purpose or result in a concise way. Also common are phrases like ohne…zu (without doing something) or anstatt…zu (instead of doing something). Mastering these will let you articulate nuanced points (e.g. „Viele Jugendliche nutzen soziale Medien, ohne die Risiken zu verstehen.“).

• Subordinate conjunctions: You likely know these from GCSE, but at A-Level you’ll use a wider range (not just weil and dass, but also obwohl – although, während – while, sodass – so that, falls – in case, etc.). Chaining multiple clauses is expected in higher-level writing. For example: „Obwohl das Thema schwierig ist, denke ich, dass wir es verstehen können, wenn wir genug üben.“ – “Although the topic is difficult, I think that we can understand it if we practice enough.” This sentence has three clauses linked together! It’s the kind of complexity that impresses examiners when done correctly.

Why it’s important: Using complex sentence structures is practically a requirement for top grades. Mark schemes for writing often mention the use of “complex structures” as a criterion for the highest band. It shows you can handle German syntax beyond basic statements. Additionally, complex sentences allow you to convey relationships between ideas clearly – cause and effect, contrast, purpose, etc. In the speaking exam, well-placed complex sentences can also showcase your fluency (for instance, giving a detailed opinion with reasons and caveats in one flowing response).

Tips: Don’t feel you have to make every sentence convoluted – clarity comes first. Start by ensuring you can correctly form a variety of subordinate clauses on their own. Practice writing sentences with one main clause and one subordinate clause until the word order becomes routine (remember the verb-last rule in those subordinate parts!). Then try linking two, or even three clauses. A helpful exercise: take a few simple sentences and merge them into one. For example, „Deutschland nutzt viel erneuerbare Energie. Es möchte umweltfreundlicher sein.“ can become „Deutschland nutzt viel erneuerbare Energie, um umweltfreundlicher zu sein.“ (Germany uses a lot of renewable energy in order to be more environmentally friendly.) Notice we turned the second sentence into an infinitive clause of purpose. Another tip is to learn stock phrases that inherently contain complex grammar – for instance, “Es lässt sich nicht leugnen, dass…” (It cannot be denied that…) or “Angenommen, dass…” (Assuming that…) – and practice continuing the sentence from there. These give you a springboard into a complex structure during an essay or oral response.

Finally, don’t be afraid to seek feedback. Writing out complex sentences and having a teacher or tutor review them is invaluable. They can point out if, say, a verb is out of place or if you’ve used the wrong relative pronoun. Getting professional support can fast-track your mastery here – one of our students noted that “as a grammar teacher, Jens is superb, both in explaining complex grammatical points and ensuring that his students develop a high level of accuracy…providing an invaluable foundation.” With practice and possibly some expert guidance, you’ll be stringing together impressive German sentences that earn you full marks for complexity and correctness.

4. Cases and Declension 🎓

If English is your first language, the German case system might be one of the biggest hurdles – but it’s absolutely crucial to master. German has four cases: nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. These cases tell you each noun’s function in the sentence (subject, direct object, indirect object, or possession) and determine the endings on articles, adjectives, and some pronouns. By A-Level, you’re expected to use the correct case endings with a high degree of accuracy. Mistakes like “der Auto” instead of “das Auto”, or “ich gebe der Hund…” instead of “dem Hund”, will be noticed by examiners and can obscure your meaning.

Let’s briefly recap the cases and their main uses:

• Nominative – used for the subject of the sentence (the doer of the action) and for predicate nouns. Wer? (Who is doing it?)Der Schüler liest das Buch. – (The student is reading the book.) Here der Schüler is nominative.

• Accusative – used for the direct object (the thing directly acted upon by the verb). Wen/Was? (Whom/What?)Der Schüler liest das Buch. – (The student is reading the book.) Das Buch is accusative (direct object).

• Dative – used for the indirect object (to whom/for whom something is done). Wem? (To whom?)Der Schüler gibt dem Lehrer das Buch. – (The student gives the teacher the book.) dem Lehrer is dative (indirect object receiving the book).

• Genitive – used to show possession or close relationships, often translated as “of”. Wessen? (Whose?)Das ist das Ende des Buches. – (That is the end of the book.) des Buches is genitive, indicating the book possesses an “end.”

Each case affects word endings. For example, the masculine definite article “the” changes from der (nom.) to den (acc.) to dem (dat.) to des (gen.). Adjectives also have different endings in each case, and pronouns change form (e.g., er vs ihn vs ihm for “he/him”). These declension patterns must be second nature at A-Level. If you say “Ich vertraue sie” instead of “Ich vertraue ihr” for “I trust her,” you’ve used accusative sie instead of dative ihr after vertrauen (which requires dative) – a subtle mistake that could confuse meaning.

Why it’s important: Case errors are among the most common grammar mistakes, and at A-Level, frequent case mistakes will prevent you from reaching the highest accuracy marks. Moreover, correct case usage allows you to form more complex sentences without ambiguity. German word order can be flexible because cases signal who is doing what to whom. For example, “Den Hund beißt der Mann” and “Der Mann beißt den Hund” have opposite meanings, and it’s the case (der vs den) that tells us which is subject or object. In real-world communication, using the wrong case might lead to misunderstandings (mixing up who gave what to whom, etc.), so accuracy here boosts your clarity significantly.

Tips: Memorise the key articles and adjective endings for each case. Many students use charts or mnemonic devices (for instance, the phrase “Rese, nese, mrmn, srsr” to recall the der-word endings for masculine/feminine/neuter/plural in nominative, accusative, dative, genitive). Practice by taking simple sentences and asking yourself questions like “What is the subject? What’s the direct object? Is there an indirect object?” to identify which case each noun should be in. Then check if your articles/adjectives match. Drill, drill, drill – there’s a lot of rote learning here, so consider using flashcards for noun phrases in different cases (e.g., der Hund, den Hund, dem Hund, des Hundes with English clues).

Pay special attention to prepositions – many fixed prepositions govern a certain case (more on this in topic 8). For example, mit always takes dative, so “mit meinem Bruder” (with my brother – dative) is correct, not mit meinen Bruder. Also, verbs can determine cases: some take a dative object (like helfen, danken), which you must remember. A good exercise: write out example sentences for each case, perhaps even silly ones to make them memorable, like “Mein kleiner Bruder schenkt unserer Katze einen Fisch.” Identify: Bruder (nom.), Katze (dat.), Fisch (acc.), and make sure the adjective endings and articles align with those cases.

In writing tasks, after drafting a paragraph, proofread specifically for case errors. Check each noun phrase systematically. With time, this will become habit and you’ll start “feeling” when something sounds off. If you find cases very challenging, get help early – a tutor can provide targeted exercises and explanations. One advantage of one-on-one lessons is that a tutor can pinpoint exactly which case patterns you’re mixing up and drill those with you. As one parent noted in a testimonial, Jens Olesen’s focus on high accuracy in grammar (like getting cases right) “provides an invaluable foundation” for his students. Nailing the cases will give you a strong base on which all your other German skills can build.

5. Subjunctive and Conditional Forms 🌟

German has a special way to talk about the hypothetical, the counterfactual, or the reported – welcome to the subjunctive mood. There are two forms of the subjunctive in German: Konjunktiv I and Konjunktiv II. At A-Level, the most relevant is typically Konjunktiv II, which is used for hypothetical situations, wishes, polite requests, and conditional sentences. In English, we use “would” or sometimes distinct forms (e.g. “were” in “if I were you”) for these meanings, whereas German often uses würde + infinitive or specific subjunctive forms of verbs.

For example: „Ich würde gerne in Deutschland studieren, wenn ich die Möglichkeit hätte.“ – “I would like to study in Germany if I had the opportunity.” In this sentence, würde…studieren and hätte (had) are Konjunktiv II forms expressing an unreal scenario. You can see how valuable this is for answering those “What would you do if…?” questions or when giving speculative answers in speaking exams. Another common use is expressing wishes or regrets: „Ich wünschte, ich hätte mehr Zeit zum Lernen.“ – “I wish I had more time to study.” The use of wünschte (I wished) and hätte (had) signals that this is not reality.

Conditional sentences (if-clauses) in German often use Konjunktiv II as well. They typically follow patterns like: Wenn + Konjunktiv II…, (dann) + Konjunktiv II or würde. For instance, „Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich um die Welt reisen.“ – “If I were rich, I would travel the world.” Knowing how to form these lets you discuss hypothetical scenarios – a skill that might be tested in writing (perhaps an essay prompt asking you to imagine a situation) or speaking (speculating about future or imaginary outcomes).

Also under this umbrella are polite requests and statements: „Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen?“ – “Could you please help me?” or „Ich hätte gern ein Wasser.“ – “I would like to have a water.” These use Konjunktiv II of können (could) and haben (would have) respectively. While these are more everyday uses, they show the range of contexts where the subjunctive pops up, even outside hypotheticals.

Now, a quick note on Konjunktiv I: This form is primarily used for reported (indirect) speech – for example, journalism or formal reports, to convey what someone said without directly quoting. Er sagt, er sei krank (He says he is ill) – here sei is Konjunktiv I of ist. While Konjunktiv I is a more niche skill, some A-Level courses do include it (especially if you have to do any translation of reported statements, or if you read news articles). We’ll touch more on indirect speech in Topic 10. Generally, if Konjunktiv I looks identical to normal present, Germans will use Konjunktiv II to avoid confusion – so you might see Konjunktiv II used in indirect speech as well.

Why it’s important: Using the subjunctive correctly sets advanced speakers apart. In A-Level exams, appropriate use of Konjunktiv II can enhance the sophistication of your language (which is often an assessment criterion). For instance, in an essay conclusion you might write: „Ohne eine effektive Klimapolitik würde Deutschland seine Umweltziele nicht erreichen.“ – “Without an effective climate policy, Germany would not reach its environmental goals.” This kind of sentence demonstrates a command of complex structures. Conversely, not being comfortable with these forms can limit you – you might avoid expressing certain ideas because you’re unsure how, which in turn could restrict the depth of your argument or speculation. In speaking exams, throwing in a phrase like „Ich würde sagen, dass…“ (I would say that…) or „Man könnte argumentieren, dass…“ (One could argue that…) adds a nice touch of complexity and politeness.

Tips: First, learn the common irregular Konjunktiv II forms: wäre (would be), hätte (would have), könnte (could), sollte (should), müsste (would have to), würde (would) – as well as wollte (would want) and dürfte (would be allowed) if needed. These cover most scenarios. Würde + infinitive is a lifesaver because it can substitute for many less common verbs’ subjunctive (e.g. Ich würde es machen – I would do it). However, avoid overusing würde if a specific form exists (Ich hätte mehr Zeit is preferred over Ich würde mehr Zeit haben for “I would have more time”). Practice conditional sentences by writing out some “If I were… I would…” statements about yourself – they can be fun and personal, which makes them easier to remember (e.g. Wenn ich Bundeskanzler wäre, würde ich… 😃).

When revising for writing, prepare a few phrases using Konjunktiv II that you could deploy in essays, such as expressing wishes (Es wäre schön, wenn… – It would be nice if…), hypothetical comparisons (Als ob er… wäre – as if he were…), or recommendations (Ich würde vorschlagen, dass… – I would suggest that…). Having these in your toolkit means you won’t shy away from using subjunctive forms under pressure.

Finally, for Konjunktiv I in reported speech, it’s worth recognising (especially in reading comprehension tasks). If you see a sentence like „Die Kanzlerin betonte, die Reform sei notwendig.“, understand that sei means ist in reported context (“the reform is necessary” in her words). You likely won’t lose marks for not using Konjunktiv I in your own writing, but showing awareness of it could impress in the right context (maybe in a translation exercise). If in doubt, using dass with indicative (Sie sagte, dass… ist.) is grammatically acceptable though slightly less formal.

In summary, embrace the subjunctive – it unlocks a new layer of expression in German. And remember, if this concept feels a bit confusing, you’re not alone; many students benefit from extra explanations here. A skilled teacher can demystify Konjunktiv in just a few lessons by breaking down patterns and giving you targeted practice, so consider reaching out if you want to solidify this crucial area.

6. Modal Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs 🔧

Modal and auxiliary verbs are the workhorses of German grammar. You’ve likely been using them for a while, but at A-Level, you should have full mastery of their forms and nuances. Modal verbs – können (can/be able), wollen (want), müssen (must/have to), sollen (should/supposed to), dürfen (may/allowed to), mögen (to like) – allow you to express ability, necessity, obligation, permission, desire, etc. They combine with other verbs (typically sending the other verb to the end in infinitive form). For example, „Ich muss mehr Vokabeln lernen.“ – “I must learn more vocabulary.” Or „Wir dürfen in der Bibliothek nicht essen.“ – “We’re not allowed to eat in the library.”

Meanwhile, auxiliary verbs – haben (to have), sein (to be), werden (to become/will) – are used to form compound tenses and the passive voice. Haben and sein are used in the Perfekt and Plusquamperfekt tenses (e.g., ich habe gemacht, ich bin gegangen), and werden is used for the future tense (ich werde es machen, I will do it) and passive constructions (es wird gemacht, it is being done).

At A-Level, the expectation is accuracy and flexibility with these verbs. You should conjugate them correctly (pay attention to irregular forms like ich kann, du kannst; ich habe, du hast; ich werde, er wird, etc.) and use them in a variety of contexts. You’ll also encounter nuanced uses: for example, mögen in the subjunctive form möchte to mean “would like,” or sollen in the past subjunctive hätte sollen (should have) for regret statements. Modal verbs can even be combined with the subjunctive mood for politeness (Könnten Sie…? as mentioned earlier).

Why it’s important: Modal verbs are everywhere – from everyday conversation to complex academic texts. Misusing a modal can completely change meaning (compare “Ich muss gehen” – I have to go, vs “Ich möchte gehen” – I would like to go). For exam purposes, using modals correctly lets you express opinions and arguments more precisely. If you want to say “we should protect the environment,” you need sollen: „Wir sollten die Umwelt schützen.“ And if you’re writing a discursive essay, you might need phrases like “Man muss berücksichtigen, dass…” (One must consider that…) or “Es kann argumentiert werden, dass…” (It can be argued that…), which combine modals and passive voice. These constructions can impress examiners by showing you have a handle on advanced ways to frame arguments.

Auxiliaries, on the other hand, are fundamental to forming tenses correctly. If you confuse haben and sein in the perfect tense (ich bin das Buch gelesen ❌ instead of ich habe das Buch gelesen ✅), it will be marked as a grammar error. Similarly, knowing werden inside-out is vital not only for forming futures but also for recognizing the passive (e.g., es wird gebaut – it is being built).

Tips: Drill conjugations for modals and auxiliaries until they’re second nature. For modals, remember that in the present tense they have a vowel change and no ending in the ich/er/sie/es forms (ich kann, er kann with no “t”; ich darf, er darf; ich will etc.), and in the simple past they often had a stem change (e.g., konnte, musste, wollte). You likely won’t use the simple past of modals much in writing (except maybe ich wollte in narratives), but you should recognise them. It can be handy to memorise a chart or find patterns – for instance, können and müssen have similar conjugation patterns, as do dürfen and sollen to some extent.

A fun way to practice modals is to take a base sentence and run through all the modals with it, noting the different meanings:

• Ich kann schwimmen. (I can swim – ability)

• Ich muss schwimmen. (I must swim – obligation/need)

• Ich darf schwimmen. (I am allowed to swim – permission)

• Ich soll schwimmen. (I’m supposed to swim – perhaps doctor’s orders, or a recommendation)

• Ich will schwimmen. (I want to swim – desire)

• Ich möchte schwimmen. (I would like to swim – polite desire)

See how the helping verb drastically changes the nuance of the sentence? Being comfortable with these shades of meaning will help you choose the right modal when formulating your thoughts in German.

For auxiliaries: make sure you remember which verbs use sein in the Perfekt (generally movement verbs and change of state verbs like gehen, kommen, sterben, etc., plus sein, bleiben, passieren). A classic mistake is ich habe gegangen instead of ich bin gegangen. Double-check these when writing narratives about the past. The verb werden is multifunctional – practice its use in context: Es wird kalt (it’s getting cold – showing change), Ich werde Arzt (I’m becoming a doctor – future plan or change of state), Wir werden das schaffen (we will manage it – future tense), Die Arbeit wird gemacht (the work is being done – passive). Recognising all these will boost both your comprehension and expression.

One more advanced tip: Modal verbs in the subjunctive (Konjunktiv II) are incredibly useful for politeness or conjecture. We already saw könnte and sollte for suggestions. Müsste can mean “ought to” or “should (logically)”, which is useful in arguments (e.g., Das müsste bedeuten, dass… – That ought to mean that…). Dürfte can mean “likely” in a polite/opinion sense (e.g., Das dürfte schwierig sein – That is likely to be difficult). Using these correctly can add a lot of sophistication to your language.

Lastly, keep an eye on modal particles – not to be confused with modal verbs, these are little words like doch, mal, ja that add flavour to sentences. They are more colloquial and not usually a big part of exams, but if you come across “Komm doch mal her!” just know it’s not using doch or mal as verbs, but as flavouring particles. It’s good to be aware of them so you don’t mistakenly think every “würde” or “dürfte” you see is a main verb; context will tell you.

As always, practice is key. Use modals frequently in your speaking practice – challenge yourself to express things in different modes (can/must/should, etc.). In writing, check that you’ve used a range of modal expressions and that they’re all conjugated properly. If you’re ever in doubt, ask a teacher or refer to a conjugation table. Given how fundamental these verbs are, any time invested in mastering them is well worth it.

(On a side note, at Olesen Tuition we often find that even strong students benefit from a refresher on modals/auxiliaries at A-Level, just to iron out any lingering mistakes. Our tutors, being native speakers with years of teaching experience, can share tricks to remember usages that textbooks might not mention.)

7. Passive Voice and Impersonal Constructions 🗞️

As you progress in German, you’ll encounter more situations where the passive voice is used, as well as impersonal expressions with “man” or “es”. A-Level German will expect you to understand these constructions and use them appropriately, especially in formal writing or objective statements.

Passive Voice (Passiv): In active sentences, the subject performs the action (“Der Lehrer erklärt die Grammatik.” – The teacher explains the grammar). In the passive, the focus shifts to the action itself or the object of the action: “Die Grammatik wird erklärt.” – The grammar is being explained. Notice that in German, the passive is formed with werden + past participle (for present tense passive). For past passive, you’d use the appropriate tense of werden or sein + Partizip II + worden. For example, “Die Tür wurde geöffnet.” – The door was opened (simple past passive), or “Die Tür ist geöffnet worden.” – The door has been opened (present perfect passive).

Passive voice is common when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or implied. For instance, “Es wird viel geforscht.” – A lot of research is being done. Who is doing it? Unspecified – and it doesn’t matter, the focus is on the research activity. Similarly, in scientific or news contexts you’ll see passive to keep tone objective: “In Deutschland wird viel Wert auf Recycling gelegt.” – In Germany, a lot of value is placed on recycling. This emphasises the action/value rather than who places the value.

Impersonal constructions with “man” or “es”: German often uses the pronoun “man” to mean “one/people/they” in general statements. For example, “In Deutschland trinkt man viel Kaffee.” – In Germany, people drink a lot of coffee. Man is very handy for expressing generalisations or impersonal observations. It conjugates like er/sie (so man trinkt, man sagt, etc.).

Similarly, “es” can be a placeholder subject in impersonal phrases: “Es gibt…” (There is/there are…), “Es ist wichtig, … zu …” (It is important to …), “Es fällt mir schwer, …” (It’s hard for me to …). Es is also used in weather and time expressions: “Es regnet.” (It’s raining), “Es ist 5 Uhr.” (It is 5 o’clock). These es constructions don’t have a real “actor” subject; es is just a filler to satisfy German word order. Another impersonal es appears with certain passive or sich-verbs: “Es wird getanzt.” – lit. “It is being danced,” meaning “There is dancing going on.” Or “Es schadet nichts, wenn…” – “It does no harm if…”.

At A-Level, you should be comfortable switching to a passive construction to sound more formal or objective, and using man to avoid awkward “people/you/they” phrasing. You might also use es in idiomatic impersonal phrases to start sentences elegantly, e.g., “Es lässt sich nicht leugnen, dass…” – “It can’t be denied that…”.

Why it’s important: Using the passive and impersonal structures adds variety to your language and can increase the sophistication of your writing. Some exam essay questions (especially those about processes or where an objective tone is appropriate) practically invite the use of passive voice. For example, describing a historical event: “Am 9. November 1989 wurde die Berliner Mauer geöffnet.” – On 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall was opened. Or discussing a policy: “Es wird oft diskutiert, welche Maßnahmen am effektivsten sind.” – It is often discussed which measures are most effective. These constructions can also help you adhere to word limits or avoid specifying an agent when it’s not necessary.

Moreover, sometimes the exam tasks themselves (reading or listening) will include passive sentences or man-statements, and you need to understand them. If you see “Hier darf nicht geraucht werden” on a sign in a reading text, you should quickly realise it means “Smoking is not allowed here”. If you haven’t practised passive voice, that could throw you off.

Tips: Practice transforming active sentences to passive. Identify the object of the sentence, make it the subject, and adjust werden + Partizip. For example, active: “Die Schüler lesen den Roman.” Identify object: den Roman. Passive: “Der Roman wird (von den Schülern) gelesen.” – “The novel is being read (by the students).” You can include von + agent (by…) if needed or omit it if it’s obvious or irrelevant. Try this with different tenses to get the hang of wurde vs wird vs ist … worden. A quick reference:

• Present passive: es wird gemacht (it is being done),

• Simple past passive: es wurde gemacht (it was done),

• Present perfect passive: es ist gemacht worden (it has been done),

• Future passive: es wird gemacht werden (it will be done).

Also note the difference between process passive (using werden) and state passive (using sein + Participle). For example, “Die Tür ist geschlossen” can mean the door is closed (state), whereas “Die Tür wird geschlossen” means the door is being closed (action). State passive is often just an adjective in usage (the door is closed = it’s in a closed state).

For man: try rephrasing some of your sentences using man to see if it sounds more natural. Instead of “Leute trinken viel Tee in Ostfriesland,” say “In Ostfriesland trinkt man viel Tee.” This is a very idiomatic way to generalise. In speaking, using man can also buy you a second to think (since you start the sentence with something simple). Just be careful not to overuse it in formal writing – if man appears in every sentence it might read poorly. Mix it up with passive or other subjects.

For es gibt: ensure you know that es gibt is followed by the accusative (because geben normally takes a direct object). Es gibt viele Gründe. (There are many reasons.) And Es gab ein Problem (There was a problem). This is such a handy phrase for introductions and examples in essays (“There are many reasons for this…”) that you’ll likely use it often.

Common pitfalls: In passive, don’t forget the participle at the end! A mistake like “Der Brief wird geschrieben wurde” ❌ (mixing up word order or tense) should be avoided – it should be either wird geschrieben or wurde geschrieben. Also, remember that not every English passive translates word-for-word – sometimes using man might be more idiomatic. For instance, “They speak German in Switzerland” – an English passive would be “German is spoken in Switzerland,” and German could render this as “In der Schweiz wird Deutsch gesprochen.” (passive) or “In der Schweiz spricht man Deutsch.” (active with man). Both are correct; the choice can depend on style.

Lastly, practice reading some formal texts or news articles to see passive and impersonal constructions in context. You’ll notice German news often use wurden and worden forms a lot. Try rewriting a few active sentences from these articles into passive, or vice versa, to reinforce your understanding.

By incorporating passive voice and impersonal constructions into your skill set, you’ll be able to write and speak German in a more nuanced and native-like way. And examiners will appreciate seeing that you can handle these higher-level structures appropriately, just as much as you appreciate when your achievements are described in the passive voice: “95% of our students have been awarded A/A grades”* (notice the passive have been awarded – sometimes it just sounds better!).

8. Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases 🧭

Prepositions may be small words, but they have a big impact on German grammar. Each preposition in German is associated with a specific case (or cases), and using them correctly is vital for conveying the right meaning. At A-Level, you’re expected to not only memorise which prepositions take which cases, but also to use many idiomatic prepositional phrases accurately to enrich your speaking and writing.

Case-specific prepositions: Some prepositions always take the accusative (e.g. durch, für, gegen, ohne, um), others always the dative (aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu, gegenüber), and a few take the genitive (mostly in formal written German, like anstatt, trotz, während, wegen – though you’ll often hear dative used colloquially with some of these). Then there are the two-way (Wechsel) prepositions that take accusative or dative depending on meaning (an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen). With two-way prepositions, the rule is generally accusative for motion towards a destination, dative for location. For example:

• “Ich gehe in die Schule.” (Accusative – I’m going into the school, motion towards)

• “Ich bin in der Schule.” (Dative – I’m in the school, location)

Using the wrong case after a preposition is a common error. For instance, saying “mit meinem Bruder” (dative – correct) vs “mit meinen Bruder” (accusative ending – incorrect in this context). Or “für dich” (accusative – correct) vs “für dir” (dative – wrong). These small endings can change the meaning or just sound wrong to a native speaker.

Idiomatic usage and verb-preposition combos: Many verbs are paired with specific prepositions, and sometimes their meaning changes with different prepositions. For example, warten auf (to wait for), denken an (to think of/about), teilnehmen an (to participate in), abhängen von (to depend on). These are often tested in gap-fill exercises or expected in speaking responses. Using the correct preposition (and thus case) after such verbs is crucial. “Ich warte auf dich.” (I’m waiting for you – auf takes accusative dich). If someone said “Ich warte für dich,” it would mean “I’m waiting for you” in the sense of “on your behalf,” which is not what we usually intend.

There are also fixed expressions like “im Gegensatz zu” (in contrast to), “auf der einen Seite… auf der anderen Seite…” (on one hand... on the other hand…), “aus diesem Grund” (for this reason), etc., which can make your language more sophisticated if used correctly. Each of those has a preposition that dictates the case (e.g., zu in im Gegensatz zu requires dative, so whatever follows will be dative).

Why it’s important: Preposition mistakes can lead to misunderstandings or lost marks. If you misuse a preposition or case, at best it’s a grammar mistake; at worst, you might change the meaning. For example, “Ich freue mich auf die Ferien” (I’m looking forward to the holidays) versus “Ich freue mich über die Ferien” (I’m happy about the holidays). The first implies anticipation for something upcoming (common usage of sich freuen auf), the second implies you are happy about something present or past. Both can be correct in different contexts, so the wrong choice could confuse your listener/reader about what you mean.

In exams, you might be explicitly tested on this in grammar sections or indirectly through translation tasks. AQA, for instance, often has a sentence to translate with a tricky prepositional phrase like “to depend on” or “interested in” (which is abhängen von or interessiert an, respectively). If you don’t know those, you could lose the mark or end up with a clunky workaround. Also, demonstrating a range of idiomatic phrases (especially in writing) can score you points for variety of language. Using a phrase like “im Vergleich zu anderen Ländern…” (in comparison to other countries…) in an essay introduction immediately signals a higher level of expression.

Tips: There’s no shortcut – make a list of prepositions and drill their cases. Group them: all accusative preps together, all dative together, etc. Many students find mnemonic devices helpful. For example, for accusative prepositions some use the mnemonic FUDGEBOW (für, um, durch, gegen, entlang, bis, ohne, wider) – though note entlang usually follows the noun (die Straße entlang) and wider (against) is a bit formal/rare except in set phrases like wider Erwarten. For dative, AUS BEI MIT NACH SEIT VON ZU is often chanted rhythmically. Two-way prepositions might require extra practice; one trick is to visualize scenarios or use motion vs location pairs: in die Kirche gehen vs in der Kirche sein, auf den Tisch legen vs auf dem Tisch liegen, etc. Actually moving objects around and saying it aloud can help cement the concept (could be a fun study activity with a toy or just imagining).

Learn verb-preposition combinations as you encounter them. Make flashcards: one side “wait for (something)” other side “warten auf (+ Accusative)”. Many A-Level textbooks have a section listing common ones. Pay special attention to ones that don’t match English expectations (e.g. träumen von = to dream of, not dream “about” as we say in English; Angst haben vor = to be afraid of, etc.). If you find yourself consistently forgetting the case that goes with a combination, highlight the article in an example sentence (like “Sie nimmt an dem Kurs teil” – see that dem so you remember teilnehmen an is dative).

Use practice exercises from grammar books or online resources where you fill in the blank with the correct preposition or correct case ending after a preposition. These are incredibly useful for drilling. Also consider writing out a paragraph about a topic that forces use of various prepositions – for example, describing your room (auf dem Tisch, neben dem Bett, an der Wand hängt ein Bild, etc.), or talking about your school routine (in der Pause, nach der Schule, mit meinen Freunden).

When writing your essays, after finishing, do an “error patrol” specifically for prepositions: circle every preposition and check: did I use the correct case after it? If you wrote “… zwischen den Freundinnen.” – is it dative den Freundinnen (correct for “between the (female) friends”)? Yes, because zwischen is two-way but here no motion, so dative. If you wrote zwischen die Freundinnen, that would imply movement into a space between them. These nuances are subtle but important.

One more thing: Idioms and fixed phrases. Keep an eye out for expressions like “auf jeden Fall” (in any case/definitely), “ohne Zweifel” (without a doubt), “unter Druck” (under pressure), “aus diesem Anlass” (on this occasion). Using one or two of these appropriately in writing or speaking can impress. Just make sure you’ve got them right – e.g., it’s im Großen und Ganzen (by and large) not am Großen....

If prepositions are a nemesis for you, don’t be discouraged – many learners feel that way. It might be worth dedicating a tutoring session just to this topic. A tutor can give you tailored exercises and perhaps share memory tricks from their experience. With focused practice, you’ll turn this weakness into a strength. Remember, man kann alle Präpositionen meistern! – one can master all the prepositions! (See what we did there? 😉)

9. Word Formation and Compound Words 🏗️

One of the coolest features of German (and sometimes funniest, when words get really long) is its ability to form new words through prefixes, suffixes, and by compounding multiple words together. At A-Level, expanding your vocabulary is crucial, and understanding word formation rules can help you guess meanings of unfamiliar words, as well as create more precise expressions of your own.

Prefixes: German has a set of common prefixes that attach to verbs (and sometimes nouns/adjectives) to modify meaning. They can be separable (they break off in certain verb forms) or inseparable (always attached). For example:

• kommen (to come) → ankommen (to arrive) with prefix an-.

• schreiben (to write) → beschreiben (to describe) with inseparable prefix be-.

• kaufen (to buy) → verkaufen (to sell) with ver- (often implies “wrong” or “reversal”, here turning buying into selling).

• fahren (to drive/go) → abfahren (to depart), erfahren (to find out/experience), umfahren (to run over OR to drive around, depending on stress – careful with that one 😅).

Each prefix brings a twist. Ent- often means “away or un-” (e.g. entfernen – to remove, entdecken – to discover (uncover)), ver- can mean “for-” in the sense of completion or error (as in sich verlaufen – to get lost), zer- implies “apart” or “to pieces” (zerreißen – to tear apart). Recognising these can turn an intimidating, long verb into something you can decode. For instance, if you know führen is “to lead” and you see ausführen, you might guess it could mean “to lead out” – and indeed ausführen means “to carry out” or “execute (a task)” or even “take someone out (on a date or walk)” depending on context. The prefix aus- often conveys “out” or completion.

Suffixes: German builds many nouns and adjectives with suffixes. For example:

• Verb → Noun: -ung (which usually turns a verb into a noun indicating the action or result, like die Übersetzung from übersetzen – “the translation” from “to translate”), -er (often person who does something, der Lehrer – the teacher from lehren, to teach), -heit/-keit (turns adjectives into nouns: die Freiheit – freedom from frei, free; die Schnelligkeit – swiftness from schnell, fast).

• Adjective → Noun: -heit/-keit as mentioned, -igkeit, -tum (e.g. Reichtum – wealth, from reich, rich).

• Noun → Adjective: -lich (adding the sense of “-ly” or “-ish”: kindlich – childlike, from Kind), -ig (often “having” that quality: goldig – golden (in color or cute), from Gold).

• Adjective → Adverb: Actually, German uses the same form as the adjective for adverbs usually, but -erweise can turn adjectives to adverbs meaning “-ly” in the sense of “fortunately” (glücklicherweise – fortunately, from glücklich, happy).

• Diminutives: -chen or -lein to make something small or cute: das Haus (house) → das Häuschen (little house), das Mädchen is literally a diminutive of Magd (maid) historically, which is why it’s neuter (little maid).

Understanding suffixes helps in production of language too. Instead of saying “Deutschland ist vereint seit 1990,” you could use the noun “die Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands fand 1990 statt.” – literally “the re-unification of Germany took place in 1990.” Here Wiedervereinigung uses prefix wieder- (again) and suffix -ung (action noun) on the verb vereinigen (to unite). Knowing that allows you to use one word instead of a whole clause, which can make your writing more concise and formal.

Compound words: German famously sticks words together to create new ones, especially nouns. Handschuh (Hand + Schuh = glove), Jahreszeit (Jahr + Zeit = season, literally “time of year”), Umweltschutz (Umwelt + Schutz = environmental protection), or longer ones like Kraftfahrzeughaftpflichtversicherung (don’t panic: Kraft-fahrzeug-haftpflicht-versicherung breaks down to power-vehicle-liability-insurance = automobile liability insurance). For A-Level, you don’t need to produce monster words, but you should be comfortable reading them by breaking them into parts. Often, the last part of the compound is the core noun, and the preceding part(s) modify it. E.g., Umwelt-schutz – Schutz (protection) is the main idea, Umwelt (environment) tells you what kind of protection.

Using compounds in your writing can be great for precision and variety. Instead of saying “die Probleme, die mit der Umwelt zusammenhängen” (the problems that are related to the environment), you might say “die Umweltprobleme” (the environmental problems). German allows you to form these on the fly as needed, and it’s something native speakers do naturally. If you’re unsure, check a dictionary to confirm the compound is commonly used (not every random combination works, but many do).

Why it’s important: A-Level reading texts will include advanced vocabulary, much of which is formed by prefixes/suffixes/compounds. If you can dissect a word like Arbeitslosigkeit (Work-los(e)-ness = unemployment) or gesellschaftlich (society-ly = societal), you can deduce meaning without having seen the word before. This skill is a lifesaver when tackling unseen reading passages. Similarly, in listening, if you catch a word like Wiedervereinigung and recognise wieder (again) and Vereinigung (union), you’ll understand the topic is German reunification, even if you hadn’t memorised that as a vocabulary item.

For writing and speaking, using the right term (maybe a compound noun or a noun from a verb with -ung) can convey your point succinctly. Compare: “the separation of church and state” vs “church-state separation” vs the German “die Trennung von Kirche und Staat” – or could there be a single compound? Germans often say “die Trennung von Kirche und Staat”, but they also have Staat und Kirche constructions depending on context. Another example: rather than describing something in a long clause, a compound noun might do it in one punchy word: Energieverbrauch (energy consumption) instead of “consumption of energy”.

Also, using a variety of word forms (verbs, nouns, adjectives related via prefixes/suffixes) can improve your Range of Vocabulary score. For instance, maybe you use wichtig (important) in one sentence and Wichtigkeit (importance) in the next. Or to protest = protestieren, and a protest (noun) = der Protest; but better, a demonstrator = der Demonstrant, and a demonstration = die Demonstration. These show a richness of vocabulary knowledge.

Tips: When you learn a new word, try to learn its word family. If you learn Erfolg (success), note the verb erfolgen (to follow/result, not exactly “to succeed” – careful, gelingen is to succeed), the adjective erfolgreich (successful), the verb verfolgen (to pursue – okay that’s a prefix changing meaning drastically), etc. Not every word will have all forms, but many have at least two or three related forms. This way, one vocab item actually becomes several in your repertoire.

Play with compounding: challenge yourself to form a compound. If English says “education system,” German could say Bildungssystem. If you need a word for “exam pressure,” try Prüfungsdruck. Not sure if it’s used? A quick dict.cc or similar check can confirm, but most likely yes. This is a fun part of German – you can be creative, but do ensure it’s comprehensible and correctly formed (usually just jamming words together, maybe with a linking letter like -s-, -es- in between if needed for pronunciation).

Be aware of common prefixes and what they imply:

• Ur- (original/ancient: Urlaub is unrelated – that’s vacation – but Urwald = primeval forest, Urgroßmutter = great-grandmother),

• Miss- (as in English “mis-” something: misverstehen – misunderstand, though in German it’s spelled missverstehen),

• un- (un- as in unglaublich – unbelievable),

• wieder- (again/back: wiedersehen – see again, wiederholen – repeat),

• zusammen- (together: zusammenarbeiten – work together).

When reading, don’t panic at a long word: break it apart. Look for known chunks. Aufmerksamkeit may look long, but you might see auf (on), merk (from merken, to notice), -sam (makes an adjective aufmerksam = attentive) and -keit (makes it a noun meaning “attentiveness” or “attention”). Bingo, you got it. This analytical approach will serve you well in understanding complex texts.

To practice, you could take a base word and list how many words you can form from it with prefixes/suffixes. For example: spielen (to play) → das Spiel (game), spielerisch (playful, as in manner), der Spieler (player), mitspielen (to play along), abspielen (to play (a recording)), ausspielen (to play off or outplay), vorspielen (to perform/play something for someone), das Schauspiel (theater play), der Spielplatz (playground), die Spielzeit (playing time/season)… you get the idea. Not only is this kind of exercise fun, but it also massively expands your vocabulary around a theme.

Finally, consider formal vs informal or nuanced differences: Arbeit vs Werk (both can mean work), or reden vs sprechen (to talk vs to speak). Sometimes a prefix can slightly formalize a word (e.g. besprechen – to discuss (in detail) vs sprechen über – to talk about). These are finer points, but by A-Level you’re edging into that territory.

Remember, word formation is one area where German is actually pretty logical. Once you know the building blocks, you can decode or build many words. It’s like Lego – learn what the blocks do and you can construct whatever you need. And if in doubt, a good dictionary (or your tutor) can help check if a word exists or if there’s a better term. Build that vocabulary and you’ll not only ace your reading/listening comprehension, but also impress with your expressive power.

10. Direct and Indirect Speech 🗣️

In the final stretch, let’s talk about speech – not the speaking exam, but how German handles direct and indirect speech, which is a new concept for many at A-Level. Direct speech (direkte Rede) is straightforward: quoting someone’s exact words with quotation marks, just as in English. Indirect speech (indirekte Rede), however, is used to report what someone said without quoting them exactly, and it involves some special grammar (mainly the subjunctive, as we touched on earlier in topic 5).

Direct Speech: This is literally someone’s spoken or thought words, written down. Example: Er sagte: „Ich habe heute keine Zeit.“ – He said, “I have no time today.” Notice German uses quotation marks and a colon, similar to English usage. In writing tasks, you might not need to use direct quotes often (unless you’re writing a narrative or using an example quote), but you should recognize it. Nothing too tricky here aside from punctuation differences (in German published texts you might see the quotation marks like „ … “ which are just the German style).

Indirect Speech (Reported Speech): German often prefers to use the Konjunktiv I for reported speech. For instance, if direct speech was „Ich habe heute keine Zeit.“ (I have no time today), to report this, one could say: Er sagte, er habe heute keine Zeit. – He said he has no time today. Here habe is Konjunktiv I of hat (third person singular of haben). The dass is often omitted in German reported speech, whereas in English we would say “He said that he has no time.”

Key points: Pronouns and time references often need adjusting. “I have no time today” became “he has no time today” (the he instead of I, which we did by dropping the personal pronoun entirely after er sagte, in the German example – German can do that because the verb ending -e on habe implies er (he)). If the context wasn’t clear, one could say Er sagte, dass er heute keine Zeit habe. Both forms (with dass or just a comma) are used. Notice habe not hat – that’s how you know it’s reported speech and not the narrator asserting it.

The Konjunktiv I forms are mostly based on the infinitive stem plus -e, -est, -e, -en, -et, -en. Many look similar to present indicative, especially in the 1st person. Rule of thumb: if the Konjunktiv I form is identical to the indicative, German will use Konjunktiv II to avoid ambiguity. For example, ich komme (I come) is same in Konj I and present, so they’d use ich käme if needed. But in reported speech, ich is rarely used anyway; we usually report 3rd person statements. So you see a lot of er sagt, er sei (he says he is…), sie behauptet, sie habe (she claims she has…), die Zeitung schrieb, das Ereignis habe stattgefunden (the newspaper wrote that the event took place – literally “has taken place” in the subjunctive, but translates to simple past). Sei is Konj I of ist; habe of hat; gegangen sei of ist gegangen, etc.

Also, questions in indirect speech turn into subordinate clauses: Direct: „Wann kommt er?“ – “When is he coming?” Indirect: Sie fragt, wann er komme. – She asks when he is coming. We don’t use ob (if/whether) unless it’s a yes/no question, in which case ob introduces the indirect question: „Kommt er?“ -> Sie fragt, ob er komme. (She asks whether he’s coming.) Often in speech, Germans might say ob er kommt (using the indicative) because in everyday conversation they might not bother with the Konjunktiv – but in formal writing or exams, it’s good to use it.

Commands in indirect speech: If someone gave a command, e.g., Sie sagte: „Lern die Vokabeln!“ – reported you’d use a structure with sollen or mögen: Sie sagte, ich soll die Vokabeln lernen. (She told me I should learn the vocabulary.) Or Sie forderte mich auf, die Vokabeln zu lernen. (She urged me to learn the vocabulary – using an object clause instead of subjunctive).

Why it’s important: Some exam boards include a specific exercise on converting direct speech to indirect speech, or vice versa, or a grammar gap-fill that requires knowing Konjunktiv I. Even if not, understanding it is important for the reading exam. Journalistic texts, which might appear in A-Level reading comprehension or listening, frequently use reported speech, especially to convey statements by politicians, witnesses, etc. For example: “Der Minister betonte, die Maßnahme sei notwendig.” If you know Konjunktiv, you interpret that as “the measure is necessary” (the minister’s claim). If you didn’t, you might be puzzled by sei. Knowing indirect speech also prevents you from misinterpreting something as a certainty when it’s actually someone’s reported view.

In terms of production, you might not have to use Konjunktiv I in your essays, but using it correctly could impress if done in the right context, like summarising what an author said in a research project or what a character thought in a literary essay: “Mephisto behauptet, der Mensch sei sich seines Lebens nie bewusst.” (Mephisto claims that man is never aware of his life.) Using sei instead of ist subtly shows you’re reporting a claim, not asserting it as fact.

Tips: Start by learning the basic Konjunktiv I forms of sein, haben, and modal verbs, since those are very commonly used in reported speech:

• sein: ich sei, du seiest, er/sie/es sei, wir seien, ihr seiet, sie seien.

• haben: ich habe (same as present, so would use Konj II hätte for first person if needed), du habest, er habe, wir haben (same as present, so hätten if needed), ihr habet, sie haben (same issue).

• werden: ich werde (same as present, so use würde for 1st person), du werdest, er werde, wir werden (same as present, so würden), ihr werdet (present-like, so würdet if needed), sie werden (present-like, so würden).

• können: ich könne, du könnest, er könne, wir können (would be könnten), etc.

• müssen: ich müsse, du müssest, er müsse, wir müssen (-> müssten), etc.

• sollen: ich solle, du sollest, er solle, …

• wollen: ich wolle, du wollest, er wolle, …

• dürfen: ich dürfe, du dürfest, er dürfe, …

You’ll notice a pattern: for er/sie form, often it’s just a vowel change or no change plus -e. Er sagt, er komme/ gehe/ spreche/ wisse/ tue/ könne/ müsse, etc. Many of those look like the 1st person indicative plus e (e.g., ich gehe -> er gehe in subjunctive reporting, ich kann -> er könne).

A practical approach: When you do listening or reading practice, identify any instances of indirect speech. Try turning a direct quote you find into reported speech for practice, or vice versa. Also, be mindful of backshift in English vs German: In English, reported speech we often shift past (He said, “I am tired” -> He said he was tired). In German, tense is usually maintained (Er sagte, er sei müde – still present subjunctive for present meaning). But if the statement was past, you’d use perfect subjunctive: Er sagte, er habe schlecht geschlafen. (He said he had slept poorly).

If Konjunktiv I feels too abstract, remember you can often convey reported info with a dass clause using indicative and still be understood, but since this is an A-Level guide, we encourage aiming for the proper form. If you write Er sagte, dass er keine Zeit hat, it’s grammatically acceptable (many native speakers do this), but Er sagte, er habe keine Zeit is the high-register form. If nothing else, recognise it receptively so you don’t lose points on comprehension.

Finally, if you undertake any research project or oral presentation (like the IRP for certain exam boards), being able to paraphrase sources using reported speech is a great skill. It allows you to convey what you read or heard without quoting verbatim, and shows a command of formal language.

As this is the last grammar topic on our list, take a moment to appreciate how far these concepts take you: from basic statements to nuanced discussions about what others said or thought. Mastering these grammar areas not only prepares you for exams but also sets you up to use German in university or professional settings later on. And should you need a hand with any of them, don’t hesitate to seek support – whether it’s asking your teacher, collaborating with classmates, or engaging a tutor. With expert guidance (the kind Olesen Tuition specialises in), even the trickiest grammar can become clear and manageable.

Conclusion: By mastering the ten grammar topics outlined above, you’ll equip yourself with the linguistic tools and confidence needed to excel in A-Level German. From deploying the right verb tense to crafting complex sentences and using advanced moods, each skill you build is a step toward more sophisticated and accurate communication. Not only will this impress examiners and help you snag top grades, but it will also make you a more self-assured German speaker in the real world – able to understand nuanced newspaper articles, follow university lectures in German, or chat with native speakers without stumbling over grammar.

Remember, consistency is key. Practice these topics regularly: do workbook exercises, write example sentences, speak with others or even to yourself using new structures, and seek out German media that showcases these grammar points (for instance, a news podcast for passive voice and reported speech, or a novel for rich use of tenses and clauses). Don’t be afraid to make mistakes during practice – that’s how you learn. Over time, what once seemed complicated (like remembering case endings or using Konjunktiv II correctly) will become second nature.

Crucially, don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it. Even the most diligent independent learner can benefit from expert feedback and guidance. A qualified tutor can quickly pinpoint any persistent issues and give you targeted strategies to overcome them. Whether it’s in private 1:1 lessons, online classes, or small group courses, getting professional support can accelerate your progress dramatically. In our experience at Olesen Tuition, students who reinforce their school learning with focused tutoring often see their grammar accuracy skyrocket – enabling them to write essays with near-native precision and speak with much greater fluency and correctness. As one student noted, investing in solid grammar foundations carries over into “all aspects of… teaching and provides an invaluable foundation” for success.

At the end of the day, grammar is not just about rules for an exam – it’s about having the freedom to express anything you want in German. When you don’t have to worry about “is this the right ending or word order?”, you can focus on conveying your ideas, opinions, and creativity. And that is truly empowering.

So, keep at it! Dive into these topics, use the tips and examples as a starting point, and gradually integrate them into your active German usage. With diligence and determination, you’ll unlock new levels of proficiency and fluency, opening doors to exciting opportunities – from acing your A-Levels and impressing university admissions, to enjoying meaningful conversations auf Deutsch in the wider world.

Viel Erfolg! (Good luck!) And remember: every grammar problem has a solution, and you’re never alone on this journey – classmates, teachers, and tutors are all there to help you succeed.

Interested in structured support? Check out our A-Level German programs – our targeted revision sessions focus on essential grammar, vocabulary, and exam techniques to help you achieve outstanding results. Whether you prefer weekly tutoring or holiday intensive courses, we’re here to boost your confidence. Feel free to reach out or read more about how we’ve helped students achieve 95% A*/A success rates– and how we can help you master German too.

Happy studying!

Which grammar topic are you struggling with the most? Share with us in the comments! And if you found this post useful, please like and share it with others so that many students can benefit from it. Thank you.

Our blog has an array of posts for A-level German students, such as advice on the IRP in German and how to prepare for the A-level German speaking exam more generally, how to write excellent A-level German essays, tips on how to prepare for A-level German paper 1, and our revision guides:

• A-level German revision guide "Der Besuch der alten Dame"

• A-level German revision guide "Der Vorleser"

• A-level German guide on Kafkas' "Die Verwandlung"

• "Goodbye Lenin": A-level German revision guide

• "Das Leben der Anderen" A-level German guide

• A-level German revision guide on "Sophie Scholl-die letzten Tage"

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