How to Prepare for the Oxford MLAT German Test – Advanced Strategies and Sample Questions

Preparing for the Oxford Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT) German paper can feel daunting – but with the right strategies and practice, you can excel. This guide, written in clear British English, will walk you through advanced preparation techniques, key grammar topics to master, sample questions with full solutions, and expert tips. As an Oxford graduate and native German tutor with 25+ years of teaching experience and an outstanding MLAT success rate, I’ll also share insights and resources to boost your confidence. Let’s ensure you feel fully supported and ready to tackle the MLAT German test!

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Understanding the MLAT German Test Format

Before diving into study tips, it’s crucial to know what the MLAT German section involves. The MLAT German test is a 30-minute exam consisting of two parts:

• Grammar: ~20 questions (often multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank) assessing your grasp of German grammar. You may need to put given words into the correct form (case endings, verb conjugations, etc.) or choose the right word order or structure.

• Translation: ~10 questions requiring you to translate short passages from German into English, and sometimes from English into German. These test your vocabulary, comprehension, and ability to render idiomatic meaning accurately.

In short, expect a series of grammar items (covering verbs, nouns, clauses, etc.) followed by sentences to translate. There is no speaking or listening component – it’s all written. You have about 30 minutes for the German section, so time management is key (more on that later).

Why is the MLAT challenging? Primarily because it examines not just basic knowledge (like a GCSE might) but advanced grammar proficiency under time pressure – similar to A-level/IB German or higher. The test is designed to see how well you understand the mechanics of German, not just rote vocabulary. But don’t worry: by systematically reviewing core grammar topics and practising under timed conditions, you can dramatically improve your performance.

Past Paper Example: To illustrate, a 2022 MLAT German paper’s grammar section included tasks like adjusting word forms in brackets to fit the sentence. For example: “Dieses Fahrrad ist besser als [MEIN], aber es war auch teurer.” – here you must know to use the correct form of “mein” (meaning “mine”) after a comparative “besser als”. The answer was “meins” (colloquial) or “meines”. We’ll walk through how to tackle such questions soon. First, let’s review which grammar points you should have at your fingertips.

Key German Grammar Topics to Master for the MLAT

The MLAT German grammar questions can touch any aspect of grammar, but certain topics appear frequently. By ensuring you understand these well, you’ll be prepared for most challenges. Below we break down the essential grammar areas – with explanations and examples:

Noun Genders, Cases and Articles

German is an inflected language, which means the form of articles (der, die, das, etc.) and noun endings can change depending on case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive). The MLAT often tests whether you know which case to use in context and can adjust articles or pronouns accordingly.

• Know the Four Cases in German: Nominative (subject), Accusative (direct object), Dative (indirect object), Genitive (possession). For example, in “Der Mann gibt dem Kind einen Ball,” – “der Mann” is nominative (subject), “dem Kind” is dative (to whom – the indirect object), and “einen Ball” is accusative (what is given – the direct object).

• Recognise Case Triggers: Certain prepositions always take a particular case (e.g. mit + dative, für + accusative, wegen + genitive), while two-way prepositions (an, auf, in, etc.) change case based on movement vs. location. Verbs also determine case (e.g. helfen takes dative).

• MLAT example: “Ich glaube [DIESER MENSCH] kein Wort.” Here glauben (to believe) takes a dative object, so you must put “dieser Mensch” into dative: “diesem Menschen”. If you wrote “diesen Mensch” (accusative), it would be marked wrong.

• Tips: Make sure you can quickly recall the definite article chart (der, die, das, etc. -> des, dem, den… in various cases) and common noun endings. If you’re unsure of a case in a sentence, identify the function: is it doing the action (subject)? receiving action (direct object)? to/for someone (indirect object)? showing possession? This will guide you to the nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive. For a comprehensive refresher on cases, see our guide “Der, Die, Das – Explaining the Cases in German.”

Adjective Endings (Adjective Declensions)

German adjective endings are infamous among learners – and thus beloved by examiners! In German, adjectives preceding nouns take specific endings that reflect the noun’s gender, number, case, and whether a definite/indefinite article is present. The MLAT may give you a sentence with an adjective in brackets that you must inflect correctly.

• Know the Patterns: After a definite article (der, die, das, etc.), the adjective endings are “weak” (mostly -e or -en). After an indefinite article (ein, eine) or no article, endings might be “strong” (-er, -es, -e, -en) to signal gender and case. For example: “der kleine Hund” vs. “ein kleiner Hund.”

• MLAT example: “Sein Sohn war [EIN SCHLECHT] Lügner.” – Here “a bad liar” requires the adjective schlecht to agree with “ein … Lügner.” Lügner (liar) is masculine; with ein (which doesn’t show gender in the nominative), the adjective must show it. The correct phrase is “ein schlecher Lügner”, with -r ending for masculine nominative after ein.

• Another example: “Das [GEHEIMNISVOLL] Paar stieg aus [DAS AUTO].” – Paar (neuter) with das requires “das geheimnisvolle** Paar”** (weak ending -e), and aus das Auto must become “aus dem Auto” (auto is neuter dative after aus).

• Study Tip: Drill a few adjective declension tables and practice with examples. Our blog post “Mastering Adjective Declensions in German” provides a clear breakdown with tables for all cases – extremely useful for MLAT prep. Pay special attention to common traps: ein-word + adjective + masculine noun (don’t forget the -er ending, as in ein großer Mann), and adjectives after etwas, nichts (they act like kein – e.g. nichts Spannendes, which appeared in a past paper). If you can confidently produce forms like “eines langen Tages” (genitive) or “alle netten Leute” (plural), you’re on the right track.

Modal Verbs and Verb Moods

Modal verbs (dürfen, können, mögen/möchten, müssen, sollen, wollen) feature heavily in German – and the MLAT likes to test subtle points about them. You should be comfortable with modal verb conjugations and their sentence structure (modal + infinitive at the end of clause). Also, pay attention to meaning differences in context (e.g. sollen vs sollten, müssen vs dürfen vs soll).

• Conjugations: Make sure you know the irregular present forms (ich kann, du kannst, er kann; ich darf, etc.) and Präteritum forms (ich konnte, ich musste, etc.), since sometimes translation questions involve them (”should have done” = hätte tun sollen).

• Usage Nuances: The test may indirectly check if you know how to translate modal meanings correctly. For example, “Ich sollte eigentlich mehr lernen.” can mean “I supposedly should study more / I was supposed to study more.” Or “Du musst mich anrufen” means “You have to call me,” not “you must (as in should) call me” (German müssen = have to, not necessarily the same as English “must” in all contexts). These finer points might appear in translation tasks.

• MLAT example: In the 2022 paper, a translation sentence was “Die Maschine müsste mittlerweile ... gelandet sein, es sei denn, ...”. Here müsste is the Konjunktiv II of müssen, expressing probability: “The plane should have landed by now, unless...”. Recognizing this mood and translating it idiomatically (“should have landed” rather than literally “would have to land”) is crucial.

• Study Tip: Review each modal’s core meaning and common phrases. Practice sentences where modals are used in different tenses or moods (e.g. hätte tun sollen, hätte tun können for “should have/could have done”). Our “How to Use German Modal Verbs” guide and related posts (like the difference between sollen and sollten, or müssen vs dürfen) can help clarify these nuances. Remember: modals often “kick” the main verb to the end – forgetting this word order in a fill-in or translation will cost points.

Subordinate Clauses and Word Order

German word order can be inverted in questions and subordinate clauses. A common MLAT theme is testing if you know to send the conjugated verb to the end in subordinate clauses (Nebensätze) introduced by conjunctions like dass, weil, obwohl, wenn, etc.. You must also handle verb-second (V2) word order in main clauses and questions correctly.

• Subordinate Clauses: These are clauses that cannot stand alone (introduced by subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns). In German, the conjugated verb goes to the very end of a subordinate clause. For example, “weil er heute krank ist” (literally “because he today ill is”). In English, we’d say “because he is ill today,” but German flips the verb to the end. MLAT grammar questions might give you a clause with the verb in brackets, and you need to put it in the correct position/form.

• Coordinating vs Subordinating: Remember that conjunctions like und, oder, aber, denn do not change word order (they are coordinating), whereas weil, ob, obwohl, wenn, als, dass etc. do (subordinating). For instance, “Ich lerne viel, denn ich will bestehen.” (denn = no change, verb stays second) versus “Ich lerne viel, weil ich bestehen will.” (verb will goes to end because of weil).

• Verb-Second Rule: In any main clause, the conjugated verb must be the second element. This means if you start a sentence with something other than the subject (say, a time phrase or object), the verb still comes next and the subject follows. E.g. “Heute gehe ich in die Bibliothek.” Many learners slip up by putting the subject immediately after an introductory phrase – the MLAT might include an inversion question or a translation where you need to maintain this structure.

• MLAT example: “Obwohl man in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln keinen Alkohol trinken darf, machen es viele Menschen in Berlin.” – Here obwohl kicks darf to the end of that clause. Also note the second clause “machen es viele Menschen...” follows normal order (verb second: machen comes right after the connector because obwohl-clause ended). A question could require you to supply “machen es viele Menschen” (using a placeholder “es” to mean “do it”) or to choose the right verb position.

• Study Tip: Practice rewriting sentences with subordinating conjunctions. Ensure you know common ones: weil, dass, obwohl, wenn (if/when), als (when in past), bevor, nachdem, ob (whether), damit etc. A good exercise is to take simple sentences and join them with these words, making sure the verb goes to the end. For word order refreshers, check our post “German Word Order Rules Explained” – it covers main clause inversion and subordinate clauses in detail (including tricks like “TeKaMoLo” for ordering time, manner, place adverbs). This will help you avoid common traps in both grammar questions and translations.

Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns

Reflexive verbs (those used with a reflexive pronoun like mich, dir, uns, sich) are another topic that may appear. The MLAT might test whether you know when a verb is reflexive and how to use the pronoun correctly.

• Recognizing Reflexive Verbs: Many common German verbs are reflexive, e.g. sich freuen, sich erinnern, sich setzen. In a dictionary or glossary, you’ll see “sich [verb]” indicating it’s used with a reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns are basically the “-self” words (myself, yourself, etc.). They change for person and sometimes case (accusative vs dative).

• Placement: In normal word order, the reflexive pronoun usually directly follows the conjugated verb (e.g. “Ich halte mich fit.”). In imperative or infinitive clauses, it attaches accordingly (e.g. “Setzt euch!” for “Sit down [yourselves]!”). This was tested in 2022: “Kommt herein und [SICH SETZEN].” The correct imperative was “setzt euch” – identifying “euch” as the reflexive pronoun for ihr (you all).

• Accusative vs Dative Reflexives: Most reflexive verbs take an accusative pronoun unless there’s also a direct object, in which case the pronoun becomes dative. For MLAT purposes, typical reflexive verbs will use accusative (ich freue mich), except a few like sich etwas vorstellen (to imagine something to oneself) where sich is dative. It’s good to know these patterns but they are less likely to be explicitly tested unless in a translation.

• MLAT example: “Wir freuen uns auf den Beginn des Semesters.” – sich freuen auf = to look forward to. If the test gave “Wir freuen uns auf [DER BEGINN] [DAS SEMESTER]”, you’d need to put der Beginn into the accusative (den Beginn) and das Semester into the genitive (des Semesters) because “the start of the semester” uses the genitive. This tests both case knowledge and comprehension of a reflexive verb usage.

• Study Tip: Review a list of common reflexive verbs (e.g. sich erinnern an, sich interessieren für, sich ärgern über, sich konzentrieren auf, etc. – many are accompanied by fixed prepositions). Make sure you know their meanings and reflexive pronoun forms. You can find a helpful explanation in our post “How To Use Reflexive Verbs in German – and Where to Place sich”*. Practice by filling in sentences like “Er ___ ___ (sich freuen) auf die Reise.” (Answer: “Er freut sich auf die Reise.”). Reflexive constructions also often appear in translations (e.g. “I’m interested in history” → “Ich interessiere mich für Geschichte”), so knowing them aids both parts of the test.

Relative Clauses and Pronouns

Oxford loves to test relative clauses in German because they combine knowledge of cases, genders, and word order! A relative clause is a clause starting with a relative pronoun (der, die, das, dem, deren, etc. meaning “who/which/that”) that gives more information about a noun. In German, the relative pronoun must agree with the gender/number of the noun it refers to, and take the case of its function in the relative clause.

• Relative Pronoun Chart: Essentially, the relative pronoun is the same as the definite article der, die, das in all cases, except for two forms: the dative plural “denen” and the genitive forms “dessen” (masc/neut) and “deren” (fem/plural). For example: “Der Mann, den ich gestern gesehen habe,…” (den because it refers to der Mann but in the clause it’s the object of gesehen), or “Die Frau, deren Auto gestohlen wurde, …” (deren because it refers to die Frau and indicates possession – her car).

• Word Order: A relative clause in German is a subordinate clause, so the verb goes to the end. “…, die ich gestern gesehen habe.” Notice the conjugated verb habe is last.

• MLAT example: “Das [SEIN] die Dokumente, nach [DIE] du gefragt hast.” – This was a grammar item in 2022. It translates to “Those are the documents that you asked for.” You needed to supply “sind” (not sein, since Dokumente are plural -> “those are the documents”) and the correct relative pronoun “denen” (dative plural, because the phrase “nach denen du gefragt hast” means “after which you asked” – nach requires dative). So the full sentence: “Das sind die Dokumente, nach denen du gefragt hast.”

• This single sentence tested verb conjugation, plural vs singular, and picking the right relative pronoun in the right case – very MLAT-esque!

• Study Tip: Practice determining the case of a relative pronoun by looking at its clause. Break the task into steps: Identify the gender/number of the antecedent (the noun it replaces) and the role the pronoun plays in its own clause (is it the subject? direct object? object of a preposition like nach?). Then choose the form. Our guide “Decoding Relative Clauses in German” explains these principles with examples. A quick trick: if you see a blank in a relative clause on the test, first find the preposition or verb in that clause to figure out what case is needed, then match it with the noun’s gender/number. This way, “nach ___ du gefragt hast” clearly needs denen (dative plural) as in the example above.

Konjunktiv (Subjunctive Forms) and Conditional Sentences

The MLAT may include sentences that involve the subjunctive mood in German – typically Konjunktiv II (for hypotheticals, “would/could/should”) and occasionally Konjunktiv I (for reported speech). You should be familiar with forming the Konjunktiv II of common verbs (especially modal verbs and haben/sein), as well as the würde-periphrasis, and how to translate English hypotheticals into German and vice versa.

• Konjunktiv II (Conditional): This is used for unreal or hypothetical situations (e.g. “If I were rich, I would…” = “Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich…”). Key forms: wäre, hätte, würde + infinitive, könnte, müsste, sollte, dürfte. Often, you can use würde + infinitive as a substitute for most verbs’ Konjunktiv II (e.g. ich würde gehen = I would go), but for haben, sein, modal verbs and a few common verbs like kommen (käme), geben (gäbe), it’s good to recognise the direct forms.

• Konjunktiv I (Reported Speech): Likely less common in MLAT, but it could appear in formal phrases or idioms (e.g. “es sei denn” = “unless”, which literally is Konjunktiv I of sein). Knowing sei (for ist) and habe (for hat) etc. is useful, though you probably won’t need to produce them, just understand them if they appear.

• MLAT example: “Wenn ich nicht krank gewesen wäre, wäre ich für ein Jahr nach Frankreich gegangen.” – This was a translation into German from 2022. The English prompt was “If I hadn’t been ill, I would have gone to France for a year.” The solution used Konjunktiv II Perfekt: wäre… gewesen (had been) and wäre … gegangen (would have gone). Breaking it down: wenn ich nicht krank gewesen wäre = if I had not been ill, wäre ich … gegangen = I would have gone. Mastering this structure (Konjunktiv II of sein/haben + past participle) is important for translating hypothetical past statements.

• Another example from a past test: “If I were you, I would have declined the offer. It sounds too good to be true.” – One could translate “If I were you” as “Wenn ich du wäre,” or use a common expression “An deiner Stelle hätte ich das Angebot abgelehnt.” (literally “In your place, I would have rejected the offer”). Indeed, the official solution accepted “Ich an deiner Stelle hätte mich gegen dieses Angebot entschieden…”. Note the use of hätte entschieden (would have decided) – another Konjunktiv II plus participle construction – and how English “if I were you” can be rendered idiomatically by an deiner Stelle.

• Study Tip: Review how to form Konjunktiv II for: sein (wäre), haben (hätte), werden (würde), modal verbs (könnte, dürfte, sollte, müsste, wollte), and a few strong verbs like ginge, käme, wüsste (knowing wüsste for “knew” from wissen or hätte gewusst for “had known” could be useful). Also practice conditional sentence patterns: “Wenn… (Konjunktiv II), dann würde…”, as well as the omission of wenn with inversion (“Wäre ich reich, würde ich…”). Our post “The Two Subjunctives in German – All You Need to Know” covers Konjunktiv I vs II, and “Understanding Konjunktiv II (Conditional)” focuses on hypothetical forms. Being comfortable in this area will help you both in choosing the right verb forms in German and in translating nuanced statements to English.

Passive Voice

While less flashy than other topics, the passive voice can appear in translation exercises. The passive in German is formed with werden + past participle (for the action passive, Vorgangspassiv). You should be able to recognise and translate passive constructions, and possibly convert active to passive or vice versa in German.

• Recognizing Passive: Example: “Das wurde von ihm gesagt.” = “That was said by him.” In German, werden acts as the auxiliary for passive in present and past (wird/werden, wurde/wurden), and sein is used for the perfect passive (ist gesagt worden).

• When It’s Tested: An MLAT item might not explicitly ask you to form a passive sentence, but you might encounter something like “gesehen zu werden” in a translation. For instance, “Ein Drittel aller Patienten wartet darauf, von einem Spezialisten gesehen zu werden.” – here gesehen zu werden means “to be seen” (passive infinitive). The official translation was “A third of all patients are waiting to be seen by a specialist”. This tested whether the student reading German could grasp the passive construction and translate it naturally.

• Similarly, if given an English sentence to translate such as “Alcohol is not allowed to be drunk on public transport,” you could translate it to a passive (“Alkohol darf in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln nicht getrunken werden.”) or use an active construction with “man” (“Man darf in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln keinen Alkohol trinken.” which actually was used in the test).

• Active vs Passive in Translation: Sometimes using “man” (one/people) in German is more idiomatic than passive. The examiners usually accept either if correct. For example, “You are not allowed to drink alcohol on public transport” could be “Man darf keinen Alkohol in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln trinken.” (active with man) or passive “In öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln darf kein Alkohol getrunken werden.”.

• Study Tip: Practice transforming active sentences to passive and vice versa. Know the basic passive forms for present (wird gemacht), past (wurde gemacht), perfect (ist gemacht worden) and modal (muss gemacht werden). Also remember that the agent (doer) in a passive sentence is introduced with “von” (+ dative if it’s a person, sometimes durch for means). Our article “Understanding the Passive Voice in German: Formation and Usage” provides a thorough overview. In the MLAT, correct understanding of passive will mostly help you in translation sections – ensure you can convey the meaning in natural English. For example, “Ihm wird geholfen” should be translated as “He is being helped” (not literally “Help is being given to him”).

These grammar topics cover the high-frequency areas that MLAT examiners focus on. Make sure to revise each of them thoroughly. Work through exercises and examples for each topic – many are available on our German learning blog (links provided) and other grammar workbooks. If you discover any weak spots (e.g. struggling to remember adjective endings or relative pronouns), target those with extra practice. Now, let’s apply this knowledge with some actual sample questions.

Sample MLAT German Grammar Questions – Worked Solutions

To build confidence, it’s invaluable to practice real or realistic MLAT-style questions. Below are a few sample grammar items based on past MLAT German papers (including 2022 and 2023). For each, we’ll provide a step-by-step solution, demonstrating how to think through the problem under exam conditions.

Sample Question 1: Case and Adjective Ending

Question: “Kannst du [SIE] eine E-Mail schreiben?”

In this sentence, you’re asked to put sie into the correct form. The context (in German) could mean either “her” or “them” or formal “You”, but since the question uses du (the informal “you”), sie here most likely means “her” (third person singular feminine) or “them” (third person plural). The verb schreiben (to write) requires a dative object for the person receiving something (schreiben jemandem eine E-Mail = write an email to someone). So we need the dative form.

• Identify the case: Writing to someone – that someone is an indirect object (to her/to them). Indirect objects in German are usually dative case.

• Determine the correct pronoun in dative:

  • “her” in dative is ihr.

  • “them” in dative is ihnen.

• Which one fits? Both ihr and ihnen are possible German words, but Kannst du ihnen eine E-Mail schreiben? would translate to “Can you write them an email?” (plural). Kannst du ihr eine E-Mail schreiben? means “Can you write her an email?”. Without further context either could be correct grammatically. However, since the original was capital [SIE], it might hint at Sie (formal You). But mixing du and formal Ihnen in one sentence would be wrong. So likely it’s lowercase sie intended as “her” (perhaps the context: “Your friend Elisa hasn’t replied, can you write her an email?”).

• Thus, the safest answer is “ihr” (to her).

Solution: “Kannst du ihr eine E-Mail schreiben?”. (If the intended meaning was plural “them”, ihnen would be correct, but exam context usually avoids ambiguity. In the actual 2022 paper, both ihr and ihnen were accepted, showing the examiners gave credit for either, given no context to disambiguate.)

Why this is tested: It checks that you know personal pronouns change in different cases (nominative sie -> dative ihr/ihnen). It’s a quick test of case and pronoun declension knowledge.

Sample Question 2: Verb Placement in Subordinate Clause

Question: “Obwohl er sehr müde ____, ging er zur Vorlesung.” (Fill in the blank with the correct form of sein.)

This sentence has a subordinating conjunction obwohl (“although”), which introduces a subordinate clause. In German subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb must go to the end. The verb here is sein (to be), describing er (he) being very tired.

• Since the clause is in the past tense (context: he went to the lecture despite being very tired), we likely need war (the simple past of sein) or gewesen ist depending on style. But MLAT grammar questions typically stick to simpler tenses unless specified.

• “Obwohl er sehr müde war, ging er zur Vorlesung.” means “Although he was very tired, he went to the lecture.” This is a correct and complete sentence.

• Note that war (was) comes at the very end of the subordinate clause (after müde). If a student put “Obwohl er war sehr müde,” it would be incorrect word order.

• Therefore, the answer is “war”, placed at the blank which is the end of the clause.

Solution: “Obwohl er sehr müde war, ging er zur Vorlesung.”

Step-by-step reasoning: Identify obwohl as a subordinating conjunction -> realize the verb must be final. Determine tense and form of sein to use (here, simple past “was” = war, fits well). Place it at the end.

Sample Question 3: Adjective Ending with No Article

Question: “Ich habe schon lange nichts [SPANEND] mehr gelesen.”

We need to put spannend (exciting) into the correct form. The structure “nichts ___ mehr gelesen” roughly means “I haven’t read anything ___ in a long time.” In German, nichts (nothing) when used like “nothing [adjective]” is treated as an indefinite pronoun, and the adjective that follows acts as if there’s no article, neuter singular. Think of it as “nichts Spannendes” meaning “nothing exciting.”

• After nichts, adjectives are usually capitalised and take an -es ending. Why? Because nichts has no gender but implies something neuter (like “nothing [of something]”), and without a preceding article carrying the gender, the adjective takes the strong ending for neuter accusative (-es).

• So spannend becomes Spannendes (note the capital S, since it’s functioning as a noun here meaning “something exciting”).

• Thus the sentence should read: “Ich habe schon lange nichts Spannendes mehr gelesen.” which translates to “I haven’t read anything exciting on TV in a long time.”

• (Fun fact: This was indeed a past MLAT question. Many students forget to add the -es or capitalise the adjective in this construction.)

Solution: “Ich habe schon lange nichts Spannendes mehr gelesen.”

Why this works: Spannendes is a nominalised adjective meaning “something exciting.” The -es ending signals neuter accusative with no article. The MLAT is checking that you know how to handle nichts/etwas + adjective situations.

Sample Question 4: Relative Pronoun in a Question

Question: “Welches der Restaurants kannst du mir empfehlen? – Das [ÖSTERREICHISCH].”

This one is interesting because it spans a question and answer. The first sentence asks: “Which of the restaurants can you recommend to me?” The answer: “The Austrian one. It’s also just around the corner.” In German, when you want to say “the [adjective] one” (meaning “the Austrian one” referring, say, to an Austrian restaurant), you often use a substantivised adjective.

• Österreichisch means “Austrian.” To say “the Austrian one,” we take the adjective and make it act like a noun. Since “das Restaurant” is neuter, “the Austrian (restaurant)” would be “das österreichische” (using the neuter form of the adjective with a lowercase unless it’s at the start of the sentence, but here it’s capitalised in the question prompt because it’s the start of the answer).

• However, because the sentence is just “– Das [ÖSTERREICHISCH].”, presumably it should be “Das Österreichische.” – Actually, a subtlety: In German, to nominalise an adjective referring to a thing, you often capitalise it. Some style guides would capitalise Österreichische here to make it clearly a noun. But it’s acceptable to leave it lowercase in casual writing if it’s understood. Given it’s an answer on the test, they likely expected “das Österreichische” (capitalised as a noun, meaning “the Austrian one”).

• Therefore, the blank [ÖSTERREICHISCH] should be filled with “österreichische” (plus capitalisation if needed).

• Complete dialogue: “Welches der Restaurants kannst du mir empfehlen?” – “Das österreichische. Es liegt auch gleich um die Ecke.”. Translation: “Which of the restaurants can you recommend to me? – The Austrian one. It’s also right around the corner.”

• In the actual test snippet, they had “Das [ÖSTERREICHISCH]. Es liegt auch gleich um [DIE ECKE].” and the answers were “Das Österreichische” and “um die Ecke” (die Ecke stays “die Ecke” because um requires the accusative and die Ecke is feminine accusative same as nominative).

Solution: “Das österreichische.” (as the standalone answer, capitalizing “Österreichische” to treat it as a noun is also correct).

Takeaway: This tests two things – understanding a welches… question asking for a choice, and using an adjective as a noun to give a concise answer. On the MLAT, being ready to supply missing adjective endings in such contexts is very useful.

These examples show how MLAT grammar questions often require you to: identify the grammatical role, know the correct form or ending, and sometimes apply a word order rule. Always read the entire sentence; context clues (like a preceding preposition or the verb that governs a case) are often present to guide you.

When practicing, simulate exam conditions: give yourself a similar question and try to answer in under 30 seconds. If unsure, eliminate impossibilities (e.g., a verb that clearly must be plural or a case that doesn’t fit a preposition). With repetition, you’ll get faster and more accurate.

Mastering German-to-English Translation – Tips and Examples

The translation portion of the MLAT German paper asks you to render German sentences into good English. This is not a simple word-for-word exercise – the examiners want to see that you grasp meaning, tone, and idiomatic expression. Below are strategies for tackling translations, followed by a sample and walkthrough.

Translation Strategies for MLAT:

• Read the Whole Sentence First: Don’t start translating halfway through reading. German sentences can be long with the verb at the end, so read the entire sentence (or pair of sentences) to understand the structure. Identify the main clause and any subordinate clauses or participial phrases.

• Identify Clause Boundaries: German commas often mark clause boundaries. Break the sentence into smaller units at these commas or connecting words. This helps prevent confusion, especially in complex sentences with multiple clauses. For each clause, find the subject, verb, and object.

• Find the Verbs: Locate the main verb(s) in the German sentence (remember, they might be at the end in subordinate clauses). Determine the tense and mood (indicative? subjunctive? conditional?) and who the subject is. This will guide your English phrasing (e.g., present vs past, indicative vs “would”/“might”).

• Maintain Idiomatic Meaning: Translate ideas, not just words. For example, “Es klingt zu gut, um wahr zu sein” should be “It sounds too good to be true,” not a literal “It sounds too good, in order to be true.” Phrases like “zu + adjective + um zu…” correspond to English “too [adj] to…”. If you spot such a construction, render it in natural English.

• Watch Out for False Friends and Idioms: German and English share many cognates, but some words don’t mean what you might think. “eventuell” means “possibly” (not related to eventual), “bekommen” means “to receive” (not become). And idioms: “Ich drücke dir die Daumen” literally “I press my thumbs for you,” actually means “I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you.” The MLAT likely won’t use very colloquial idioms, but set phrases like “Es lohnt sich” (“it’s worth it”) or “Wie schade!” (“what a pity!”) could appear. Translate them to equivalent English expressions, not literally.

• Preserve the Tone and Register: If the German sentence is formal (perhaps using Sie or formal phrasing), ensure your English reflects that (no slang, proper tone). If it’s an exclamation or a conversational tone, you can use contractions or exclamatory wording. For example, “Was für ein schwieriges Buch!” should be “What a difficult book!” conveying the same exclamatory feeling.

• Handle German Compound Words Smartly: German loves long compounds. Break them into parts to understand them. “Lebensmittelgeschäft” = Lebensmittel (food) + Geschäft (store) = grocery store. “Hochschulzugangsberechtigung” might be beyond MLAT scope, but as a principle, identify roots and context. If stuck, sometimes you can leave a compound generic: “Verkehrsmittel” – you might say “means of transport.”

• Be Careful with Little Words: Modal particles (doch, ja, mal, schon, denn) often don’t have a direct English equivalent but add nuance. In exam conditions, you can often omit them in translation or replace with an English flavor word if needed for tone. E.g., “Komm doch mal hierher” – “Why don’t you come over here for a moment.” If time is short, “Come over here, please,” would get the main meaning across. Also, watch nicht… sondern (“not… but rather”), weder… noch (“neither… nor”), etc.

• Keep the Sentence Structure Manageable: While translating, you can split a long German sentence into two shorter English sentences if it makes it more readable (the admissions tutors won’t penalize that as long as nothing is lost or added). Conversely, if two short German sentences would sound more natural as one in English, you can combine them. The goal is natural, clear English that accurately conveys the original.

Now, let’s apply these tips to a sample MLAT translation item:

Sample Translation: German to English

Consider this past exam sentence:

German: “Ein Drittel aller Patienten wartet darauf, von einem Spezialisten gesehen zu werden.”

Let’s translate it step by step:

1. Literal understanding: Word-for-word, “Ein Drittel aller Patienten” = “One third of all patients,” “wartet darauf” = “waits for it” (or “is waiting for that”), “von einem Spezialisten” = “by a specialist,” “gesehen zu werden” = “to be seen.” Combine: “A third of all patients is waiting for it, to be seen by a specialist.”

2. Figure out structure and meaning: In German, “wartet darauf, [etwas zu tun]” means “is waiting to do something,” but here it’s passive “to be seen.” So they are waiting to be seen by a specialist. Ein Drittel aller Patienten is the subject. Grammatically, Ein Drittel is singular (a third), so the German says wartet (singular “waits”). However, in English, we would treat “a third of all patients” as plural in meaning (“a third of the patients are waiting…” sounds more natural than “a third ... is waiting”). This is a classic translation trap – German grammar vs English sense.

3. Idiomatic English rendering: “A third of all patients are waiting to be seen by a specialist.”

   • We changed “waits” to “are waiting” to match English usage (because “a third of the patients” implies many people). The examiners actually allowed both singular and plural verb in the official answer, acknowledging this nuance.

   • We included “to be seen by a specialist” for darauf, von einem Spezialisten gesehen zu werden. This conveys the passive meaning fluently.

4. Check tone and completeness: The sentence is straightforward factual statement. Our English version is clear and neutral in tone, just like the German. Nothing important is omitted or added.

Final Translation: “A third of all patients are waiting to be seen by a specialist.”

Notice how we preserved the idiomatic meaning (using an English plural construction, and a natural passive “to be seen”). Had we been too literal, we might say “One third of all patients waits for it to be seen by a specialist,” which sounds awkward. Thus, understanding context (patients in a queue, etc.) guided us to a more fluent translation.

Let’s do one more, slightly different in style:

German: “So intelligent er auch sein mag, er ist für diese Stelle nicht geeignet.”This appeared as a translation sentence (German to English) in a past paper.

Break it down:

• “So intelligent er auch sein mag,” is an idiomatic clause meaning “However intelligent he may be,” or “As intelligent as he may be,”. Literally: “So intelligent he also may be.”

  • sein mag – mögen in Konjunktiv I here indicates possibility (“may be”). This is a common phrasing to express a concessive idea (“no matter how intelligent he is…”).

• “er ist für diese Stelle nicht geeignet.” = “he is not suited for this position.” (geeignet = suitable, für diese Stelle = for this job/position).

• Now translate in full: “However intelligent he may be, he is not suited to this position.”

  • This sounds natural and captures the meaning. Alternatively, “No matter how intelligent he is, he isn’t suitable for this job.”

• Check everything: We kept the nuance (“however intelligent he may be” is a nice formal construction, appropriate for presumably a formal context). The tone is factual/assessing, which in English we delivered properly.

The key learning point from this example: German concessive clauses like “So [adj] er auch sein mag,” can often be translated as “However [adj] he may be,”. Had we translated each word slavishly, we’d have “So intelligent he also may be” which is not idiomatic English.

Additional Translation Pointers:

• Tenses: German uses the present perfect (Perfekt) for past events in conversation, but in formal writing you might see Präteritum (simple past). Translate according to context – usually as simple past in English if it’s a narrative or statement of fact. E.g., “Er hat das gesagt” -> “He said that.” (not “He has said that,” unless context clearly is present relevance).

• Passive vs Active: As discussed, decide what sounds best in English. Germans might say “Man hat mir gesagt, dass…” (One/They told me that…) – in English you’d just say “I was told that…”. Or vice versa. Both convey the passive idea, choose the one more natural in English.

• Articles and Demonstratives: German often uses definite articles where English would use a possessive or vice versa. “Er schüttelte den Kopf.” literally “He shook the head.” In English: “He shook his head.” Don’t be thrown off by that – translate to “his head” because that’s how we say it. Conversely, “Sein Zimmer war klein.” = “His room was small.” (Matches one-to-one). Keep an eye out for im Deutschen sagt man… constructions.

• Numbers and Dates: If any appear, ensure format is English (e.g. use English words for months, comma in thousands if needed, etc.). Unlikely in MLAT to have dates, but just in case.

• Check for Negation/False Friends: “verlassen” means “to leave (a place/someone)”, not “to be left”. “werden” is “to become” (but also helps form future/passive). “bekommen” is “get/receive” (not become). If a sentence has “wird immer größer” – that means “keeps getting bigger,” not “becomes always bigger” or something odd. Pay attention to nicht placement – “nicht unbedingt” = “not necessarily,” “nicht mehr” = “no longer,” etc.

• Stay Calm with Long Sentences: If a translation sentence is long or convoluted, break it into pieces as suggested. Often, exam writers use literary or semi-formal examples that, while complex, have clear internal structure. Mark out the subject-verb pairs and objects. Translate chunk by chunk, then read your English result to see if it flows and makes sense as a whole. If something sounds off in English, it likely is – revisit the German to see if you misinterpreted a case or a subordinate clause’s relationship.

Finally, remember that the translation part is also an opportunity to show off how well you understand German. If you encounter a word you don’t know, try to infer it from context or word roots (for instance, if you see “die Nachhaltigkeit” and you don’t recall it means “sustainability,” you might break it down: nach (after) + Halt (hold/stop) + -igkeit (suffix like -ity) – tough, but context might help). In a pinch, you can paraphrase around a missing word rather than leaving a blank. For example, if you forget “Lösung” means solution, you could say “answer to the problem” – not exact, but shows understanding of the sentence. Partial credit is given for demonstrating comprehension, even if a specific term escapes you.

Practice translating a variety of texts: formal newspaper paragraphs, short fictional narratives, dialogue lines – the MLAT could choose any style. And as you practice, apply the tips above so that on test day it feels almost reflexive.

Exam Technique and Time Management Under Pressure

Knowing German is one thing; handling a timed admissions test is another. Here are some exam technique tips to ensure you make the most of those 30 minutes:

1. Plan Your Time Allocation

You have 30 minutes for about 30 questions (20 grammar, 10 translation roughly). That’s an average of 1 minute per question. Not all questions are equal, though: a single grammar blank might take only 20 seconds if you know it, whereas a translation of a tricky sentence could take a few minutes.

• Suggested approach: Aim to complete the grammar section in ~15–20 minutes, leaving ~10–15 minutes for translation.

• Grammar questions are usually quicker – don’t overthink them. If you immediately know the answer, fill it in and move on. If you’re unsure, mark it (if on paper/computer) and come back only if time allows.

• For the translation, divide time per sentence. If there are 5 sentences to translate into English, for example, try to spend ~2 minutes each on the first pass. It’s okay if one particularly long sentence takes 3-4 minutes and a shorter one only 1 minute – balance it out.

• Keep an eye on the clock. At halfway (15 minutes in), you should be around question 15. If not, gently increase your pace. It’s better to have attempted all questions even if a couple are guesswork, than to leave some blank.

2. Triage the Questions

Not all questions are of equal difficulty. Scan the paper quickly at the start. Identify if any question looks unusually hard or unfamiliar. You can then:

• Do the easy ones first: This builds confidence and secures marks. Low-hanging fruit might be obvious conjugations or articles you instantly know.

• Mark and skip the stumpers: If a grammar item totally baffles you (maybe an obscure verb form or a case you just can’t figure out), don’t burn too much time. Mark it (or note the number) and skip ahead. Likewise, for a translation sentence that seems complex, perhaps tackle another one first and return later with a fresh mind.

• Remember: each question is probably worth similar marks, so 5 minutes sunk into one tough blank could have answered 5 easier ones. Maximize the points you can get quickly.

3. Educated Guessing

This is a multiple-choice test for the grammar part (at least per Oxford’s format, grammar questions are often effectively multiple-choice even if you have to write the form – there is usually only one correct form). Never leave a grammar question blank. If unsure:

• Eliminate wrong options: For example, if the blank requires an accusative feminine and you’re stuck between der/die/den, you can eliminate der (fem nom or masc dat) and den (masc acc or dat pl) – leaving die as the only plausible feminine accusative.

• Think about what sounds right if you’ve had enough exposure to German; your intuition might help (though double-check with logic).

• Write something that shows grammatical insight. (In earlier advice, Oxford indicated that if you don’t know the exact form, writing something like “genitive plural” as an annotation could earn partial credit. In a computer-based test, that might not apply, but it shows the principle: a slightly wrong answer that demonstrates you knew the case or tense might get more sympathy than a completely off attempt.)

• For translations, if you can’t recall an exact word, describe it or use a close synonym. E.g., if you forget “Gericht” (court), maybe say “tribunal” or “court of law” – you won’t be penalised for using more words as long as the meaning is right.

4. Double-Check Common Traps

If time permits (especially in the grammar part, if you finish early), use a couple of minutes to review. Focus on areas where mistakes often happen:

• Verb agreement: Did you accidentally leave a verb in the singular when the subject was plural? (E.g. die Leute hat instead of haben).

• Case after prepositions: Ensure you use the correct case after preps like für (acc), mit (dat), in (acc or dat depending on movement), wegen (gen). If a blank involved a prep, quickly verify the case ending.

• Negatives: Check you didn’t miss a nicht or mis-place it. In translation, ensure you preserved any negation (nothing worse than flipping the meaning by dropping a “not”!).

• Spelling of endings: German endings can be easy to slip up on under stress (⟶ mixing -en vs -em, or forgetting an umlaut in plural, etc.). While spelling per se isn’t heavily marked, if it changes the word form it matters (e.g., den vs dem is one letter but different case).

• Translation coherence: Read your English translations quickly. Do they make sense and sound like proper English? If a sentence sounds odd, you might have missed something or worded it poorly. Tweak if needed for clarity.

5. Remain Calm and Methodical

Exam pressure can cause panic, which leads to mistakes even on things you do know. Some calming tactics:

• If you freeze on a question, take a deep breath, skip it, and note to revisit. A later question might jog your memory on that topic.

• Use scratch paper or the margins if needed to scribble a quick declension or conjugation table if you blank on it – sometimes writing out der/des/dem/den can quickly resolve a case question.

• Remind yourself that you have prepared (assuming you follow this guide!) – confidence can actually improve performance. Treat the test like a puzzle or game: you’re there to spot clues in the sentence and make everything fit logically.

6. Efficient Grammar Revision

In the days leading up to the MLAT, revise smartly:

• Focus on tables and patterns: article endings, adjective endings, personal and relative pronouns, common strong verb past forms, modal verb patterns. Flashcards or quick drills can help solidify these.

• Target your weaknesses: If during practice you often got reflexive constructions wrong, spend extra time reviewing those. If translation is your weak spot, practice a few under timed conditions.

• Practice past MLAT papers if available. This is gold – it acquaints you with the style and difficulty. When reviewing them, simulate test conditions: do a full paper in 30 minutes. Then mark it, thoroughly examine any mistakes, and learn from them. Maybe you realize you always mix up mir vs mich – that’s a prompt to fix that issue.

• Keep using German outside of test prep too – read a few articles, watch a short video, etc. It keeps your brain in “German mode,” which can only help.

7. Don’t Forget the Translation into German (if applicable)

Oxford’s MLAT German section historically also has a short Translate into German component (a few English sentences to translate into German). This wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the official blurb (which only noted English translation questions), but past papers show it. If your test includes translating into German:

• The same grammar prep applies, plus ensure you can produce accurate German word order and conjugations.

• Often, the English sentences for translation cover everyday topics or slightly formal statements. For example, “Even though one is not allowed to drink alcohol on public transport, many people in Berlin do so.” – which was to be translated and the answer was given as “Obwohl man in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln keinen Alkohol trinken darf, machen es viele Menschen in Berlin.”. To handle such tasks, identify key grammar: “even though” = obwohl (subordinate, verb at end), “not allowed to” = nicht dürfen, “do so” = machen es.

• Practice translating a handful of English sentences into German, focusing on structures MLAT loves: conditionals (“If I had…, I would…”), comparatives (“The more…, the less…”), modals (“You should call me”), and basic conversation (“What a beautiful day!” – “Was für ein schöner Tag!”, etc.).

• When writing in German, prioritise grammar accuracy over creative vocabulary. Use the structures and words you are confident with. The exam isn’t the time to show off fancy idioms you might misremember – stick to correct sentence structure. If you recall our earlier translation example, “If I were you, I would have declined the offer”, a straightforward approach “Wenn ich du wäre, hätte ich das Angebot abgelehnt” is perfectly fine (the official solution used “Ich an deiner Stelle…” which is a bit more idiomatic, but both convey the point).

By mastering these exam techniques, you’ll be able to demonstrate your true ability without careless errors or time getting the better of you.

Leverage Expert Support and Resources

Finally, remember that you don’t have to prepare alone. Working with an experienced tutor can provide structure, accountability, and insider tips tailored to you. I, for instance, as an Oxford graduate and native German tutor, have helped many students excel in the MLAT through targeted training and practice. With over 25 years of teaching experience (and a track record of 95% top grades in exams), I understand the common pitfalls and how to overcome them. My students have consistently gained confidence and improved their accuracy under time pressure – and importantly, many have secured their Oxbridge offers after achieving excellent MLAT results.

What can a specialised tutor offer you?

• Personalised grammar coaching: Pinpointing your weak areas (maybe it’s the difference between wann and wenn, or using Konjunktiv I correctly) and fixing them with clear explanations and exercises.

• Mock tests and feedback: We can do timed MLAT-style drills and then go through your answers carefully, so you learn from mistakes. This feedback loop rapidly increases your performance.

• Translation practice: Getting real-time correction on your German->English and English->German translations, plus learning alternative phrasing, can sharpen your skills.

• Exam strategy: Beyond what we’ve covered, a tutor can give you morale boosts, last-minute refreshers, and help manage any test anxiety with tailored advice.

At Olesen Tuition, we offer one-on-one sessions specifically for Oxford MLAT German exam preparation (as well as other German exams). As a tutor who has sat Oxford’s tests myself and coached numerous candidates, I can guide you through the process with proven techniques. We can meet either in London or online, whatever suits you. Many students find that just a few sessions focusing on MLAT technique make a huge difference in their speed and confidence.

If you’re interested in boosting your chances and working with an expert, feel free to get in touch or book a session. You can find more details on our services – from MLAT prep to A-level/IB German support – on our website’s services page: Olesen Tuition German Tutor Services. (We cover everything from GCSE and A-Level German to Oxbridge admissions tests, as well as adult learners.)

In summary, preparing for the MLAT German test requires a combination of solid grammar knowledge, translation practice, and smart exam strategies. With the advanced tips and examples provided in this guide, you have a roadmap to follow. Focus on those key grammar topics, practice with past questions under timed conditions, and don’t hesitate to seek extra help if you need it. With dedication and the right approach, you can walk into the exam feeling prepared, confident, and even excited to show off your German skills.

Viel Erfolg! (Much success!) – and remember, thorough preparation now will pay off on test day when you ace that MLAT German paper. Good luck, and perhaps we’ll see you at Oxford next year!