Important Grammar for German A-Level

German Grammar

I've selected these topics in particular due to them being listed by AQA as the most difficult grammar that A-Level students need to know. As such, using this kind of language when speaking and writing essays is highly recommended if you want to aim for the highest mark. I hope you enjoy this resource!

Indirekte Rede (Konjunktiv I)

In clauses involving indirect speech, the “verb second” rule must be adhered to very carefully to not avoid any errors. Don’t fall into the trap of treating the first clause as a single idea, because there is a “speech verb” inside it already. Note the verbs highlighted in red below, and the first idea in blue for each clause individually.

Der Diebsagte, erhabe nichts gestohlen. (Note the imperfect)

Ersagt, dulernest immer am Wochenende. (Note the present)

In most cases, verbs with umlauts in the indicative drop the umlaut in Konjunktiv I.

Modal verbs in the perfect tense

Typically I should know how to write sentences like these, but it gets more complicated when there is more than one verb in a sentence. Here it is important NOT to conjugate the modal verb. For example,

Ich habe es ziemlich gut nachvollziehenkönnen.

Ich habe es immer machenwollen.

Where habe is the conjugated verb, like always, but können, just like nachvollziehen, is in the infinitive form. Note that in sentences like these only haben is used (sein cannot be used as the auxiliary verb here).

Futur II / Future Perfect

Rarely used tense, refers to an event that will have been completed in the future. The structure is as follows:

werden - past participle (Partizip II) - haben / sein

Verbs which take sein in the perfect take sein in the future perfect as well. Below are some examples of sentences using the future perfect construction. Note that things get more complex when there’s subordinate clauses involved, especially when both clauses use the future perfect (although I doubt sentences will get that hard in the exam). Take extra caution with word order here.

Im Juni wird die Schule schon seit Mai vorbei gewesensein.

Wirst du Abendessen schon gegessenhaben?

Meine Tochter wird schon vier Jahre alt gewordensein, als ich ein neues Handy gekaufthabenwerde.

Meine Hündin wird mein Abendessen schon gefressenhaben, als ich ein Glas Wasser geholthabenwerde.

Conditional Perfect (Konjunktiv II…