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Year 11 - German

Flüsse in Deutschland: negation, 'sondern', 'entweder...oder', 'weder...noch'

Communication and the world around us: mein Wohnort

Unit Summary

This unit consolidates known grammar and vocabulary, including past and present tenses, direct and indirect object pronouns, and comparatives, as pupils explore new places. Pupils also learn the imperative in the formal 'Sie' form.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use a range of negative structures and conjunctions in the context of describing places and possibilities.

Key Notes

  • Use 'nicht' before definite articles to mean 'not the' and 'kein' instead of the indefinite article to mean 'not a, no'.
  • Place 'nicht' before adjectives, adverbs, possessives and proper nouns. Place 'nicht' after verbs and whole phrases.
  • Use 'nichts' to mean 'nothing' or 'not anything', e.g., 'ich sehe nichts.' Use 'nie' to mean 'never'.
  • Use 'sondern' to mean 'but' or 'rather' when contradicting a preceding negative.
  • Use the conjunction 'entweder … oder ...' to mean 'either … or ...' and 'weder … noch ...' to mean 'neither … nor ...'.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • nicht: word meaning 'not'
  • nichts: word meaning 'nothing' or 'not anything'
  • nie: word meaning 'never'
  • kein: word used instead of the indefinite article to mean 'not a', 'no', 'not any'
  • sondern: conjunction used after a negative, meaning 'but' or 'rather'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • 'Aber' and 'sondern' mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.

Use 'nicht' before definite articles to mean 'not the' and 'kein' instead of the indefinite article to mean 'not a, no'. Place 'nicht' before adjectives, adverbs, possessives and proper nouns. Place 'nicht' after verbs and whole phrases.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'nicht'

word meaning 'not'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: 'Aber' and 'sondern' mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably. Correction: Use 'aber' to contradict a preceding statement that does not contain a negative. Use 'sondern' to mean 'but' or 'rather' following a negative statement.

More Lessons In This Unit

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