Year 7 - German
What I do at school: infinitives, present tense 3rd person singular
Activities in and out of school: present tense (singular) weak verbs
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit introduces pupils to verb infinitives and the patterns for weak (regular) high frequency verbs in the 1st and 3rd persons singular. Pupils learn how to use them in familiar contexts at school and at home. They practise sound-symbol correspondences long and short [o] and [i].
Lesson Summary
You will learn to recognise the infinitive of a verb and can form the 3rd person singular from the infinitive in the context of school activities.
Key Notes
- [o] can be either short (followed by 2 consonants) or long (followed by a single consonant, double vowel or 'h').
- The infinitive of a verb is the form listed in the dictionary. In German, it usually ends in 'en'.
- The short form of the verb (3rd person singular) is used to talk about 'he' or 'she'.
- Remove 'en' from the infinitive and add a 't' for the 3rd person singular of most verbs.
- German has one present tense. English has two present tenses, e.g., 'er macht' can mean 'he does' or 'he is doing'.
Vocabulary To Learn
- [o]: pronounced as in 'Wo?' or 'Kopf'
- infinitive: the dictionary form of a verb
- 3rd person singular: the short form of a verb, used to say what he/she does or is doing
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The present continuous, e.g., 'He is doing' is translated as 'Er ist machen'.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
[o] can be either short (followed by 2 consonants) or long (followed by a single consonant, double vowel or 'h'). The infinitive of a verb is the form listed in the dictionary. In German, it usually ends in 'en'.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. '[o]'
pronounced as in 'Wo?' or 'Kopf'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: The present continuous, e.g., 'He is doing' is translated as 'Er ist machen'. Correction: There is only one present tense in German. 'Er macht' = 'He does / He is doing'.
More Lessons In This Unit
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