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Year 8 - German

Future plans: 'zu' + infinitive, 'werden' + infinitive

My plans: future tense

Unit Summary

This unit revisits a range of learning from previous units, principally the future tense and tw0 verb structures, and infinitive clauses with 'zu'. Pronouns are revisited as well as word order 3 with 'wenn'.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use a variety of vocabulary and a range of two-verb structures to express future plans.

Key Notes

  • Regularly practise reading aloud to improve your fluency and knowledge of sound-symbol correspondences.
  • We can use the present tense with a future time phrase to refer to future plans, e.g., 'Ich spiele morgen Tennis.'
  • We can form the future tense in German by using the present tense of 'werden' plus an infinitive.
  • In two-verb structures, the second verb is in the infinitive at the end of the sentence, preceded by a comma and 'zu'.
  • There is no 'zu' in two-verb structures using 'werden' or modal verbs (e.g., 'wollen', 'sollen').

Vocabulary To Learn

  • SSC: abbreviation for 'sound-symbol correspondence', the relationship between letters and their sounds
  • werden: auxiliary verb meaning 'to become', used to form the future tense
  • two-verb structure: a sentence made up of two verb phrases
  • zu: preposition meaning 'to', used before the infinitive in most two-verb structures

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Always add 'zu' before the infinitive in two-verb structures.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Regularly practise reading aloud to improve your fluency and knowledge of sound-symbol correspondences. We can use the present tense with a future time phrase to refer to future plans, e.g., 'Ich spiele morgen Tennis.'.

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

abbreviation for 'sound-symbol correspondence', the relationship between letters and their sounds. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: Always add 'zu' before the infinitive in two-verb structures. Correction: Some verbs, like 'werden' and modal verbs, do not require 'zu' before the infinitive in two-verb structures.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 8 German guide library.