WACE ATAR German: Background Language flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Written exam weighting

The written examination contributes 70 per cent of the total ATAR German: Background Language mark, with the oral examination making up the remaining 30 per cent.

Oral exam weighting

The practical oral examination accounts for 30 per cent of the overall assessment and consists of a conversation plus a prepared topic discussion.

Verb-second rule

In German main clauses the conjugated verb occupies the second position; if a time expression or adverb opens the sentence, the subject follows the verb (Heute gehe ich).

Subordinate clause word order

After conjunctions such as weil, dass, obwohl, wenn and während, the conjugated verb moves to the end of the clause (Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin).

Time-manner-place order

German orders adverbial information as time, then manner, then place within the clause (Ich fahre morgen mit dem Zug nach Berlin).

Umlaut minimal pairs

Umlauts change meaning: schon (already) versus schön (beautiful), Mutter (mother) versus Mütter (mothers), zahlen (to pay) versus zählen (to count).

Eszett usage

The letter ß follows long vowels and diphthongs (Straße, heißen, groß); after short vowels ss is written (Fluss, müssen, dass).

Noun capitalisation

All German nouns are written with a capital letter regardless of position, including nominalised verbs and adjectives (das Lesen, das Gute).

Listening passage protocol

In the WACE written paper listening passages are played twice; candidates take notes during both playings and answer in the language specified by each question.

Text-type conventions

Each text type has fixed features: emails carry Anrede and Grußformel, articles carry headline and byline, reports are factual and structured, blogs are informal and personal.

Register distinctions

Formal German uses Sie, Konjunktiv II politeness (Könnten Sie…?) and full forms; informal German uses du, contractions and colloquial vocabulary suited to blogs or letters to friends.

Written response length

The written response task requires approximately 250 to 300 words in German in the text type and on the topic specified by the prompt.

Reading for gist and detail

Reading questions test overall meaning and specific information; answers must be reworded in own words rather than copied verbatim from the source text.

Connectors for cohesion

Useful linking words include außerdem, trotzdem, deshalb, allerdings, dennoch and zwar… aber, which raise the range-of-language criterion in writing.

Konjunktiv II politeness

Forms such as ich würde, ich hätte, könnten Sie and wäre express hypotheticals and polite requests, valued in formal letters and oral interaction.

Oral exam structure

The oral examination comprises a general conversation of about five minutes and a discussion of a prepared topic of about seven to eight minutes.

Oral assessment criteria

Examiners judge communication and interaction, content and ideas, range of language, accuracy, and pronunciation, intonation and fluency across both oral parts.

Topic discussion preparation

Candidates research a topic linked to a syllabus theme in advance and must defend opinions, give examples and respond to examiner follow-up questions.

Stating an opinion

Common frames include meiner Meinung nach, ich bin der Ansicht, dass…, ich finde es wichtig, dass… and aus meiner Sicht.

Balanced argument phrases

einerseits… andererseits, auf der einen Seite… auf der anderen Seite and zwar… aber structure two-sided arguments in the oral discussion.

Asking for clarification

Useful repair phrases include Wie meinen Sie das?, Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen? and Was bedeutet das genau? to sustain interaction.

Paraphrasing strategy

When a word is unknown, describe it instead of pausing: ein Ding, mit dem man… or ein Ort, wo… keeps fluency and earns communication marks.

Ich-Laut versus ach-Laut

The ich-Laut [ç] follows front vowels (ich, Milch, Mädchen); the ach-Laut [x] follows back vowels (Bach, Buch, Nacht).

Final devoicing

Voiced consonants at the end of a word or syllable become voiceless: Tag sounds like [taːk], Hund like [hʊnt], lieb like [liːp].

German r pronunciation

In standard German the r is a uvular fricative or trill; in final position after a vowel it vocalises to [ɐ], as in Vater and hier.

Syllable stress patterns

German stress usually falls on the first syllable of native words (ÁRbeit, LÉben) but on the final or penultimate syllable in words of foreign origin (StudÉNT, TelefÓN).

Umlaut production

Front rounded vowels require lip rounding: ü as in über, ö as in schön; unrounded versions change meaning, so drill pairs like schon/schön.

Sustaining interaction

Candidates should ask the examiner questions, react to prompts (Das ist ein interessanter Punkt) and avoid delivering a memorised monologue.

Justifying with examples

Strong oral answers support opinions with concrete evidence introduced by zum Beispiel, ein gutes Beispiel dafür ist, or ich habe selbst erlebt, dass…

Self-correction technique

Correct slips immediately with phrases such as also, ich meine… or besser gesagt…; fluent repair is rewarded more than silence.

Syllabus themes

Oral topics must connect to syllabus themes such as the individual, German-speaking communities, and the changing world, including youth, technology and environment.

Formal versus informal address

In the oral exam use Sie with examiners; within role-play or reported speech, du may appear when the situation described is informal.