Grammar and vocabulary in context
Grammar and vocabulary in context are assessed through both discrete items and your own production. The exam expects control of core AS structures and the ability to choose words that fit the text, not isolated lists. Accuracy matters, but so does range: a correct sentence with basic vocabulary may score less than a varied sentence with one minor error.
Core grammar rules
- Cases: nominative, accusative, dative, genitive. Learn prepositions by case: durch, für, gegen, ohne, um + accusative; aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu + dative; wegen, trotz, während often + genitive.
- Verb position: main clause verb second; yes/no question verb first; weil/dass/obwohl subordinate verb final; modal verbs send infinitives to the end.
- Tense: Perfekt with haben or sein; Präteritum in narratives; Futur I for predictions; Konjunktiv II for politeness and hypotheticals.
- Adjective endings depend on article type, gender, case, and number. Learn patterns in chunks (mit dem neuen Auto, ein neues Auto).
- Vocabulary: record nouns with gender and plural, verbs with case/preposition, and collocations (eine Entscheidung treffen, sich um etwas kümmern).
Worked example
Sentence: “Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, würde ich jeden Tag Deutsch lesen.” Reasoning: this is an unreal condition, so hätte (Konjunktiv II of haben) is required, not habe. The main clause uses würde + infinitive. Jeden Tag is accusative time expression. A learner who writes “Wenn ich mehr Zeit habe, werde ich ...” changes the meaning to a real future condition.
Traps that cost marks
- False friends: bekommen (receive), werden (become), Gift (poison), Chef (boss).
- seit versus vor; wenn versus als; ob versus wenn.
- Missing umlauts or noun capitalization in written answers.
- Using English preposition plus gerund instead of um ... zu or beim + infinitive.