A1.1-level German grammar review test covering: modal verbs (können, wollen, mögen/möchten), ‘Perfekt’ tense. The test consists of fill-in-the-blank questions. It’s suitable as an end-of-course assessment for informal adult courses, but can also be used for 1st-year students of German at the high school or college level. An answer key with English translations and additional notes is provided.

This handout shows how two-way prepositions are used with the verbs ‘stellen’, ‘stehen’, ‘legen’, ‘liegen’, ‘stecken’ and ‘hängen’. Students learn how transitive verbs are used with two-way prepositions in the accusative case, while intransitive verbs are used with prepositions in the dative. Phrases beginning with “Es…” are also discussed (‘Es steht…’, ‘Es hängt…’, etc.). A number of example sentences are provided for each verb along with annotations.

In this six-page lesson, students learn how to say the equivalent of ‘some’, ‘any’ or ‘one’ in German using indefinite pronouns. (Examples of these pronouns used in English would be: “I’d like some.” “Do you have any?” “Can you find one for me?”, etc.) Over 50 German example sentences are provided along with parallel English translations. A review of the demonstrative pronouns is included on pages 1 and 2.

This lesson explains how to apply endings to attributive adjectives when no article precedes the adjective (e.g., “gute Preise”, “neues Auto”, “kleiner Raum”, etc.). Sample phrases are provided with adjectives in the nominative, accusative and dative cases.

This handout provides basic guidelines for using the correct adjective endings in German. It was created for those students who find it easier to learn simple rules rather than memorizing tables. It can also be used as a test-prep for those who’ve learned the adjective endings in the more traditional manner. The 3-page handout is broken into four neat sections that are easy to digest: predicate adjectives, adjectives with the “-en” ending, adjectives with the “-e” ending, and adjectives with other endings. As with the other handouts on adjective endings, it is important for the student to have already mastered all the articles and their declined forms.

In this lesson, students learn the endings for attributive adjectives following so-called ‘der’-words. (As a prerequisite, students should already have studied the handout on ‘ein’-word adjective endings. If not, a short re-cap on ‘ein’-word endings is provided.) The ‘der’-words include the definite articles as well as the quasi-adjectives ‘dieser’, ‘welcher’, ‘solcher’, ‘jeder’, ‘mancher’ and ‘jener’. Example sentences are provided with adjectives in the nominative, accusative and dative cases.

This 3-page handout introduces students to the separable verb — first by comparing it to the English ‘phrasal verb’ and then providing examples in German. Many people learning English have initial success with the language, but are unable to get a handle on the large number of phrasal verbs, and the rich subtleties of the language remain impenetrable to them. A similar thing can happen in German with separable verbs, therefore it’s important to become familiar with them early. In this handout, nine common separable verbs have been chosen as examples — conjugated and used in sample sentences.

Second in a series on sentence structure (Satzbau), this 7-page handout describes how adverbs and prepositional phrases are ordered in a typical sentence or clause using the ‘TeKaMoLo’ rule. Certain exceptions to this rule are also discussed. Twenty German example sentences are provided in large font, most with parallel English translations. All example sentences are diagrammed, some color-coded for clarity. Annotations are included in the margins to supplement the lesson text. A short summary is included on the final page, along with a space for writing notes. (This lesson is a follow-up to the “Basic Sentence Structure” handout and is geared towards students at the high A1 level.)

Collection of 158 flash cards reviewing the preterite (simple past) tense forms of common German verbs. Verbs with separable and inseparable prefixes are included, in addition to some reflexive verbs. Conjugation tables and example sentences with English translations are provided. Verbs frequently used in the preterite tense in normal, everyday conversation are indicated using check marks or equal signs, though this can vary based on region and personal preference. How to use the flash cards: Print double-sided (short edge) and cut along the dashed lines. The German infinitive and corresponding English meaning will appear on the front side of the card. The preterite form of the verb (ich/er/sie - form), example sentence and conjugation table will appear on the reverse side. Preterite forms are color-coded to show changes to the verb — for example, from “stehen” to “standen”.

Two-page set of printables on the major human body parts in landscape layout.

Three-page printable on landscapes and bodies of water in landscape layout (includes glossary and some commentary).

Three-page set of printables covering basic articles of clothing and accessories in landscape layout (includes glossaries).

This two-page handout includes a color printable of assorted public clocks with the times written out, mostly in colloquial time (“Zeit im Umgangssprache” / “inoffizielle Zeit”). The second page shows the same clocks in greyscale, but with a blank line underneath instead of text. This page can be used as a homework assignment or for a test.

Single-page printable on basic German weather terms. A short glossary is included.

Geared towards advanced A1 students, this handout includes a single-page printable with twelve pictures taken at different times of the year. The names of the German months and captions are provided for each picture. (A glossary of vocabulary words used in the captions is included on page 2 of the handout.)

This 7-page handout covers the basics of the German accusative case, beginning with all the articles and their declensions. (The first page describes what a case system is and provides a brief overview of each of the German cases: nominative, accusative, dative & genitive.) Color-coded sample sentences illustrate the function of nouns in the sentence and how to differentiate between the nominative and the accusative. Accusative prepositions are covered next. Sample sentences containing “für”, “durch” and the 2-way preposition “in” are provided – all with parallel English translations. The handout ends with a section on the accusative personal pronouns. This is an excellent and thorough primer for students who are encountering the accusative case for the first time. For students who’ve studied German before, but are still not comfortable using the accusative, this handout should prove to be helpful.

At the A1 level, students first learn to use the subjunctive mood (Konjunktiv II) for making polite requests. In this handout, students will learn how to use the subjunctive to describe improbable situations and make hypothetical statements. This lesson focuses on the verbs ‘würden’, ‘wären’ and ‘hätten’. Copious example sentences are provided with parallel English translations. The English subjunctive is described in detail alongside the German subjunctive, illustrating the structural differences between the two. At the end of the lesson is a section on how to use the adverbs ‘gern’, ‘lieber’ and ‘am liebsten’ together with subjunctive verbs.

This is a reference list of some of the most commonly used reflexive verbs in the German language. A total of 30 verbs is included, with English translations. Paired prepositions follow the verbs that require them, together with grammatical case. The reflexive pronouns are listed at the end (accusative case only). A few example sentences are given.