ABSTRACT

Basic German: A Grammar and Workbook comprises an accessible reference grammar and related exercises in a single volume.

Suitable for independent study and for class use, it introduces German people and culture through the medium of the language used today, covering the core material that students would expect to encounter in their first year of learning German. Each of the twenty-eight units presents one or more related grammar topics, illustrated by examples which serve as models for the exercises that follow. These wide-ranging and varied exercises enable the student to master each grammar point thoroughly.

Features include:

*clear grammatical explanations with examples in both English and German
*authentic language samples from a range of media
*checklists at the end of each unit to reinforce key points
*cross-referencing to other grammar chapters
*full exercise answer key
*glossary of grammatical terms.

Basic German is the ideal reference and practice book for beginners, but also for students with some knowledge of the language.

chapter 1|5 pages

What’s different in German? Basic tips and patterns

What’s different in German? Basic tips and patterns

chapter 2|3 pages

Verbs in the present tense

Verbs in the present tense What is a verb?

chapter 1|1 pages

present tense in German

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 2.2

chapter 3|2 pages

Verb variations and irregular verbs

Verb variations and irregular verbs Regular and irregular forms

chapter |5 pages

Irregular verbs with vowel changes

chapter 4|2 pages

Irregular verbs: haben and sein

Irregular verbs: haben and sein Irregular in both languages Different patterns

chapter |3 pages

Sein in more detail

chapter 5|3 pages

Separable verbs in the present tense

Separable verbs in the present tense What is a separable verb?

chapter |1 pages

Some inseparable prefixes

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 5.2

chapter 6|5 pages

Imperatives

Imperatives What is the imperative? The imperative in English

chapter |1 pages

Exercise 6.4

chapter 7|4 pages

Questions

Questions Two types of questions

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 7.2

chapter 8|2 pages

Nouns and gender

Nouns and gender What is a noun?

chapter |2 pages

Clues for feminine nouns

chapter |1 pages

Plurals of articles

chapter |1 pages

Exercise 8.1

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 8.3

chapter 9|3 pages

Plural of nouns

Plural of nouns Singular and plural

chapter |1 pages

Exercise 9.1

chapter |1 pages

Exercise 9.3

chapter 10|4 pages

The four cases

The four cases What are cases?

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 10.2

chapter 11|2 pages

The nominative case

The nominative case What is the nominative case? Examples

chapter |1 pages

Exercise 11.2

chapter 12|1 pages

The accusative case

The accusative case What is the accusative case?

chapter |4 pages

Examples

chapter 13|1 pages

The dative case

The dative case What is the dative case?

chapter |1 pages

Verbs which require the dative case

chapter |3 pages

More than one dative in a sentence

chapter 14|2 pages

The genitive case

The genitive case What is the genitive case? What’s different in German?

chapter |2 pages

The genitive case – the main points

chapter 15|1 pages

Personal pronouns

Personal pronouns What are personal pronouns?

chapter |4 pages

Points to watch out for

chapter |3 pages

Phrases using dative pronouns

chapter 16|5 pages

Possessive adjectives

Possessive adjectives What are possessive adjectives? Usage in English and German

chapter 17|1 pages

Reflexive verbs

Reflexive verbs What are reflexive verbs? Frequency of use

chapter |4 pages

Reflexive pronouns

chapter 18|2 pages

Negatives

Negatives Negative statements Negatives in English

chapter |1 pages

Kein in detail

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 18.1

chapter 19|7 pages

Comparison of adjectives and adverbs

Comparison of adjectives and adverbs Comparative and superlative

chapter |4 pages

UNIT TWENTY

Modal verbs What are modal verbs? Modal verbs in English

chapter |3 pages

Modal verbs used with another verb

chapter |2 pages

UNIT TWENTY-ONE

The present perfect tense Past tenses in English and German

chapter |2 pages

Irregular verbs in more detail

chapter 22|4 pages

The simple past tense

The simple past tense Usage

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 22.1

chapter 23|5 pages

The future tense

The future tense Future tenses in English

chapter 24|8 pages

Prepositions

Prepositions What are prepositions?

chapter 25|3 pages

Adjective endings

Adjective endings What are adjectives? Usage in English

chapter |5 pages

Adjectives with no article

chapter 26|7 pages

Numbers and dates

Numbers and dates Numbers and dates in English and German

chapter 27|7 pages

Conjunctions and clauses

Conjunctions and clauses What are conjunctions?

chapter |2 pages

Exercise 27.1

chapter 28|1 pages

Word order

Word order Word order in English

chapter |3 pages

The verb in second position

chapter |1 pages

Subordinating clauses

chapter |3 pages

Time, manner, place

chapter |3 pages

KEY TO EXERCISES AND CHECKLISTS

UNIT 1

chapter |2 pages

UNIT 5

chapter |2 pages

UNIT 8

chapter |4 pages

UNIT 10

chapter |10 pages

UNIT 15

chapter |4 pages

UNIT 26

chapter |3 pages

GLOSSARY OF GRAMMATICAL TERMS

chapter |2 pages

COMMON IRREGULAR VERBS