REVIEW SHEET FOR THE INTERMEDIATE GERMAN I (GRMN 207) CHALLENGE EXAM
The test consists of several sections, including reading out loud, dictation, listening comprehension,
composition, grammar, vocabulary, and comprehensive reading. Each section deals with different
aspects of the German language, such as verbs, writing and structures, vocabulary and reading
comprehension. Pay careful attention to the spelling of words. Also make sure you know the names of
the verb tenses beforehand, since the instructions to different exercises will name verb tenses you will
have to use but will not have models or examples; it is up to you to know this information. The
following list will help you prepare for this test.
NOUNS, CASES, ADJECTIVES, PRONOUNS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Uses of the nominative case
Uses of the accusative case
Direct object
Definite articles, nominative and accusative
Indefinite articles, ein and kein, dominative and accusative
Personal pronouns
VERBS
1. PRESENT TENSE
Stem-changing verbs
Haben, sein, werden, and wissen
Imperative forms
Separable-prefix verbs
Present tense of modal auxiliaries
Meaning of lassen
Future Time, present and future tense
2. PAST TENSE
Simple past tense
Weak verbs in the simple past
Modals in the simple past
Irregular weak verbs
Strong verbs in the simple past
haben, sein and werden in the simple past
3. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
Past participles of regular weak verbs
Past participles of irregular weak verbs + haben
Past participles of strong verbs
Past Participles of separable prefix verbs
Past Participle without ge- prefix
Use of the auxiliary haben
Use of the auxiliary sein
4. PAST PERFECT TENSE
5. WORD ORDER
Position of finite verb in statement.
Position of the finite verb in questions
Position of nicht
Word order: time, manner, place
Independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions
Two-part conjunctions
The conjunctions aber and sondern
Dependent clauses and subordinating conjunctions
Uses of als, wenn and wann
Dependent clauses: indirect statements and questions
Infinitives with zu
Expressions um.....zu, (an) statt......zu, ohne.....zu
DATIVE CASE
Forms of the dative case
Nouns in the dative plural
Masculine N-nouns in the dative case
Personal pronouns in the dative case
Demonstrative pronouns in the dative case
The interrogative pronoun wer in the dative
Uses of the dative case
Indirect object
Word order of direct and indirect objects
Dative verbs
Prepositions with the dative case
GUIDELINES FOR PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
1.
Consists of an auxiliary (haben or sein) and a form of the main verb called the past participle
2. The past participle of weak verbs is formed by adding the prefix ge- and the ending –t or –et to
the verb stem. Examples: geantwortet (answer), geschickt (send), feiern (gefeiert) (celebrate)
3. Past participles of verbs ending in –ieren are always weak. They do not add the prefix ge- but
only the –t to the stem. Example: studiert (study), reparieren (repair)
4. Past participles of strong verbs are formed by adding the prefix ge- and the suffix –n or –en to
the verb stem. Some verbs change consonants in the stem as well. For this reason, the past
participle of each strong verb must be memorized. Example: gelesen (read), getrunken (drink),
gesessen (sit), genommen (take), gesehen (see)
5. To use sein as an auxiliary, a verb must fulfill two conditions:
a. It must be intransitive (cannot take a direct object)
b. It must indicate change of location or condition.

Two verbs are exceptions to the second rule: sein itself and bleiben
Example: gegangen (go), gekommen (come), gewesen (be), geblieben (stay)
6. Past participles of separable-prefix verbs are formed by inserting ge- between the prefix and the
verb stem. Examples: ausgezogen (to move out) (ist), ausgegeben (to spend money) (hat)
7. Past participle of inseparable prefix verbs do not add the prefix ge- in the past participle.
Example: bezahlt (pay), belegt (take a class, seminar), verstanden (understand), beantwortet
(answer), erzählt (tell), vergessen (forget)
8. Perfect tense of mixed verbs: A few German verbs have the weak participle form ge- plus –t but
also change their stem. These are called mixed verbs. Example: gebracht (to bring),
mitgebracht (bring along), gewusst (to know).
9. In the present perfect and past perfect tenses, modals and the verbs sehen, hören, and lassen
have two forms of the participle: a regular form with the prefix ge- (gewollt, gehört, gesehen,
gelassen), and a form identical to the infinitive (wollen, hören, sehen, lassen). The regular form
is used when the modals and sehen, hören, and lassen are used without a dependent infinitive.
The alternate form, identical to the infinitive, is used when these verbs have a dependent
infinitive. This construction is called the double infinitive construction. The double infinitive
always comes at the end of the clause. The auxiliary verb haben is always used with a double
infinitive construction. (Ich habe das Auto gewollt. Ich habe drauβen spielen wollen.)