KS4 · German · Year 11
Ab wann darf man wählen? Present and past modal verbs
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Your learning goal
I can use modal verbs in the present and the imperfect tense to discuss important issues and developments.
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Ab wann darf man wählen? Present and past modal verbs: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.
Original teaching resources
The original illustrated PowerPoint is available as well as the IllumED text slides. It retains the publisher’s design and credits.
Download original PowerPoint ↓What you’ll learn
I can use modal verbs in the present and the imperfect tense to discuss important issues and developments.
Key learning points
- Modal verbs express necessity or possibility. Use them with a 2nd verb in the infinitive at the end of the sentence.
- 'Dürfen' refers to permission required from another person. 'Können' refers to the ability to do something.
- The stems of modal verbs are irregular, with vowel changes in most singular forms. 'Sollen' is the exception.
- Modal verbs are mostly used in the imperfect tense when they describe past events. Remove any umlauts in the imperfect.
- [w] sounds like 'Welt', [qu] is pronounced the same as [kw] and sounds like 'bequem', and [zw] sounds like 'zwanzig'.
Words to know
- modal verb
- verb of necessity or possibility ('must', 'can', 'want') used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive
- imperfect
- single-word tense used most often for modal verbs when they describe past events; otherwise used mainly to narrate past events in writing
Common mistakes
'Können' and 'dürfen' both mean 'can' in English.
Whilst we often use 'can' to translate both verbs in English, they are different in meaning. 'Dürfen' refers to permission - 'may I/am I allowed to?'. 'Können' refers to the ability to do something - 'can I/am I able to?'.
For parents, carers and teachers
- Teachers may find it useful to include short starter activities, e.g., using mini whiteboards, to revisit modal verb meanings and forms, to ensure longer term retention of the present and imperfect forms.