KS3 · German · Year 8
Then and now: comparatives and plurals
Then and now: imperfect tense and comparatives
Learn it. Recall it. Make it stick.
IllumED Slides
IllumED · 1/11
Your learning goal
I can form the comparative, and the plural forms of borrowed words, in the context of a German song.
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Then and now: comparatives and plurals: 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 form the comparative, and the plural forms of borrowed words, in the context of a German song.
Key learning points
- Final [e] is not silent. It is a short [e] sound, as in 'Liebe'. Final [er] is a longer sound, as in 'lieber'.
- Add '-er' to adjectives or adverbs to form the comparative. There are some exceptions, e.g., 'gut - besser'.
- Use 'als' to mean 'than', e.g. 'besser als'. Where two things are the same, use 'so ... wie', e.g.. 'so gut wie',
- Plural rule 5: some nouns add '–s'. They may end in in –a, -i,-o,-u-or –y and are usually 'borrowed' words.
- Make adjectives into plural nouns by capitalising the adjective and adding -en.
Words to know
- final [e]
- pronounced as in 'Liebe'
- final [er]
- pronounced as in 'lieber'
- comparative
- a form of adjective or adverb used to compare people, things or ideas
- plural rule five
- add '–s'; these words are typically borrowed from other languages and may end in –a, -i,-o,-u-or –y
Common mistakes
Final [e] is a long vowel sound in German.
Final [e] is a short [e] sound, as in 'Liebe'. Final [er] is a longer sound, as in 'lieber'.
For parents, carers and teachers
- The song 'Früher' by the Wise Guys and accompanying videos are available online. Students may find it interesting to watch and listen.