New
New
Year 8

Future plans: future tense 'werden' + infinitive vs 'planen' + 'zu' + infinitive

I can form different two-verb structures to discuss future plans, and can broaden my vocabulary by spotting connections between German nouns and verbs.

New
New
Year 8

Future plans: future tense 'werden' + infinitive vs 'planen' + 'zu' + infinitive

I can form different two-verb structures to discuss future plans, and can broaden my vocabulary by spotting connections between German nouns and verbs.

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. In two-verb structures, the 2nd verb is in the infinitive, at the end of the sentence.
  2. In two-verb structures, most verbs add 'zu' before the infinitive verb.
  3. A comma separates the verb phrases in two-verb structures, e.g., 'Ich plane, Gemüse zu essen'.
  4. Future tense sentences with 'werden', like modal sentences, do not require 'zu' before the infinitive.

Keywords

  • Two-verb structure - a sentence made up of two verb phrases

  • Zu - preposition meaning 'to', used before the infinitive in most two-verb structures

  • Werden - auxiliary verb meaning 'to become', used to form the future tense

  • Stem - part of a verb that appears in all forms; often appears in nouns created from verbs

Common misconception

Always add 'zu' before the infinitive in two-verb structures.

Some verbs, like 'werden' and modal verbs, do not require 'zu' before the infinitive in two-verb structures.


To help you plan your year 8 German lesson on: Future plans: future tense 'werden' + infinitive vs 'planen' + 'zu' + infinitive, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The first two explanation slides in LC2 lend themselves to a mini-whiteboard writing activity.
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Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word means 'same'?
damals
einmal
früher
Correct answer: gleich
seit
Q2.
Match the German and English.
Correct Answer:Anwalt (m),lawyer

lawyer

Correct Answer:Boot (nt),boat

boat

Correct Answer:Firmen (fpl),companies

companies

Correct Answer:Firma (f),company

company

Correct Answer:Insel (f),island

island

Correct Answer:Weile (f),while

while

Q3.
Match the German and English.
Correct Answer:wenig,little

little

Correct Answer:voll,full

full

Correct Answer:tief,deep

deep

Correct Answer:nah,near

near

Correct Answer:links,left

left

Correct Answer:rechts,right

right

Q4.
Order the words to say: 'The food was too hot.'
1 - das
2 - Essen
3 - war
4 - zu
5 - heiß
Q5.
Write in English: 'es gab ein Schloss'.
Correct Answer: there was a castle
Q6.
Write in German: 'the cold weather'.
Correct Answer: das kalte Wetter

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Which two-verb structure is correct?
Ich kann fahren nach Deutschland.
Ich kann fahre nach Deutschland.
Correct answer: Ich kann nach Deutschland fahren.
Ich kann nach Deutschland fahre.
Q2.
Which sentences require 'zu' and a comma?
Ich werde Gemüse essen.
Correct answer: Ich plane Gemüse essen.
Ich will Gemüse essen.
Correct answer: Ich habe keine Lust Gemüse essen.
Ich soll Gemüse essen.
Q3.
Order the words to say: 'I plan to go to the cinema'.
1 - ich
2 - plane
3 - ,
4 - ins
5 - Kino
6 - zu
7 - gehen
Q4.
Write in German: 'he plans to drink water'.
Correct Answer: er plant, Wasser zu trinken

Additional material

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