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      Wiener Festwochen: inversion, time-manner-place

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can use adverbs of time, manner, place correctly in statements and questions when learning about a visit to Vienna.

      Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

      Key learning points

      1. When two or more adverbs are in a sentence, the word order is time before manner before place (TMP).
      2. Subject and verb invert in questions and in word order 2, where a sentence starts with a TMP adverb.
      3. Wh- question words focus on time, manner, place, and TMP adverbs can start a sentence in reply.
      4. Reading aloud benefits from initial silent rehearsal to focus on the sound-spelling correspondences.
      5. Reading aloud also requires focus on cognates with different stress patterns from English.

      Keywords

      • Time-manner-place (TMP) - the order of adverbs in a German sentence - time before manner before place, abbreviated to TMP

      • Inversion - when the subject pronoun and the verb switch place in questions or word order 2

      Common misconception

      The time-manner-place rule means that all sentences must have time before manner before place.

      German sentences can start with any adverb to emphasise that element. The TMP order is then retained for any other adverbs in that sentence. For example, 'Mit dem Zug (M) werden wir morgen (T) nach Wien (P) fahren.'.

      Teacher tip

      Learning Cycle 2 includes a read-aloud exercise. This task could be adapted and extended by adding a range of open questions to develop a conversation. The revisiting of future tense question formation in Learning Cycle 1 will help students here.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which of these words means 'frequent(ly)'?

      lustig
      Correct answer: häufig
      möglich
      richtig
      wicthig

      Q2.
      Match the German and English.

      Correct Answer:bewegen,to move, moving

      to move, moving

      Correct Answer:sich bewegen,to move, exercise

      to move, exercise

      Correct Answer:eröffnen,to open, start

      to open, start

      Correct Answer:führen,to lead, guide

      to lead, guide

      Correct Answer:handeln,to deal, trade

      to deal, trade

      Correct Answer:versuchen,to try, trying

      to try, trying

      Q3.
      Match the German and English.

      Correct Answer:Alltag (m),daily routine, everyday life

      daily routine, everyday life

      Correct Answer:Entschuldigung (f),apology, excuse, Sorry!

      apology, excuse, Sorry!

      Correct Answer:Eintritt (m),entry, admission

      entry, admission

      Correct Answer:Hof (m),courtyard, yard

      courtyard, yard

      Correct Answer:Menge (f),quantity, amount

      quantity, amount

      Correct Answer:Ware (f),goods

      goods

      Q4.
      Order the words to say: 'I study both history and geography.'

      1 - ich
      2 - lerne
      3 - sowohl
      4 - Geschichte
      5 - als
      6 - auch
      7 - Erdkunde

      Q5.
      Write in English: 'Dort gibt es keine Cafés.'

      Correct Answer: There are no cafés there., There aren't any cafés there., There are no cafes there., There aren't any cafes there.

      Q6.
      Write in German: 'Die Reise war wunderbar.'

      Correct Answer: The journey was wonderful., The trip was wonderful.

      5 Questions

      Q1.
      In which city does the event 'die Wiener Festwochen' take place?

      Correct Answer: Vienna, Wien

      Q2.
      Which of these nouns are cognates or near-cognates in German?

      offer
      Correct answer: Europe
      Correct answer: plastic
      stage
      train

      Q3.
      German sentences ...

      must always start with an adverb of time.
      must always start with an adverb of manner.
      must always start with an adverb of place.
      Correct answer: can start with any adverb to emphasise that element.
      can end with any adverb to emphasise that element.

      Q4.
      Order the words to form a sentence which follows the time-manner-place rule.

      1 - Wolf will
      2 - nächsten Monat
      3 - mit seiner Schwester
      4 - nach Österreich
      5 - fahren

      Q5.
      Write in German: 'When are you going to the café?'

      Correct Answer: Wann gehst du ins Café?, Wann gehst du in das Café?, Wann gehst du zum Café?, Wann gehst du zu dem Café?

      To help you plan your 10 German lesson on: Wiener Festwochen: inversion, time-manner-place, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...