Question 1: German Sentence RulesFill in the correct answers below, using the sentence examples to work out your answers. A brief description of word order rules is available here.
ⓐ The conjugated verb in the standard German sentence is placed in the position.
Examples:
• Ich traue meinen Augen nicht! ⇢ I don't believe my eyes!
• Ich drücke dir die Daumen. ⇢ I'm crossing my fingers for you.
ⓑ The subject of the sentence is always placed in the first position. ⇢
Examples:
• Meine Freunde sind mir sehr wichtig.
• Mir sind meine Freunde sehr wichtig. ⇢ My friends are very important to me.
ⓒ The third position in a sentence may be occupied by the subject, the object or an adverb. ⇢
Examples:
• Wir spielen Videospiele.
• Heute spielen wir Videospiele.
• Wir spielen heute Videospiele. ⇢ Today we are playing video games.
ⓓ The object can be placed in the first or third position. ⇢
Examples:
• Das hätte ich nie gedacht!
• Ich hätte das nie gedacht! - I would never have thought that.
ⓔ It is correct to use a comma after an adverb at the start of the sentence.
Examples:
X Leider, die Party war ein glatter Reinfall.
✅ Leider war die Party ein glatter Reinfall. ⇢ The party was unfortunately a complete flop.
ⓕ The words or phrases in the first and third positions are often interchangeable.
Examples:
| 1st Position |
2nd Position |
3rd Position |
The Rest |
| Nach der Arbeit |
ist |
meine Mutter |
immer müde. |
| Meine Mutter |
ist |
nach der Arbeit |
immer müde. |
⇢ After work, my mother is always tired.
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