Environmental Issues: Grammar & Phonics (AQA GCSE German): Revision Note

• When talking about the environment, it is useful to explain why you do things

• We use um … zu + infinitive to do this - let's look at it in more detail

Um ... zu + infinitive

• Use um … zu + infinitive to say 'in order to' do something

• The main clause comes first, then a comma, then um, with the infinitive sent to the end after zu

• The subject of both clauses must be the same

Ohne ... zu and statt ... zu

• You can also use ohne … zu (without doing) and statt … zu (instead of doing) to add variety and complexity to your sentences:

• With separable verbs, zu goes between the prefix and the verb stem:

  • nachzudenken, not zu nachdenken

• This applies to um … zu, ohne … zu and statt … zu:

  • um aufzuräumen (in order to tidy up)

  • ohne fernzusehen (without watching TV)

Environmental issues: phonics

• At the start of a word or syllable, the German r is a guttural sound made at the back of the throat - similar to the sound you make when gargling

• It is never the smooth English r sound

  • recyceln

  • rein

  • reduzieren

  • Regierung