German...Help!!!

Niamhf

Hey!
Can anyone offer any advice for LC German...I am finding it really difficult this year...everything seems to be going over my head...
I'm doing HL by the way...I got an A in the JC in HL...but now in 6th year I'm down to a C1...
Help anyone???
Thanks!!

Stev_o

Niamhf wrote: »

Hey!
Can anyone offer any advice for LC German...I am finding it really difficult this year...everything seems to be going over my head...
I'm doing HL by the way...I got an A in the JC in HL...but now in 6th year I'm down to a C1...
Help anyone???
Thanks!!

What exactly are you finding difficult?

The best advice iv been told is given loads of detail where possible in the written and listening especially if it isnt specified. They mightn't ask directly in a question for several points and there could end up 5 points you needed to get full marks!

Hope that makes had exams after school so my head is all over the place

1huge1

Ha mate try university level german, anyway as regards the german LC keep going over exam papers and reading essays and improving your vocab. The exam is fairly repetitive with a lot of similiar stuff coing up every year.

LizT

Hey, I know how you feel! I did German HL last year and although it was my favourite subject I had to work hard at it. It was worth it though because I ended up getting an A2.

The best advice I can give you is to learn off simple sentences that can easily be slipped into a letter or auzerung. They're also really hard for the oral. I'm in college at the moment but if you want to PM me I nay be able to email you some of my notes/ phrases this weekend.

Also if you're struggling with tape work the best thing to do is try to be at least one bit of tape every week. I used to do part a and b of a tape test one week and finish it the following week. Your teacher probably has loads of old mock tape and papers, use these for practice.

If it's the written pary you're struggling with then my best advice is to just keep it simple.The examiner isn't looking for a piece of writing worthy of the new york times. Simple consise sentences will get you your marks because the more you add to your sentences, the more likely it is that you will mess up the grammer.

One final piece of advice for the exam... even though it's ages away. Learn off the der chart really well and write it down the moment you get into the exam. At the end of the exam if you have time left over, which you probably will, go through your auzerung and letterand check your der's,die's and das's. Putting in the wrong one can really piss off the examiner and you don't want that!! You would actually be surpried how much it could bring you up!

And finally ( I mean it this time!) take the mock as a chance to work out the amount of time you need for each question. Don't let your result in the mocks discourage you... I got a C3 in the mocks and you can see how much I came up by!

Hope this helps and feel free to PM for notes (that goes for everyone!)

LizT

Stev_o wrote: »

What exactly are you finding difficult?

The best advice iv been told is given loads of detail where possible in the written and listening especially if it isnt specified. They mightn't ask directly in a question for several points and there could end up 5 points you needed to get full marks!

Hope that makes had exams after school so my head is all over the place

Less is usally more. See my post

Stev_o

lizt wrote: »

Less is usally more. See my post

Not in the comprehension it isnt, its all about getting as much points from the text as you can as you can be royally screwed if you dont give enough. The comprehension carries the most marks in the total the whole exam you can afford to loose marks there!

Piste

Yeah in comprehension and aural you really need to give as much detail as possible if there's no specification as to how many points to give. They can be really crap and just say "give details" and be looking for 5 points and you only give 3 because you didn't know.

In the written work though less is always more- for me anyway, I say as little as I can get away with because my grammar and word order is usually all over the shop so the more I write the more mistakes I'm liable to make.

Niamhf

Hey!! Thanks a mill for all the advice!!! It's the listening and comprehensions I have the most difficulty with...I suppose it's just down to practice!!!
How long would you all recommend for studying German per week?

heidi123

Hi Niamhf, think those are the most difficult parts of the paper as they ask for specifics as opposed to tailoring the question to suit yourself. The only advice is practice practice practice! I've done tons and tons of these as I have a degree and masters in German so if you want any further advice pm me!
I think the main thing to do is note the vocab that comes up again & again - especially those that English speakers confuse so easily e.g. aufhoeren, zuhoeren, gehoeren etc etc (ps the extra "e" there is cos i can't find umlauts on this computer!!)...best of luck!