Achieving an A in A-Level German* is possible with the right strategy, consistency, and understanding of the exam structure. This comprehensive guide provides last-minute tips and long-term strategies to maximise your listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and exam techniques. Whether you are a few months away from your exam or in the final revision phase, these methods will help you excel and secure that top grade.
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Understanding the Exam Structure
Before diving into specific skills, it’s essential to familiarise yourself with the A-Level German exam structure, which typically includes:
Listening, Reading & Writing (Paper 1) – Comprehension tasks, summary writing, and translation (German → English and English → German).
Speaking (Paper 2) – Discussion of a stimulus card and an Independent Research Project (IRP).
Writing (Paper 3) – Essay writing on literary texts and/or films studied in the course.
Each section requires a specific approach, and this guide will break down targeted strategies for each component.
Listening Skills: How to Master German Audio
Listening is often the trickiest part for students, but with the right techniques, you can improve dramatically.
Effective Listening Strategies
Daily Immersion: Listen to German podcasts, news (e.g., DW Nachrichten, Tagesschau in 100 Sekunden), and YouTube channels (Deutsch mit Marija, Easy German).
Active Listening: Instead of passively hearing, try:
Predicting the content before listening.
Summarising key points after each segment.
Writing down new vocabulary and structures.
Speed Training: Gradually increase playback speed on YouTube or Spotify to train your ear for fast native speech.
Use Exam-Style Questions: Practise past papers and use Kerboodle, AQA, and Edexcel listening resources.
Transcribe & Shadow: Write out transcripts of short clips and try repeating them aloud (shadowing technique).
Listening Exam Tips
Read the questions first so you know what information to focus on.
Listen for synonyms and paraphrasing (the answer won’t always be word-for-word from the audio).
Use elimination—if two options seem plausible, listen again to rule one out.
Speaking Skills: How to Sound More Fluent
Speaking fluently and confidently requires both spontaneity and structure.
Fluency Boosters
Expand Your Speaking Toolbox:
Use conversational fillers: Also, ehrlich gesagt, ich würde sagen.
Develop complex sentence structures: Obwohl ich denke, dass… wäre es besser, wenn…
Vary your opinion phrases: Meiner Meinung nach, Ich bin der festen Überzeugung, dass…
Shadowing: Repeat German dialogues from films, news, or audiobooks to internalise pronunciation and rhythm.
Mock Oral Exams: Record yourself answering past paper questions and listen for hesitation, errors, and intonation.
Speaking Exam Tips
Independent Research Project (IRP):
Choose a topic you’re genuinely interested in.
Use a mix of facts, statistics, and personal analysis.
Learn how to respond flexibly to unexpected examiner questions.
Anticipate follow-up questions and prepare varied responses.
Support opinions with examples, facts, and counterarguments.
Reading Skills: Mastering German Texts
To ace reading comprehension, you need a mix of skimming, scanning, and in-depth analysis.
Techniques for Fast & Effective Reading
Identify Key Words: Recognise synonyms and topic-specific vocabulary to understand context quickly.
Read Authentic German Materials:
News: Die Zeit, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Deutsche Welle
Blogs: Berliner Zeitung, Spiegel
Active Annotation: Highlight unknown words, guess meaning from context, and note down repeated phrases.
Timed Practice: Work through past papers under exam conditions.
Reading Exam Tips
Look at the title & subheadings to predict the content.
If unsure, eliminate unlikely answers.
Don’t get stuck on one word! Focus on the overall meaning.
Writing Skills: Structuring a Perfect Essay
A well-structured essay is key to a high grade in Paper 2.
Structuring Your Essay
Introduction: Briefly state your argument and outline your key points.
Main Body: Develop your points with examples, analysis, and counterarguments.
Conclusion: Summarise your argument and give a final thought.
Learn Set Phrases: Es lässt sich nicht leugnen, dass…, Man könnte argumentieren, dass…
Use a Variety of Sentence Structures:
Passive voice: Es wird gesagt, dass…
Konjunktiv II: Ich würde vorschlagen, dass…
Grammar Perfection: Revise verb tenses (Präteritum, Perfekt, Konjunktiv I & II) and word order rules.
Essay Exam Tips
Plan before writing (5-minute mind map).
Stick to the question—avoid off-topic ideas.
Use linking words (Jedoch, Dennoch, Deshalb, Trotzdem) for fluency.
Vocabulary & Grammar: How to Remember Everything
Best Vocabulary Learning Methods
Use Spaced Repetition (Anki, Quizlet, Memrise).
Learn in Context: Study words in full sentences.
Thematic Lists: Group words by topic (e.g., Umwelt, Technologie, Bildung).
Use Mnemonics & Associations: Create stories for difficult words.
Grammar Mastery
Tackle tricky grammar rules:
Word order: Position of verbs in different clauses.
Cases: When to use den/dem/der/des.
Prepositions: Wegen + Genitiv, Trotz + Genitiv.
Subjunctive (Konjunktiv II): Essential for hypothetical scenarios & polite requests.
TIP 1 Focus on German word order
German syntax is tricky and very different from English. That's why many English native speakers are confused about the sequence of German words in a sentence. The good news is that German word order rules are quite logical. Once you understand the fundamental difference between main and subordinate clauses in German and follow time-manner-place, you'll know how to structure German sentences properly and avoid the most common mistakes. In our experience, students struggle the most with certain conjunctions and specific subordinate clauses. So make sure you read through the below and practice them.
And since examiners pay attention to punctuation mistakes as well, don't forget to learn about comma rules in German.
TIP 2 Practice all four cases
I'm not telling you anything you don't know when I say using German articles isn't easy. So, what is the best strategy to learn and use them properly? First, make sure you learn the gender rules in the German language. Second, understand the difference between the four cases in German and what is being communicated with them. Don't just focus on the difference between nominative and accusative in German. If you really aim for an A*, you are also expected to master
TIP 3 Learn the most common prepositions
Since the use of articles is not just determined by the logic of the four cases but also by prepositions in German, you need to learn the most common prepositions and the case they go with. The four categories are
TIP 4 Revise the tenses and moods
Maybe you think you don't need to revise the tenses, but think again! Not only could you lose important marks in the writing sections of paper 1 and 2, you could also mix them up in the translation tasks in paper 1. So make sure you revise the conjugation of German verbs in the present tense, paying attention to regular, irregular, separable verbs in German and German reflexive verbs by looking at logical patterns that apply to them before you commit them to memory. Once you have this under your belt, work your way through German tenses- from the Perfekt tense, the Praeteritum, and the Plusquamperfekt to the future tense in German. Finally, revise the passive voice in German and the the two subjunctives in the German language- subjunctive I reported speech in German and subjunctive II the conditional tense in German.
Final Exam Tips & Mindset
Past Papers: Do at least 5-7 full past papers under timed conditions.
Self-Assess: Check your writing against mark schemes.
Stay Calm in Speaking Exams: If you don’t know a word, rephrase or describe it.
Get Enough Sleep Before the Exam!
Final Thought:
The key to an A* in German is consistency, exposure, and practice. Immerse yourself daily in the language, refine your exam techniques, and stay confident. Viel Erfolg!
My German language blog has an array of posts for A-level German students, such as revision guides on all major works of literature and films that are part of the A-level German syllabus:
A-level German isn't a walk in the park, and getting an A* in German is particularly difficult. So if you need extra help, my team and I offer 1:1 A-level German tuition and small A-level courses. 95% of our students were awarded an A* in the past, so we know what we're talking about.
I hope you found our tips helpful. Please leave a like or comment if you did. Fingers crossed!
what an excellent blog. will be using it very often! and will probably buy some of your courses too.