Die Sonne und der Mond: Instructional Strategies in

Grammar for German-speaking ELs

Jennifer Meyer, Ed. S.Jennifer Meyer, Ed. S.

Rutherford County SchoolsRutherford County Schools

German VideoGerman Video

Die Sonne und der MondDie Sonne und der Mond

The words die Sonne and der Mond, or the sun and the moon, historically shared similar noun case markings or declensions.

In Old English the sun and the moon were sēo sunne and se mōna: Sun was feminine; moon was masculine.

While German has maintained this complex system of noun case markings, modern English is more simplified.

Language NeighborsLanguage Neighbors

Cognates and German words we Cognates and German words we use in Englishuse in English

Alarm Fisch Hand Finger Mann mild Verb

Kindergarten

Angst

Gesundheit

Blitzkrieg

False CognatesFalse Cognates

Bad≠badAfter≠afterMist≠mist/missedChef≠chefeventuell≠eventuallyPickel≠pickle

Denglisch (Deutsch and Denglisch (Deutsch and English)English)

City=downtown

Handy=cell phone

Mobbing=bullying

Messies=hoarders

Beamer=projector

Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar

Aspect Temporal flow of action German: does not have the

progressive aspect (it uses adverbials to convey aspect).

Ich esse geradegerade ein Sandwich./I am eating a sandwich.

Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar

Aspect English: has the

progressive aspect Present Progressive: I am

eating a sandwich. Past Progressive: I was

eating a sandwich.

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom The doctor is attending a conference in

Nebraska. [activity in progress] (Glenn & Gray, 2007)

Der Arzt besucht gerade eine Konference in Nebraska. [the adverb gerade ‘just now’ conveys the same meaning as the progressive is attending in the English sentence]

In the first example above, a German-speaker In the first example above, a German-speaker would just as likely say: would just as likely say: The doctor attends a conference in Nebraska. Whether the Whether the statement expresses an activity in progress or statement expresses an activity in progress or a regularly occurring event (the doctor a regularly occurring event (the doctor attends the same conference in Nebraska attends the same conference in Nebraska every year) would be clear to the German-every year) would be clear to the German-speaker from the context of the rest of the speaker from the context of the rest of the conversation or text. conversation or text.

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom We are living in a trailer right now.

[temporary situation] Im Moment wohnen wir in einem

Wohnwagen. [the adverbial prepositional phrase im Moment ‘at the moment or right now’ expresses the same temporary situation as the progressive are living does in the English sentence]

In this example, a German-speaker might say: We live in a trailer at the moment. While this construction is close to being accurate in English, most native English speakers will find this statement slightly off, but might not be able to say exactly why.

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom

Helpful Word Lists

Simple Present

Present Progressive

Never used in Progressive

everyday

now believe

always at the moment

be

usually today know

often this morning

love

sometimes

need

never like

hear

Think Pair ShareThink Pair Share

Look at the picture and think about the differences between present and present progressive aspects.

Talk to your elbow neighbor—discuss the questions.

Share your responses about the effectiveness of this activity with your table.

Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar

Tense German: Uses simple past

generally only for literature and writing. Present perfect is used in conversation. There is no difference in meaning.

Hänsel und Gretel verliefenverliefen sich im Wald.

Wir haben haben uns im Wald verlaufenverlaufen.

Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar

Tense English: Simple past and

present perfect have distinctive uses in English and change the meaning when used improperly.

I ate a sandwich. (means yesterday)

I have eaten a sandwich. (means just now, a few minutes ago)

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom Tom has had a bad car accident. [expresses

an event in the recent past, with a connection to the present]

Tom hat einen schlimmen Unfall gehabt. [the German construction uses the present perfect like the English sentence]

Tom had a bad car accident. [expresses an event that happened in the past and has no connection to the present]

Tom hat einen schlimmen Unfall gehabt. [in German no grammatical distinction is made between these two grammatically different sentences in English]

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom Vor kürzem hat Tom einen schlimmen Unfall

gehabt. Er liegt noch im Krankenhaus. [in the German construction, use of the adverbial prepositional phrase vor kürzem ‘recently’ and the clarification that er liegt noch im Krankenhaus ‘he is still in the hospital’ indicate that he is still experiencing the consequences of his accident]

Letzte Woche hat Tom einen schlimmen Unfall gehabt. [the use of the adverbial letzte Woche ‘last week’ indicates that this is an action that happened in the past and the consequences have all been resolved]

A German-speaker would in most cases always say: Tom has had a bad car accident, regardless of the connection to the present. Just as likely is the expression: Yesterday, Tom has had a bad car accident. For a native English speaker, this construction is inherently wrong. The adverbial yesterday is a clear sign for the need of the simple past.

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom

past present

past present

Simple PastTom had a bad car accident yesterday.

Present PerfectTom has just had a bad car accident.

Tom’s accident

Tom’s accident

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom

Word Markers for simple past: yesterday, last week, last month, a year ago, etc.

Word Markers for present perfect: just, now, yet, etc.

Comparing GrammarComparing GrammarVerb Conjugation

German: very complicated, with different endings for each person and number

gehento go

Singular

Plural

First Person

gehe gehen

Second Person

gehst geht

Third Person

geht gehen

Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar

Verb Conjugation English: relatively simple,

with an “S” added to third person singular

to go Singular

Plural

First Person

go go

Second Person

go go

Third Person

goes go

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom He, she, it—das “s” muss

mit! ‘He, she, it—the “s” has to come along!’ (Schwarz, 1997).

Doch sei klug—ein “s” ist genug! But be clever, one “s” is enough! (Schwarz, 1997).

Doess he likess chocolate? With modal verbs, only one “s”

is needed!

Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar

Singular vs. Plural Noncount Nouns

Some are the same: Beans/Bohnen are

countable. (one bean, two beans)

Rice/Reis is not. (one grain of rice, two grains of rice)

Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar

Singular vs. Plural Noncount Nouns

English and Singular

German and Plural

news Nachrichten

information Informationen

furniture Möbel

United States

Vereinigte Staaten

vacation Ferien

Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom

PracticePracticePractice

Small Group Small Group CollaborationCollaboration

Create a short activity for Aspect, Tense or Conjugation

Writing Reading Listening Speaking

QuestionsQuestions

Jennifer Meyer, Ed. S.

Rutherford County SchoolsEagleville School/Rockvale Elementary School

Email: meyerj@rcschools.net

Website: http://www.res.rcs.k12.tn.us/TEACHERS/MeyerJ/MeyerJ.html

Sources/ResourcesSources/ResourcesRetrieved February 3, 2012Retrieved February 3, 2012

Glenn, C. and Gray, L. (Eds.). (2007). Hodges’ harbrace handbook (16th ed.). Boston: Thomson Higher Education.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_Willem_van_Gogh_128.jpg

http://www.barewalls.com/ix-post-impressionism-sunflowers.html

http://www.roebuckclasses.com/105/regions/europe/eurohuman/europeanlanguage.htm

Meyer, J. (2008). A Comparison of German and English Grammatical Structures: Applications for the ESL Classroom. (Unpublished graduate research paper). Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN.

Schwarz, H. (Ed.). (1997). English G 2000: Band A1 für das 5. Schuljahr an Gymnasien. Berlin, Germany: Cornelsen Verlag.