This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within Forming questions: verb-first and W-questions for GCSE German. Revise Forming questions: verb-first and W-questions in Question Words and Role-Play Formulas for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 6 of 6 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
💡 Exam Tips & Common Errors
- In listening, a verb at the very start = a yes/no question; a W-word at the start = a content question.
- When writing, never leave the subject before the verb in a yes/no question.
- With separable verbs, remember to send the prefix to the end — listeners wait for it.
❌ Common error: Du wohnst in Berlin? (asked as a question while keeping statement word order)
✓ Correct: Wohnst du in Berlin?
Why it costs marks: in a proper German yes/no question the VERB comes first. Keeping statement word order (subject + verb) and just adding a question mark is a word-order error that loses AO3 marks, even though a listener might still understand you.
Practice questions for Forming questions: verb-first and W-questions
In a German yes/no question (with no question word), where does the verb go?
Which is the correct German yes/no question for 'Do you live in Berlin?'