- Use würde + infinitive as your safe, reliable conditional — it works with almost any verb.
- Use hätte / wäre for higher-value "would have" / "would be" sentences.
- The narrative imperfect (ging, kam, spielte) shows sophistication in written work — drop a short past narrative into your Higher writing.
- Remember the Satzklammer: in würde sentences the infinitive lands at the very end (Ich würde gern nach Italien fahren).
❌ Common error: Ich werde nach Italien fahren, wenn ich Zeit habe. (this is future, not conditional)
✓ Correct: Ich würde nach Italien fahren, wenn ich Zeit hätte.
Why it costs marks: The conditional (würde … hätte) expresses what WOULD happen under a hypothetical condition — different from the future (werde), which states what WILL happen. Mixing them up changes the meaning and misses the Higher structure the examiner is looking for.
This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within Higher: the narrative imperfect and the conditional for GCSE German. Revise Higher: the narrative imperfect and the conditional in Time Markers and the Three Time Frames for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 4 of 4 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Practice questions for Higher: the narrative imperfect and the conditional
What does 'Ich würde gern nach Italien fahren' mean?
What is 'hätte'?