16 Grammatikpunkte · CEFR B2 (no official Goethe grammar list published for B2)
Konjunktiv I — indirekte Rede (vollständig)Konjunktiv I — indirekte Rede (vollständig)
Subjunctive I has full forms for every tense (present, past, future) used in formal reported speech.
Passiv mit ModalverbenPassiv mit Modalverben
Passive with a modal verb: modal verb (conjugated) + ... + past participle + werden (infinitive, at the end).
Zustandspassiv vs. VorgangspassivZustandspassiv vs. Vorgangspassiv
Vorgangspassiv (werden + past participle) expresses a process happening; Zustandspassiv (sein + past participle) expresses the result/state after the action is complete.
PassiversatzformenPassiversatzformen
'sich lassen + infinitive', 'man' + an active verb, and '-bar'-ending adjectives can all substitute for a passive sentence, especially with the meaning 'can be done'.
Erweiterte PartizipialattributeErweiterte Partizipialattribute
An extended participial attribute places the whole modifying phrase before the participle, replacing a relative clause, commonly found in formal writing.
Nominalisierung komplexer Verben und SätzeNominalisierung komplexer Verben und Sätze
Besides nominalizing the infinitive (das + infinitive, learned at B1), German also has nouns derived from verbs with their own endings (-ung, -tion, -e...), used to compress an entire clause into a noun phrase.
FunktionsverbgefügeFunktionsverbgefüge
Functional verb constructions are fixed phrases combining a semantically 'light' verb + noun + (preposition), equivalent in meaning to a single verb but more formal.
Doppelkonnektoren (nâng cao): je...desto/umso, zumal, sofernDoppelkonnektoren (nâng cao): je...desto/umso, zumal, sofern
'umso' can replace 'desto' in the 'je...desto/umso' structure; 'zumal' (especially since) and 'sofern' (provided that) are advanced subordinating conjunctions common in formal writing.
Konzessiv- und Konditionalsätze (nâng cao): auch wenn, falls, es sei dennKonzessiv- und Konditionalsätze (nâng cao): auch wenn, falls, es sei denn
'auch wenn' (even if) expresses a hypothetical concession; 'falls' (in case) is close to 'wenn' but emphasizes uncertainty; 'es sei denn' (unless) expresses the sole exception.
Finalsätze: 'damit' vs. 'zwecks' + Genitiv (Stilvarianten)Finalsätze: 'damit' vs. 'zwecks' + Genitiv (Stilvarianten)
At B2, purpose can also be expressed with nominalization for stylistic variety: 'zwecks' + genitive, 'zum Zweck' + genitive, instead of the 'damit'/'um...zu' clauses learned at A2/B1.
Genitivattribute vs. PräpositionalattributeGenitivattribute vs. Präpositionalattribute
A noun-modifying attribute can be expressed with the genitive (des/der + noun) or a prepositional phrase (von/für/über + noun), depending on style and the semantic relationship.
Modalpartikeln — Einführung (doch, ja, eben, halt, mal)Modalpartikeln — Einführung (doch, ja, eben, halt, mal)
Modal particles (doch, ja, eben, halt, mal...) have no clear dictionary meaning; they only add the speaker's emotional nuance/attitude to a sentence.
Textkonnektoren für ArgumentationTextkonnektoren für Argumentation
Text connectors (folglich, dennoch, allerdings...) link independent sentences to build coherent argumentation, usually starting the sentence and triggering inversion (V2).
Vor- und Nachzeitigkeit in Nebensätzen (nachdem, bevor, sobald)Vor- und Nachzeitigkeit in Nebensätzen (nachdem, bevor, sobald)
'nachdem' requires an earlier tense in the subordinate clause (past perfect if the main clause is simple past); 'bevor' and 'sobald' are more flexible with tense but must still reflect the correct time sequence.
Stilistische Vorfeldbesetzung und HervorhebungStilistische Vorfeldbesetzung und Hervorhebung
In formal writing, an element other than the subject can be fronted to position 1 for emphasis, as long as the verb still keeps position 2 (V2).
Indirekte Rede in komplexen Kontexten (Berichte, Nachrichten)Indirekte Rede in komplexen Kontexten (Berichte, Nachrichten)
In long news/report texts, Konjunktiv I/II reported speech is maintained across several consecutive sentences without needing to repeat 'dass'/the reporting verb in each one.