Schopenhauer Sprachschule – Deutschland
Weekend German Course – Level B2
Course Information
Start dates
See the calendar board
Lesson time
09:00 - 11:30
Sat, Sun
Duration
10 weeks
(20 days)
Total
60 lessons à 45 min
3 lessons/day
Participants
max. 16
Price
2x200,00€
Location
online
Level
B2.1 and B2.2
Course General Objective B2.1
- The learner expresses views fluently and spontaneously on familiar and semi-specialist topics, engages in pro–con discussions, and structures ideas coherently.
- Using advanced connectors and patterns (insofern, sofern, vorausgesetzt, je … desto, zwar … aber, dennoch), they construct more complex sentences; passive forms (Präsens/Präteritum/Perfekt), participial constructions, and noun–verb collocations give their language a more academic or professional tone.
- They begin to use reported speech (Konjunktiv I/II) and source reporting, and are able to summarize tables and charts both orally and in writing.
- In longer texts and audio, they identify the main line of argument and speaker intent; they produce problem–solution emails, reports, and proposals, and deliver 3–5 minute presentations including Q&A.
Course General Objective B2.2
- The learner synthesizes multiple viewpoints into a coherent argument, grounds opinions with evidence and examples, and uses hedging appropriately (meiner Ansicht nach, tendenziell, womöglich).
- They adapt register and tone to suit the context and maintain cohesion through complex sentence architecture (embedded clauses, nominalizations, layered passives) and a dense connector network.
- They collect information from multiple sources and produce comparative summaries that highlight similarities, differences, and key insights.
- In longer texts and audio, they detect implied meaning, stance, and consequences, and they can write well-structured argumentative essays as well as solution-oriented reports and emails.
- They deliver presentations of 5+ minutes integrating visuals and data, and can also moderate discussions; by the end of B2, they achieve the linguistic agility required for independent communication in academic and professional contexts.
- Participate in virtual classes
- Build reading comprehension competence
- Strengthen speaking and interaction abilities
- Advance listening and understanding skills
- Practice writing clear and well-structured texts
What will you be able to do after completing the B2 German course?
Course topics B2.1
Present Tense (Indicative) vs. Konjunktiv I (Basic function & style)
- Grammar: Review of the present tense; basic Konjunktiv I forms (reported speech—press, minutes), 3rd-person features, morphology.
- Vocabulary: Daily routines, habits, frequency adverbs, news/document language.
- Communication & phrases:
- Describing habits: Generally… / In the mornings I usually…
- Reported speech: The doctor says the patient is ill (er sei krank).
- Typical errors & tips: Konj. I ≠ Konj. II; watch out for ist/sei confusion.
- Task: Micro-interview → 10-sentence reported summary; mini-blog “My productive morning”.
Perfekt vs. Präteritum (use, register, narration)
- Grammar: Tendency toward Perfekt in speech, Präteritum in writing; irregular verbs; time adverbs (zuerst/dann/danach).
- Vocabulary: Travel experiences, mishaps, evaluations.
- Communication: Last year I was in Rome; I visited the museum.
- Errors & tips: Choosing the correct auxiliary (sein/haben); participle at the end (sentence bracket).
- Task: Photo story → oral version in Perfekt, written version in Präteritum (150–180 words).
Präteritum in narrative (background/progression & single events)
- Grammar: Background description vs. chain of events; word order; TMP (time–manner–place).
- Vocabulary: Childhood, school years, former routines.
- Communication: Comparisons earlier… now…; connectors: während, damals, inzwischen.
- Errors & tips: Overusing Perfekt in narrative → prefer Präteritum for sein/haben and modal verbs.
- Task: Podcast “When I was 10…” (90–120 sec).
Future Tense (Futur I) & planning modality
- Grammar: werden + infinitive; present with future meaning; modal particles (wohl, bestimmt, vielleicht).
- Vocabulary: Career/education goals, roadmap.
- Communication: I will probably… / My goal is to…
Near future vs. Futur I (subtle differences)
- Grammar: Present + time expression (near plan) vs. Futur I (assumption); werden wohl.
- Vocabulary: Short/long-term plans, milestones.
- Communication: Next week I’m meeting… / That will probably be difficult.
- Task: Calendar simulation (conflict resolution); e-mail “Appointment confirmation & outlook” (120–150 words).
Konjunktiv II (present) – politeness, irreality, wishes
- Grammar: würde + infinitive vs. synthetic forms (hätte, wäre, könnte); present-time regret.
- Vocabulary: Suggestions, advice, wish formulas.
- Communication: I’d recommend that you… / Could you possibly…?
- Task: Consultation hour role-play + 100-word written recommendation.
Konjunktiv II (past) (hätte/wäre + Partizip II) – regret & hypothesis
- Grammar: Irrealis in the past; missed opportunities; combined patterns with sollen/können (hätte … machen sollen).
- Vocabulary: Evaluating past events.
- Communication: If only I had started earlier… / I should have…
- Task: Video/blog comment “What I would have done differently” (two sections).
Subjunctive I/II: Functions of Wish, Doubt, Emotion, Influence
- Grammar: Subjunctive I (reported/indirect speech), Subjunctive II (wish / unreality / politeness).
- Vocabulary: Emotions, advice, expressions of doubt.
- Communication: If only …; it is said that … (he is …); it is recommended that …
- Task: Expert quotations → newspaper report: 12–15 sentences in indirect speech.
Unreal conditionals (Konjunktiv II) – present & past
- Present: If I had time, I would travel.
- Past: If I had studied more, … would have …
- Vocabulary: Hypotheses, Plan B/C.
- Communication: Weighing consequences, risk analysis.
- Task: Decision matrix + “what if” debate.
Conditional clauses Type I & II (realistic vs. unreal)
- Grammar: wenn + present → future/imperative (Type I) vs. wenn + Konj. II, würde … (Type II); also falls, sofern, unter der Bedingung, dass.
- Vocabulary: Everyday and project planning.
- Communication: Stating conditions, commitments/constraints: on the condition that…
- Task: Mini cooperation protocol (MOU draft) with 5 conditions.
German: für/wegen/um…zu/nach/zu (purpose, reason, direction)
- Grammar: für (recipient/purpose), wegen (reason; gen./dat.), um … zu (purpose infinitive), nach/zu/in (direction).
- Vocabulary: Travel, goals, justifications.
- Communication: … for …; Because of the weather…; … in order to …
- Task: Route with justifications; 8 sentences with um…zu.
Relative clauses (Relativsätze)
- Grammar: der/die/das, wer/was, derjenige, der …; das, was …; commas; case in the relative clause; preposition + relative pronoun (mit dem, über die).
- Vocabulary: Person/object definitions, technical specs.
- Communication: Precise definitions: The person who…; The device with which …
- Task: Product/person profile (≥5 relative clauses) + peer case check.
Comparatives & superlatives (incl. als, so … wie; boosters: weit, deutlich, bei Weitem)
- Grammar: Syntax of comparisons; irregular grading (gern → lieber → am liebsten); predicative vs. attributive.
- Vocabulary: Places, people, events, data/statistics language.
- Communication: Data-based argumentation: X is significantly cheaper than Y.
- Task: Mini-dossier with chart commentary (130–160 words).
Imperative (affirmative/negative) – du/Sie/ihr + politeness strategies
- Grammar: Formation; separable verbs in the imperative; negation: Don’t do that!; modal particles (doch, mal, bitte).
- Vocabulary: How-to/manual language, safety, service.
- Communication: Instructing, prohibiting, graded language in customer contact.
- Task: “How-to” clip (60–90 sec) + written step-by-step guide.
Reported speech & narrative perspective – Konjunktiv I/II + sequence of tenses
- Grammar: Tense sequence in reported speech (present/past/future), switching K I → K II when forms overlap; embedding after sagen, berichten, behaupten, meinen.
- Vocabulary: News, interviews, opinion pieces.
- Communication: Accurately conveying third-party statements: The expert said the figures were stable but would rise.
- Final tasks:
- News-based reading/listening → written summary in reported speech (180–220 words).
- Oral press-conference simulation (2–3 min per group).
Pragmatics & connectors (advanced): Cause–Purpose–Contrast–Condition
- Grammar: weil/da, damit/um…zu, obwohl/obgleich, trotzdem/dennoch, falls/sofern/unter der Bedingung, dass; sentence melody and V2/verb-final.
- Vocabulary: Connector signals in academic/business writing; argument markers (einerseits/andererseits, außerdem, jedoch, folglich).
- Communication & phrases:
- Meiner Ansicht nach … ; Einerseits …, andererseits … ; Aus diesem Grund … ; Trotz … + V2 …
- Errors & tips: obwohl vs trotzdem; damit vs um…zu (same subject → um…zu).
- Task/Performance: 180–200-word opinion piece (2 arguments + counter-argument) + peer feedback.
Passive voice: Vorgangspassiv & Zustandspassiv
- Grammar: werden + Part. II (event/process passive) vs. sein + Part. II (state passive); agent with von/durch; passive across tenses (pres./past/perf.).
- Vocabulary: Job ads, procedures, production/service processes.
- Communication & phrases:
- The goods are delivered. The door is closed. The e-mails were answered yesterday.
- Errors & tips: sein-passive ≠ Perfekt; avoid unnecessary agents; Part. II at the end.
- Task/Performance: Process diagram → written explanation in passive (120–150 words) + poster presentation.
Participial phrases, attributive clauses & nominalization
- Participial phrases, attributive clauses & nominalization
- Grammar: Partizip I/II adjective phrases (die im Ausland lebenden Studierenden / die gestern eingeschriebene Person); converting relative clause ↔ participial phrase; zu + infinitive nominalization (die Möglichkeit, … zu …).
- Vocabulary: Formal/report language, applications, academic phrases.
- Communication & phrases:
- Es besteht die Absicht, … zu … ; Die unten aufgeführten Punkte …
- Errors & tips: Adjective endings in participial phrases; commas; avoid overlong chains → split into two sentences.
- Task/Performance: Convert a paragraph with relative clauses into participial phrases + short motivation letter (140–170 words).
Word formation, idioms/collocations & register
- Grammar/Lexis: Prefixes/suffixes (un-, be-, ver-, -heit/-keit/-ung/-nis); typical B1–B2 collocations (Entscheidung treffen, in Betracht ziehen, Verantwortung übernehmen).
- Vocabulary: Formal–informal equivalents in work/education; tone shifting.
- Communication & phrases:
- Formal: Hiermit teile ich Ihnen mit … / Informal: Just a quick heads-up …
- Errors & tips: Word-for-word translation; wrong verb–noun combinations.
- Task/Performance: Collocation card game → two e-mail versions (formal vs. friendly), each with ≥6 correct collocations.
Exam prep & integrated performance (Final)
- Exam prep & integrated performance (Final)
- Grammar: Targeted program-wide review (Konjunktiv I/II, passive, connectors, relative clauses, sequence of tenses).
- Vocabulary: Closing individual gaps (health, work, education, travel).
- Communication & phrase sets: Presenting, comparing, justifying, counter-arguing, summarizing, reported speech.
Course topics B2.2
Review & Coherence
- Grammar: Tense overview (recent past/narrative past/habitual past) and text cohesion (connectors: moreover, furthermore, however, nevertheless, in this respect).
- Vocabulary: Study/work, learning biography, metalinguistic terms (thesis, relevance, evidence).
- Communication: Formulating learning goals; structured self-presentation (job–study–competences) with a clear throughline.
- Reading/Listening: Short feature (2–3 min) + abstract.
- Writing/Speaking: 120–150-word goal memo; 2-min reflection.
- In-class task: Mark cohesion devices in a sample text.
- Homework: 5 example sentences using however/nevertheless/etc.
- Evaluation: Diagnostic feedback (coherence, register, grammar).
Precise Past Narration
- Grammar: Preterite vs. Perfect (stylistic choice); pluperfect for flashbacks.
- Vocabulary: Narrative verbs; sequence adverbs (initially, subsequently, finally).
- Communication: Experience report with flashback.
- Reading/Listening: Reportage excerpt.
- Writing/Speaking: 180–200-word narrative including a flashback.
- Task: Arrange events on a timeline.
- Homework: 8 sentences mixing main timeline + flashback.
- Evaluation: Peer check for tense consistency.
Habit vs. Single Event in the Past
- Grammar: Habit markers (formerly, usually) vs. punctual actions; aspect (start, continue, stop).
- Vocabulary: Childhood/socialization; routines.
- Communication: Then-vs-now contrasts.
- Reading/Listening: Opinion piece “Back then and now”.
- Writing/Speaking: Two 45-sec mini-podcasts with contrasts.
- Task: Fix unnecessary perfect forms.
- Homework: 10 sentences (habit vs. event).
- Evaluation: Spot check (aspect marking).
Comparison & Evaluation
- Grammar: Comparison (comparative/superlative), than/as, the more…the more, punctuation in comparison clauses.
- Vocabulary: Evaluation lexis (crucial, formative, marginal).
- Communication: Nuanced compare/contrast (pros/cons).
- Reading/Listening: Test report/ranking.
- Writing/Speaking: 200-word comparison article.
- Task: Argument kit (claim–evidence–example).
- Homework: 6 “the more…the more” sentences.
- Evaluation: “Argument depth” rubric.
Pluperfect & Causality in Retrospect
- Grammar: Pluperfect + causal/final clauses (because/since, so that); cause–effect chains.
- Vocabulary: Causes, triggers, consequences.
- Communication: Causal storytelling (“Why did X happen?”).
- Reading/Listening: Case analysis.
- Writing/Speaking: Cause–effect diagram + 150-word conclusion.
- Task: Turn bullet points into a causal paragraph.
- Homework: 2 mini cases (6–8 sentences each).
- Evaluation: Learning journal.
Clear & Realistic Future
- Grammar: Future I (intention/assumption); present for scheduled future.
- Vocabulary: Project-management language.
- Communication: Project pitch (SMART goals).
- Reading/Listening: Project announcement.
- Writing/Speaking: One-page project outline.
- Task: Define goal metrics.
- Homework: 8 future vs. present-tense sentences.
- Evaluation: Goal-clarity checklist.
Completed Future & Deadlines
- Grammar: Future II (completed by a future point); modal particles (likely, surely).
- Vocabulary: Milestones, deliverables.
- Communication: Forecasts with justification.
- Reading/Listening: Short business news.
- Writing/Speaking: 8 forecast sentences + brief reasons.
- Task: Timeline “By Q4 we will have …”.
- Homework: 120-word status report (Future II).
- Evaluation: Form/content accuracy.
Conditional Strategies I (Real/Neutral)
- Grammar: If/Provided that (real conditions), on condition that.
- Vocabulary: Condition, constraint, risk.
- Communication: Negotiating conditions.
- Reading/Listening: Simplified contract excerpt.
- Writing/Speaking: 2-min negotiation simulation.
- Task: Condition → action matrix.
- Homework: 6 real conditional sentences.
- Evaluation: Peer feedback (clarity).
Conditional Strategies II (Irrealis/Counterfactual)
- Grammar: Subjunctive II present/past (would/would have); regret; face-saving criticism.
- Vocabulary: Hypothesis, speculation.
- Communication: “What if …?” alternative scenarios.
- Reading/Listening: Editorial.
- Writing/Speaking: 180-word “lessons learned” text.
- Task: Clean up mixed/incorrect forms.
- Homework: 8 counterfactual conditionals.
- Evaluation: Grammar target hit/partly/not yet.
Degrees of Possibility & Evidentiality
- Grammar: Modal verbs of inference (must/might/could etc.) + evidential adverbs/particles (probably, allegedly, apparently).
- Vocabulary: Evidence markers.
- Communication: Calibrating uncertainty.
- Reading/Listening: News analysis.
- Writing/Speaking: Briefing with three evidence levels.
- Task: Rewrite a headline in three evidential strengths.
- Homework: 6 sentences (modal + evidential adverb).
- Evaluation: Mini-quiz.
Subjective Meaning of Tense/Modality
- Grammar: Past + modal of inference (must have happened, could have occurred); non-factivity.
- Vocabulary: Interpretation, plausibility.
- Communication: Reconstructing scenarios.
- Reading/Listening: Crime-fiction excerpt.
- Writing/Speaking: Present two hypothesis paths.
- Task: Fill an evidence pyramid.
- Homework: 150-word reconstruction.
- Evaluation: Peer rubric.
Stance & Subordination: That/Whether-Clauses
- Grammar: that/whether clauses; reported speech (Subjunctive I baseline at B2.2); quoting + sourcing.
- Vocabulary: Discourse markers (in my view, according to…).
- Communication: Separating claim vs. source.
- Reading/Listening: Interview excerpt.
- Writing/Speaking: 180-word news piece with quotes (Rep. Speech).
- Task: Paraphrasing workshop for quotes.
- Homework: Convert 8 sentences into reported speech.
- Evaluation: Are target forms used correctly?
Relative Clauses & Precision
- Grammar: Relative clauses (with prepositions); whose (dessen/deren equivalents).
- Vocabulary: Specifiers (specific, pertinent, relevant).
- Communication: Building precise reference chains.
- Reading/Listening: Specialist text passage.
- Writing/Speaking: Product/program brief using relatives.
- Task: Disambiguate ambiguous sentences.
- Homework: 10 relative-clause sentences.
- Evaluation: Comprehensibility test.
Causal & Consecutive Networks
- Grammar: because/since vs. therefore/thus; so … that.
- Vocabulary: Cause–effect; intensity (significant, negligible).
- Communication: Building an argument chain.
- Reading/Listening: Short essay.
- Writing/Speaking: 200-word cause→effect essay.
- Task: Transformations: because ↔ therefore; so … that.
- Homework: Mind map of factors & outcomes.
- Evaluation: Logic check.
Concession & Contrast
- Grammar: although/even if; adversatives (however, whereas, nonetheless).
- Vocabulary: Limitation, objection, counterexample.
- Communication: Integrating polite objections.
- Reading/Listening: Debate excerpt.
- Writing/Speaking: Mini-debate with role cards.
- Task: 6 sentences: claim + concessive turn.
- Homework: 170-word comment with counterargument.
- Evaluation: Discourse balance.
Conditional Type III (Past) & Critique
- Grammar: If + pluperfect, would/could have + past participle; alternative with with + noun (“with proper planning…”).
- Vocabulary: Error culture; retrospective consequences.
- Communication: Constructive critique / post-mortem.
- Reading/Listening: Project case.
- Writing/Speaking: “What would we have done differently?” – 200 words.
- Task: Root-cause tree (5 Whys).
- Homework: 8 type-III conditionals.
- Evaluation: Target structure accuracy.
Advanced Reported Speech (Backshifting)
- Grammar: Subjunctive I/II in reported speech with sequence of tenses; backshifting for unverifiable claims.
- Vocabulary: Reporting, distancing.
- Communication: Rewriting a press release.
- Reading/Listening: Quote → report.
- Writing/Speaking: 180-word report using Subj. I/II.
- Task: Sprint: direct → reported transformations.
- Homework: 10 sentences with correct tense sequence.
- Evaluation: Source/stance marking.
Style, Register & Metadiscourse
- Grammar: Nominal vs. verbal style; passive variants (process/result) to objectify; polite/subjunctive forms.
- Vocabulary: Academic/professional register.
- Communication: Writing objectively; flagging evaluation.
- Reading/Listening: Abstract + discussion.
- Writing/Speaking: 220-word abstract/executive summary.
- Task: Sentence densification (verb → noun).
- Homework: 6 passive transformations + 6 register adjustments.
- Evaluation: Style checklist.
Comprehensive Review & Simulation
- Grammar: Review target areas (Subj. II, Conditional III, relatives, causal/consecutive, reported speech, Future II).
- Vocabulary: Cross-topic discourse moves (summarize, contextualize, give perspective).
- Communication: Exam simulation (L/S/R/W).
- Reading/Listening: Mixed task bank.
- Writing/Speaking: 220–250-word practice essay + 8-min speaking.
- Task: Peer feedback using exam rubric.
- Homework: Personal gap list + micro-drills.
- Evaluation: Individual goal agreement.
Final & Looking toward C1
- Grammar/Vocab: Targeted fine-tuning.
- Communication: Final assessment (oral/written) + reflection.
- Reading/Listening: Short mixed test.
- Writing/Speaking: 230–260-word final essay + 3–4-min presentation.
- Task: Course retrospective (start–now–goal).
- Homework: C1 transition plan (materials, routines).
- Evaluation: Detailed feedback + portfolio close.