Lesson 16 · A2–B1

Online exercises for Lesson 16: Comparison of adjectives and adverbs and the Plusquamperfekt

These 7 practice blocks cover the lesson's main grammar points. Every entry is checked immediately, while progress is stored only in your browser. Practise the comparative, the superlative, comparisons with wie and als, and the Plusquamperfekt with hatte or war.

What you will practise on this page

  1. Forming comparison forms: Give the comparative and the uninflected superlative for each word.
  2. The superlative in sentences: Insert the correct superlative form of the word in brackets.
  3. wie or als?: Use wie for equal qualities and als after a comparative.
  4. Building comparisons: Write the complete sentence in German.
  5. The auxiliary in the Plusquamperfekt: Insert the correct Präteritum form of haben or sein.
  6. Building the Plusquamperfekt: Supply the auxiliary and the past participle.
  7. Two actions in the past: Write the complete sentence. Put the earlier action in the Plusquamperfekt.

How to use the exercises

Read the instruction and example first, then enter only the requested German form or complete sentence. Extra spaces, dash variants, and missing final punctuation are normalised; capitalisation still matters for isolated German nouns.

Open the grammar explanation for this lesson

All tasks and answers at a glance

All 7 practice blocks of this lesson with 37 tasks to read through – handy for revision without typing and for printing. The answers stay collapsed until you open them.

16.1 · Forming comparison forms

Give the comparative and the uninflected superlative for each word.

  1. klein — small Komparativ · Superlativ
  2. alt — old Komparativ · Superlativ
  3. teuer — expensive Komparativ · Superlativ
  4. gut — good Komparativ · Superlativ
  5. hoch — high Komparativ · Superlativ
Show answers
  1. Komparativ — kleiner Superlativ — am kleinsten
  2. Komparativ — älter Superlativ — am ältesten
  3. Komparativ — teurer Superlativ — am teuersten
  4. Komparativ — besser Superlativ — am besten
  5. Komparativ — höher Superlativ — am höchsten

16.2 · The superlative in sentences

Insert the correct superlative form of the word in brackets.

  1. This route is the shortest. (kurz): Dieser Weg ist _____.
  2. That is the oldest building in the city. (alt): Das ist das _____ Gebäude in der Stadt.
  3. She is the fastest female runner in the club. (schnell): Sie ist die _____ Läuferin im Verein.
  4. This problem is the most difficult. (schwer): Dieses Problem ist _____.
  5. He is the youngest of the brothers. (jung): Er ist der _____ der Brüder.
Show answers
  1. am kürzesten
  2. älteste
  3. schnellste
  4. am schwersten
  5. jüngste

16.3 · wie or als?

Use wie for equal qualities and als after a comparative.

  1. He is as tall as I am: Er ist so groß _____ ich.
  2. This car is more expensive than that one: Dieses Auto ist teurer _____ jenes.
  3. She runs as fast as her brother: Sie läuft ebenso schnell _____ ihr Bruder.
  4. This book is not as expensive as that book: Dieses Buch ist nicht so teuer _____ jenes Buch.
  5. My brother is older than I am: Mein Bruder ist älter _____ ich.
  6. This room is just as bright as the other one: Dieses Zimmer ist genauso hell _____ das andere.
Show answers
  1. wie
  2. als
  3. wie
  4. wie
  5. als
  6. wie

16.4 · Building comparisons

Write the complete sentence in German.

  1. My brother is two years older than I am.
  2. This room is just as bright as the other one.
  3. I like drinking water most of all.
  4. She is the fastest of all.
  5. The jacket is not as expensive as the coat.
Show answers
  1. Mein Bruder ist zwei Jahre älter als ich.
  2. Dieses Zimmer ist genauso hell wie das andere.
  3. Am liebsten trinke ich Wasser. (also accepted: Ich trinke am liebsten Wasser.)
  4. Sie ist die schnellste von allen.
  5. Die Jacke ist nicht so teuer wie der Mantel.

16.5 · The auxiliary in the Plusquamperfekt

Insert the correct Präteritum form of haben or sein.

  1. I had written the letter: Ich _____ den Brief geschrieben.
  2. You had already left: Du _____ schon gegangen.
  3. We had arrived late: Wir _____ spät angekommen.
  4. You had read the text: Ihr _____ den Text gelesen.
  5. She had done the task: Sie (= she) _____ die Aufgabe gemacht.
  6. The children had fallen asleep: Die Kinder _____ eingeschlafen.
Show answers
  1. hatte
  2. warst
  3. waren
  4. hattet
  5. hatte
  6. waren

16.6 · Building the Plusquamperfekt

Supply the auxiliary and the past participle.

  1. ich / machen — I had done Hilfsverb · Partizip II
  2. er / kommen — he had come Hilfsverb · Partizip II
  3. wir / lesen — we had read Hilfsverb · Partizip II
  4. du / gehen — you had left Hilfsverb · Partizip II
  5. ihr / helfen — you had helped Hilfsverb · Partizip II
Show answers
  1. Hilfsverb — hatte Partizip II — gemacht
  2. Hilfsverb — war Partizip II — gekommen
  3. Hilfsverb — hatten Partizip II — gelesen
  4. Hilfsverb — warst Partizip II — gegangen
  5. Hilfsverb — hattet Partizip II — geholfen

16.7 · Two actions in the past

Write the complete sentence. Put the earlier action in the Plusquamperfekt.

  1. First she ate, then she went for a walk. Begin with Nachdem.
  2. I called him; before that he had already come home. Begin with Als.
  3. He told me that he had helped his aunt. Join the clauses with dass.
  4. The film began; before that we had found our seats. Begin with Bevor.
  5. The train departed; afterwards we arrived at the station. Begin with Nachdem.
Show answers
  1. Nachdem sie gegessen hatte, ging sie spazieren.
  2. Als ich ihn anrief, war er schon nach Hause gekommen.
  3. Er erzählte mir, dass er seiner Tante geholfen hatte.
  4. Bevor der Film begann, hatten wir die Plätze gefunden.
  5. Nachdem der Zug abgefahren war, kamen wir am Bahnhof an.