Download How to Improve your Marks

Your GCSE Spanish Foundation Writing Exam:
How to Improve your Marks
Remember you are being tested on the accuracy of your writing,
therefore spelling and accents do matter, as do verbs, genders and
agreements.
- Question 1: Vocab question – Follow the example given, ie: if there is no gender given,
you don’t need to write one (especially don’t write one and get it wrong if you don’t need
to!). Remember to check spelling carefully and don’t throw away marks on this easy
question.
- Question 2: Verb question – This question will normally be asking for the present tense
but read it carefully to be sure. You will be asked to supply the 3rd person singular of a
mixture of regular, radical-changing and common irregular verbs, as well as the 1st person
singular (yo form) for the last part of the question. Remember, the 3rd person singular of
–AR verbs ends in –a and of -ER and -IR verbs in –e. Revise and learn the common
irregulars like ser, estar, ir, hacer and radical-changers like jugar, pensar, volver. Check
carefully at the end.
- Question 3: Message question – Write a message of about 30 words in Spanish. The
most important thing here is to be sure you cover every point in the question. There will
normally be 3 or 4 points to cover so this means you must write 3 sentences of 10 words or
4 of about 8 words. You need not write any more but you cannot cover all parts of the
question in less. Read the questions in Spanish, translate them in your head and think of a
simple way of answering them. Remember to take your cue about the tense from the
question: do you need to write about the present (what’s happening now or what normally
happens) or the future (what will happen, eg I’m going to go out: voy a salir)? Check
carefully at the end.
- Question 4a or 4b: Letter question – You can choose one or the other but don’t do both!
Write a letter of about 70-80 words in Spanish. Read the letter carefully as you may be
able to use it as a guide for your own answer. Again, the most important thing is to answer
every point in the question. You will not be penalised by writing more but you cannot cover
all parts of the question in less. The letter may be in the present or future tense but
most commonly will be in the preterite tense. Read the question carefully to check.
REMEMBER:
- Set the letter out correctly. Write the date in Spanish at top right, then ¡Hola! at
top left. End the letter with Un abrazo or similar written in the centre of the page
and your name.
- Use the correct tense, usually the preterite tense, all the way through.
-
-
-
Use some time expressions we have learnt if relevant, eg: el año pasado, el jueves
pasado. Don’t forget por la mañana, por la tarde is in the morning or in the evening and
el sábado is on Saturday (definitely not en and sur!).
Use some link words if you can: y of course plus pero = but, también, además = also, sin
embargo = however, entonces = then, luego = next, primero = first (of all), finalmente =
finally, etc
qualify your nouns, ie: use adjectives to describe things but don’t forget to make
them agree!
qualify the adjectives as well, ie: use muy or bastante.
These last 3 points not only make the writing more interesting and natural, they also
use up words so you don’t have to write another sentence!
Once you have finished this question you must CHECK IT CAREFULLY! This is not wasted
time, it is ESSENTIAL! Everybody (even teachers!) needs to check work after they have
written it. Check it over several times for different things:
-
Check each verb: is it in the right tense? Do you need the perfect, present or
future here? Look at the question again to be sure.
Check each noun: is it spelt right with correct accents? Is the gender right?
Check each adjective: does it agree with the noun? eg: Tiene los ojos marrones.
Now the most important check: HAVE YOU ANSWERED ALL POINTS OF THE
QUESTION ASKED? (ie: not the question you expected but that isn’t there!)
Once you have checked this, CHECK IT AGAIN!
By now, your answer should be (nearly) perfect!
¡Buena Suerte!
Your GCSE Spanish Higher Writing Exam:
How to Improve your Marks
For the Higher Writing, you do two questions: Q1a or Q1b which is the same as the final
question in the Foundation paper, plus Q2a or Q2b, a longer essay of approximately 150
words. Read the instructions carefully and follow all the advice given above and elsewhere.
Use a variety of tenses correctly – know when to vary the preterite by using the
imperfect, or imperfect continuous, pluperfect or even the perfect, if relevant; the
conditional and future and possibly a subjunctive or two, if you are confident. Look for
opportunities to show off this knowledge plus the “hispanisms” and special constructions
we have covered. Keep your writing accurate, relevant and avoid long, boring monologues.