10 tips to get a top grade in your GCSE Spanish writing exam!

1) Use two tenses in the same sentence:

Impress the examiner by using two different tenses in the same sentence. For example, you could use both the preterite and imperfect tenses:

E.g. Fuimos a San Sebastián que era bonito pero bastante caro.
We went to San Sebastian which was pretty but quite expensive.

2) Create more complex sentences by linking with “donde” or “cuando”:

E.g. Pasé el verano en un pueblo en el sur de Francia donde tengo unos amigos.
I spent the summer in a village in the south of France where I have friends.

3) Refer to other people:

Talk about a variety of people by changing the subject of the sentence. Make sure you use the correct verb ending.

E.g. A mí me gusta nadar pero mi amiga prefiere jugar al voleibol.
I like swimming but my friend prefers to play volleyball.

4) Use a variety of connectives such as:

También (also), además (moreover), pero (but), sin embargo (however), por eso / por lo tanto (therefore), así que (so), entonces (then), luego (later), aunque (although), aún (even), antes, (before), después (after), por ejemplo (for example), tal como (such as) and so on.

5) Use exclamation expressions to show surprise, fear, happiness etc.:

¡Qué horror! – How awful!
¡Qué miedo! – How scary!
¡Qué bien! – Great!
¡Qué suerte! – How lucky!
¡Qué pena! – What a shame!

6) Use the subjunctive.

Try to include a subjunctive verb if possible. Easy ways to use the subjunctive involve the following expressions:

Es importante que … (It is important that …)
Es probable que … (It is likely that …)
Espero que … (I hope that …)
Quiero que … (I want …)
No creo que … (I don’t believe that …)

7) Remember to justify your opinions:

E.g. Me encanta viajar a otros países para practicar la lengua y para conocer otras culturas.
I love travelling to other countries to practice the language and to learn about other cultures.

8) Use a wide range of vocabulary, show off to the examiner just how many different words you know!

9) Use a variety of opinions phrases, don’t just stick to “Pienso que…” (I think that …):

Creo que – I believe that
Opino que – I give the opinion that
A mi modo de ver – As I see it
En mi opinión – In my opinion
Me parece que – It seems to me that
Para mí –  As for me
(No) Estoy de acuerdo – I agree (I don’t agree)
Me molesta que – It bothers me that
No aguanto – I can’t stand
No soporto – I can’t tolerate

10) Use comparative structures.

Más + adjective + que:

Mi hermano es más trabajador que yo.
My brother is more hardworking than me.

Menos + adjective + que:

E.g. Mi amiga Ana es menos habladora que yo.
My friend Ana is less talkative than me.

• Make sure the adjective agrees with the noun it is describing.

Tan + adjective + como: (as … as):

E.g. La chaqueta es tan cara como el abrigo.
The jacket is as expensive as the coat.

Tanto/a/os/as + noun + como: (as much/many as):

Hay tantos pisos como casas.
There are as many flats as houses.

Superlative strucutres: The most/least … of all:

E.g. Es el estudiante más trabajador de la clase.
He is the most hard-working student in the class.

E.g. El español es la asignatura más fácil de todas.
Spanish is the easiest subject of all.

¡Suerte a todos!