How to impress at GCSE Spanish Writing (and Speaking) Remember the general advice you have been given elsewhere: -

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once you have finished writing, CHECK it rigorously and systematically, SEVERAL TIMES OVER for mistakes in verbs: correct endings for person, tense; nouns: accents, gender; adjectives: agreements ensure that you have answered all parts of the question and not repeated yourself use a variety of verbs and tenses: eg, the present and preterite. Try to vary this by using imperfect, imperfect continuous (estaba ..... –ando, -iendo) or perfect tense. Include some negatives: no, no .. nunca, no .. nada use a variety of nouns, correctly spelled, with accents if necessary and correct genders and articles use a variety of adjectives to qualify your nouns, ensuring they agree. Use comparatives and superlatives use connectives, eg: entonces, además, por eso, sin embargo, con respecto a use time expressions, eg: a veces, a menudo, siempre, el martes, por lo general express your opinion and justify it include a few “Hispanisms” and special constructions, shown below: Español

exclamations: ¡qué rollo! ¡qué rico! acabar de: acabo (-a) de + inf. acababa de + inf. soler: suelo (-e) + inf. solaba + inf. present / imperfect continuous: estar + gerund (-ando, -iendo): estoy (está) trabajando, comiendo estaba trabajando, comiendo since: llevar + gerund: llevo (lleva) 2 años tocando la guitarra since: present + hace que: hace 2 años que toco (toca) la guitarra sigo (sigue) hablando se puede se debe lo que ... lo bueno/malo es que .... se vende (-n) tener que tener ganas de me gusta (-n), me gustaría los demás hay, había, habrá me (se) cuesta

etc, etc ....

Inglés what a drag! how delicious! I have (he has) just I had (he) just I (he) usually .... I (he) used to .... I am (in the process of) working, eating I was ( “ ) working, eating I’ve (he’s) been playing the guitar for 2 years (“) I (he) carry (-ies) on / continue (-s) talking you can you must what .... the good (bad) thing is that ..... (we sell) for sale / sold here to have to to feel like I like, would like other people there is, was, will be I (he) find (-s) it difficult to etc .....

Checklist for GCSE Spanish Writing What to include: Tick 3 when done

1. 2. 3. 4.

Variety of nouns Variety of verbs Different verb tenses Variety of adjectives,

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Some connectives Some intensifiers Some time phrases Your opinions and reasons Some negatives, not just no Some “Hispanisms” and special constructions

including comparative

and superlative

Checklist for when you have finished writing ... What to check:

1. 2. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

All parts of all questions answered No repetition All spellings correct, including accents Verbs correct for person and tense Nouns have correct gender and articles Adjectives agree with their nouns No words missed out You have included all items in the list above You have checked the above SEVERAL

TIMES!

Tick 3 when done