0

Spanish GCSE for the (Un)enthusiastic – What is it and what do I need to know? ~~~~~~ OR ~~~~~~

How to Get at least a C Grade in Spanish GCSE with the Minimum Effort

1 GCSE SPANISH LISTENING AND READING REVISION CHECKLIST Reading and listening exams are on 15th May in the morning

Lifestyle Health • Healthy and unhealthy lifestyles and their consequences Relationships and Choices • Relationships with family and friends • Future plans regarding: marriage/partnership • Social issues and equality Leisure Free Time and the Media • Free time activities • Shopping, money, fashion and trends • Advantages and disadvantages of new technology Holidays • Plans, preferences, experiences • What to see and getting around Home and Environment Home and Local Area • Special occasions celebrated in the home • Home, town, neighbourhood and region, where it is and what it is like Environment • Current problems facing the planet • Being environmentally friendly within the home and local area Work and Education School/College and Future Plans • What school/college is like • Pressures and problems Current and Future Jobs • Looking for and getting a job • Advantages and disadvantages of different jobs

2

Listening Exam

Your listening exam may last for around 25 mins to 45 minutes. You'll be asked to listen to a cassette or CD in Spanish and you will have to answer questions in English or Spanish. This is really important… In fact, let’s say that more loudly: This

is really important: If the question is in English, answer in English; if it is in Spanish, answer in Spanish. If you answer in the wrong language, you won’t get the mark. Did you get that? You won’t get the mark. You will be allowed to study the questions before the recording plays. You will hear each extract twice. To answer some questions, you will be asked to:     

tick to show you’ve got the correct answer state whether an answer is true or false (Verdadero ou falso, in Spanish) write a letter or number to indicate the correct answer write a word or phrase in Spanish or English (see above) complete a sentence

You don’t have to answer in full sentences, but make sure that you include all the details you have been asked for. There will be a number by each question to show how many marks are available. Use this as a guide to how much to answer. Now there are certain things to remember about a Listening exam, which may seem obvious, but which are ever so easy to forget. 1.

2.

It’s a Listening exam so it’s a good idea to listen. If you don’t, you’ll lose where you are and it will all go horribly wrong. It’s not easy to lose where you are because the recording is very clear, but if you start daydreaming about what you’re going to do with your mates at the weekend, it is possible. When you have your chance to read through the paper, try and think what you might expect to hear. If you’re in a doctor’s surgery, for example, might it be about something wrong with someone? What treatment would they receive? How long might they have had this ailment? Logic can take you a long way.

3 3.

Don’t leave any gaps! At all! Ever! Think about it. If you guess, you have a chance of getting it right. Especially if you’ve done 1. and 2. A blank space never got a mark.

Linked Vocabulary – Okay. This is really important for the Listening and the Reading exam. In the text you have to listen to or read there will be words which you will be expected to know. They will not be the same words which crop up in the questions on the paper, but they will be linked in some way, either they will be synonyms or they will be related in meaning.

Once you’ve got the hang of this, you will find it very, very, VERY helpful. Instituto– colegio- escuela aprender (school, school, primary school, to learn) La natación- nadar - piscina- traje de baño (swimming – to swim – swimming pool – costume)

la equitación- el caballo

El ciclismo- hacer/practicar el ciclismo- ir en bici- la bici(cleta) (cycling, do/go cycling, go by bike, bike/bicycle

El invierno- frío- diciembre- temperaturas bajo cero - Navidad (Winter,cold, December, temperature below zero)

Interesante- mucho que hacer- emocionante (interesting, a lot to do, exciting) Discutir - conversación- comunicacion- hablar (to discuss – conversation – communication-to talk)

difícil - complicado (difficult, complicated)

4

largo- dura mucho tiempo (long, it takes a long time)

El deporte- take your pick !!! Los ordinadores- navegar por internet- juegos – informática (computers, search the internet, games, I.T. – don’t forget the alternative word for the internet is “la red”)

La lectura- leer - libros - revistas- novelas (Reading, to read, books, magazines, novels)

conducir- ir en coche- el coche- automóvil - conductor- (to drive, go by car, the car, car, driver) lluvia- lluvioso – llover-llueve (rain, rainy, to rain, it’s raining) hace buen tiempo – hace sol- brillar – brilla – está brillando (it’s good weather, it’s sunny, to shine, it shines, it’s shining) el desayuno- la mañana (breakfast – morning)

comer- to eat in general or eat lunch

cenar- to dine (evening only)

Comer - comida- platos (to eat , meal/food, dishes)

beber- bebida (to drink, a drink)

joyería- joyas- los pendientes- un collar- un anillo (jewellery, jewels, earrings, necklace, ring) verano- julio- agosto - las vacaciones – (summer, July, August, holidays)

5

Invierno- diciembre- Navidad - frío

Televisor, Televisión- la pantalla- el programa (televisión, televisión, screen, programme)

Cine- una pelicula- (Cinema, film)

Los deberes- el trabajo- los estudios (homework, work, studies)

Playa- banarse - nadar- broncear- arena (beach, to swim, to swim, sunbathe, sand)

difícil = no es fácil ( Beware of negatives+ opposite !)

aburrido- no es interesante ( Beware of negatives+ opposite !)

Future tense time flags: el año próximo = el año que viene - En dos años (next year, next year, in two years’ time

past tense time flags: el año pasado - hace dos anos (last year, two years ago)

Add any more examples which you come across here:

6

Reading Exam

Your reading exam may last for around 35 mins to 1 hour. You'll be asked to read information in Spanish and you may have to answer questions in both English or Spanish. And again – what we said about the Listening exam…This is really important… In fact, let’s say that more loudly: This is really important: If the question is in English, answer in English; if

it is in Spanish, answer in Spanish. If you answer in the wrong language, you won’t get the mark. Did you get that? You won’t get the mark. To answer some questions, you will be asked to:     

tick to show you’ve got the correct answer state whether an answer is true or false (verdadero ou falso, in French) write a letter or number to indicate the correct answer write a word or phrase in Spanish or English (see above) complete a sentence

You don’t have to answer in full sentences, but make sure that you include all the details you have been asked for. There will be a number by each question to show how many marks are available. Use this as a guide to how much to answer. A couple of pointers: 1.

It’s a Reading exam so (and you know what we’re going to say here, don’t you?) it’s a good

idea to read the text. Yes, we know that you’re not going to understand every word, but we hope that you’ll have learned in class to pick

out important words. Don’t look at a big block of text and go

Aaarghh! You might not need more than one or two words to be able to understand what you need to understand in order to get the marks. If you don’t get it the first time, read it again. The important stuff is there and you can find it. Honest, guv, you can. 2.

And again – the gap thing we mentioned about the listening exam. Don’t!

7

8

Vocabulary Or All the Spanish Words You Learned… But Forgot Everyone should be able to do the following. And I mean everyone; you, your friends, your maths teacher, the postman... everyone. 

give a greeting - Hola!



Ask for something – Me gustaría, quisiera…



Ask how much something costs Cuánto cuesta…..?



Say thank-you – Gracias! – and goodbye – A!

Questions : Yes, I know we’ve done these elsewhere, but just in case... because you really, REALLY, REALLY need to know them. ¿Quién ? ¿Qué … ? ¿Cuándo …? ¿Dónde? ¿Por qué … ? ¿Cómo …? ¿Cuánto …? ¿Cuántos …?

Who ? What ? When ? Where ? Why ? How? How much? How many?

9

Top Ten vocabulary: The big hitters. Stuff you will need ALL THE TIME, for ALL FOUR SKILLS: Learn these, or else… Me gustaría

I would like

Quiero

I want + infinitive

Puedo

I can + infinitive

Hay

There is/are

¿Tiene(s)?

Do you have?

¿Cuánto cuesta?

How much is that?

Hay que/No hay que

You have to/it’s necessary to /you don’t have to... + infinitive

Debe(s)/tiene(s) que

You have to + infinitive

Creo que

I think that

Los días de la semana

Days of the Week

lunes martes miércoles jueves viernes sábado domingo

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

And… la semana pasada hace cuatro días ayer hoy Mañana En cuatro días La semana próxima/la semana que viene

Last week Four days ago Yesterday Today Tomorrow In four days Next week

Los meses

Months

enero febrero

January February

10 marzo abríl mayo junio julio agosto septiembre octubre noviembre diciembre

March April May June July August September October November December

Las Estaciones

Seasons

primavera verano otono invierno

spring summer autumn winter

Las fiestas

Holidays

el ano nuevo feliz año nuevo La semana santa Pascua Navidad Feliz Navidad Las vacaciones buenas vacaciones! Cumpleaños Feliz Cumpleaños

New Year Happy New Year Holy Week (Easter) Easter Christmas Merry Christmas! summer holidays Happy Holidays! birthday Happy Birthday !

La hora

Time

Es la una a la una Son las dos Son las once Es mediodía Son las dieziocho horas Es medianoche

It’s one o’clock at one o’clock It’s two o’clock It’s eleven o’clock It’s midday It’s six in the evening (24 hour clock) It’s midnight

Son las cuatro y cuarto Son las tres y media Son las diez menos cuarto Es la una y media Son las cinco veinte Son las seis menos diez Son las siete menos veinticinco

It’s quarter past four It’s half past three It’s quarter to ten in the evening It’s one thirty It’s five twenty It’s ten to six It’s twenty-five to seven

11 In order to say ‘at’ a particular time, write or say ‘a’ instead of ‘es/son.

Los Números

Numbers

uno dos tres cuatro cinco seis siete ocho nuevo diez once doce trece catorce quince dieciséis Diecisiete dieciocho diecinueve veinte veintiuno veintidós treinta cuarenta cincuenta sesenta setenta setenta y uno ochenta noventa cien mil mil novecientos ochenta y cuatro dos mil catorce

one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty twenty-one twenty-two thirty forty fifty sixty seventy seventy-one eighty ninety one hundred thousand 1984 2014

Time Phrases hoy manana ayer anteayer recientemente pronto usualmente a menudo/frecuentemente normalmentw de vez en cuando

today tomorrow yesterday the day before yesterday recently soon usually often normally from time to time

12 siempre

always

Adjectives / adverbs Here are some common adjectives: Masculine

Feminine

Grande

grande

Meaning big, large;

Pequeño

Pequeña

small, little

Despacio

Despacia

Slow

Rápido

Rápida

Fast

Hermoso

Hermosa

good-looking, beautiful

Guapo

Guapa

Pretty

Viejo

Vieja

Old

Anciano

Anciana

Elderly

Nuevo

Nueva

New

Peligroso

Peligrosa

dangerous

Fácil

Fácil

Simple

Complicado Complicada complicated Inglés

Inglesa

English

Francés

Francesa

French

Aburrido

Aburrida

Boring

Favorito

Favorita

favo(u)rite

Contento

Contenta

Happy

Triste

Triste

Sad

Roto

Rota

Broken

Enfermo

Enferma

ill, poorly

Muerto

Muerta

Dead

Basic verbs Compro

I buy

Ayudo

I help

Me gusta

I like

Aprendo

I learn, I'm learning

Empiezo/comienzo I start, begin Entiendo

I understand

Continuo

I continue

Ceno

I have dinner

Doy

I give

13 Duermo

I sleep

Espero

I hope

estudio

I'm studying

Escucho

I listen (to)

Vivo en

I live (in)

Como

I eat

Limpio

I clean

Hablo

I speak, talk

Pago

I pay (for), I'll pay (for)

Pienso (que)

I think (that)

Presento

I present, introduce

Tomo

I take; I'll have, eat, take

Miro

I watch

Termino/acabo

I finish

Trabajo

I work, am working

Encuentro

I find

Vendo

I sell

Veo

I see, can see

Viajo (en)

I travel (by)

Basic Vocab Con mis amigos

with my friends

Dinero

money

En el banco

In the bank

Mantequilla

Butter

Una bebida

a drink

El brazo

the arm, my arm, his/her arm etc

La oficina

the office

Regalo

a present

un café

a coffee

la caja

the checkout, till

El menú

the menu; the map; the card

Una habitación

a bedroom / hotel room

El caballo

the horse

El pelo

the hair, my hair, his hair etc

Un perro

a dog

La llave

the key

14 Mi amigo/novio

my/a (male) friend; my boyfriend

Mi amiga/novia

my/a (female) friend; my girlfriend

¿(de qué) color es?

(what) colo(u)r is it?

un cuchillo

a knife

una cuchara

a spoon

Me ducho/voy a ducharme

(I'm having/I'll have) a shower

Al colegio

(at) school

Un niño/una niña

a child

Gasolina

some petrol/"gas"

Dolor del estomago

stomach (ache)

Una hija

a daughter

Un hijo

a son

Un tenedor

a fork

en España

in Spain

Patatas fritas

some chips, fries

Queso

Cheese

En el hotel

In the hotel

(una buena ) idea

(a good) idea

El periódico

the newspaper

Leche

Milk

un libro

a book

Una cebolla

an onion

Una tienda

a shop

la casa; en casa

the house/home; at home

un médico

a doctor

El mar

the sea, seaside

Una nota

a schoolmark; a note

Comida

Food

Huevos

Eggs

Pan

Bread

Pantalones

a pair of trousers

Manzanas

Apples

Patatas

Potatoes

En la playa

At the beach/seaside

Mi profe(sor)/a

my teacher

la clase

Class

El cuarto de baño

the bathroom

El jabón

the soap

(Mi) hermana

(my) sister

15 Azúcar

some sugar

La televisión

the TV

Un sello

a stamp

El dolor de cabeza

head(ache)

(¿dónde están) los servicios ? (where are) the toilets, (where is) the toilet (on) holiday, vacation (de) vacaciones La maleta

the suitcase

Carne

Meat

La ciudad

the town

Un coche

a car

Los vecinos

the neighbours

El vuelo

the flight

Los ojos

the eyes, my eyes, his/her eyes etc

Online resources:  www.linguascope.com (highcliffe/valencia)  www.hellomylo.com  www.languagesonline.org.uk  www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/spanish  www.quizlet.com 

Right! That’s it! You now have two choices… a) Ignore all this, don’t do any revision at all and get a rubbish grade in your GCSE. b) Take it on board. Hit the revision for a while, or in short spurts, Make sure your assessments are as good as they can be, be pleasantly surprised at what a doddle the listening and reading exams are and blow everyone away with how completely brilliant you are!