Paper 1 (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Paper 1: Speaking exam preparation
Role play task overview
The role play is the first part of your speaking exam and tests your ability to communicate in everyday situations. You'll receive a card containing a setting, scenario, and instructions written in English. This task is worth 10 marks in total and consists of five bullet points that you need to respond to.
The structure varies slightly between tiers:
- Foundation tier: One bullet point will be a question you need to ask, while the remaining four are statements you need to respond to
- Higher tier: Two bullet points will be questions you need to ask, and three will be statements you need to respond to
All situations in the role play are transactional, meaning they involve practical interactions like shopping, buying tickets, seeing a doctor, or asking for information. These are real-life scenarios you might encounter when visiting a Spanish-speaking country.
Understanding the marking system
How Your Responses Are Marked
Each of your five responses can earn up to 2 marks based on how well you communicate:
- 2 marks: Your message is relevant and clear
- 1 mark: Your message has some lack of clarity but still gets across
- 0 marks: Your message doesn't come across at all
The key to success is keeping your responses short and clear rather than attempting complex language that might confuse your message.
Role play success strategies
Use language you know is correct rather than attempting new or complex structures. The examiners want to see that you can communicate effectively, not that you can use advanced grammar perfectly.
Keep things simple - there are no extra marks for using complex language in the role play, so focus on getting your message across clearly. Simple, accurate responses will score better than complicated ones with errors.
Make use of preparation time to review any notes you've made. You can read from notes you've prepared, but remember that you cannot write on the role play card or picture task materials themselves.
Focus on the task requirements - make sure you actually answer what each bullet point asks for. If it asks for a question, make sure you ask a question. If it asks for information, provide the specific information requested.
Key vocabulary for common role play topics
These essential phrases appear frequently in role play scenarios. Practice using them in different contexts to build your confidence.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| los fines de semana | at weekends |
| escucho música | I listen to music |
| vamos a la ciudad | we're going to town |
| para comprarnos | to buy ourselves |
| un nuevo portátil | a new laptop |
| me gusta | I like |
| no me gusta | I don't like |
| quisiera | I would like |
| ¿cuánto cuesta? | how much does it cost? |
| ¿a qué hora? | at what time? |
Worked Example: Using Key Vocabulary in Context
Here are some sample sentences showing how to use these phrases naturally:
- Los fines de semana escucho música en mi habitación - At weekends I listen to music in my room
- Vamos a la ciudad para comprarnos un nuevo portátil - We're going to town to buy ourselves a new laptop
- ¿Cuánto cuesta el billete para Madrid? - How much does the ticket to Madrid cost?
- Quisiera reservar una mesa para cuatro personas - I would like to reserve a table for four people
Picture task overview
The picture task is more substantial than the role play and has three distinct parts with a total of 28 marks available. Two weeks before your exam, you'll choose between two thematic contexts, and on exam day, you'll select one of two photos within your chosen theme to discuss.
The three parts are:
- Describing the picture (8 marks)
- Two follow-up questions (4 marks)
- Broader conversation (16 marks)
Essential Picture Description Structure
You must always describe the people, the location, and the activity shown in the picture. Use your preparation time to make notes about these three aspects, as they form the foundation of a good description.
The follow-up questions are unprepared, so you need to listen carefully and respond appropriately. The broader conversation allows you to demonstrate your range of Spanish knowledge but should remain connected to the theme of the picture.
Picture task success techniques
Keep your answers relevant to the questions asked. It's easy to go off on tangents, but staying focused on what the examiner wants to know will help you score better marks.
Demonstrate your tense knowledge by using past and future tenses alongside the present tense. This shows the examiner the breadth of your Spanish abilities.
Develop your answers to provide more detail where appropriate. Don't just give one-word answers - expand on your responses to show what you can do with the language.
Use varied vocabulary and structures to demonstrate your range. This is particularly important in the broader conversation section where you have more opportunity to showcase your skills.
Express opinions and give reasons to add depth to your responses. Phrases like me parece que (I think that) or porque (because) help you explain your viewpoints.
Accuracy vs. Complexity
Stay accurate - while you want to show range, don't sacrifice accuracy for complexity. Clear communication is more important than attempting structures you're unsure about.
Sample picture description vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| en la foto hay | in the photo there is/are |
| una chica | a girl |
| el pelo largo y marrón | long brown hair |
| está en su habitación | she's in her room |
| mirando su móvil | looking at her mobile |
| mandando mensajes | sending messages |
| a sus amigos | to her friends |
| está sonriendo | she's smiling |
| escuchando música | listening to music |
| tiene su portátil abierto | her laptop is open |
Worked Example: Complete Picture Description
En la foto hay una chica con el pelo largo y marrón. Está en su habitación, en la cama, mirando su móvil y creo que está mandando mensajes a sus amigos porque está sonriendo. También está escuchando música. Tiene su portátil abierto.
Translation: (In the photo there's a girl with long brown hair. She's in her room, on the bed, looking at her mobile and I think she's sending messages to her friends because she's smiling. She's also listening to music. Her laptop is open.)
Notice how this description covers all three required elements: people (una chica con el pelo largo y marrón), location (en su habitación, en la cama), and activity (mirando su móvil, mandando mensajes, escuchando música).
Quick translation practice
Translation Practice Examples
Spanish to English:
- Los domingos voy al centro comercial → On Sundays I go to the shopping centre
- ¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre? → What do you do in your free time?
English to Spanish:
- I would like to buy a return ticket → Quisiera comprar un billete de ida y vuelta
- The girl is reading a book in the park → La chica está leyendo un libro en el parque
Key Points to Remember:
- Keep responses short and clear in the role play - simple accuracy beats complex confusion
- Use the three-part structure for picture descriptions: people, location, activity
- Make the most of preparation time to plan your key points and review your notes
- Stay relevant to the questions asked rather than giving prepared speeches that don't fit
- Demonstrate different tenses in the picture task to show your grammatical range