Opinion Piece (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Spanish opinion piece writing guide
What is an opinion piece?
The opinion piece appears as Question 5 in Section B of your Spanish Leaving Cert exam, also known as the Link Question. In this task, you'll be presented with two topic choices related to an article you've read, and you must express your personal opinions about one of these statements. This is your opportunity to showcase both your Spanish language skills and your ability to construct a coherent argument.
The Link Question connects to the article you've read in Section A, so pay attention to the themes and vocabulary from that text as you plan your response.
Understanding the assessment criteria
Your opinion piece will be assessed out of 50 marks total, with an even split between content and language skills. Understanding how these marks are allocated will help you focus your efforts effectively.
Critical Assessment Breakdown:
For the content portion (25 marks), examiners look for:
- High level of coherence in your writing
- Clear argumentation with supporting reasons and evidence
- Fulfilment of communicative intention (actually answering the question)
- Little to no irrelevant material
For the language portion (25 marks), you should demonstrate:
- Idiomatic Spanish rather than direct translations from English
- Good level of varied and sophisticated vocabulary
- Minimal grammatical and spelling mistakes
- Correct usage of tenses throughout
Remember: These components are interconnected - if you receive no marks for content, you won't receive any marks for language either, regardless of how grammatically perfect your writing might be.
Planning your response effectively
Before you begin writing, take time to read the statement carefully and ensure you fully understand what it's asking. Consider what your genuine opinion is about the topic, then plan your response thoughtfully. Create a brief outline or mind map noting down the main points of your argument, and try to organise them in a coherent way that will make sense to your reader.
Look for the best way to structure your ideas logically. Consider writing from a personal point of view, as this often makes your argument more engaging and authentic. While you'll typically argue either for or against the statement, you can also include ideas that acknowledge both sides of the argument if this strengthens your overall position. The key is to make your piece personal, original, and engaging.
You should prepare material on different topics in advance, but remember that you cannot use a pre-written essay as an excuse for not addressing the specific statement given. You won't gain marks for writing a brilliant essay on the wrong topic or for using memorised sentences that are obviously out of place in your response.
Structuring your opinion piece
Structure plays a crucial role in creating an effective opinion piece. Begin your first paragraph with a clear statement of your position, such as "Estoy de acuerdo con esta afirmación" (I agree with this statement) or "No estoy de acuerdo con esta afirmación" (I don't agree with this statement), then briefly explain your reasons.
Organise the body of your piece around three or four key ideas, dedicating one separate paragraph to each main point. This helps create a clear, logical flow that's easy for the examiner to follow. Reserve your final paragraph for the conclusion, where you can summarise your main arguments and restate your position.
Example Structure:
Paragraph 1: Clear position statement + brief overview of reasons Paragraphs 2-4: One main argument per paragraph with supporting evidence Final Paragraph: Summary of arguments + restatement of position
While you can refer back to the article to find useful vocabulary, remember that you cannot simply lift whole sentences. The aim is to express your own ideas using your own words, drawing inspiration from the source material without copying it directly.
Essential Spanish expressions for opinions
Expressing agreement and disagreement
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Estoy (totalmente) de acuerdo con... | I (completely) agree with... |
| No estoy (en absoluto) de acuerdo con... | I don't agree (at all) with... |
| Comparto la opinión de que... | I share the opinion that... |
| No comparto la idea de que... | I don't share the idea that... |
| Me parece que... | It seems to me that... |
| En mi opinión... | In my opinion... |
| Desde mi punto de vista... | From my point of view... |
| Creo que... | I believe that... |
Presenting arguments
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Por un lado... / por otro lado... | On one hand... / on the other hand... |
| Por una parte... / por otra parte... | On one part... / on another part... |
| En primer lugar... / en segundo lugar... | Firstly... / secondly... |
| Además... | Furthermore... |
| Sin embargo... | However... |
| Por lo tanto... | Therefore... |
| Como consecuencia... | As a consequence... |
| Es evidente que... | It's evident that... |
Grammar and language considerations
Pay special attention to several key grammatical areas that often trip up students in opinion pieces. When checking your work, ensure that nouns, adjectives, and articles all agree in gender and number. Remember that words like familia, grupo, todo el mundo, el gobierno, la sociedad, and la gente are singular, so verbs and adjectives must be singular too. Be aware that some commonly used words in opinion pieces like el problema, el tema, el sistema, and el programa are masculine even though they end in "-a".
Common Grammar Pitfalls:
Tense usage: Use the imperfect tense when describing how things used to be, and when discussing the future, use both the "ir a + infinitive" structure and the future tense appropriately.
Subjunctive mood: Essential in opinion writing. Use after expressions such as "es necesario que", "es posible/imposible que", "es una pena que", "es vergonzoso que", "espero que", "no creo que", and "ojalá que".
Conditional sentences: Follow these patterns correctly:
- "Si + present indicative + future tense" for real possibilities
- "Si + imperfect subjunctive + conditional" for hypothetical situations
- Never use "Si + present subjunctive" - this is always incorrect
Revision checklist
After completing your first draught, systematically review your work using this comprehensive approach. Check if you've repeated the same words too frequently - if so, replace them with synonyms to demonstrate vocabulary range. Look for expressions that are direct translations from English that don't sound natural in Spanish, and replace them with more idiomatic alternatives.
Verify that all nouns, adjectives, and articles agree in gender and number throughout your text. Confirm that you've used appropriate tenses - imperfect for past descriptions, future structures for upcoming events, and subjunctive where required with specific trigger expressions.
Essential Revision Checklist:
- Check for word repetition and replace with synonyms
- Eliminate direct English translations - use idiomatic Spanish
- Verify gender and number agreement throughout
- Confirm appropriate tense usage (imperfect, future, subjunctive)
- Review conditional "if clauses" for correct patterns
- Ensure each paragraph focuses on one main argument
- Check that your position is clearly stated and consistently maintained
Sample opinion piece response
Worked Example: Responding to "Las redes sociales son perjudiciales para los jóvenes"
Here's a brief example responding to the statement "Social networks are harmful for young people":
No estoy de acuerdo con esta afirmación porque creo que las redes sociales pueden ser muy beneficiosas si se usan correctamente. En primer lugar, permiten a los jóvenes mantenerse en contacto con amigos y familiares que viven lejos. Por otra parte, ofrecen oportunidades educativas increíbles - es posible aprender idiomas, seguir cursos online y acceder a información sobre cualquier tema.
Sin embargo, es cierto que pueden existir algunos problemas. Por ejemplo, si los jóvenes pasaran demasiado tiempo navegando por internet, podrían descuidar sus estudios o su salud física. Además, es necesario que aprendan a identificar información falsa.
En conclusión, las redes sociales son herramientas muy útiles que pueden enriquecer la vida de los jóvenes, siempre que las utilicen de manera responsable.
Notice how this example:
- States position clearly in first sentence
- Uses transitional phrases ("En primer lugar", "Por otra parte")
- Acknowledges counterarguments ("Sin embargo")
- Uses subjunctive correctly ("es necesario que aprendan")
- Includes conditional structure ("si los jóvenes pasaran... podrían")
- Concludes by restating the main position
Key Points to Remember:
- Your opinion piece is worth 50 marks split equally between content (25) and language (25) - both aspects are crucial for success
- Always plan your response before writing by organising 3-4 main arguments into a logical structure with clear paragraphs
- Use authentic Spanish expressions to state your opinion rather than direct translations from English
- Check your grammar carefully, especially noun-adjective agreement, appropriate tenses, and correct subjunctive usage after opinion expressions
- Make your argument personal, original, and engaging while staying focused on the specific statement given in the exam