In simple terms
A friendly intro before the formal notes — no formulas yet.
Paper 1: From Prompt to Perfection
Paper 1 is your chance to showcase your writing skills in Spanish. You'll choose one of three prompts and write a 250-400 word response in a specific format, like an email or a blog post, based on one of the five course themes.
Think of yourself as a professional communicator. A client gives you three different assignments: write a formal letter to a CEO, a blog post for teenagers, or a speech for a community event. Your job isn't just to write well, but to adapt your tone, style, and structure perfectly for each specific audience and purpose. Paper 1 tests your ability to be that versatile and effective communicator in Spanish.
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Deconstruct the Prompt: Before writing, identify the 4 Ps: 'Prompt' (key question), 'Purpose' (to inform, persuade, etc.), 'Public' (the audience), and 'Presentation' (the text type). This dictates your register and structure.
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Plan Your Structure: Create a quick 3-part outline: an introduction stating your purpose, 2-3 body paragraphs developing your main points with examples, and a conclusion that summarises and provides a final thought.
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Write with Purpose: Draft your response, focusing on fulfilling the task. Use varied vocabulary (Criterion A), develop your ideas clearly (Criterion B), and adhere to the text type conventions (Criterion C).
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Review and Refine: Leave 5 minutes to proofread. Check for common grammatical errors (gender, verb conjugations), enhance vocabulary with synonyms, and ensure your message is coherent and directly answers the prompt.
Explore the concept
Use the live diagram and synced steps — play it or tap a step card to walk through.
Full topic notes
Formal explanation with the rigour you need for the exam.
Understanding the Assessment Criteria: Your Blueprint for Success
To get a Level 7, you must write for the examiner. This means understanding exactly what they are looking for. Your writing is assessed against three criteria:
Criterion A: Lenguaje (12 marks): This is about the quality of your Spanish. Top-band responses demonstrate language that is 'clear, effective, and varied', with a 'high degree of grammatical accuracy' and 'varied and complex structures'. This means avoiding basic errors and showing off your command of tenses, moods (especially the subjunctive), and sophisticated vocabulary.
Criterion B: Mensaje (12 marks): This assesses your message. The markband rewards responses where ideas are 'relevant, well-developed and organised'. Your writing must directly address the prompt, present a logical argument, and flow smoothly from one point to the next. Using cohesive devices is essential here.
Criterion C: Comprensión conceptual (6 marks): This is about choosing the right tool for the job. The prompt will specify a text type (email, blog, etc.). A top-band response demonstrates 'highly effective' use of the conventions of that text type, including the correct 'register and tone'. For example, a formal email that sounds like a casual blog post will lose marks here, even if the Spanish is perfect.
Decoding the Prompt: Choosing Your Task Wisely
You will be presented with three prompts, each linked to one of the five prescribed themes (Identidades, Experiencias, Ingenio humano, Organización social, Cómo compartimos el planeta). Your first decision is the most critical: which one to choose? Do not rush this. Spend 5-10 minutes carefully reading all three options. For each prompt, ask yourself:
What is the Text Type? Is it a blog, a formal letter, a diary entry, a speech? Am I confident with its conventions?
Who is the Audience? Am I writing to a friend (informal), a school director (formal), or the general public (neutral/informative)? This determines your register ('tú' vs. 'usted').
What is the Purpose? Am I trying to persuade, inform, complain, advise, or reflect? This dictates the tone and the kind of language I should use.
What are the Content Points? The prompt will contain bullet points or instructions on what to include. Can I generate enough relevant ideas and vocabulary for this topic?
Choose the prompt for which you have the strongest vocabulary and clearest ideas, and where you feel most confident with the text type conventions. It is better to write a brilliant blog post on a topic you know well than a mediocre formal letter on a topic you struggle with.
Mastering Key Text Types: Conventions and Register
Examiners consistently report that students lose marks on Criterion C. Mastering the conventions of the most common text types is a straightforward way to secure these 6 points. Let's focus on two frequent examples:
Structuring for Impact: Coherence and Cohesion
A well-structured piece of writing is easy to follow and persuasive. Your plan should always include an introduction, body, and conclusion. The key to linking these parts smoothly is the masterful use of 'conectores' (linking words). These are the signposts that guide your reader through your argument. Simply listing ideas is not enough; you must show the relationship between them.
Para añadir ideas: además (furthermore), también (also), asimismo (likewise), por añadidura (in addition).
Para contrastar ideas: sin embargo (however), no obstante (nevertheless), en cambio (on the other hand), por un lado... por otro lado...
Para mostrar causa y efecto: por lo tanto (therefore), así que (so), debido a (due to), a consecuencia de (as a result of).
Para concluir: en resumen (in summary), en conclusión (in conclusion), para concluir (to conclude), en definitiva (ultimately).
Worked examples
See the formulas applied — reveal one step at a time, like the exam.
Prompt: Eres un estudiante preocupado por el uso excesivo de los teléfonos móviles en tu colegio. Escribe un artículo para la revista escolar para concienciar a otros estudiantes sobre este problema y sugerir algunas soluciones. (Tema: Cómo compartimos el planeta / Identidades)
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Párrafo 1: Develop the problem (e.g., lack of concentration, less face-to-face interaction). Use vocabulary like la distracción, el rendimiento académico, el aislamiento (Criterion A).
Prompt: Tu amigo español se va a mudar a tu ciudad por un año y te escribe un correo electrónico pidiendo consejos para adaptarse. Escríbele un correo electrónico informal dándole la bienvenida y ofreciéndole tres consejos prácticos. (Tema: Experiencias)
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Model Response Breakdown (Informal Email)
How it all connects
The big idea sits in the middle — tap a linked idea to explore the link.
Tap a linked idea to see how it connects back to the main topic — that connection is what examiners reward.
Glossary
Try to recall each definition before you reveal it.
Quick check
Answer in your head first — then tap to check. No pressure.
Revision flashcards
Flip the card. Test yourself before the exam.
Criterion A: Lenguaje (Language)
Assesses the quality and accuracy of your Spanish. Worth 12 points. Examiners look for varied vocabulary, complex grammatical structures, and a high degree of accuracy.
Key takeaways
Review these before you close the topic — retrieval beats re-reading.
- ✓
Criterion A: Lenguaje (12 marks): This is about the quality of your Spanish. Top-band responses demonstrate language that is 'clear, effective, and varied', with a 'high degree of grammatical accuracy' and 'varied and complex structures'. This means avoiding basic errors and showing off your command of tenses, moods (especially the subjunctive), and sophisticated vocabulary.
- ✓
Criterion B: Mensaje (12 marks): This assesses your message. The markband rewards responses where ideas are 'relevant, well-developed and organised'. Your writing must directly address the prompt, present a logical argument, and flow smoothly from one point to the next. Using cohesive devices is essential here.
- ✓
Criterion C: Comprensión conceptual (6 marks): This is about choosing the right tool for the job. The prompt will specify a text type (email, blog, etc.). A top-band response demonstrates 'highly effective' use of the conventions of that text type, including the correct 'register and tone'. For example, a formal email that sounds like a casual blog post will lose marks here, even if the Spanish is perfect.
Practice — then mark it
The whole point: a real Cambridge question, marked mark-by-mark.
Test your skills with an exam-style Paper 1 prompt
Test your skills with an exam-style Paper 1 prompt
Extra simulations & links
PhET, GeoGebra and other curated tools — open in a new tab.
Frequently asked
Checkpoint
One marked question is worth ten re-reads — close the loop before you move on.
Reading it isn’t knowing it — prove it.
Before you move on: do Test your skills with an exam-style Paper 1 prompt on paper, snap a photo, and get examiner-style feedback on exactly where you win and lose marks.