Speaking Exam Technique

This lesson covers the specific strategies and techniques you need to maximise your marks in AQA GCSE Spanish Paper 2 (Speaking). The Speaking exam is the paper that students tend to fear the most, but it is also the paper where preparation and technique can make the biggest difference. Unlike Listening and Reading, where you respond to fixed material, the Speaking exam gives you significant control over what you say -- and that is an advantage if you know how to use it.

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Exam Structure Recap

Component	Foundation (8698/SF)	Higher (8698/SH)
Total duration	7--9 minutes	10--12 minutes
Preparation time	12 minutes	12 minutes
Total marks	60	60
Percentage of GCSE	25%	25%

The exam consists of three tasks, conducted in order:

Task	Description	Marks	Approximate Duration (Higher)
Task 1: Role Play	Respond to prompts on a card	15	2 minutes
Task 2: Photo Card	Describe a photo and answer follow-up questions	15	2--3 minutes
Task 3: General Conversation	Discuss two themes in depth	30	5--7 minutes

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The 12-Minute Preparation Period

You receive the Role Play card and the Photo Card at the start of your 12 minutes of preparation. You do NOT see the General Conversation questions.

What You CAN Do

• Read the Role Play prompts and plan your responses.
• Study the photo and plan what to say about it.
• Make notes on the official preparation sheet provided.
• Plan key vocabulary and phrases you want to use.

What You CANNOT Do

• Use a dictionary.
• Use any notes, textbooks, or revision materials.
• Speak to anyone.
• Take your notes into the actual exam (the preparation sheet stays in the preparation room at some centres; at others you may take it in -- check with your teacher).

How to Use the 12 Minutes

Time	Activity
Minutes 1--5	Role Play: read all prompts, plan responses, note any tricky vocabulary
Minutes 6--10	Photo Card: study the photo, plan your description, think about possible follow-up questions
Minutes 11--12	Review your notes, rehearse key phrases mentally

Exam Tip: Do not spend too long on the Role Play -- it is worth 15 marks and is the most predictable task. Allocate the majority of your preparation time to the Photo Card, because the follow-up questions can be harder to predict.

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Task 1: Role Play (15 marks)

How It Works

You receive a card with a scenario (e.g., you are at a tourist office in Spain) and five prompts. Each prompt tells you what to say or ask. Some prompts are straightforward ("Say what time you arrive"), while one will have a "!" symbol indicating an unprepared question -- the teacher will ask you something and you must respond spontaneously.

Mark Scheme

The Role Play is marked on communication (whether you convey the message successfully). Each prompt is worth 3 marks:

Mark	Descriptor
3	The message is clearly communicated without ambiguity
2	The message is communicated but with some ambiguity
1	The message is partially communicated
0	No relevant communication

Role Play Strategy

1. Read every prompt carefully. Some ask you to "say" something, others ask you to "ask" a question. Confusing these loses marks.
2. For question prompts ("?"): Form a proper question. Use question words (Dónde, Cuándo, A que hora, Cuánto cuesta, Hay) or invert the verb.
3. For the unprepared prompt ("!"): Listen carefully to the teacher's question. Keep your answer simple and direct. You do not need a complex response -- just clear communication.
4. Use the correct tense. If the prompt says "Say what you did yesterday," use the preterite, not the present tense.
5. Pronounce clearly. Communication marks depend partly on whether the examiner can understand you.

The "!" Unprepared Question

This is the prompt that causes the most anxiety, but it is simpler than students think. The unprepared question will be related to the scenario on the card. If the scenario is about booking a hotel, the "!" question might ask about your preferences, a past experience, or a future plan related to hotels.

Strategies for the "!" Question

• Listen for the question word. "Cuándo" = when, "Por qué" = why, "Que" = what. This tells you what kind of answer is needed.
• Keep it simple. A clear, short answer scores full marks. You do not need to demonstrate complex grammar here.
• If you do not understand, it is perfectly acceptable to say "Puede repetir, por favor?" (Can you repeat, please?). The teacher will repeat the question.

Exam Tip: The most common reason students lose marks on the Role Play is not the "!" question -- it is misreading the straightforward prompts. A student who answers in the wrong tense, gives a statement instead of a question, or misses a prompt entirely loses marks on the easy parts. Read the prompts carefully during preparation time.

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Task 2: Photo Card (15 marks)

How It Works

You receive a card with a photo related to one of the three themes. You must:

1. Describe the photo in Spanish (unprompted -- you speak for about 1 minute).
2. Answer three follow-up questions from the teacher about the theme related to the photo.

At Higher tier, there is typically one additional question that is more open-ended or requires a more complex response.

Mark Scheme

The Photo Card is marked on two criteria:

Criterion	Marks	Focus
Communication	Up to 9	How successfully you convey information and opinions
Quality of Language	Up to 6	Range of vocabulary, accuracy of grammar, use of tenses

Photo Description Strategy

When describing the photo, use this framework:

Element	Spanish Structure	Example
What you see	En la foto, hay... / Se puede ver...	En la foto, hay un grupo de jóvenes en un parque
What people are doing	Estan + gerund	Estan jugando al fútbol
What they look like / feel	Parecen + adjective	Parecen contentos y relajados
Where it is	Está en...	Parece que estan en un parque en una ciudad
Your opinion	Creo que... / Me parece que...	Creo que es un día de verano porque hace sol
Connection to your life	En mi opinion... / Personalmente...	Personalmente, me encanta pasar tiempo al aire libre

Follow-Up Questions Strategy

The follow-up questions will relate to the theme of the photo, not the photo itself. For example, if the photo shows a family meal, the questions might ask about your eating habits, your family traditions, or Spanish customs.