AQA AS Spanish Past Papers & Mark Schemes

The preterite/imperfect distinction is tested heavily in AS Spanish because it has no direct parallel in English. The preterite (hablé, comí, viví) describes completed single actions or events with defined endpoints. The imperfect (hablaba, comía, vivía) describes ongoing states, habitual actions, or background descriptions in the past. In narrative writing, the imperfect sets the scene while the preterite advances the action: 'Llovía cuando llegué' (it was raining when I arrived). Practise recognising and producing both aspects in context — isolated conjugation drills are less useful than writing paragraphs that require both. The subjunctive appears at AS level primarily after expressions of doubt, emotion, wish, and influence (WEIRDO categories: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá). Learn the triggers: quiero que + subjunctive, es importante que + subjunctive, dudo que + subjunctive, para que + subjunctive. The most common AS-level error is using the indicative after these triggers or avoiding subjunctive constructions entirely. Examiners explicitly look for subjunctive usage as evidence of grammatical range — use it confidently. Cultural knowledge strengthens both writing and speaking performance. Instead of generic statements about 'Spanish culture', draw on specific knowledge: Spain's 2005 same-sex marriage legislation and its social impact, the role of social media in youth activism in Latin America, the economic consequences of Spain's 2008–2014 recession on youth employment (over 50% youth unemployment at its peak), or the influence of reggaetón artists on young Hispanic identity. Specific factual knowledge makes your arguments persuasive rather than superficial. For the speaking exam, practise thinking in Spanish rather than translating from English in real time. Mental translation produces stilted, slow responses with English word order. Build your confidence by recording yourself discussing each sub-theme for 3–4 minutes, then listening back to identify repeated errors. Focus on connectives that add sophistication: sin embargo (however), no obstante (nevertheless), por un lado... por otro lado (on the one hand... on the other), a pesar de que (despite the fact that).