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52 Spanish Essay Phrases for Your AP Exam

In order to do well on the AP Spanish exam’s   free-response  section, you must be able to write a persuasive essay based on three Spanish-language sources.

Here we’ve put together a list of 52 vocabulary words and essays phrases that will come in handy for making and supporting arguments in your AP Spanish essays.

Handy Essay Phrases for Writing a Strong Spanish AP Composition

Starting your essay, agreeing and disagreeing, stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, contrasting (or comparing), transitional phrases, changing topics, concluding your essay, how to prepare for the ap spanish essay, what are the details of the ap spanish essay, and one more thing….

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Para empezar – To begin with

Hoy en día – Nowadays…

Hoy en día, las personas están en Internet hasta ocho horas por día. (Nowadays, people are on the Internet up to eight hours per day.)

A manera de introducción – We can start by saying…

Como punto de partida – As a starting point

Al principio – At the beginning… 

En primer lugar  – To start… 

Empecemos por considerar – Let’s begin by considering…

Estoy de acuerdo/No estoy de acuerdo — I agree/I disagree

Estoy de acuerdo con lo que dice el autor. (I agree with what the author says.)

No estoy de acuerdo con la idea principal de la fuente número dos . (I disagree with the main idea of source number two.)

En mi opinión — In my opinion

En mi opinión, los jóvenes deberían comer más sano. (In my opinion, young people should eat healthier.)

La verdad es   — The truth is

La verdad es que todavía hay mucha desigualdad en los Estados Unidos . (The truth is there is still a lot of inequality in the United States.)

Es verdad  — It’s true

Es verdad que las redes sociales pueden ser peligrosas . (It’s true that social media can be dangerous.)

Es falso   —   It’s false

Hay gente que dice que las redes sociales son peligrosas, pero esto es falso . (There are people who say that social media is dangerous, but this is false.)

Me parece/No me parece   —   It seems to me/It doesn’t seem to me

Me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

No me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I don’t think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

Remember that since me parece implies an opinion or emotion, you must conjugate the verb in the subjunctive tense.

(Yo) pienso que   —   I think that

Yo pienso que no hay nada más importante que la familia . (I think that there is nothing more important than family.)

(Yo) creo que  — I believe that

Yo creo que todos los adolescentes deberían aprender a tocar un instrumento . (I believe that all adolescents should learn to play an instrument.)

The following phrases all have the same structure: Es  + adjective +  que .

This structure is similar to the English “It’s [adjective] that…” and is great for expressing and supporting opinions in a strong and confident manner. Here are some phrases that are especially useful when making and defending claims in a persuasive essay:

Es evidente que   —   It’s evident that

Es claro que   —   It’s clear that

Es cierto que  —   It’s certain that

Es obvio que   — It’s obvious that

Es importante que  — It’s important that

Es necesario que   — It’s necessary that

Es probable que   —   It’s probable that

Es dudoso que  — It’s doubtful that

For some of these phrases, the verb following the word que must be conjugated in the indicative, while others require the subjunctive . A good rule of thumb is that when implying that something is certain, use the indicative. When expressing doubt or expressing some other emotion, use the subjunctive.

On this list, evidente, claro, cierto  and obvio use indicative verbs, and importante, necesario, probable  and dudoso use subjunctive verbs.

Es cierto que nuestro clima está cambiando . (It is certain that our climate is changing.)

Es importante que la gente sepa hablar más de un idioma . (It’s important that people know how to speak more than one language.)

These words will help you refer to your three sources, which contain information that will help you support your argument. This section also contains transition words to connect one part of your argument to the next.

Según   — According to  

Según el autor… (according to the author…)

La fuente  —   The source

Según la fuente numero 1… (According to source number one…)

El tema   —   The theme/topic

Esto es un tema muy importante. (This is a very important topic.)

Mostrar   —   To show

La fuente muestra la importancia de la diversidad. (The source shows the importance of diversity.)

Remember, mostrar is an o-ue stem-changing verb—pay attention to conjugation!

Demostrar   —   To demonstrate

La tabla demuestra que muchos jóvenes en España juegan al fútbol. (The table demonstrates that many youths in Spain play football.)

Demostrar is also an o-ue stem changing verb. Luckily for you, it follows the exact same conjugation rules as mostrar !

Indicar   —   To indicate

La tabla indica que hay muchas familias pobres en ese barrio. (The table indicates that there are many poor families in that neighborhood.)

Apoyar   —   To support

Estos datos apoyan la idea de que el clima está cambiando. (This data supports the idea that the climate is changing)

Sin duda   — Without a doubt

Sin duda, el cambio climático es el problema más grave que enfrenta nuestra planeta. (Without a doubt, climate change is the most serious problem that our planet faces.)

Por otra parte   — On the other hand

Es importante que la economía crezca, pero por otra parte, tenemos que cuidar el medio ambiente. (It’s important that the economy grows, but on the other hand, we have to care for the environment.)

Aunque   — Even though/Although

Aunque is followed by an indicative verb when the outcome is known, but a subjunctive verb when the outcome is speculative.

Aunque cuesta mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución. (Even though it costs a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Aunque cueste mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución . (Even though it may cost a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Al igual que  —   Just like

Al igual que en los años 40, hoy en día hay mucha gente que no quiere ayudar a los refugiados de guerra . (Just like in the 40s, today there are many people who don’t want to help war refugees.)

Tanto… como… — … as well as…

Fill in this phrase with two nouns to emphasize that you’re talking equally about two different things.

Tanto chicos como chicas deberían aprender a cocinar, limpiar, coser y cuidar a los bebés. (Boys as well as girls ought to learn how to cook, clean, sew and care for babies.)  

Sino   —   But rather

Remember that Spanish has two translations for the English word “but.” The word sino is like the English phrase “but rather,” used to introduce an alternative.

En comparación  —   In comparison

En comparación, la fuente número 2 indica que hay más obesidad en Estados Unidos que en España . (In comparison, source number 2 indicates that there is more obesity in the United States than in Spain.)

Leer no es una pérdida de tiempo, sino una manera de aprender y de conocer otras culturas . (Reading isn’t a waste of time, but rather a way to learn and understand other cultures.)

Además  — Additionally

This word is usually seen at the beginning of a sentence, and it’s useful for transitioning from one idea or argument to another.

Además, es evidente que la tecnología nos ayuda mucho. (Additionally, it’s evident that technology helps us a lot.)

Sin embargo   —   However

This is another good transition word. In your essay, you may want to present an alternate argument and then explain why you disagree with it. Sin embargo is very helpful for this.

Obviamente, estudiar es muy importante. Sin embargo, es necesario que los adolescentes tengan tiempo para jugar con sus amigos . (Obviously, studying is very important. However, it’s necessary that teenagers have time to play with their friends.)

Por lo cual   —   For this reason/That’s why/Which is why

This phrase is used in the middle of a sentence to connect ideas.

La Amazonía tiene un alto nivel de biodiversidad, por lo cual la conservación de esta región debe ser una prioridad.  (The Amazon has a high level of biodiversity, which is why the conservation of this region must be a priority.)

Sobre un tema relacionado — On a related topic

Sobre un tema relacionado con la inteligencia artificial, se están llevando a cabo investigaciones para mejorar la capacidad de aprendizaje de los algoritmos de machine learning.  (Regarding a topic related to artificial intelligence, research is being conducted to enhance the learning capacity of machine learning algorithms.)

Cuando se trata de –  When it comes to

Relacionado con esta idea — Related to this idea

Una idea similar es — A similar idea is

Una idea similar es utilizar la realidad virtual como herramienta educativa para mejorar la experiencia de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. (A similar idea is to use virtual reality as an educational tool to enhance the learning experience of students.)

Ahora estoy pasando a  — Now moving onto

In your final paragraph, you’ll want to provide a summary of your main argument and your main supporting points. You can use the following helpful phrases:

En conclusión   —   In conclusion

En resumen   —   In summary

En fin   —   Finally

En conclusión,/En resumen,/En fin, las tres fuentes muestran que la contaminación del aire es un problema muy grave para todo el mundo . (In summary, the three sources show that air pollution is a very serious problem for the whole world.)

After summarizing your essay, you’ll want to restate your main argument in a succinct, strongly-worded sentence. Start with these phrases:

Por estas razones   —   For these reasons

Por eso  — That is why

Así que   —   Therefore

Entonces  — So

Por estas razones,/Por eso,/Así que/Entonces, afirmo que los adolescentes no deberían usar las redes sociales. (For these reasons, I affirm that teenagers should not use social media.)

In many ways, preparing for the free-response section is the same as preparing for the rest of the AP exam.

It involves studying grammar and vocabulary, and it also means immersing yourself in the Spanish language as much as possible.

There are also some targeted ways to practice for the free-response section.

• Do practice exams and read sample essays. The College Board  has posted the full AP exams from the last several years. Try to read the sources and write the essay in the allotted 55 minutes. When you’re done, go back and slowly revise your essay for errors in grammar, spelling and logic. After that, you can also check out the grading rubric provided by the College Board and several sample persuasive essays . Try to compare your essay against the rubric and the samples to see how you can improve your writing.
• Practice summarizing and analyzing Spanish-language sources. Remember all those great resources listed above? Well, it’s not enough to just read or listen to them. The whole point of the presentational essay is to measure your ability to summarize, synthesize and argue. So, after you read or listen to a Spanish-language source, take five minutes to summarize it—on paper. Identify the main argument, and then make a bulleted list of important points. Finally, write a few sentences summarizing your personal opinion.
• Learn targeted vocabulary for talking about opinions and arguments. Is there anything more frustrating than knowing exactly what you want to say, but not having the vocabulary to say it? This article lists many crucial vocabulary words for expressing and supporting opinions in persuasive essays. Using these words and phrases will help make your writing flow more smoothly, and allow you to argue with more credibility.

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You can also find some great info on great news outlets , podcasts , YouTube channels  and blogs —all in Spanish. Even following some Spanish Twitter feeds or listening to Spanish music can be a great way to work a little language practice into your day.

The free-response section of the exam is meant to test your ability to communicate with others in spoken and written Spanish.

There are two essays in the free-response section. The interpersonal essay asks you to respond to an email. The presentational essay  tests how well you can draw information from Spanish-language sources, form an argument and write formally. This second essay is a little less straightforward, so we’ll walk you through it here.

So, how does it work?

The presentational essay is based on three sources . Two of them are written sources and one is an audio source.

These sources can be just about anything: Advertisements, articles, infographics, letters, maps, interviews, radio programs, podcasts and conversations are just some examples of the types of sources you may encounter.

You’ll have about 55 minutes to complete this particular essay. First, you’ll have six minutes to read the prompt and the two written sources, and then you’ll hear the audio source twice. Finally, you’ll have 40 minutes to plan and write your essay.

The essay is graded on the basis of Spanish language skills like reading, listening, writing and grammar—but it’s also based on your general ability to analyze the sources and make a strong, coherent argument.

Of course, learning vocabulary and essay phrases is just one way to prepare for the free-response section.

Remember to expose yourself to as many Spanish-language sources as you can before test day, and don’t forget to think critically about those sources as you read them!

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AP® Spanish Language

The ultimate list of ap® spanish language and culture tips.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

The AP® Spanish Language exam can be an intimidating obstacle for even the most astute and focused Spanish student. However, with steady preparation throughout the school year, and careful review in the spring prior to exam time, you will master both the written and oral portions of this conquerable exam! Keep in mind that while over 130,000 students took the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam last year, 85%* passed with a score of 3 or higher and over 50% passed with a 4 or 5, earning them valuable college credit. You, too, can be successful on this exam. So stay tuned and the following tips will help you along the way.

If you’re looking for AP® Spanish Language review books, you may find this resource helpful .

What We Review

How to Study for AP® Spanish Language & Culture Tips

1. Start using Spanish. This should seem like a no-brainer but year after year students enter the AP® Spanish exam worried about, yes, that’s right, their Spanish . By the time you reach the AP® level in a foreign language, you have had plenty of experience with the grammar, and possibly the literature, of the language you’re studying. You’re comfortable with Spanish so now surround yourself with it on a daily basis, honing skills that will become second nature by the time the test rolls around. Read the news in Spanish (BBC Mundo is a great source). Watch telenovelas – they’re addicting, so you might even get hooked on practicing Spanish! You can even find episodes of your favorite shows dubbed in Spanish, as an introduction to television in Spanish. Change your social media settings to Spanish, or put on a Spanish music station on Pandora. Listen to authentic sources, like radio shows and podcasts, to practice your audio skills – these are the kinds of sources that will be used on the exam, and they’ll give you practice with cultural ideas. Bonus tip: make sure to practice with sources from different countries to get the hang of trickier accents, like Argentine and andaluz.

2. Listen . There are so many ways to incorporate Spanish audio into your daily routine. Add fun, upbeat songs to your workout playlist. Aventura , Prince Royce , and Calle 13 are all fun, young artists that will introduce you to new dialects and words. Most major cities in the U.S. also have several Spanish-language radio stations. Test yourself. Follow a news story in Spanish and see how much you understand – more than you think!

3. Speak . Although production is probably the element of foreign language that frightens students the most, that doesn’t mean it has to be. The best way to learn Spanish is to speak it. When your teacher poses questions to the class, raise your hand! Don’t worry about making mistakes; the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you’ll make. This is the time to learn, and the experience will help calm your nerves during the actual exam. Like any activity, the more you practice, the easier and more natural it will become.

• To practice this skill set in Spanish, we recommend Spanish-English conversational exchanges. These short cultural exchanges are widespread in the U.S. Spend fifteen minutes speaking English and in return, you get fifteen free minutes of practice in Spanish with a native speaker! Volunteering is also an excellent way to incorporate more Spanish. Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity often need people with good written and oral skills in Spanish.

4. Read . You don’t have to crack open Don Quixote to practice reading in Spanish. But likewise, just because this is the AP® Spanish Language exam and not literature, doesn’t mean that your reading skills can be subpar. The multiple-choice section, for example, requires good reading skills at a fast pace. Lucky for you, Spanish is a robust language with hundreds of periodicals from El Mundo to People en Español . Try to read a couple of articles a week, picking out a few words or idioms from each that you don’t know. Other quick changes such as setting your computer and social media accounts to Spanish can be an extra daily dose of Spanish.

5. Don’t stress the accents . We’ll talk more about this below, but for now know that graders care much less about perfect spelling and accent usage than they do the real meat and potatoes content of your essays. They want to see solid arguments framed with topic sentences and always backed up with a clearly stated thesis.

• Paragraph = Transition word + Topic sentence + argumentation
• So don’t get lost in the details – it takes up time and you won’t be punished for little mistakes.

6. Vocabulary . You’re in AP® Spanish so you (hopefully!) have a solid command of the Spanish Language. Still, what slips you up? Causes you to slow down when completing assignments or speaking in class? More likely than not, it’s an unknown vocabulary word or perhaps a word that you learned once and cannot recall. Well, there’s a solution for that:

7. Rely on flashcards . You guessed it: vocabulary cards. We already talked about the importance of reading and identifying unknown vocabulary words. What to do once you have a list? Make cards. Or charts. Or elaborate, colorful diagrams. Whatever helps you to remember new words. And remember: no English translations! Instead, write a description of the word in Spanish. Research shows that you will remember words faster (and access them faster come test day) if they have their own representation in your mind.

8. A new one a day . Plain and simple: learn a new word every day. Open up a dictionary and pick a word out. Use a daily flip calendar that introduces a vocab word a day. Use them all!

9. Contextualize . It’s not enough to maintain a hefty stack of vocabulary cards if you don’t know how/when to use them. Make sure to include an example sentence for each new word that really helps integrate the meaning in your mind.

10. Don’t forget the details . So you have your vocabulary list and even some example sentences. Still, you’re going to get stuck with these new words if you don’t note two things:

11. Word gender : If it’s a noun, you must memorize the gender and article ( el / la ). And what about the gender of those “exceptions”? El agua is feminine but el idioma is masculine – note the gender of the word in addition to its article.

12. Verb conjugation : Spanish is notorious for its tough verb conjugations. If it’s an irregular verb, make sure that you note all the conjugations (including subjunctive!). You never know when one will pop up.

• Insider tip : Although on the AP® Spanish Language exam graders are instructed to be forgiving for cosmetic errors like accents, grammatical gender ( el vs. la ), and even some tough irregular verb conjugations such as the subjunctive, your grader will be more impressed if you have a clean, error-free essay. So brush up on your accent marking and write the best essay that you can on test day.

13. Exercise the weak spots . In your AP® Spanish Language class, you have undoubtedly been doing some practice exams. These are a great method for identifying your weak spots on the exam – the part of the exam that’s going to drag you down below the crucial 4 mark. Find the part of the exam, be it spoken, written, or otherwise, that you struggle with and work on it. Pay particular attention to it during practice exams and go over those responses with your teacher.  Spend some time reviewing tough grammar . Do practice exercises for ideas like por para , preterite vs. imperfect, irregular verbs, and when to use the subjunctive. If you can use these structures correctly and consistently, you’ll score higher.You can also ask your teacher for specific areas that he/she would recommend you improve upon prior to the test.

• Insider tip: What’s my structure again? The AP® Spanish exam is comprised of three main areas: multiple choice,  written communication, and spoken communication. Here they are, listed in order of appearance on the test: multiple choice, interpersonal writing (email reply), presentational writing (persuasive essay), interpersonal speaking (conversation) and finally presentational speaking (cultural comparison). Remember that once you complete one section, you can’t go back and change your answers. So move on and focus on the section at hand. At the same time, you can’t work ahead. So even if you’re especially nervous for the speaking section, focus on the questions in front of you. You can’t work ahead so there’s no benefit in being anxious about an upcoming section.

14. Review old exams. Previous exams are an AP® student’s best friend. Why? Because the test makers shy away from too much creativity year to year. Previous tests are the key to predicting what to expect on your test this year. Yes, there will be an e-mail (interpersonal writing component). Yes, there will be an essay (presentational writing component). But not only should you examine these previous exams, you should also practice responses to these questions – and time yourself. Which brings us to…

15. Tick-tock, time yourself. The more you practice for the AP® Spanish Language exam, the more you will see that time is of the essence. With so many components to the test, it’s understandable that time will go by quickly. Don’t let yourself fall into this trap and get stressed by time limits. Practice is great, but it’s all for nothing if you don’t also time yourself. Set a clock in front of you when you practice the interpersonal writing component – time passes very quickly and there’s a lot of information that must be included to warrant a 5! Use that clock again when practicing the speaking section. You have some big recording spots to fill with your oral Spanish – make sure you don’t leave three minutes of a recording empty without response. And don’t count on a clock hanging in the testing room; wear a watch (make sure it won’t make any noise during the exam), so you can keep track of your organizing, writing, and speaking time easily.

16. Teachers as resources. You may think that your AP® Spanish teacher is only there as a source of infinite grammatical wisdom. But in fact, there may be no better person to speak with about the test than your own teacher! AP® teachers have seen hundred of students come through their classrooms. What’s more, as we’ll explain below, many AP® teachers grade the exams at summer institutes. Your teacher is a wealth of knowledge. Ask questions. Speak up. Take advantage of extra study sessions (or suggest them!).

17. Make a study party! For some, studying alone works. Still, research shows that most students work better and achieve better results when reviewing in a group. Why? Because you can bounce ideas off of the various members, it breaks up the monotony of studying alone, and, because it can be fun! Exam review doesn’t have to be miserable. Be organized and stay on course, but make the time during review to also be with friends and classmates.

18. Play grader . Trade practice essays within the group and grade each other’s using the 0-5 AP® rubric . Be encouraging, but tell each member what was lacking in the essay and most importantly, how to improve for the next one.

19. Divide and conquer vocab cards . Why make duplicate vocabulary cards? Split the vocabulary lists between the members of the group and have each member type up a set of review cards to share. Then, if you do want to practice on your own, simply make a copy of the group’s prepared cards.

20. Have a weekly objective . Try to meet once a week leading up to the test and then close to daily as the test approaches. For each meeting, come prepared with a topic to review. Put one or two people in charge of a new topic for each meeting. This way, you get a solid review of a cultural concept or verb tense, but don’t have to do all the review alone.

21. Skip instructions . You know what to do – skip them! That’s right, by the time you get to test day, you should be so familiar with the layout and structure of the exam, that you don’t need to review the instructions again. Get used to the format, the prompt style, and the instructions. During the exam, you will have a full minute each time the instructions are read; you don’t need to listen! Use that time to get started reading printed sources, skimming multiple-choice questions, and jotting down notes for the presentational prompts. Your familiarity with the instructions is your secret weapon. You’ll save yourself a good minute of test time!

• Take a breather after every page of questions. This easy exercise will give your brain a brief respite from the tough job of reading all that Spanish!
• Make sure to stand up during break time. Working so fast and ardently can take a toll on your back and legs. You won’t be punished for standing up during the break, so get that blood pumping and jump to your feet occasionally.
• Eat a good breakfast/lunch on test day! It will be impossible to focus for all three hours of the exam if your stomach is grumbling. Give your brain the energy it needs – eat well the day of the test!

22. Know the themes . It’s the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam. Of course it’s important to review your past subjunctive and transition words for the essays, but if you aren’t knowledgeable about the cultural themes that the AP® course is structured around, you cannot do well on the test.

Writing and speaking prompts, as well as multiple-choice questions, will tie in these common connections. According to CollegeBoard , the themes are as follows:

• Global Challenges / Los desafíos mundiales
• Science and Technology / La ciencia y la tecnología
• Contemporary Life / La vida contemporánea
• Personal and Public Identities / Identidades personales y públicos
• Families and Communities / Las familias y las comunidades
• Beauty and Aesthetics / La belleza y la estética

Knowing these categories alone won’t be much help, but you can use them as guidelines for your studying and your outside resources. Check out sources in each of these different topics to get familiar with cultural trends. Impress the graders not simply with your imperfect/preterit usage but also your cultural knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world.

23. Tune out and focus in . Too many students taking the AP® Spanish Language and Culture and other high-stakes tests psyche themselves out by watching others during test time. “He’s writing more than me.” “She hasn’t stopped speaking!” Our advice: don’t worry about other people. Do the best that you can do. After all, you don’t know who’s looking at you thinking the same things!

24. Know the scoring guidelines . In front of every AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam grader is a list of grading guidelines. What’s on them? How is your presentational writing section or interpersonal speaking section graded? This should not be a mystery to you – because the grading guidelines are posted right to the CollegeBoard website! If your AP® Spanish teacher hasn’t provided you and your classmates with these guidelines, download them and bring some copies to class. Knowing how you will be graded and the specific criteria that graders are looking for will take a lot of the guessing out of the exam game. Know exactly what the graders look for and supply it for them in your written and speaking parts – get the points you deserve!

25. Prepare, prepare, prepare: Don’t wait until the last few days before the exam to review! Spend at least a couple of weeks ahead of time going over tricky grammar concepts, irregular verbs, and cultural patterns. The earlier you start studying, the more natural it will be to speak and write in Spanish when the time comes.

26. Manage your anxiety: Worrying about how you will score on the test can only lower your score. You’ve prepared for this exam with years of classroom experience, so you know you can speak Spanish! Instead of scaring yourself, focus on what you can do, and have the confidence that you will do it well.

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AP® Spanish Language and Culture Multiple Choice Tips

1. Don’t leave any stones unturned . Make sure to answer every single question! Inevitably you won’t know the answer to one question. Well, there’s no penalty for wrong answers so even if you’re unsure of an answer, go ahead and guess! Who knows, you might just get it right.

2. Use process of elimination . Remember in elementary school when you learned about the process of elimination? Well, it’s going to be your best friend on the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam. Unsure of a question? At least narrow the potential responses down to two – then guess between them.

3. How best to listen . Just like in the written portion, each audio source will be played twice for you. Read the question closely prior to their playing. The first time, pause for comprehension. Only the second time should you try to capture notes.

4. Track the time . The multiple choice section is expansive and it’s easy to lose yourself in the answers. Make sure to take a deep breath every few questions. And keep track of time – making sure to fill in at least something for every question.

5. Summarize: For printed sources, write a short summary phrase at the end of each paragraph. This will help you understand the main ideas, and make it easier to refer back to the source for answers.

6. Check, but don’t obsess: Look over your responses, but go with your gut; unless you have direct evidence that your first answer is definitely incorrect, trust your instincts.

AP® Spanish Language and Culture Free Response Tips

1. Don’t stop talking . If there’s one piece of advice that we can give to you concerning the presentational speaking section of the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam it’s this: don’t stop. You have six minutes and you need to use all of it. That can seem intimidating – you’re speaking in a second language, after all! But with practice, paying particular attention to your Spanish filler words ( así que , podemos ver , es obvio que , etc.), you can speak for the entirety of that time. Follow these guidelines to learn how!

2. Fill in the blanks with speech . We already mentioned this above but it’s worth stating again. To have smooth delivery, particularly in the length presentational speaking component, it is essential that you use filler words and phrases. We already provided some above but here are some more. And don’t forget, when in doubt, in Spanish we don’t say “um” but “em”!

Podemos ver…

Es obvio que…

Al otro lado…

Además de eso…

3. Organization is key . Like we said above, six minutes for the presentational speaking component may seem like a lot of time to fill with speech (Interpersonal speaking is twenty seconds for each response which poses a different sort of challenge.). So an important part of your preparation for the presentational speaking on the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam should be how to organize your cultural comparison. Will you start with one country and then another before comparing? Will you start with the comparison and then go into more detail on each country? That is up to you to decide but the more you know the layout of your speaking, the easier the delivery will be.

4. Don’t memorize verbs in linear order . If you’re like most foreign language students, you’ve spent a hefty amount of time memorizing verb conjugations. Yo tengo , tú tienes , ella tiene , etc. Good, you’ve memorized your verbs. But can you use them in context? Or do you have to run through the list of conjugations ( yo , tú , él , nosotros , ustedes ) to get to the nosotros conjugation? What about the less familiar or irregular verbs? Know those too and be able to use them on the the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam.

• You won’t have time when speaking during the exam to go through every conjugation. So, practice conjugations out of order. Make sure to practice less-used conjugations such as usted . And plus side: once you know your verbs that quickly, your writing will be faster too!

5. Playback a recording of yourself . One of the most consistent complaints from speaking section graders on the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam is that students do not speak clearly enough. This is understandable – you’re nervous, time is passing quickly. You have a lot to say or maybe you’re unsure about some pronunciation. But you can’t get the points that you need to pass the exam if the grader can’t even understand you.

• So, take steps to avoid this problem. Prior to the test, practice your vocabulary words with a clear, articulate pronunciation. Even go so far as to record yourself so that you know what you sound like (you can trade recordings with members of the study group that we talked about before). On test day, don’t let your nerves get the better of you. Speak slowly – even during the quick interpersonal speaking. If you’re unsure of a word, still be confident in your pronunciation so that the graders at least understand what you were trying to say.

6. Use the appropriate register. The register grading criterion is clearly marked on the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam grading guidelines – what does it mean? You’ve learned the conjugations for tú and usted , vos and ustedes , even vosotros / as etc. by now. And you know that usted ( es ) is used for more formal situations such as speaking with a stranger while tú is used in less formal situations such as around friends and family. So be consistent with your usage of the pronouns in the simulated conversation section, in particular, when you are most likely to be (mock) speaking with someone else.

• Insider tip : You will never be expected to know conjugations for vosotros or vos on the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam. But if you have experience in countries that use vos such as Argentina, Chile, or Venezuela or other countries such as Spain that use vosotros , feel free to use them.

AP® Spanish Language and Culture Essay Tips & Advice

1. Use your transitions . We’ve talked about it since day 1 of AP® Spanish Language and Culture. What do the graders look for? Long, disorganized paragraphs? Nope, they look for clean paragraphs with killer topic sentences all topped off with…a transition. Know them: De esta manera , como resultado , además de eso .

2. Write legibly . Who do you think is going to receive the higher score: the student who took his/her time, taking time to write each word in solid, black ink? Or the student who slopped all over the pages in impossible-to-read-me lime green pen? Write legibly and use a dark blue or brown pen. Pencil for notes – pen for text.

3. Use tough structures correctly . Certain structures are known to be difficult (I’m looking at you, future subjunctive) and graders almost always note their usage. So if you’re going to be brave and use them – make sure to use them right! If you’ve prepared for the exam, you should feel fairly comfortable using tough grammatical structures in written form – but make sure you have them correct!

4. Incorporate sources ! I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: USE YOUR SOURCES. The experts above commented on how many students, year after year, fail to use all three sources on the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam! While graders will be forgiving to a certain extent – don’t make them work to find your sources and citations in the essays.

5. And answer the questions . This one hits home especially for the email. It’s a very fast turnaround time from receiving instructions to signing off on the email – so work fast! But, note that you’ve responded to every single question in the prompt. For example, the email always encourages you to respond with a question of your own – so make sure you include a question for your addressee! Just as with the sources, make sure to include answers to every single question to get full points for the interpersonal writing component.

6. Don’t get bogged down in details . Yup, we said it, don’t get bogged down. You’re not going to understand every single word of the prompts. Don’t let this bother you or cause you to lose confidence. Use the context around the word to figure out its meaning. Or, if possible, reduce the word to its root and see if you recognize any part of it. At the end of the day, you don’t have to understand every single line of every single prompt to do a stellar job in the written component.

7. Toss in the subjunctive whenever you can: The subjunctive mood is tough; even AP® graders recognize that. So being able to use it every once in a while will showcase your language ability – play it up!

8. Take a side: The presentational writing is a persuasive essay, which means you should have some kind of argument in your thesis. Then, use the sources as evidence to support your position. Refer to both sides of the issue, but clearly focus on one – this will strengthen your argument.

Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking Tips

1. When in doubt, keep talking: You have a limited amount of time – use it! Even if you’re stumped, talking basically about the main idea fills silence, and it can even help you think of more things to say as you go.

2. Fill it up: Know your filler words! Instead of saying but or ummmm or I mean , know phrases like this in Spanish – they’re called muletillas . These are especially helpful in interpersonal speaking , which is more informal. Some helpful ones to keep in mind: pues, bueno, mira, o sea, es decir …

3. Everybody makes mistakes: If you catch yourself making a grammar mistake, self-correct! Even graders know we all mess up sometimes, so they like to see you fix your mistakes.

4. Interpersonal Speaking: This section can be tricky, but it’s simple if you’re prepared. Just think of it as a casual conversation – communication is the most important thing.

5. Complete the task: This is the first and most important objective of the section. Each portion of the prompt will have instructions with one or two tasks to complete – make sure you complete each one! Then show off what you can do in the remaining time. You only have twenty seconds, so follow instructions first and then fill up time.

6. Know your audience: Based on the description of the conversation, immediately identify if you should use tú or Usted . If you’re speaking to a friend, the informal is safe. But if you’ll be talking to a teacher, a boss, or someone giving you an interview, make sure you address them with the formal Usted .

7. Outline: During the instructions, look at the tasks for each part of the prompt. Jot down words you think might be useful – especially transitions – verb tenses, or places to use the subjunctive. For example, if one task is to make a complaint, you could jot down Es desafortunado que…

8. Presentational Speaking: Here’s the thing… this section of the exam is hard. It takes a calm mind and confidence in the language. But here’s the other thing: you can do well with the right strategy! Here are some expert tips to conquering the cultural comparison.

9. Remember your surroundings: No, not the testing room – the hypothetical classroom you’re speaking to in this section. The cultural comparison is a presentation, so it should be more professional and formal than the interpersonal speaking.

10. Organization is key: Don’t just toss out facts about two cultures at random. Start with a thesis or main idea, then go into similarities with supporting evidence, then differences with supporting evidence. Finish up with a brief conclusion that sums up your argument.

11. Don’t script it: When you’re taking notes, don’t try to write out everything you’re going to say. Go for an outline with key vocab words instead.

12. Comparison is the name of the game: Make sure to draw from both your own culture and the prompted Spanish-speaking culture. When you’re taking notes, it can often be helpful to make a Venn diagram, so you can visualize the similarities and differences.

13. Familiarize yourself with a culture: The prompt will ask you to compare your own culture with a Spanish-speaking culture with which you are familiar. This can be overwhelming, with so many choices. Before the exam, look into a few cultures that interest you, or even countries you’ve traveled to. Some examples that will have a lot of cultural resources are Spain, Mexico, and Argentina, but you can also explore other Spanish-speaking countries.

14. Recognize patterns: Be familiar with patterns across Spanish-speaking countries in attitudes, values, and practices. For example, consider the strong religious tradition in many of these cultures – how does this compare with your own experience? What about festivals? The role of the family?

15. Know your transition words: Like in many other parts of the exam, transition words can really help bump up your score because they show confidence with the language and material. Some especially helpful phrases for this section are además, por ejemplo, por otro lado, aunque, por el contrario …

16. Bring in your opinion: Even though this is a formal setting, the prompt will ask about your own experience, so talk about it! Don’t just give facts about the place you live; instead, talk about your personal experience with family, for example, and what that shows as a pattern in your culture.

Tips by AP® Spanish Language Teachers

School is out and you may think your AP® Spanish teacher checks out for the summer. To the contrary, most scoring for AP® Spanish Language and Culture exams is done by AP® Spanish teachers themselves! What does this mean for you? Well, teachers return to their classrooms after the AP® exam grading having seen both sides of the test: the students and the responses. They know what students tend to do – and what graders do and do not want to see on the test.

Here is some of their expert knowledge:

1. Do your best from the first day of class . Foreign language is complex and takes many months and years of steady practice and commitment. “I always tell my students, you should be putting your best foot forward from day 1 of class. You can’t cram for a language – fluency takes time. Put the time in throughout the semester(s) and you’ll be rewarded come exam time.”

2. 6 minutes? Use it! The experts back us up on this one! You have so much time for the speaking section so make sure you use that to your advantage. “When we grade the speaking section of the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam, we must listen to the entirety of each recording – even if 3 of the 6 minutes are silent! I always encourage my students to use this to their advantage! Don’t babble, but practice forming coherent, oral arguments when we do our practice exams in class. 6 minutes is a lot of time, but with practice, it becomes easy to fill with well-formulated material in a foreign language.”

3. 6 pages? Don’t use it! And make sure to be concise with writing! Graders simply read too many essays every day to manage your six-page essay, so only write what you really want to say. This will help with time management issues as well.

“For the writing section of the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam, we grade upwards of 100 essays a day for multiple days in a row. Think that sounds tiring? It is. There is nothing worse than a long presentational writing component that carries on for pages without actually making a point. Sometimes they won’t even state a thesis. The test creators want to make sure that you have plenty of space to formulate your thoughts so they give you lots of pages. However, that rarely means that you need to fill out every single blank page. I have given out scores of 5 to essays that were only 2 pages.”

4. Save up your energy for the end. “The AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam is notorious for its length and variety of content for which you must prepare: multiple choice, written, oral, etc. I think the most important advice that I give my students year after year is to not wear themselves out too much during the test. Save some energy up for the final sections, one of which is writing which is especially draining. And of course follow test-taking basics such as eating a good breakfast so you can perform your best.”

5. For Heritage speakers. Heritage speakers represent a unique group of test takers. But as this grader says, it doesn’t mean that they always have an advantage: “ Many of my students speak Spanish as a first language, at home with their parents. They come to my class to learn how to write formally in Spanish, etc. Still, I tell them that much of the same advice I give to the students who are learning to speak Spanish applies to them: Think before you speak. Write out a well-formulated plan and thesis prior to writing an essay. Read the entirety of the question/prompt instead of assuming you know the answer. Do I think my students who speak Spanish as a first language have an advantage? Perhaps. But they also need to be careful to harness some of their knowledge in and follow the format of the test. I’ve seen several native speakers fail the AP® Spanish exam for that very reason.

6. Even these count. “Don’t underestimate the power of practice tests! Every year the same result: those students who consistently take the practice tests, pass the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam. Those students that don’t take the practice tests seriously: fail. That simple.”

7. And speaking of practice. Practice alone is not enough! Make sure to do full run-throughs of the exam, with your study group, for example, prior to taking the test. “Although helpful, when we do practice tests in class, we can only focus on one section of the test: written, oral, multiple choice, etc. This does not give you the authentic test-taking experience that is draining given the length and quantity of test material. So I give my students extra tests to do outside of class. It will take a whole afternoon – but after all, so will the test. Be as prepared as you can be. Practice the entirety of the test prior to test day instead of always breaking it up into chunks.”

8. Use idioms: More than just transition phrases, idioms can help showcase your language skills and confidence, especially in the interpersonal sections. Some examples to get you started: tener ganas de, con tal de que (+ subjunctive), tener la culpa, estar de acuerdo, and acabar de . Phrases like this are more than just vocabulary; they show connections and make communication clear. Thanks for the tip from Sra. C in Kentucky.

9. Bring in culture whenever possible: Now that the exam focuses on cultural elements and not just language, it can only help to throw in your knowledge of Spanish-speaking cultures wherever you can – especially in interpersonal writing and speaking. For instance, if you’re writing an email to your grandmother, make her in a Cuban neighborhood in Miami. In the speaking conversation, the prompt might ask you about examples in a category, such as music or books – here you could name-drop Juanes or Gabriel García Márquez. Thanks for the tip from Sra. C in Kentucky.

10. Avoid anglicismos : These are the false cognates and obvious English structures (like placing adjectives before nouns) that are dead-giveaway signs of English translation. The best way to avoid these anglicisms is to practice reading and listening to authentic sources – you’ll get used to Spanish structures and they will come naturally in your own writing and speaking. Thanks to Srta. D in Ohio for the tip.

11. Know the three cultural Ps: productos, prácticas, y perspectivas . These categories will better help you understand different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures, so that you can draw on them specifically during the cultural comparison. Productos are things, whether tangible or intangible, that are important to a culture. They can include physical objects, like a house or a road, as well as laws, the education system, and other institutions. Prácticas are actions: festivals and celebrations, weddings, and daily interactions. Perspectivas are broader; they indicate how the people of a culture see the world. They include values and patterns of behavior and beliefs, such as the role of the family, religious tradition, the value of work, etc. Familiarizing yourself with these ideas will help you understand many parts of Spanish-speaking culture, instead of only knowing about the differences in laws or the different types of ferias in Spain. Thanks for the tip from Sra. A at Bloomington High School North.

12. Directions . You should know the directions, don’t waste valuable test-taking time reading them. But make sure you follow them! “You would think this would be obvious, but I see it all the time at institute when we’re grading the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exams: students not following directions. How can you hope to get the right answer if you don’t know the question? This is especially critical for the written section, I think, where not only do you need to respond to a prompt, (and only that prompt – anything more/less will lose you points!) but you also must utilize all three sources provided.”

• Insider tip : Graders are instructed not to punish students who forget to use one source. So, you can still get a very high score if you do forget about one. But don’t take that chance! Incorporate all three and get the grade you deserve.

13. Sources . We talked about the importance of knowing and incorporating your sources and the experts back us up: “And speaking of sources… use them all! I am always so disappointed by how many students I have to dock points for the silly reason that they didn’t incorporate the sources. Sometimes they have such nice theses and well-constructed arguments but no sources – at all! You cannot receive a passing score if you do not include at least one source.”

• Insider tip : You do not need to explicitly cite the sources in your written essay. Sometimes doing so can even make your writing a little clunky. However, keep in mind that graders are looking to check off the three sources as one element of a good essay. Make it easy on them! Find some way to cite your sources clearly in your essay: boom, boom, boom. One less thing for you to lose points on.

14. Oh no, audio. We’ve said it before, speak clearly. Too often graders will not that they have a hard time just understanding students such as one grader of the audio section: “I sometimes struggle to just understand what the students are saying. Once in a while a student will speak far too fast, for example. Others are too quiet. As you record yourself, imagine yourself on the receiving end of the audio. Would you be able to understand yourself at that volume? That speed? I even go so far as to have my students record themselves speaking and play it back so that they can see how their speech comes across on a recording – not always how it seems!”

Are you a teacher or student? Do you have an awesome tip? Let us know!

The AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam is a doozy. But every year more than 100,000 students take the test with almost half receiving a score of 4 or 5. They rely on excellent study habits beginning from day one of class, a great resource in their AP® Spanish teacher, and sources like this list of exam tips. Come prepared to test day with not only your verb charts memorized but also a bunch of insider tips on how to beat the exam from the inside. Let’s recap:

• Use. Your. Sources. (Do we need to say it again?)
• Actually respond to the prompt!
• When in doubt, keep talking.
• When in doubt, stop writing.

Armed with this knowledge, there’s no way you can’t succeed on the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam. On test day, perform your best knowing that you’ve done all you can to prepare: incorporating Spanish into your daily life, constant review of vocabulary, taking full practice tests. These are all the things that will get you to a passing grade on the exam. ¡ Ánimo !

Keep reading for great insider tips on other AP® foreign language tests including the AP® Spanish Literature and Culture exam.

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The AP Spanish courses are the most popular AP foreign language classes. In fact, they’re so popular that two sets of Spanish curricula exist: AP Spanish Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture. This is the only AP foreign language that has more than one course offering. In 2019, over 185,000 students took the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, making it by far the most popular foreign language exam taken. 

The curriculum for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam emphasizes communication by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills in real-life situations. As you undertake the coursework or exam preparations, you will need to focus on understanding others and being understood by others. If you’re planning to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, whether you have taken the class, are a native speaker, or have self-studied, read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for how to best prepare.

When is the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam?

The College Board will administer the 2020 AP Spanish Language and Culture exam on Tuesday, May 12, at 8 am. For a complete list of all the AP exams, along with tips for success and information about how students score, check out our article 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know.

About the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish and includes instruction in vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. 

Although there is some emphasis placed on correct grammar usage, the College Board specifically warns against overemphasizing grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. Instead, more time will be spent on applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication skills in real-life situations, exploring the culture in both contemporary and historical contexts, and building an awareness and appreciation of cultural products, practices, and perspectives.

There are no explicit prerequisites for the AP Spanish Language and Culture course, but students who take it are typically in their fourth year of high school-level Spanish language study or have extensive practical experience communicating in both written and oral Spanish language.

There are four essential components to the framework of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course that clarify what you must know, be able to do, and understand to qualify for

college credit or placement. Those components are skills, themes, modes, and task models. 

Skills: Skills are the abilities you’ll need to think and act like a Spanish speaker. The College Board breaks these skills into eight units; below is a list of those units along with the weight they are given on the multiple-choice section of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam: 

Themes: The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is divided into 6 themes in which there are 5-7 contexts covered. Below are the 6 themes along with their recommended contexts:

Modes: To pass the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, students need to demonstrate proficiency engaging in three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Students need to possess skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing in the following areas: 

• Audio, Visual, and Audiovisual Interpretive Communication
• Written and Print Interpretive Communication
• Spoken Interpersonal Communication
• Written Interpersonal Communication
• Spoken Presentational Communication
• Written Presentational Communication

Task Model: Finally, you will work with various task models to demonstrate linguistic skills and cultural understanding. The task model types are: 

AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Content

At 3 hours and 3 minutes long, the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is one of the longer-lasting AP exams. It consists of two primary sections—the first section featuring multiple-choice questions, and the second made up of free response questions.

The multiple-choice questions are further broken down into two parts—one part based on text as a stimulus, the other part uses audio as a stimulus. 

Section 1(a): Multiple-Choice Text

40 minutes | 30 questions | 23% of score

The first part of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam uses a variety of printed materials—journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables—as a stimulus. You’re asked to identify ideas and details, define words in context, identify an author’s point of view or target audience, and demonstrate knowledge of cultural or interdisciplinary information contained in the text. 

Example of a text-based multiple-choice question: 

Answers to multiple-choice questions above: 

Section 1(b): Multiple-Choice Audio

55 minutes | 35 questions | 27% of score

The second part of the multiple-choice section uses audio material—interviews, podcasts, PSAs, conversations, and brief presentations—as a stimulus. In this part of the exam, students will encounter two subsections of questions. 

• In the first subsection, you’re asked to answer questions using two audio sources and related print materials as a stimulus. 
• The second subsection uses three audio sources (and no print material) as the stimulus. 

Example of a question you’ll encounter in the audio-based multiple-choice section, click on the question for audio: 

Answers to the multiple choice questions above:

The free-response section of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is also broken down into two parts—one part focusing on writing, and the other on speaking. 

Section 2 (a): Free Response Written

1 hour 10 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The first free response section features two questions—one on interpersonal writing and the other on presentational writing. The first of the two questions require you to read and respond to an email. You have 15 minutes to complete this section, and it’s worth 12.5% of your exam score. The second of these questions provides three sources—including an article, a table, graph, chart, or infographic, and a related audio source offering different viewpoints on a topic—that you will use to construct an argumentative essay. This question is allotted 55 minutes (15 minutes to review materials and 40 minutes to write) and is also worth 12.5% of your exam score. 

Example of an email free-response question: 

Section 2: Free Response Spoken

18 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The spoken part of the free response section tests your interpersonal and presentational speaking ability. For interpersonal speaking, you will participate in five exchanges in a simulated conversation with 20 seconds for each response. For the second part, you’re tasked with delivering a two-minute presentation requiring you to compare a cultural feature of a Spanish-speaking community to another community you are familiar with. 

When delivering oral responses, you will be digitally recorded and your proctor will submit your recordings with the rest of your test materials. Learn more about submitting audio on the College Board’s webpage of the same name, Submitting Audio . 

Example of a spoken, presentational, free-response question: 

AP Spanish Language and Culture Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

In 2019, students generally did quite well on the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. More than half of all students received a score of 4 or 5, and nearly 90% of test-takers received a passing score (3 or higher). Though students who regularly spoke or heard Spanish outside of school did perform slightly better overall than the standard group of foreign language students, the standard group still passed the exam at a rate of nearly 85% and only 3% received the lowest score of a 1.      

To guide your studying, read the full AP Spanish course description . For a comprehensive listing of the score distribution on all of the AP exams, check out our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams .

Best Ways to Study for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

Step 1: start by assessing your skills.

It’s important to start your studying off with a good understanding of your existing knowledge. Although the College Board does not provide a complete practice test, you can find sample questions with scoring explanations included in the course description . Additionally, you can find a free AP Spanish Language and Culture diagnostic test from Varsity Tutors. You may also find practice or diagnostic exams in many of the commercially printed study guides.

Step 2: Study the Material

In the case of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course, the theory you’ll need to know falls into six themes (Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Families and Communities, Global Challenges, Personal and Public Identities, Science and Technology). Many textbooks will be divided into units based on these themes. Even if they are not, you should find threads of them throughout your studies. 

Of course, the best way to study a foreign language is to truly immerse yourself in it. Although your course will be taught primarily in Spanish, this will account for only a tiny percentage of your day. You should find other ways to further your exposure to the Spanish language, and given the prevalence of Spanish in our own contemporary culture, this should not be difficult. You can easily find engaging young adult books written in Spanish, interesting Youtube videos or TV shows in Spanish, or even Spanish podcasts. Check out comic books, news, or websites in Spanish. Make sure you are speaking, listening to, and reading Spanish as much as possible, even outside of your regular study or class hours.     

The College Board also provides some valuable study tools for your use. Reviewing the AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description can help you to more deeply understand the course content and format. You should also review the exam audio files and the official Exam Practice Tips to help guide your studying.

In addition, you should take advantage of the many commercial study guides available for your use. One of the top-rated AP Spanish Language and Culture study guides is the Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam with Audio CD, 2020 Edition . This compilation of content reviews and strategies also contains two full-length practice tests with complete answer explanations and access to the Princeton Review’s AP Connect portal online. Another great option is Barron’s AP Spanish Language and Culture with MP3 CD, 8th Edition , which again contains two full-length practice exams with audio sections for both practice exams.

There are also vast amounts of study materials available online. Taking one of the more popular AP exams means that many students have been in your shoes, and often they or their teachers have posted past materials to supplement their studying. You can find a huge database of resources including sound files, Spanish reading sites, and grammar sites— this site is a good place to get started.

Finally, apps are a relatively new and fun way to squeeze in a little more studying. The Fluent U app is a great option for AP foreign languages. The basic version is free, but watch out for in-app purchases. The premium versions can set you back between $30 and $240 dollars.   

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you’ve got a good handle on the major course content and theory, you can begin putting it to use. Start by practicing multiple-choice questions. You will be able to find plenty of these available online (for example, study.com has a free 50-question online practice test ) for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, or you can try the practice ones provided in commercial study guides.

The College Board course description also contains a number of multiple-choice questions with answers and explanations. As you are reviewing these, keep track of which broad content areas are coming easily to you and which still require more effort. Think about what each question is really asking you to do, and keep a list of vocabulary, grammar, and content areas that still seem unfamiliar. These will be points for more review before you move on.

Step 4: Practice Free Response Questions

Even if you’ve studied for the free response section of other APs in the past, your studies for the free response section of the foreign language AP exams will be quite different. In addition to practicing your written responses, you’ll also need to fine-tune your listening skills and oral responses.

Begin your preparations by brushing up on your vocabulary and grammar. Make sure you have a handle on a broad variety of verbs and how to conjugate each. Also, reaffirm that your knowledge of vocabulary will allow you to express yourself as fluently as possible. A great tool for this is a supplementary set of Barron’s AP Spanish Flash Cards . These cards emphasize word usage within the context of sentences and review parts of speech, noun genders, verb forms and tenses, and correct sentence structure.

Beyond vocabulary and grammar, your studies should also include practicing written and oral responses. The best way to specifically prepare for both the written and spoken portions of your free response questions is to practice repeated similar prompts. There is a huge resource of past free response questions available on College Board’s website dating back to 1999, with accompanying scoring explanations and examples of authentic student responses. 

To make the most of these example free response questions, review the Chief Reader Report on Student Responses wherein the Chief Reader of the AP Exam compiles feedback to describe how students performed on the prompts, summarizes typical student errors, and addresses specific concepts and content with which students have struggled the most. 

It can be especially difficult to prepare for the oral portion of your free response section since it’s difficult to identify your own spoken errors. Try recording your responses and comparing them to the authentic student responses available above. Alternatively, collaborate with a classmate to record and trade responses, offering one another constructive criticism framed by the scoring examples available above.

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

Just as you took a practice test at the beginning of your preparations to gauge your readiness for the exam, do so again after a thorough review of the course content and each exam portion. Identify the areas in which you’ve improved the most, and areas still in need of improvement. If time allows, repeat the steps above to incrementally increase your score with each pass.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

For more information about APs, check out these CollegeVine posts:

• 2020 AP Exam Schedule
• How Long is Each AP Exam?
• Easiest and Hardest AP Exams

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Tests

The examination is divided into two sections: Section I (reading, listening and reading combined, and listening) is multiple choice; Section II (writing and speaking) is free response. Sections I and II are each worth 50 percent of the total score. If you complete Section I before time is called, you may go back and check any part of it that you wish. When time is called, you will turn in the booklet and have a short break. You will then move on to Section II and will not be able to look at Section I again.

The following table summarizes the format of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam.

AP Spanish Language and Culture Multiple-Choice Practice Tests(Interpretive Communication: Print Texts)

• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 1: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 2: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 3: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 4: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 5: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 6: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 7: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 8: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 9: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 10: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 11
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 12
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 13
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 14
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 15
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 16
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 17
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 18
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 19
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 20
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 21
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 22
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 23
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 24
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 25
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 26
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 27
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 1
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 2
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 3
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 4
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 5
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 6
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 7
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 8
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 9
• AP Spanish Language and Culture Practice Test 10

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The AP ®  Spanish Language and Culture Exam is a college-level exam administered every year in May upon the completion of an Advanced Placement Spanish Language course taken at your high school. If you score high enough, you could earn college credit!

Check out our AP Spanish Guide for the essential info you need about the exam:

• AP Spanish Exam Overview
• AP Spanish Sections & Question Types
• AP Spanish Scoring
• How to Prepare

What's on the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam?

The College Board requires your AP teacher to cover certain topics in the AP Spanish Language & Culture course. As you complete your review, make sure you are familiar with the following topics:

• Families in Different Societies
• The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity
• Influences of Beauty and Art
• How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives
• Factors That Impact the Quality of Life
• Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges

For helpful exam review and test-taking strategies, check out our book,  AP Spanish Language & Culture Prep

Sections & Question Types

The AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam is just over 3 hours long to complete and is comprised of two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. There are two parts to the multiple-choice section, and four questions in the free-response section.

Part A Multiple-Choice Questions

The first part of the multiple-choice section contains sets of questions based on one or more print text sources.

Part B Multiple-Choice Questions

The second part of the multiple-choice section contains sets of questions based on audio text sources, as well as a combination of audio and print text sources.

Free-Response Questions

• In Question 1: Email Reply, students are required to compose a formal email response in Spanish. They must include a greeting, a closing, and respond to all questions and requests in the incoming email. They must also ask for details about something mentioned in the incoming email.
• In Question 2: Argumentative Essay, students are required to write an essay as a submission to a Spanish writing contest. The topic is based on three sources, a combination of audio and print sources. The students must form an argument, defend their position, and integrate information from all three sources into their essay.
• In Question 3: Conversation, a student must participate in a simulated conversation where they have five turns in the conversation. They have 20 seconds to respond in each turn.
• In Question 4: Cultural Comparison, the student must compare an aspect of a Spanish-speaking community with the student’s own, or another, community. They must demonstrate an understanding of the cultural features of this Spanish-speaking community with an organized and clear presentation, using varied and appropriate language.

Read More: Review for the exam with our AP Psychology Crash Courses

What’s a good AP Spanish Score?

AP scores  are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP Spanish Language & Culture exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. Here’s how students scored on the May 2020 test:

Source:  College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP Spanish content and strategy, pick the  AP prep option  that works best for your goals and learning style.

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How To Crush the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam [+ FREE Practice Guide]

The AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is one of the best Spanish tests you can take. It doesn’t only focus on the Spanish language, but also on the overall Spanish culture. 

This exam prepares you to travel around Latin America and it can even give you a college credit. For all these reasons, the AP Spanish test is very popular among Spanish learners. 

However, this doesn’t mean that it’s an easy exam. On the contrary, you need to prepare yourself well to get a good result in this test. 

Keep reading to learn all you need to know about the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, its format, and how to study for it. 

Additionally, you will get a free downloadable practice guide. 

About the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

The AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam is a high school exam with a college level. 

It’s administered every May by the College Board after completion of an AP Spanish Language course. It offers the possibility of earning college credits, depending on your score. 

The AP Spanish exam has four sections: 

Multiple Choice

30 multiple choice-type questions to be answered in 40 minutes. 

This part is known as “Section IA,” consists of a diversity of print materials, and counts for 23% of your score. 

Multiple Choice with Audio

This part known as “Section IB” includes 35 multiple choice questions related to a variety of audios. 

You have 55 minutes to answer Section IB and it counts for 27% of your score. 

Free Response Written

“Section IIA” focuses on your writing skills. It includes only 2 questions, but gives you 1 hour and 10 minutes to answer them. 

In one question you need to reply to an email, and in the second one you have to write an argumentative essay. This section counts for 25% of your score. 

Free Response Spoken

Finally, in “Section IIB” you have to answer two questions and have 18 minutes to do so. 

The first question is a simulated conversation, while the second one is a 2-minute presentational speaking. This last section also counts for 25% of your score. 

How To Study for AP Spanish

If you’re planning to take the AP Spanish exam and you want to know how to get a 5 on AP Spanish language, there are a few things you can do to help you get ready for it. 

Take an AP Spanish Practice Test

This is one of the best tips you can get during your AP Spanish prep. 

Find a free online AP Spanish Practice Test , and see for yourself how you would do if you were taking the real exam today. 

These tests have been designed following the structure of the AP exam and are a good way to diagnose your current Spanish level. 

Study the Questions Beforehand

If you want to know how to study for a Spanish exam, perhaps one of the best methods is getting the questions of the exam beforehand. 

Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you cheat on the test. There are different websites that take some of the hardest questions from previous AP Spanish Language and Culture exams and analyze them to help students prepare for their test. 

Of course, you’re not getting the exact same questions in your test, but you’ll get a pretty good idea of the type of questions you’ll get. 

Focus on the AP Spanish Themes

During your AP Spanish course you should have covered certain topics required by the College Board. It’s very important that you get familiarized with these themes: 

Contemporary Life

Families and communities, personal and public identities, beauty and aesthetics, science and technology, global challenges, get an ap spanish book.

Among exam tips, this one may be the more obvious one. Get yourself an AP Spanish exam preparation book . 

Some of these books include audio tracks to help you with the listening section, translations for all the test passages and questions, and full-length practice tests too. 

Use Different Learning Techniques

There are many different learning techniques that can help you prepare for your AP Spanish exam. 

Strategies such as spaced repetition , tracking your progress , and taking Spanish classes , can make the difference between having a successful test or a not so successful one.

If you happen to be taking more than two foreign languages at once, here is a hand-picked piece for you: 9 Tips for Learning Multiple Languages At Once .

Develop Essay Writing Skills

One of the most feared sections of the AP Spanish test is the essay-writing one. 

That’s because it requires developing not only writing in Spanish skills, but essay writing skills in general. 

There are some essay writing tools that can help you in this regard, such as Talk Typer , the Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary , and different grammar checkers . 

Use a Diversity of Spanish Resources

The best thing you can do when studying Spanish and preparing yourself for the AP Spanish exam is to use a balanced approach and include different resources in your preparation efforts. 

This way, you will cover different angles and make sure to develop different skills. These days there are so many resources online that it’s hard to choose the right ones, but here you can find a list of the most useful ones .

AP Spanish Practice Guide

Is AP Spanish hard? Yes, a little bit. I’d be lying to you if I said otherwise. 

But you can prepare yourself with this AP Spanish Practice Guide. You can download it and work through the different exercises on it, they follow the same structure as the AP Spanish test questions and include preparation answers. 

Important Vocabulary You Need to Master

The following list of words will help you enrich your written answers and strengthen your essay. After learning some useful verbs, each group of words is related to a specific AP Spanish theme.

Merecer – to deserve

Miguel merece un ascenso.  Miguel deserves a promotion. 

Adquirir – to acquire

El maestro adquirió varios libros para su biblioteca.  The teacher acquired various books for his library. 

Destacar – to stand out

María destaca por su inteligencia. Maria stands out for her intelligence.

Señalar – to point out 

Le señalé su error. I pointed out her mistake.

La informática – computer science

La informática es la carrera del futuro.  Computer science is the career of the future. 

El progreso – progress

El progreso de la ciencia se ha ralentizado en los últimos dos años.  The progress of science has slowed down in the last couple of years. 

Las creencias personales – personal beliefs

Estas son mis creencias personales.  These are my personal beliefs.

La identidad étnica – ethnic identity

Su identidad étnica es un misterio.  His ethnic identity is a mystery. 

La autoestima – self esteem

Carlos tiene una gran autoestima.  Carlos has great self esteem.

El cambio climático – climate change

El cambio climático es un gran desafío para la humanidad.  Climate change is a great challenge for humanity. 

La población – population

La población de Argentina ha crecido mucho en los últimos años.  Argentina’s population has grown a lot in the last few years. 

El pronóstico – forecast

El pronóstico del tiempo se equivocó de nuevo.  The weather forecast was wrong again. 

El patrimonio – heritage 

Chichén Itzá es patrimonio de la humanidad.  Chichén Itzá is humanity’s heritage. 

Los valores – values

En México los valores familiares son muy importantes.  In Mexico family values are very important. 

Las raíces – roots

Queremos echar raíces en esta comunidad.  We want to put down roots in this community. 

El desempleo – unemployment

El desempleo creció mucho en Latinoamérica.  Unemployment grew a lot in Latin America. 

El trabajo comunitario – community work

Mi hermano está haciendo trabajo comunitario en Centroamérica.  My brother is doing community work in Central America. 

El crimen – crime

El crimen organizado es un problema global. Organized crime is a global problem. 

La armonía – harmony 

Debemos vivir en armonía con la naturaleza.   We should live in harmony with nature. 

El tratamiento – treatment

Necesito un tratamiento para la piel.  I need a skin treatment. 

El equilibrio – balance

La sociedad debe crecer con equilibrio.   Society must grow in a balanced way.

Test Yourself

Choose the right word on each sentence:

1. Mi papá ____________ un nuevo refrigerador.

2. la _____________ mundial casi llega a los 8 billones de personas., 3. miguel ama las computadoras y quiere dedicarse a la _______________ ., 4. el juez le ordenó hacer 30 horas de ____________ ., 5. esta casa es _________________ de la familia., 6. el ________________ económico para los próximos años es positivo., 7. las ________________ de juan son muy distintas a las mías., 8. para _______________ en español tienes que esforzarte., 9. erika es muy tímida y tiene muy baja ________________ ., 10. pedro no cree en el _____________ ., get ready for your ap spanish language and culture exam.

Use the different strategies and learning techniques shared with you throughout this lesson and make sure to download the AP Spanish Practice Guide to get ready for your upcoming test. 

Don’t forget to check out the dates for the AP Spanish exam 2022 here . 

Prepare for the AP Spanish test and sign up for a free trial class with one of our certified, native Spanish speaking teachers. They teach over 24,000 actively enrolled students every month, have experience preparing students for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, and offer flexible scheduling. 

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

“Getting to know wonderful teachers who care about me and my growth in language and education. Evelyn Gomez and Erick Cacao are two of the most extraordinary people I have ever met, and talking with them in Spanish at the beginning of classes is always so fulfilling and greatly contributes to my happiness, joy, and wellbeing.”

– Abby

“It’s great being able to interact with native speaking people and having a conversation with them not just doing all the work on paper. It’s also an amazing opportunity to speak with native Spanish-speaking people without having to travel to a native Spanish-speaking country.”

– Melanie

“It’s a great way to learn Spanish, from native Spanish speakers in a 1-on-1 environment. It’s been fairly easy to schedule classes around my daughter’s other classes. The best value for us has been ordering multiple classes at a time. All the instructors have been great!”

– Cindy D, Parent of 3

Want more free Spanish lessons, fun content, and easy learning strategies? Check these out!

• Language Learning with Netflix: How to Use the Chrome Extension
• Turn Your Life Around: From Passive Bilingualism to Fluency!
• The Beauty of Spanish Sign Language
• Multilingual Mastery: How Many Languages Can You Learn?
• The Journey of Becoming Trilingual
• Saying It Like a Native: Exploring Spanish Idioms
• Adapting Education: Spanish Lessons for All Learning Styles
• Speak Up! Enhance Your Conversational Spanish
• Recent Posts
• Language Learning with Netflix: How to Use the Chrome Extension - April 18, 2024
• 23 Common Spanish Prepositions You Can Use Today - March 27, 2024
• 25 Common Subjunctive Phrases in Spanish Conversation - March 21, 2024

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FREE AP Spanish Practice Tests

All ap spanish resources, free ap spanish diagnostic tests, ap spanish diagnostic test 1.

Are you considering taking AP Spanish Language and Culture and wondering which particular aspects of Spanish Language and Culture it precisely tests? Are you currently a student in an AP Spanish Language and Culture class who is wondering about the details of the AP Exam? Or, are you a student cramming for your AP Spanish Language and Culture exam and need the resources that can help you make the best use of your time? If any of these descriptions describe you, or you’re merely curious about what AP Spanish Language and Culture is like, read on! This guide will briefly outline the learning objectives and topics emphasized in typical AP Spanish Language and Culture courses. Then, it will provide an overview of the structure and format of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, as well as provide tips on how to study for it. Finally, this guide will conclude by directing you to resources that can allow you to study both efficiently and broadly, so that you don’t waste time, but still cover each of the topics that you are expected to know. AP Spanish Language and Culture can seem like an overwhelming experience, but after reading this guide, you’ll be able to put it in perspective and approach it with confidence!

Like all AP language classes, AP Spanish Language and Culture focuses on teaching students to become effective communicators in the Spanish language. Rather than stressing the details and idiosyncrasies of the Spanish language, it challenges students to apply their knowledge of the language to realistic scenarios, and use it to compare aspects of Spanish culture to their own. In particular, it focuses on six broad aspects of Spanish culture: Beauty and Aesthetics; Contemporary Life; Families and Communities; Global Challenges; Personal and Public Identities; and Science and Technology. The class doesn’t study these categories in isolation, but invites students to investigate where they overlap with each other and with students’ personal experiences.

If you take AP Spanish Language and Culture, you will learn to communicate in Spanish in a variety of modes and media. You will practice interpreting and responding to Spanish prose and dialogue, and you will also learn to express yourself in speech and in writing appropriate for informal and formal environments, including spoken and written presentations in Spanish. It should be noted that AP Spanish Language and Culture courses are taught almost entirely in Spanish, so that, by participating, students develop and practice their oral language skills as much as possible.

AP Spanish Language and Culture courses culminate with students taking the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. This three-hour exam focuses on the same six cultural categories as the class does. Half of a student’s score on the AP Spanish Language and exam score is based on a multiple-choice section, which contains 65 questions and takes about 95 minutes. In the first part of this section, students are asked about print texts in various formats and genres; in the second part, students are asked about audio texts and texts that mix present both audio and print materials. (Whenever the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam presents audio material, it only plays it twice, so be sure to listen to it carefully!)

The other half of a student’s score on the AP Spanish and Culture exam is based on the free-response section, which includes eight prompts and lasts for about eighty minutes. Like the course itself, the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam’s free-response section tests students’ listening skills as well as their ability to speak and write in both informal and formal contexts. Each AP Spanish Language and Culture exam tests interpersonal writing by asking students to compose an email reply, presentational writing by composing a persuasive essay, interpersonal speaking by responding to a simulated conversation, and presentational speaking by presenting a six-minute presentation comparing an aspect of Spanish culture to their own experiences.

So, are you ready to tackle the challenge that is AP Spanish Language and Culture? If so, then studying a bit before the first day of class can help you get off to a good start. Already in an AP Spanish and Culture class and wondering if there are some topics that you could stand to brush up on? In either case, be sure to check out Varsity Tutors’ free AP Spanish and Culture Practice Tests. Consisting of between ten and a dozen questions each, each Practice Test quizzes test-takers with questions from a variety of topics. Questions are also organized by concept, so if you’re searching for questions about a specific topic, you can easily find exactly the resources that will be most helpful for your learning needs. After finishing an AP Spanish Language and Culture practice test, test takers get to see detailed reports about how they did in comparison to other students, as well as explanations that fully explain the logic that was used to determine the correct answer. By taking advantage of these free resources, you can not only study comprehensively, but also study efficiently. Use Varsity Tutors’ free AP Spanish Language and Culture resources to bolster your knowledge and learn what you need to know for your AP exam!

Free AP Spanish Practice Tests

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Your Complete Guide to the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

Prepare for the AP Spanish language and culture exam with our guide. Become fluent in the language while certifying your level.

What Is the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam?

Is the ap spanish exam still relevant, preparing for the ap spanish language and culture exam, tips to pass and excel in the ap spanish exam.

The Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture exam represents an incredible opportunity for English-speaking students studying Spanish to showcase their proficiency while potentially earning college credit.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll have a look at what the AP Spanish exam is all about , its relevance, and strategic pointers to bolster your Spanish language skills and cultural understanding. These tips will help you not just pass but excel in this rigorous assessment.

Discover how to learn words 3x faster

Learn Spanish with Langster

The AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is an advanced language proficiency test developed by the College Board to target high school students’ Spanish knowledge. It assesses your ability to communicate in Spanish as well as your understanding of the various Hispanic cultures around the world.

The exam consists of multiple-choice questions, interpretive communication tasks, simulations of real-life conversations, spoken responses, and a comparative essay that mirrors college-level Spanish courses.

The exam is scored on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest score. Scoring a 3 or higher may earn you college credit and advanced placement in Spanish courses at many colleges and universities.

Taking the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam can significantly enhance your educational journey and career prospects. Let's understand how:

Advanced Placement

Beyond the immediate financial savings, performing well on the AP Spanish exam demonstrates your commitment to mastering a second language ( just like a level test ), which is highly regarded by colleges and universities. It reflects your readiness for more advanced studies, potentially allowing you to skip introductory Spanish classes.

This head start can offer the flexibility to pursue double majors, study abroad opportunities, or simply the advantage of a more varied class selection during your college years. Excelling in the AP Spanish exam can pave the way for a richer, more diverse educational experience.

Language Proficiency

AP course curriculum is designed to improve your Spanish speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills (plus cultural perspectives) to a level that may facilitate study abroad opportunities or internships in Spanish-speaking countries .

Cultural Competence

In an increasingly globalized world, cultural sensitivity and awareness are invaluable regarding personal and public identities. The AP Spanish exam not only tests language proficiency but also cultural understanding , which can better prepare you for diverse workplaces, global challenges, and international interactions.

Career Opportunities

Taking an AP Spanish course can help you become bilingual, which is a coveted skill in many fields , including business, healthcare, law, education, and more.

Preparing for the AP Spanish exam involves enhancing both your language skills and cultural understanding. To do well, here's what you need to concentrate on:

Grasping the Language

• Grammar and vocabulary . Immerse yourself in a wide range of Spanish literary forms. Read novels, newspapers, and academic texts while actively refining your grammar and vocabulary.
• Listening comprehension . Flex your listening muscles by engaging with Spanish-language media like films, songs, podcasts , and news broadcasts.
• Speaking and writing skills . Participate in Spanish-speaking discussion groups or write essays on various topics. Constructive feedback from instructors or native speakers is gold.
• Test practice . Utilize past exam papers and simulate exam conditions to get familiar with the types of questions you may encounter.

Understanding the Culture

Spanish isn't just a language; it's a gateway to rich and diverse cultures.

• Literature and history . Delve into the works of prominent Spanish and Latin American authors. Understand the historical events that have shaped Hispanic societies.
• Customs and traditions . From flamenco in Spain to Dia de los Muertos in Mexico, each tradition enriches your cultural vocabulary.
• Current events . Stay up to date on contemporary issues and accomplishments in the Spanish-speaking world.
• Community engagement . Where possible, immerse yourself in local or online Spanish-speaking communities. This real-world exposure will enhance your language skills and provide a practical application of cultural lessons.

Now, let's dig into some actionable tips that can give you an edge when taking the exam:

Master the Exam Format

First things first: know the structure of the exam like the back of your hand.

Familiarize yourself with the different sections, which include:

• Interpretative Communication (print and audio),
• Interpersonal Writing (email reply),
• Presentational Writing (persuasive essay), etc.

Engage with Personal Interests

Channel your hobbies or interests into learning Spanish . For example, if you enjoy cooking, try following Spanish language recipes, which will help you naturally acquire relevant vocabulary.

Consistency is key! Engage with Spanish daily by switching your phone's language settings, chatting with Spanish-speaking friends, or keeping a daily journal in Spanish.

Cultural Comparison

When studying, practice cultural comparison by reflecting on how your personal beliefs and customs align or differ from those in Spanish-speaking communities . This critical thinking exercise will deepen your cultural understanding and appreciation.

Tailor your study sessions to target your weaker areas, whether it be interpretive communication, written expression, or cultural knowledge.

Explore Personal Beliefs

The exam's comparative essay is an excellent opportunity to examine personal beliefs within the context of Hispanic culture. As you prepare, consider how events in the Spanish-speaking world mirror or diverge from your own experiences .

Leverage Study Groups

Study groups can offer diverse perspectives, discussion opportunities, and moral support essential for motivation and progress . Practice as much as possible: from online resources to textbooks designed specifically for the AP Spanish exam, utilize multiple sources to challenge yourself.

Relaxation is Crucial

As with any exam, it's important not to burn yourself out. Balance study with relaxation, and ensure you're well-rested before the big day.

Conquering the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam may seem daunting, but with a fervent dedication to your language study and an enriching exploration of Hispanic cultures, it's an entirely achievable goal.

Remember, this is more than just an exam—it's a celebration of linguistic achievement that paves the way for future personal, educational, and professional opportunities.

As you gear up to excel in your AP Spanish exam, it is essential to continue the momentum of your learning journey. Along with exploring resources like the College Board's official website and participating in online forums, why not download apps like Langster?

This way, you'll be able to keep your Spanish studies engaging and continuous, ensuring success. And, you can start for free!

Daniela brings over a decade of expertise as a university-level ESL instructor, guiding students from diverse global backgrounds in learning both English and Spanish languages. Beyond her pedagogical pursuits, Daniela's passions extend to writing, painting, and cooking delicious Argentinian dishes. With boundless enthusiasm, she endeavors to impart her wealth of knowledge on languages and cultures, inviting you to learn more!

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the ultimate guide to the ap spanish literature exam.

Advanced Placement (AP)

The AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam is an excellent opportunity to show off your critical reading, writing, and analytical skills in another language while earning college credit in the process. 

But conquering the course material is only the beginning. You need to learn everything there is to know about the exam to boost your chances of earning a passing score (and college credit) to boot!

In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to start prepping for the AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam , including: 

• The structure and format of the AP Spanish Lit exam
• The core themes and skills you’ll be tested on
• The types of questions that appear on the exam and how to answer them (with real AP student sample responses!)
• How the AP Spanish Lit exam is scored, with official scoring rubrics
• Four crucial tips for prepping for the AP Spanish Lit exam

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Exam Overview: How Is the AP Spanish Lit Exam Structured?

The AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam tests your understanding of Spanish language skills and literature written in Spanish , including short stories, novels, essays, plays, and poetry. 

Like most AP exams, the test lasts for a total of three hours . You’ll have to answer 65 multiple choice questions and four free-response questions to complete the test. 

The AP Spanish Lit exam is divided into two sections. Section I of the exam consists of 65 multiple-choice questions and lasts for one hour and 20 minutes (80 minutes total). The multiple-choice section is further divided into two parts: Part 1A, and Part 1B. Both Part A and Part B of Section I are totally multiple choice, but they test you on different skills. As a whole, Section I counts for 50% of your total exam score . 

Section II of the exam tests your critical reading and analytical writing skills through four free response questions . Section II lasts for 1 hour and 40 minutes (100 minutes) and counts for 50% of your total exam score . Each free response question asks you to write either a short answer or longer essay in response to a specific text or set of texts (called “stimulus” on the exam). 

To help you visualize the breakdown, here’s the AP Spanish Lit exam structure in table format: 

Source: The College Board

But is AP Spanish Literature hard? If you want to get an idea of how difficult the exam is and learn how to get a 5 on AP Spanish Literature, keep reading: we’ll break down the course content, skills, and themes (temas de AP Spanish Literature) that you need to understand for the AP Spanish Lit exam next!

Course Themes, Skills, and Units

AP Spanish Lit is focused around six core themes , or temas de AP Spanish Literature. These course themes are designed to help you develop the skills you need to fully understand Spanish literature and culture…and ace the AP Spanish Lit exam!

Exploring these themes and applying them to the texts on the AP Spanish Literature reading list will equip you with the critical thinking and analytical skills you need to succeed on the AP Spanish Literature exam. The six themes and skills that you’ll master during the course are: 

The AP Spanish Lit themes and skills are typically taught through eight units of study . Understanding these units of study will help you get a big picture view of what the course covers, and how different course topics are connected. Content from each course unit will appear on the exam, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with them as early as you can! 

The eight units of study in AP Spanish Literature are : 

Now that you have a good sense of what’s on the AP Spanish Literature exam, let’s take a closer look at each section of the exam and the types of questions that appear in each one. 

Spanish AP Literature Exam Section I: Multiple-Choice

The first section of the exam tests you in two main areas: your interpretive listening skills, and your reading analysis skills . 

To test you on these skills, Section I is broken down into two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A will test your interpretive listening skills, and Part B will test your reading analysis skills. Both parts of Section I use authentic Spanish language texts presented in different formats to assess your skills. 

While Parts A and B of Section I test you using texts in different formats (audio vs. print/written), both parts include question types that assess you on these three skills: 

• At least 75% of multiple-choice questions assess your ability to analyze and interpret literary and audio texts in Spanish.
• Around 10% of multiple-choice questions assess your ability to make connections between a literary text and a non-literary text or an aspect of Spanish culture.
• Around 10% of the multiple-choice questions assess your ability to compare literary texts in Spanish.

Since Part A and Part B are a bit different (though both are multiple-choice!), let’s break them down a bit further next. 

Section I Part A: Multiple-Choice Interpretive Listening

Part A of Section I asks you to demonstrate your ability to accurately interpret a variety of Spanish language audio texts . This part of Section I consists of 15 total questions that are presented in sets of either four or seven multiple-choice questions. Each set of questions comes with an audio text in either the format of an interview, a poem, and a discussion or lecture on literary topics. 

Here’s a clearer breakdown of the structure of Part A of Section I: 

Since Part A is a bit of an outlier when it comes to the testing format, it’s important to understand how this part of the exam will be administered ahead of time. Let’s look at a real interpretive listening question to get a better sense of how this part of the exam works next.

Sample Multiple-Choice Question: Interpretive Listening

To help you get a better sense of what Section I Part A will be like, let’s take a look at a real interpretive listening question from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam . 

In the picture below, you’ll see a set of written directions (which appear in Spanish on the real exam!), a written transcript of a poem entitled “La guitarra,” and one multiple choice question. However, on the real exam, you’ll only get to listen to the text provided –you won’t be given a printed copy of it! 

When this portion of the exam begins, you’ll listen to the provided text once, then have one minute to take notes and view the exam questions for this portion of the test. After that, you’ll listen to the provided text a second time, then have one minute to answer the provided set of questions (ranging from four to seven questions in total). You’ll be able to use the notes you took for reference as you answer the questions! 

You can read the directions, Spanish language poem, and set of four questions for our example interpretive listening task here: 

And here's the question set: 

The four questions in the set above ask about the events that occur in the poem, as well as the poem’s imagery, tone, and writing style . We’ll break down the correct answers for each question here: 

To ace interpretive listening questions like these, you’ll need to listen closely, jot down notes about important words, themes, or ideas, and use context clues to accurately analyze the texts that you’re given. 

Next, let’s look at the second part of Section I of the exam: Part B, multiple-choice reading analysis. 

Section I Part B: Multiple-Choice Reading Analysis

Section I Part B asks you to demonstrate your skills of reading analysis by engaging with print or written texts. On this part of Section I, you’ll be given 60 minutes to complete 50 multiple-choice questions. Part B accounts for 40% of your exam score . 

The questions on Part B are divided into four sets. Each set applies to a specific text or set of texts. To give you a clearer picture of how Part B is structured, we’ll break it down further below: 

Sample Multiple-Choice Question: Reading Analysis

To help you get a better sense of what Section I Part B will be like, let’s take a look at a real set of reading analysis questions from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam . 

In the picture below, you’ll see a set of written directions (Spanish-only provided on the real exam!), a written passage, and a set of five multiple-choice questions :

Each of the questions above asks you to analyze the provided text and select the answer choice that best characterizes your understanding of the text’s meaning . Now, let’s look at the correct answers for each question and the skills you’ll need to successfully choose them: 

To succeed on reading analysis questions like the ones above, you’ll need to have a solid grasp of Spanish language conventions, strong analytical skills, and the ability to interpret ideas in different contexts.  

Next, let’s look more closely at Section II of the AP Spanish Lit exam: the free-response section. 

Or more accurately, escribe algo.

Spanish AP Literature Section II: Free-Response

Section II of the AP Spanish Lit exam lasts for one hour and 40 minutes, includes four free-response questions, and counts for 50% of your exam score. 

There are two distinct types of questions on the AP Spanish Lit free-response section : short answer questions, and essay questions. Both types of free-response questions test your ability to clearly and thoughtfully explain the events of a text, analyze texts, and compare and contrast multiple texts that share common themes. You’ll demonstrate these skills by writing short and longer free-responses on the exam!

To help you understand what free-response questions will be like on the exam, we’ll walk you through a real exam question, scoring rubric, and student response for both short-answer and essay questions below. 

Free-Response Short Answer Question: Scoring Rubric and Example Response

On the AP Spanish Lit exam, you’ll respond to two short-answer questions . The sample question below is an example of a short answer free-response question from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam. This short-answer question asks students to provide a Spanish-language explanation of the provided text, which comes from Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s poem “ Hombres necios que acusáis ,” written in 1689: 

The free-response short answer question above asks students to read the provided text, identify the author and period of the text, and explain the development of a given theme in the text. 

We’ll provide a sample student response to this question in just a minute, but first, let’s see how you could earn full credit for this question. Take a look at the official scoring rubric used to evaluate this question on the 2021 Spanish AP Lit exam to see how your response will be scored: 

The example student response below comes straight from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam. The student is responding to the short-answer question we’ve included above. 

This short-answer response received a 3 for Content and a 3 for Language based on the criteria in the scoring rubric above. That means that this student response received six out of six possible points for this free-response question!

Free-Response Essay Question: Scoring Rubric and Example Response 

There are two free-response essay questions on the AP Spanish Lit exam . To help you get an idea of what these questions are like, let’s go over a sample essay question, scoring rubric, and student response from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam. 

The free-response essay question below asks students to analyze how a single text represents both the specified period, movement, literary genre, and technique and the given cultural context. The selected text in the question below comes from Gabriel García Márquez’s short story, “ La siesta del martes” :

Before we look at a real student’s response to this essay question, let’s look at the scoring rubric used to evaluate responses to this essay question . The rubric below was used to score this type of essay question on the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam: 

Now that you know how this type of essay question is scored, let’s look at a real student’s response to this essay question. This student’s response comes straight from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam and scored a 5/5 for Content and a 5/5 for Language, which means this response received full points !

How the AP Spanish Literature Exam Is Scored

Understanding how your AP Spanish Lit exam will be scored can help you feel more prepared for the exam. Here, we’ll overview how each section of the AP Spanish lit exam is scored, scaled, and combined to produce your final score on the AP 1-5 scale . 

As a refresher, here’s how the score percentages break down on the AP Spanish Literature exam: 

• Section I: Multiple-choice: 50% of overall score
• Section IA: 10% of score
• Section IB: 40% of score
• Section II: Free-response: 50% of overall score
• Question 1: 7.5%
• Question 2: 7.5%
• Question 3: 17.5%
• Question 4: 17.5%

On the multiple choice section, you earn one raw point for every question you answer correctly. This means that the maximum raw score you can earn on the multiple choice section is 65 points. No points are deducted for wrong answers . 

The free-response section is a bit different. The two short answer free-response questions are each worth six raw points, and the two essay free-response questions are worth 10 points each. This means that there are a total of 32 possible points in the free-response section.  

Keep in mind that you’ll lose points on free-response questions only for major errors , like failing to analyze or compare the provided texts, for instance. You aren’t going to lose points for a stray comma splice here and there as long as grammatical errors don’t interfere with the AP grader’s ability to understand your response. 

You can earn 97 raw points on the AP Spanish Lit exam. Here’s how those are divided by section:  

• 65 points for multiple-choice
• 32 points for free-response

From there, your raw scores will be converted into a scaled score of 1-5 by the College Board. That’s the score you’ll see when you receive your official score report! Unfortunately, the 5 rate for the AP Spanish Literature exam is pretty low compared to other AP exams . You can see what percentage of test takers earned each possible score on the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam below: 

4 Tips for Prepping for the AP Spanish Literature and Culture Exam

You know what’s on the exam and how it’s scored. Now you’re ready to get down to business! If you’re wondering how to study for AP Spanish Literature, keep reading–we’ll give you four top tips for kickstarting your Spanish AP Literature prep below!

Tip 1: Take a Practice Exam

The best way to assess your preparedness for the AP Spanish Lit exam is to test your skills out on a practice exam. Taking a practice exam will help you identify skills and texts that you struggle with. From there, you can design a study plan that targets your weaker areas to improve your chances of earning a passing score !

You can find a full set of official multiple-choice practice questions here , and the College Board provides a large repository of past free-response exam questions on their website . Be sure to use official practice questions like the ones linked here as much as possible. Using official practice materials ensures you’re getting quality practice that’s very similar to the real exam!  

Tip 2: Consult AP Spanish Literature Reading Lists

The AP Spanish Literature course includes a total of 38 required texts –and you’ll be expected to read and know all of them for the exam. That’s a lot of texts to master, especially if Spanish isn’t your first language! 

Your AP teacher will dedicate lots of class time to teaching you the texts on the AP Spanish Literature reading list, but if you want to really learn them, you’ll need to spend time studying them outside of class too. Remember: all of the required course readings will be unabridged, full-text, and in Spanish. The more effort you dedicate to studying the texts on the AP Spanish Literature reading list on your own time, the more successful you’re likely to be on the AP exam. 

The College Board provides an official AP Spanish Literature reading list on their website . You can use this list to start working through the course readings and searching for supplemental study materials for individual texts online. 

Tip 3: Master the Temas de AP Spanish Literature

Understanding the six core themes of the AP Spanish Lit course (temas de AP Spanish Literature) is crucial to success on the AP exam. These course themes are designed to promote critical thinking about the course readings and encourage making connections and comparisons between different texts and cultures. 

As you take the AP Spanish Literature course, you’ll notice that the course themes are paired with various learning goals. Pay close attention when these themes pop up in course materials and consider what you should be learning from them! Doing this will help you develop the skills you need to interpret, analyze, and compare texts on the exam . 

Tip 4: Practice Tough Questions 

As you progress through the AP Spanish Lit course, you’ll begin to notice question types that seem to trip you up. As you get graded quizzes and tests back during class, keep running notes about the questions you miss. Jot down what type of question it was (multiple choice or free response), the skills it assessed, and where you lost points or went wrong. 

From there, you can find and work with practice questions (like the ones linked earlier!) that are the same type as the ones you’ve struggled with. The more you practice with questions that trip you up, the more likely you’ll be to get them right on the real exam!

What’s Next? 

Need a little help with your Spanish vocabulary? This list of how to talk about body parts in Spanish can give you a fun way to brush up! 

Thinking about taking another foreign language in high school? This guide will help you pick the best languages for you. 

While the SAT Spanish subject test is no longer offered, you can use the free study materials to help you practice your reading and comprehension skills. We’ve compiled a list of resources that you can use as extra prep. 

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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The Argumentative Essay on the AP Spanish Exam: Part 2

In the last post we talked about how to teach students HOW to write an argumentative essay for the AP Spanish Exam. Now we will talk about the logistics of grading them to help students improve. It’s no easy task, for students or for teachers!

Day One: Argumentative Essay Sources

The first time my students will write an argumentative essay for a grade, I try to dial down the stress and anxiety.

I don’t feel that they need a real AP Test-taking scenario on the first try.

So, I usually present the sources on “Day one”. They have time to read the 2 print sources and listen to the audio source. I collect the sources and their notes. Usually this does not require an entire class period, especially if your schedule is a block schedule. I would plan 10 minutes for the listening and 10-15 for the print sources.

Every school has a different class schedule. In my school, we have 3 days of 44 minute classes and 2 days of 90 minute block classes. I do the sources on the shorter class that leads up to the block day.

Day Two: Writing the Argumentative Essay

On the block day, students write their first draft of the essay. I give them back their sources and notes. I also supply them with THIS checklist , which I uses as a pseudo-rubric when I am grading their work.

Amig@s, I cannot tell you how much time this checklist saves me. But I’ll talk more about it in the next block.

While students are writing, I walk around. I tell them that they can ask me how to say 5 words. (I realize that on the AP Test, this is not an option. But since this is usually one of their biggest grades for class, again- it’s about managing their anxiety.) I ask them to write the words at the top of their paper. I come around just a few times, so I don’t interrupt their train of thought, and I translate the words. I find that this is a great relief to my students!

As an FYI, I find that my students (at least a good many) use the entire block period to write. Again- they have far less time on the AP test, but this is their first time. It will get easier and faster with time and practice!

Grading the First Draft of the Argumentative Essay

Students have turned in their work, and now I have a TALL pile of papers to grade. Groan….. anyone else feel overwhelmed by seeing that stack??? : )

Ok. Let’s get moving! How do we give students specific and timely feedback?

I use THIS CHECKLIST . It is my life-saver.

It is broken down by paragraph with the things I’m looking for in each paragraph. A simple check or X provides the feedback and saves the time it takes to write out all the feedback.

At the end, there is a list of the general look-fors, like spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.

It is not exactly a rubric, because there are no points assigned to any part of it. But, when I am deciding on a grade for the student, or a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in AP-style scoring, the checks and X’s on this list paint a very clear picture. Of course, if you choose to purchase this checklist, you can modify it to suit your own needs!

When I pass back their argumentative essay with this checklist, students can look paragraph by paragraph for the specific things they did right and the specific things they can fix or improve!

Final Draft

We take another class period to revise. Be prepared! Some students will have very little to revise! Some students will have a lot of work to do. Remember that all of our students will struggle in different areas. Here are some common areas of confusion:

-not having a clear thesis in the intro

-not using all 3 sources to back up your arguments

-having too many ideas in one body paragraph

-using quotes from sources that repeat (instead of support) what they already wrote or using quotes that don’t help at all

-being too wordy (we need to teach them to be concise because of the time constraint on the AP Test.)

-presenting an opposing viewpoint but NOT negating it (this is a big one!)

Take-Aways for Teachers

This is a BIG task, both for students and for us as teachers. It would be great if our AP Students came to us with spectacular writing skills, but in my experience, that is not always the case.

So, we not only teach our students the general writing skills of good essays, but the specific requirements of the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay, and throw in the challenge of Spanish reading and listening comprehension, and vocabulary and grammar in their writing. Ay caramba!

I find, in general, students will require at least 3 attempts at writing this sort of essay before they are consistently meeting the goals. Throughout the school year, I modify the different ways I ask them to practice. I have created a number of resources over the years, and I will link them below in case they can be of help to you.

Buena suerte colegas!

Resource Links

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Ace the AP Spanish Exam

Is your AP Spanish exam coming up? ¡No te pongas nervioso! ( Don’t be nervous! ) SpanishDictionary.com will help you prepare for the AP Spanish exam by providing links to some of our most useful resources, as well as insider tips to impress the AP exam readers.

In the weeks leading up to the exam, surround yourself with the language as much as possible. Click here to learn ways to effortlessly immerse yourself in the language.

Let’s take a look at what you should review before the big day!

The key to acing the AP Spanish exam is building a strong vocabulary.

Here are some tips and resources to help you improve your Spanish vocabulary!

• Speak like a native Spanish speaker by using a variety of idioms .
• In addition to knowing the most common Spanish verbs , learn some advanced verbs as well. The exam readers seem to really like the verbs desarrollar ( to develop ) and destacarse ( to stand out ).
• Avoid false cognates , which are words in different languages that appear similar, but do not actually mean the same thing.
• Master ser vs. estar , saber vs. conocer , and other tricky verb pairs .

Do you feel that your vocabulary is lacking? Click here to learn 1000 Spanish words in 15 hours.

Verb Tenses and Conjugation

Correct verb conjugation and the ability to use a wide variety of tenses will greatly improve your exam score. Before exam day, make sure to practice conjugating verbs in different tenses. Luckily, SpanishDictionary.com has a plethora of resources to help you!

• Make sure to have a solid grasp of the simple tenses , such as the present indicative , preterite , imperfect , future , and conditional .
• Impress the exam readers by also using the compound tenses , such as the perfect tenses and the progressive tenses.
• If you want to score a five on the AP exam, make sure to use the subjunctive. Click here to review!

Practice conjugating verbs in a variety of tenses with our conjugation drill !

Transitions

The writing section of the test is indeed intimidating; however, it is your chance to really shine. To sound natural in your writing, it is crucial to use conectores ( transition words ). Transition words link your ideas together, allowing them to flow smoothly from one sentence to the next.

There are various types of transition words . We recommend that you memorize a few transition words from each category and practice using them in sentences.

Exam Format

The following is an outline of the AP Spanish exam. Keep reading to learn about the format of the exam, as well as how to prepare for each section.

The AP exam tests four skills: writing, speaking, reading, and listening.

You will be required to complete two writing sections on the exam: an email and a persuasive essay . Let’s take a closer look!

Interpersonal Writing: Email Reply

In this section of the exam, you will be responding to an email. Make sure to do the following:

• Start the email with a greeting , such as estimado / estimada ( dear ) for a formal letter or querido / querida ( dear ) for an informal letter.
• Make sure you use the appropriate register , based on whether you are writing a formal or informal email.
• Respond to all questions and address all requests for details.
• Formulate your own questions to seek clarification or additional information.
• Use a variety of grammatical structures, and refrain from copying the sentence structures directly from the email prompt. Come up with your own!
• End the email with an appropriate closing , such as cordialmente ( cordially ) for a formal letter or con cariño ( with affection ) for an informal letter, followed by your name.

Presentational Writing: Persuasive Essay

In this section of the exam, you will write a persuasive essay on a given topic while referencing three sources of information about the topic. Remember to do the following:

• Start your essay with an attention getter.
• Provide a thesis that you refer back to throughout the essay.
• Use proper basic and advanced Spanish punctuation.
• Make sure your paragraphs are organized.
• Integrate content from all three sources, citing each one directly.
• As previously mentioned, use transition words.
• End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your core message.

You will be asked to complete two speaking sections on the exam. Here are some tips for both speaking sections:

• Keep calm and apply your skills.
• Stay in the target language.
• Use good pronunciation .
• Self-correct when you realize you’ve made a mistake.
• Use circumlocution . If you can’t think of a certain word, just find a way to describe it that communicates the idea.

Now let’s take a closer look at each speaking section of the exam!

Interpersonal Speaking: Conversation

This section of the test is often the most nerve-racking for students. You will be required to generate responses to a mock conversation. Just keep calm and try to do the following:

• Fill your time. You have 20 seconds for each response. Use every second you have to show off your language skills.
• Use fillers when you get stuck and you need a moment to think. Avoid using um... , like... , and other fillers in English.
• Use exclamatory words and expressions . By doing this, you will impress your exam reader because the conversation will sound more authentic.

During the conversation, there is a chance you won’t understand a question. Try not to freeze up. You will get a better score for winging it than for not saying anything at all.

Presentational Speaking: Cultural Comparison

In this section of the exam, you will give an oral presentation comparing your own community with that of the target culture.

Include the following in your presentation:

• An attention getter, such as a question for your audience. Do not start your speech with Hola. Me llamo… ( Hello. My name is… )
• A personal anecdote. Talk about your experiences with the target culture, even if you have to make it up.

Listening and Reading

What is the best way to prepare for the listening and reading sections of the exam? The answer is obvious—practice listening and reading!

Here is a list of resources to help:

• Spanish Podcasts
• Learn Spanish for Free by Watching TV
• Spanish Book Recommendations

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