CIE Spanish (0530)
IGCSE Guidance for Spanish 0530.
Details of the assessment:
Under Spanish, the Cambridge exam board has assigned each student to sit a listening (Paper 1), reading (Paper 2), speaking (Paper 3), and writing (Paper 4) exam at the end of the 2-year IGCSE course.
Each paper is equally weighted; this means each component will contribute 25% of your final grade.
Paper 1 Listening:
- 50 minutes long
- Out of 40 marks
- Candidates will listen to numerous recordings and will have to fill out an answer sheet by matching the answer to a statement.
TIPS:
Before each new section, you will have about 5 minutes to read the questions.
● Do not waste time translating the easy questions (Q1–Q18); these should be answered quickly.
● Use this time to work on Questions 15–37, as these require more translation and focus.
The second half of the paper (especially after Q30) is more challenging, often due to advanced vocabulary or similar-sounding answers.
● Always listen carefully to both playbacks, even if you feel confident in your first answer.
Questions 35–37 have two answers per question and use very advanced vocabulary – pay extra attention here.
When practising with past papers:
● Translate difficult answers into English.
● Write down unfamiliar vocabulary and note if it has a positive or negative tone – this is a common trick in the exam.
Paper 2 Reading:
- 1 hour long
- Out of 45 marks
- Candidates read several texts and answer multiple-choice and matching questions as well as questions requiring short answers.
TIPS:
Questions 1–3: Aim to finish in 7–10 minutes with full marks.
Questions 4 & 6:
Read the text carefully – the questions will appear in chronological order to the text, hence so will the answers.
● Conjugation is crucial – the mark scheme is strict on verb tenses, answer length, and required words.
● Learn your tenses (past, present, future) and study mark schemes to spot patterns in how questions and answers are set.
Question 5:
● Time-consuming but worth marks – do not underestimate this question.
● Match people to things (e.g., jobs, holidays) – beware of similarities designed to confuse.
● Top Tip: Translate into English, make concise bullet points for what each person wants, and what each option offers. Then match them logically.
Paper 3 Speaking:
- 10 minutes long
- Out of 40 marks
- Candidates complete one role play, which requires short answers only, and conversations on two topics, which require students to go in depth and provide long and relevant answers.. These are random topics chosen where students have the opportunity to show off their fluency in Spanish.
TIPS:
Role Play:
● Requires short and direct answers, should get full marks (10/10).
Conversation:
● Prepare advanced phrases for each topic – these can also be used in writing.
● Answers can be invented – focus on quality and accuracy.
● Think before speaking; you may ask for the question to be repeated without penalty.
● Extend your answers, but keep them relevant.
● Listen for command words to determine the correct tense and what they are asking for.
● Express your opinion for extra marks.
● Practice past paper questions for each topic → understand the type of questions asked in each topic, often there are patterns, and this can make you feel more confident, as well as accumulate answers and learn the vocabulary to be more flexible and speak with fluency throughout the exam.
● Avoid eye contact if it distracts you; focus on a neutral point in the room.
Paper 4 Writing:
- 1 hour long
- Out of 45 marks
- Candidates complete one form-filling task, one directed writing task, and one task in the format of an email/letter or article/blog.
TIPS:
● Learn high-quality set phrases and advanced vocabulary for every topic – keep them relevant.
● Accuracy matters – correct conjugation and relevance to the question are key. But can show off the tenses you know through connecting them to the past, or future…
● Word count is a guideline, not a strict limit – but stay close to it.
● Cross out each bullet point once covered.
● Write a short paragraph per bullet point, aiming for similar lengths.
Question 2: Limited word count – answer the bullet points directly, no need to extend your answers, but you can boost your answers by expressing opinions, and knowing good vocabulary related to the subject of the text.
Question 3: Use advanced vocabulary, extend answers, and express opinions with connectives and personal experiences, as well as evaluating the good and bad sides – this is essential for top marks.
As a Spanish IGCSE Cambridge learner, you are suggested to have these qualities:
- Confident: Uses a range of well-known and newly learned vocabulary to communicate naturally and effectively in a variety of everyday situations.
- Responsible: Proactively seeks out ways to practise, improve, and challenge their language skills beyond the classroom.
- Reflective: Thinks about how to express ideas, opinions, and feelings in ways that suit different contexts and audiences.
- Innovative: Finds creative ways to apply their language knowledge in unfamiliar or varied situations.
- Engaged: Builds and uses learning strategies that make self-expression easier and deepen their understanding of different cultures.
After the MOC exams, understand your weak and strong areas, and create a plan moving forward to do the best of your ability in your final exams.
Content overview:
The subject content is broken down into 5 categories (A-E), within which it goes into more depth so that every learner is able to discuss, argue, comment on, and evaluate different aspects of everyday and crucial topics in today's world.
By learning through this syllabus, students are able to develop a wide range of skills in Spanish and are prepared to take the IGCSE Spanish exams.
Topic A, Everyday activities
- Time expressions (e.g., telling the time, days, days of the week, months, seasons)
- Food and drink (e.g, meals, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and seafood, snacks, drinks, cutlery and utensils)
- The human body and health (e.g., parts of the body, health, and illness)
- Travel and transport
Topic B, Personal and Social Life
- Self, family, and friends
- In the home (e.g, rooms, living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, furniture and furnishings, garden, household appliances)
- Colours
- Clothes and accessories
- Leisure time (e.g., things to do, hobbies, sports)
Topic C, The world around us
- People and places (e.g., continents, countries, and nationalities, compass points)
- The natural world, the environment, the climate, and the weather
- Communications and technology (e.g., the digital world, documents and texts)
- The built environment (e.g., buildings and services, urban areas, shopping) - Measurements (e.g., size, shape)
- Materials
Topic D, The world of work
- Education (e.g., learning institutions, education and training, the classroom, learning tools, subjects, studying)
- Work (e.g., jobs and careers, the workplace)
Topic E, The international world
- Countries, nationalities, and languages
- Culture, customs, faiths, and celebrations
Written by Amelie Larsen Matsumoto