Spanish is a little different to other Leaving Cert subjects in that it can’t be crammed. Language is more like a skill rather than a subject so it has to be practiced and grammar and vocabulary need to be memorised (treat it like a sport or instrument). Hopefully, you will pick up some tips and tricks in this guide that will help you to succeed in this wonderful language. 

The oral exam is worth 25% (100 marks) of your grade at higher level and the exam lasts around 15 minutes. The oral may seem daunting and vague at first as there is no set list of questions. It is also much harder to predict than written papers, not to mention you must think on your feet but I found that once I created a breakdown of the exam, I felt less intimidated and more confident. The oral examination consists of 2 parts:

Let's discuss what you might expect for this section of the oral. First, there is the introduction where personal questions will begin as a general conversation (just as you would do in English). You introduce yourself, say your name and state your age, etc. First impressions are important and a nice way to make you stand out amongst the crowd is to say, “Buenos días y bienvenido/a señor/señorita”.

Once you have answered some easier questions to help you settle in, the examiner may proceed to ask questions on various topics such as:

Bear in mind that there is no definite list of subjects and the examiner may choose to go outside the box. If you are aiming for a H1, you might be asked about advanced topics such as drugs, terrorism, politics, etc. If this happens and you do not have it prepared, don’t panic. Take a deep breath and give it your all. 

Grammar is very important in the oral so here are some things to remember:

It is important to vary sentences to create a casual conversation. If you make a mistake, correct it (you won’t get marked down as we make mistakes in English as well). To show confidence in speaking Spanish, you can introduce topics that you know very well. Remember, it’s an exam on general conversation, not a strict interview. This lets you control the conversation and steer away from any surprise topics you might not be prepared for.

Although it’s hard when you’re nervous, try not to sit stiff and only recite the page you learned off. Try to be spontaneous and natural. If you don’t feel confident, fake it till you make it! Smile, relax your shoulders and even crack a small joke if it’s going well. Here's some more advice on sitting the oral:

Finally, you will complete a role play which you will have prepared in class. If you are willing to memorise the lines, it will be the easiest 30 marks you’ll get. There are 5 role plays you must learn and I recommend practicing one every weekday for 5 minutes so that you are constantly revising.

There are different types of learners so I suggest studying in a way that suits you. If you are a visual learner, for example, colour code your role plays on different coloured paper or with different coloured pens. If you are an aural learner, record yourself saying them and listen to them when you have a spare minute or pop headphones in and go for a walk. If you are a kinaesthetic learner, keep repeating them aloud or make them into a song. If you prefer to read and write then keep on writing. Here is some more advice for preparing for the role-play:

The written exam makes up the majority of your grade at 55% (220 marks). It lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and is composed of 3 sections: A, B and C.

This section tests your ability to read and understand Spanish and is composed of prescribed literature or a journalistic text and two short comprehensions. It is worth 70 marks. 

Most classes choose to take on the journalistic text (50 marks) and two short comprehensions (20 marks). For me, this was the most challenging part of the exam as it was impossible to learn every single word and verb in Spanish. To improve my mark in this section, I used the following vocabulary and timing tips:

The journalistic text is divided into four parts:

The two short comprehensions are similar to Part 1 of the journalistic text. You are not told what paragraph the answer is in but it is usually split into three paragraphs and questions (this is not always the case so be careful).

Section B is composed of an opinion text worth 100 marks. It is similar to the journalistic text but has a relevant opinion piece topic at the end. You should spend at least 35 minutes on this: 5 minutes planning the opinion and 30 minutes writing it. Very similar to the journalistic text, you can divide the opinion text into 4 parts:

Opinion piece (50 marks)

A plan helps focus the opinion piece, stops you from ranting aimlessly and helps you stick to the timing of the exam. When you are planning, you should ask yourself questions such as "What points am I going to discuss?" and "What points will I put into each paragraph?". I would write 5 short paragraphs:

The above plan is vague in the hope it will provoke you to think about the opinion piece title. I used this plan for all my opinion pieces to try to create a flow and to limit writing too much (you must write 80–150 words). Bear in mind, however, that you will not be penalised for writing too much.

Try to start the opinion piece by stating whether you agree or disagree, e.g. “De primero, me gustaría empezar diciendo que estoy totalmente de acuerdo con esta afirmación”. Make sure to keep referring to the title to show your point is relevant. This will help you stop babbling and give clarity to the examiner. Here are some more tips for the opinion piece:

Topics

Your teacher will cover a list of topics in class they feel are topical or likely to appear. It’s worth looking back on previous year’s topics and brainstorming vocabulary, verbs, etc. so that if they were to reappear, you’d be prepared. It’s also worth following news in Spanish-speaking countries as sometimes, they can appear in the opinion piece text. Opinion piece titles are vague so they may not be specific to a news story but you may get the chance to show off your knowledge. Hot topics from years gone by include:

Section C is composed of a dialogue construction or letter writing (50 marks) and is a matter of personal preference. I chose the dialogue as it saved me time and I found I finished the dialogue quicker and could dedicate more time to my opinion piece. 

It is divided into 5 small paragraphs that you must translate. The dialogue should take a maximum of 20 minutes (dedicate no more than 4 minutes to each one). You must translate one side of the dialogue and it's important to read the context of it, i.e. “you are working as an au pair…”. It's equally as important to read the other side of the dialogue (the person you are speaking to) as sometimes the words or verbs you need are mentioned there. Take one sentence at a time and make sure you: 

Section D consists of a diary entry or a note. You must only choose one and it is worth 20 marks. You should write no more than a page for either the diary entry or note and I would recommend the diary entry as the note can be very specific. However, you should try both to see which one suits your style of writing better. You should spend a maximum of 15 minutes on this section.

Use as many verb tenses as possible and remember that emotion is important in a diary entry as it’s supposed to be personal. Use phrases such as “estoy agotada” or “vaya pesadilla” to express them. If you must describe something, share your opinion for a personal touch, e.g. “la casa era verde y no me gustó”. For the diary entry, make sure you:

The listening comprehension makes up 20% (80 marks) of your grade and lasts 40 minutes. It takes place about 5 minutes after the written paper so you might be a bit tired. Try to leave the written paper behind you, drink water, go to the bathroom and stretch a little. There are 7 sections to the exam (each section will be played 3 times):

Some groups of words come up every year and it’s important to know them well: