Theme 2.1: Free-time activities - Writing - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

3 original exam-style questions - 3 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

Download PDF Jump to mark scheme (page 4)Theme 2.1: Free-time activities - Writing revision guide

This topic is chapter 5 of GCSE Spanish: Writing Practice Book.

Next in this strand

6.5 Theme 2.1: Free-time activities - Writing

AQA 8692 · about 50 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Question 1 is the Foundation tier task: write approximately 90 words in Spanish. Question 2 is the Higher tier task: write approximately 150 words in Spanish. Answer the question that matches your tier, or attempt both for practice. Question 3 is a short structured writing task: answer each bullet point with a short response in Spanish. Question 4 asks you to translate five sentences into Spanish.

Foundation tier. You are writing a post for a Spanish hobbies website about your free time. Write approximately 90 words in Spanish. You must include the following points:

- qué haces en tu tiempo libre
- con quién sueles hacer estas actividades
- una opinión sobre las redes sociales o los videojuegos
- un pasatiempo nuevo que te gustaría probar

(Total for Question 1 is 20 marks)

Higher tier. You are writing an article for a Spanish youth magazine about free time and technology. Write approximately 150 words in Spanish. You must include the following points:

- cómo pasas tu tiempo libre normalmente
- cómo ha cambiado tu forma de divertirte desde que eras más joven
- qué planes tienes para tus aficiones en el futuro
- tu opinión sobre el impacto de la tecnología en el tiempo libre de los jóvenes, con razones

(Total for Question 2 is 28 marks)

You are writing a short profile for a Spanish hobbies club website. Answer each question below with a short response in Spanish (one or two sentences).

(a)¿Qué te gusta hacer los fines de semana?(2)

(b)¿Practicas algún instrumento musical?(2)

(c)¿Cuánto tiempo pasas en las redes sociales cada día?(2)

(d)¿Qué pasatiempo te gustaría probar en el futuro?(2)

(Total for Question 3 is 8 marks)

Mark scheme · 6.5 Theme 2.1: Free-time activities - Writing

Question 1

Content and communication (AO4, 10 marks)
- Level 3 (8-10): All four bullet points covered with relevant detail; the post communicates clearly throughout; the opinion on social media or gaming is clearly expressed and justified.
- Level 2 (4-7): Most bullet points covered, though development may be thin on one or two; the post is mostly clear; an opinion is given but the justification may be brief or missing.
- Level 1 (1-3): One or two bullet points covered in a basic way; the post has some clarity but gaps in meaning may occur; little or no opinion is offered.
- Level 0 (0): No creditable content, or the response is entirely irrelevant to the task.
Range and accuracy of language (AO4, 10 marks)
- Level 3 (8-10): A good range of vocabulary and structures, including at least one opinion phrase and one connective beyond 'y'/'pero'; verbs are mostly correctly formed and agree with their subject; errors do not hinder understanding.
- Level 2 (4-7): Some variety of vocabulary and structures; verbs are mostly recognisable though with some agreement or spelling errors; meaning is usually clear despite errors.
- Level 1 (1-3): Limited, repetitive vocabulary and structures; frequent verb errors; meaning is sometimes unclear.
- Level 0 (0): Language too limited or inaccurate to communicate meaning.
Indicative content:
- A list of free-time activities using the present tense, e.g. 'Toco la guitarra y también me gusta dibujar'.
- Mention of who they do these activities with, e.g. 'Suelo jugar al tenis con mi primo los domingos'.
- An opinion on social media or video games using an opinion phrase, e.g. 'Creo que los videojuegos son divertidos, pero a veces pierdo mucho tiempo con ellos'.
- A justifying clause introduced by 'porque', e.g. 'porque me ayudan a relajarme después de las clases'.
- A new hobby they would like to try, using the conditional or 'me gustaría', e.g. 'Me gustaría aprender a hacer surf'.
- Use of 'soler' + infinitive to express a habitual activity, e.g. 'Suelo salir con mis amigos los viernes'.
- A connective beyond 'y'/'pero', e.g. 'aunque', 'sin embargo', 'además', to link ideas within or across sentences.

Question 2

Content and communication (AO4, 16 marks)
- Level 4 (13-16): All four bullet points covered with well-developed detail and a clear personal voice; ideas are linked coherently; the article is fully relevant and communicates with precision.
- Level 3 (9-12): All four bullet points covered, though development may be uneven; communication is clear with only occasional loss of precision.
- Level 2 (5-8): Most bullet points covered but with limited development; communication is generally clear though some ideas may be underdeveloped or list-like.
- Level 1 (1-4): One or two bullet points covered in a basic way; communication is patchy, with noticeable gaps in meaning.
Range and accuracy of language (AO4, 12 marks)
- Level 4 (10-12): A wide range of vocabulary and complex structures; a genuine spread of tenses (past, present and future/conditional) used accurately; minor errors only, never obscuring meaning.
- Level 3 (7-9): A good range of vocabulary and some complex structures; at least two different time frames attempted with general accuracy; errors occasionally affect precision but not overall understanding.
- Level 2 (4-6): Some variety of vocabulary; mostly simple structures with limited attempts at other time frames; verb errors are frequent but meaning is usually recoverable.
- Level 1 (1-3): Narrow, repetitive vocabulary confined mostly to the present tense; frequent errors that sometimes prevent understanding.
Indicative content:
- Present-tense description of how free time is spent, e.g. 'Normalmente paso mi tiempo libre leyendo, jugando al fútbol o viendo series'.
- Past-tense account of how hobbies have changed since childhood, e.g. 'Cuando era pequeño, jugaba con juguetes durante horas, pero ahora prefiero quedar con mis amigos o jugar a videojuegos en línea'.
- Future or conditional plans for hobbies, e.g. 'El verano que viene, intentaré aprender a tocar la batería, y me encantaría formar parte de un grupo de música'.
- An opinion on technology's impact on young people's free time with a developed reason, e.g. 'En mi opinión, la tecnología tiene ventajas y desventajas, porque nos conecta con el mundo, pero también puede hacernos más sedentarios'.
- Use of a subordinate clause with 'porque', 'ya que' or 'aunque' to justify an opinion in depth.
- A concluding sentence that draws the points together, e.g. 'En resumen, creo que hay que encontrar un equilibrio entre la pantalla y las actividades al aire libre'.
- Accurate use of at least one comparative or superlative, e.g. 'Ahora salgo mucho más que antes'.

Question 3

(a) B1 Content: names a plausible weekend activity
(a) B1 Accuracy: me gusta + infinitive correctly formed
(a) Answer: Me gusta ir al cine o quedar con mis amigos.
(b) B1 Content: gives a plausible yes/no answer with a relevant detail
(b) B1 Accuracy: tocar or a related verb correctly conjugated in the first person
(b) Answer: Sí, toco el piano desde hace tres años.
(c) B1 Content: gives a plausible amount of time
(c) B1 Accuracy: pasar correctly conjugated in the first person
(c) Answer: Paso unas dos horas en las redes sociales cada día.
(d) B1 Content: gives a plausible future hobby
(d) B1 Accuracy: me gustaría + infinitive correctly formed
(d) Answer: Me gustaría probar el kárate porque parece emocionante.

Theme 2.1: Free-time activities - Writing - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

Next in this strand

Related topics

6.5 Theme 2.1: Free-time activities - Writing

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Mark your answers

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3