This exam tips covers Trampas del Higher — Higher Writing Traps within 150-word open-ended task — Higher only for GCSE Spanish. Revise 150-word open-ended task — Higher only in Writing + Translation (EN→ES) for GCSE Spanish with 16 exam-style questions and 10 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. It is section 3 of 4 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
⚠️ Trampas del Higher — Higher Writing Traps
❌ "Si tendría más tiempo..."
✅ "Si tuviera más tiempo, tendría..." — NEVER "si + conditional". The rule: si + imperfect subjunctive → conditional. "Si tendría" is the most penalised error in Higher writing.
Why: Spanish grammar requires the imperfect subjunctive after si in hypothetical sentences — the conditional is reserved for the result clause. "Si tendría" is grammatically impossible in standard Spanish and marks the response as below Higher level regardless of everything else.
❌ Using only simple sentences
✅ Connect ideas: not "Me gusta la ciudad. Hay parques." → "La ciudad en la que vivo tiene muchos parques, aunque a veces hay demasiado tráfico."
Why: Higher quality marks reward syntactic complexity. Simple sentence + simple sentence stays in Band 2. A relative clause or subordinate conjunction lifts the same content into Band 3 or 4 — same ideas, far higher mark.
❌ Crossing out with multiple lines or using correction fluid
✅ One neat line through the error, rewrite beside/below. Examiners cannot mark what they cannot see.
Why: AQA examiners mark what is legible on the page. Heavy crossing out or correction fluid makes text unreadable — the mark is lost even if the original word was correct. A single line keeps the correction visible and gradeable.
Practice questions for 150-word open-ended task — Higher only
Write approximately 150 words in Spanish about the advantages and disadvantages of social media. You should include: - one advantage of social media - one disadvantage of social media - your personal opinion using a connective Write in Spanish.