This exam tips covers Errores comunes de dictado — Common Dictation Errors within Dictation Foundation sets A for GCSE Spanish. Revise Dictation Foundation sets A in Dictation for GCSE Spanish with 13 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.
⚠️ Errores comunes de dictado — Common Dictation Errors
These three error types appear every year. Each one costs exactly one mark — and each one is avoidable with the right habit.
❌ Error 1: Dropping the silent h
Written: ora → ✅ hora
Why it costs marks: The h is completely silent in speech — so students assume it is not there. It is always there. Every word that begins with h in your vocabulary list must be memorised with its h. The most common offenders: hora, hablar, haber, hambre, hay, hermano, hermana, hijo, hija, hacer. Drill this list until the h is automatic.
❌ Error 2: Missing the preterite accent
Written: canto for "he sang" → ✅ cantó
Why it costs marks: Canto (no accent) = I sing (present tense). Cantó (accent on ó) = he/she sang (preterite). The examiner marks these as different words. When you hear a past-tense context, that final stressed vowel needs its accent — do not forget it on the second or third playback.
❌ Error 3: Writing n instead of ñ
Written: ano → ✅ año
Why it costs marks: ñ is a separate letter with its own distinct sound (/nj/ as in "canyon"). Omitting the tilde creates a different — and in this case, very embarrassing — word. Common ñ words to memorise: año, español, señor, señora, mañana, montaña, niño, niña, pequeño.
Practice questions for Dictation Foundation sets A
Listen to the sentence three times, then write exactly what you hear in Spanish.