This deep dive covers Obligación y soluciones — expressing obligation and solutions within Global issues + environment for GCSE Spanish. Revise Global issues + environment in Theme 3 — Communication & World for GCSE Spanish with 13 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. It is section 2 of 4 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🔍 Obligación y soluciones — expressing obligation and solutions
To score top marks in AQA Paper 4 (writing) and Paper 3 (speaking), you must express what must be done to address global problems. Spanish has four high-frequency obligation structures — all followed by the infinitive.
| Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hay que + inf | one must (impersonal) | Hay que reciclar más. |
| debemos + inf | we must (personal) | Debemos proteger el planeta. |
| es importante + inf | it's important to | Es importante reducir las emisiones. |
| se debe + inf | one should (formal) | Se debe usar energías renovables. |
Pair each environmental problem with its solution to show command of the topic:
| Problem | Solution(s) |
|---|---|
| el calentamiento global | usar energías renovables, reducir emisiones |
| la deforestación | plantar más árboles, proteger los bosques |
| la contaminación | usar el transporte público, reciclar |
| el consumo de plástico | usar bolsas reutilizables, reducir el uso de plástico |
⭐ AQA writing tip — the 3-part structure for top marks
For AQA Paper 4 (writing) global issues tasks, examiners want BOTH the problem AND a solution. Use this three-part structure to hit all the mark-scheme descriptors: "El problema es que... / Sin embargo, es posible... / Hay que..." — state the problem, introduce a contrast with sin embargo, then give the solution with an obligation structure. This 3-part pattern reliably scores top marks in the Communication and Content strand.