Números, fechas y horas — Numbers, Dates and Times
🎧 Números, fechas y horas — Numbers, Dates and Times
| What is tested | What catches students out |
|---|---|
| Numbers 13–19 / 30–90 | 13 (trece) vs 30 (treinta) — similar stress pattern |
| Times | y cuarto (quarter past) vs menos cuarto (quarter to) |
| Prices | cuesta noventa y nueve vs noventa — the "y nueve" can be missed |
| Dates | el primero de... (1st) vs el dos de... (2nd onwards) |
| Years | dos mil veinticinco = 2025 (spoken in full) |
Earn the mark scheme marks
💡 Trampas numéricas — Number Traps
❌ Common error: Es las dos
✅ Correct: Son las dos
Why it costs marks: 1 o'clock is singular: la una. All other times take the plural verb: Son las.... Using es with las dos is a grammatical error the examiner records against AO3.
❌ Common error: Hearing Son las ocho y cuarto and writing 8:45
✅ Correct: 8:15 (y cuarto = +15 min; menos cuarto = −15 min, i.e. 7:45)
Why it costs marks: y cuarto always adds 15 minutes; menos cuarto subtracts 15 minutes from the next hour. Confusing these two costs a grid-task mark.
❌ Common error: Confusing trece (13) with treinta (30)
✅ Correct: trece = 13 (two syllables, ending -ece); treinta = 30 (two syllables, ending -inta)
Why it costs marks: Price and age questions frequently use these numbers. The vowel endings are different — focus on the final syllable to distinguish them.
❌ Common error: el uno de enero
✅ Correct: el primero de enero
Why it costs marks: The 1st of the month always uses the ordinal primero, not the cardinal uno. All other dates use cardinals: el dos, el tres...
Now try it yourself
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