❌ "Give TWO details" → student writes three answers
✅ Only 2 marks available. The third point is ignored. Write exactly 2.
Why: AQA allocates one mark per detail. Writing extra points wastes time and gains nothing — the mark scheme stops at 2.
❌ Reading "no me gusta el deporte" → student ticks P (they saw "deporte" and assumed positive)
✅ The "no me gusta" reverses the meaning: NEGATIVE.
Why: Always read the full phrase, not just the keyword. Negation (no, nunca, nada) flips the meaning entirely.
❌ "Nunca veo a mis abuelos" → student interprets as positive (visits grandparents)
✅ nunca = NEVER. The speaker NEVER sees their grandparents — negative implied meaning.
Why: nunca is a strong negative adverb. Spot it immediately and treat the whole clause as negative before reading anything else.
This exam tips covers Errores de comprensión — Comprehension Errors within Short passage comprehension for GCSE Spanish. Revise Short passage comprehension in Reading + Translation (ES→EN) for GCSE Spanish with 16 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 3 of 4 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Practice questions for Short passage comprehension
Read the passage and answer the questions in English. **Mi familia vive en una casa grande en el norte de España. Tengo dos hermanos y una hermana. Mi madre trabaja en un hospital como médica. Cada mañana, voy al colegio en autobús con mis hermanos. Me gustan las matemáticas y el inglés.** (a) Where does the family live? (b) What is the writer's mother's job? (c) How does the writer travel to school?