Sonidos parecidos — Similar Sounds
🎧 Sonidos parecidos — Similar Sounds
| Heard sound | Word 1 | Meaning | Word 2 | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /pero/ | pero | but | perro | dog |
| /polo/ | polo | polo / ice lolly | pollo | chicken |
| /ˈbino/ | vino | wine / he came | vine | I came |
| /ˈaj/ | hay | there is / there are | ahí | there (over there — /aˈi/ 2 syllables) |
| /poɾˈke/ | porque | because | por qué | why? |
r vs rr: In AQA recordings, the r/rr distinction IS audible even if subtle. pero (but) has a single tap; perro (dog) has a trill. BUT — always use context: mi pero está enfermo makes no sense (my but is ill); it must be perro.
Earn the mark scheme marks
💡 Trampas de sonido — Sound Traps
❌ Common error: Hearing vino and writing "wine" when the context is about travel
✅ Correct: vino here = he / she came (3rd person preterite of venir). Context: vino a visitarme = he came to visit me.
Why it costs marks: vino is both the noun (wine) and the preterite of venir (to come). The surrounding sentence always disambiguates — check the verb or preposition that follows.
❌ Common error: Writing ¿Porqué no vas?
✅ Correct: ¿Por qué no vas? (why: two words, accent on qué)
Why it costs marks: porque (one word, no accent) = because. por qué (two words, accent) = why? In a question, you need two words. Confusing these loses an accuracy mark on Paper 4 and the wrong meaning in a reading task.
❌ Common error: Confusing ahí with hay
✅ Correct: ahí (/aˈi/ — two syllables) = over there (location); hay (/aj/ — one syllable) = there is / there are (existential)
Why it costs marks: Está ahí describes where something is; Hay una farmacia states that something exists. Using the wrong one changes the meaning entirely.
❌ Common error: Mishearing sino (but rather) as si no (if not)
✅ Correct: sino replaces a negative: No soy inglés sino americano = I'm not English but rather American. si no introduces a conditional: si no vienes, me voy = if you don't come, I'll leave.
Why it costs marks: The sentence structure reveals which is intended — sino always follows a negative statement and contrasts it.
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