Even when you don't recognise a word, the surrounding sentence usually tells you the meaning. AQA passages are designed so that nearby words give clues — you can often work out meaning from grammar, adjacent vocabulary, and the logic of the sentence.
| Clue type | Example | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Surrounding adjectives | "un viaje largo y cansado" | cansado = tiring → largo must describe the journey in a similar negative way → long |
| Verb + object | "realizar un sueño" | un sueño = a dream → realizarlo must be positive → achieve / fulfil |
| Negation flip | "no es sensible" | If sensible = sensible → "not sensible" is odd; sensible = sensitive makes more sense |
| Cognate family | "la biblioteca de la ciudad" | biblioteca ≠ librería — biblioteca = library, librería = bookshop |
⭐ The false friend trap
AQA specifically tests whether you know false friends. When a Spanish word looks exactly like an English word but is on the AQA list — double check. The answer that LOOKS obvious is often wrong.
This deep dive covers Cómo usar el contexto — Using Context within Vocabulary matching for GCSE Spanish. Revise Vocabulary matching 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 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.
Practice questions for Vocabulary matching
What do the underlined words mean in English? 1. Me levanto **temprano** todos los días. 2. Mi hermana es muy **simpática**. 3. Vivo en una ciudad **pequeña**.