What a short-answer question is: A short-answer question (la risposta breve) asks you to answer a question about a recording in a few words of Italian — not a sentence, not an essay. What earns the mark is the correct, relevant content the question asks for, NOT essay style or perfect grammar. You hear the clip twice, then write the exact detail.
- la risposta breve
- the short answer — a few words, not a sentence
- la domanda
- the question — what you must answer
- il dato / l'informazione
- the piece of information / the detail
- la parola chiave
- the key word — what you note down
- rispondere
- to answer / to respond
- preciso/a
- precise — exactly to the point
A few words is enough: You do not need a full sentence. «In bicicletta» scores just as well as «Va a scuola in bicicletta» — and it's faster and safer. Give the exact detail the question asks for and move on.
Three rules, one table: Short answers come down to three rules. English explains the rule; the point is the same in every recording: give the right detail, briefly, to the question actually asked.
| Regola | Che cosa significa |
|---|---|
| Poche parole | una parola o una frase breve basta — non scrivere frasi lunghe |
| Rispondi a ciò che si chiede | rispondi esattamente alla domanda posta, non a un'altra |
| Non copiare lunghi brani | non copiare frasi intere dal testo; dai solo il dato richiesto |
The two facts students forget: 1) A short, correct answer scores full marks — length adds nothing. 2) The mark is for the content, so don't lose it by over-writing or by copying a long, irrelevant chunk hoping the answer is buried in there.
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A method for every short answer: Don't try to write down everything you hear. Run the same five steps on each short-answer question and you'll capture the exact detail the examiner wants.
Nail the short answer
Read the question
Read the question carefully — what exactly is it asking? A time? A place? A reason? Pin it down before the audio plays.
Listen for that detail
On the recording, listen for that specific detail — ignore everything that isn't the answer to the question.
Note the key word(s)
Jot down the key word or words as you hear them — a quick note, not a full sentence.
Write a short, precise answer
Turn your note into a short, precise answer — a few words of Italian, exactly the detail asked for.
Check it answers the question
Read your answer back against the question — does it actually answer what was asked? If yes, move on.
Read Q → Listen → Note → Write short → Check
Shorter is safer: The shorter your answer, the less chance of including something wrong that cancels the mark. Give the detail, nothing more — and never leave a blank.
This is exactly how it feels: This is exactly how a short-answer question feels — you hear the clip, you don't see the words. Read the question, play the audio, write a few-word answer, then reveal the transcript to check. In the real exam you'd hear it twice.
Comprensione orale — il fine settimana di Diego
Listen to Diego talk about his weekend. Read the question first, write a SHORT answer, then reveal the transcript to check — exactly how a Paper 2 short-answer question works.
Ascolterai Diego raccontare come passa il suo fine settimana.
- Qual è il piatto preferito di Diego? (What is Diego's favourite dish?) — Rispondi con poche parole.
Ciao, mi chiamo Diego. Il sabato mattina aiuto mia madre al mercato e nel pomeriggio gioco a pallacanestro con i miei amici in palestra. La domenica preferisco restare a casa: leggo, mi riposo e la sera ceno con tutta la mia famiglia. Il mio piatto preferito è la lasagna che prepara mia nonna.
Hi, my name is Diego. On Saturday mornings I help my mum at the market and in the afternoon I play basketball with my friends at the sports hall. On Sundays I prefer to stay at home: I read, I rest and in the evening I have dinner with my whole family. My favourite dish is the lasagne my grandma makes.
- La lasagna (di sua nonna).
Answer in a few words: Read the question, listen for that one detail — here, a dish. Answer in a few words («la lasagna»), not a sentence. You hear the clip twice, so use the second play to confirm it.
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Where short-answer marks are lost: Short-answer marks are lost on technique, not on Italian. Compare what good candidates do with the traps everyone else falls into.
Buone pratiche (good practice)
- Rispondi alla domanda che è stata DAVVERO posta.
- Dai poche parole precise — esattamente il dato richiesto.
- Cita solo la parola chiave, non un lungo brano.
- Scrivi sempre qualcosa — non lasciare mai in bianco.
Errori tipici (typical errors)
- Rispondi a un'ALTRA domanda (dai il luogo quando si chiede l'ora).
- Scrivi troppo — un intero paragrafo per un solo dato.
- Copi un brano irrilevante della trascrizione e speri.
- Lasci in bianco perché l'hai perso al primo ascolto.
Answer the question that was asked: Before you write, re-read the question. The most common lost mark is a correct fact that answers the wrong question. And never leave a blank — you hear it twice, so use the second play to fill every gap.