What Paper 1 is: Paper 1 is the writing exam. Here's the shape of it — and what it looks like on the page.
The shape of Paper 1
Task
Read all three tasks, then write just one.
Choose your task
Text type
Each task offers three types — pick one (blog, email, article, speech…).
Choose your form
Your answer
words at SL, on one of the five themes.
1 h 15 min · 30 marks (25%)
The instruction you'll see on the paper: At the top of the Spanish Paper 1 you'll see an instruction like:
«Completa una tarea. Elige un tipo de texto apropiado. Escribe entre 250 y 400 palabras.» → Complete one task. Choose a suitable text type. Write between 250 and 400 words.
How a task looks on the paper: Here is an original example, laid out the way the real paper does it — a short task, then the three text types you choose between. The task text is in Spanish (as on the paper); tap to reveal the English.
Example task (as on the paper): «Tu instituto va a cerrar la cafetería una hora antes. Escribe un texto para expresar tu opinión y proponer una alternativa.»
| Choose ONE text type | (what it means) |
|---|---|
| Un correo electrónico | an email |
| Una entrada de blog | a blog post |
| Una carta al director | a letter to the editor |
Read all three tasks first: Before you commit, read all three tasks. The best one isn't the first you understand — it's the one you have the most ideas and vocabulary for. A minute spent comparing them saves a stuck, half-finished answer later.
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Reading it is one thing — hearing it is another
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Five moves, in order: Strong candidates all follow the same routine: read everything, choose well, work out your reader and tone, plan, then write and check. The first few minutes are for deciding — not for rushing into prose you'll regret.
From the three tasks to a finished answer — 5 steps
Read all three tasks
Don't skim — read each of the three tasks properly so you know your real options before committing.
Choose the task AND the text type
Pick the task and the text type (from the three options) that you have the most ideas and vocabulary for.
Work out the reader and the tone
Decide who you're writing for and whether the tone (formal or informal) fits that reader.
Plan the parts + your main points
Jot the text type's parts (opening, body, closing) plus the 2–3 main points you'll develop. A minute here saves ten later.
Write 250–400 words, then check
Write in the right form and tone, then leave time to re-read for verbs, agreement and length.
Read → Choose → Reader & tone → Plan → Write & check
| Aspect | Paper 1 (SL) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 h 15 min |
| Weight | 25% of the final grade |
| Marks | 30 |
| Tasks | choose 1 of 3 |
| Length | 250–400 words |
| Based on | one of the five themes |
| You write | a text in the type you choose (blog, email, article, speech…) |
Decide before you write: The candidates who run out of ideas are usually the ones who started writing on step 1. Spend the first few minutes on steps 1–4 — choosing and planning — and the writing comes far more easily.
Practice with real exam questions
Answer exam-style questions and get AI feedback that shows you exactly what examiners want to see in a full-marks response.
Choosing and planning, worked through: Here's the first few minutes of the exam — choosing a task and planning it — on an original example. Not one word of the answer is written yet, and that's correct.
Example task (as on the paper): «En tu ciudad hay cada vez menos zonas verdes. Escribe un texto para convencer a los habitantes de proteger los parques que quedan.»
| Choose ONE text type | (what it means) |
|---|---|
| Una columna de opinión | an opinion column |
| Un correo al ayuntamiento | an email to the town council |
| Un discurso | a speech |
How you'd think it through (in English):
- Which task and why: I'd take this one — I have lots of vocabulary about the environment and the city, so I can reach 250–400 words easily.
- Text type I pick: an opinion column, because it lets me argue a clear point of view.
- Audience: the residents of my city (and the local authorities).
- Tone: semi-formal — persuasive and respectful, not slang.
- Theme: Sharing the planet (the environment).
- Two or three ideas to develop: (1) why the parks matter for health and community life; (2) what is being lost as green spaces shrink; (3) a concrete proposal — a clean-up day or council investment.
The first minutes are planning, not writing: Get the text type, audience, tone, theme and three points clear first, and the text almost writes itself. Choosing and planning is where the marks are won.