Paper 1 = the writing paper: Paper 1 is the writing exam. You're given a choice of three tasks and you pick just one: you write 250–400 words in a specified text type (a blog, an email, an article, a speech…) based on one of the five themes. At SL it lasts 1 hour 15 minutes and is worth 25% of your final grade. The whole skill is choosing well, then writing in the right form and register.
- la tarea
- the task / the prompt you answer
- el tipo de texto
- the text type you must write (blog, email, article…)
- el tema
- the theme (one of the five course themes)
- el registro
- the register — formal or informal
- las convenciones
- the conventions of that text type (its layout and features)
- el destinatario
- the audience — the reader you're writing for
Read all three first: Before you commit, read all three tasks. The best one isn't the first you understand — it's the one where you have the most ideas and vocabulary. Spending a minute comparing them saves you a stuck, half-finished answer later.
The numbers that matter: Memorise the shape of the paper so nothing surprises you on the day. The two facts most students forget under pressure are the word count (250–400) and that you write only one of the three tasks.
| Aspecto | Paper 1 (NM/SL) |
|---|---|
| Duración | 1 h 15 min |
| Valor | 25% de la nota final |
| Tareas | eliges 1 de 3 |
| Extensión | 250–400 palabras |
| Base | uno de los cinco temas |
| Qué produces | un texto del tipo indicado (blog, correo, artículo, discurso…) |
Lock in the key facts: 1 h 15 min · 25% · 1 de 3 tareas · 250–400 palabras. If you remember nothing else about the format, remember these four numbers — examiners cap your marks if you write far too little.
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Five moves, in order: Strong candidates all follow the same routine: read everything, choose well, decode the task, plan, then write and check. The first few minutes are about deciding — not rushing into prose you'll regret.
From prompt to finished answer — 5 steps
1
Read all three tasks
Don't skim — read each of the three prompts properly so you know your real options before committing.
2
Choose your best fit
Pick the task where you have the most ideas and vocabulary, not just the first one you understand.
3
Identify text type, audience & register
Spot the text type the prompt names, who you're writing for, and whether the register is formal or informal.
4
Plan your structure & key points
Jot a quick outline: the text-type sections plus the two or three points you'll develop. A minute here saves ten later.
5
Write 250–400 words, then check
Write in the right form and register, then leave time to re-read for verbs, agreement and word count.
Read → Choose → Identify → Plan → Write & check
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.
The first five minutes, worked through: Here's the first half of the exam — choosing and decoding a task — on a real-style example. This is the thinking that happens before you write a single sentence of your answer. Tap Ver traducción to see the English explanation, or 🔊 to hear the Spanish.
Decoding a Paper 1 task
From the prompt to a plan
- Lee el enunciado: «Escribe un texto para el blog del colegio sobre cómo el deporte mejora la vida de los jóvenes.»
- Tipo de texto = una entrada de blog.
- Destinatario = los compañeros del colegio. Registro = cercano pero correcto.
- Tema = Identidades / Experiencias (el deporte y la vida de los jóvenes).
- Tres ideas para desarrollar: (1) la salud física y mental, (2) la amistad y el trabajo en equipo, (3) la disciplina y la rutina.
The first 5 minutes are decoding, not writing: Notice that not one word of the answer has been written yet — and that's correct. The first five minutes are for decoding the prompt and planning. Get the text type, audience, register and three points clear, and the essay almost writes itself.
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Good moves vs costly mistakes: Most lost marks in Paper 1 come not from weak Spanish but from bad exam decisions — choosing the wrong task, ignoring the form, or missing the word count. Here's the contrast.
Buenas decisiones
- Elige la tarea para la que tienes ideas.
- Escribe 250–400 palabras.
- Usa las convenciones del tipo de texto.
- Ajusta el registro al destinatario.
Errores típicos
- Elige la primera tarea que ves.
- Write far too little (or way over the limit).
- Write a generic essay that ignores the text type.
- Ignore who the reader is and the register they need.
Match the form to the task: A brilliant essay scores badly if the task asked for a blog. Before you write, name the text type out loud in your head and give it the features the examiner expects — that protects your Criterion C marks.