Three criteria, out of 30: Paper 1 (SL) is marked out of 30 on three criteria: A — Language /12, B — Message /12, and C — Conceptual understanding /6. A rewards your Spanish itself (vocabulary and grammar); B rewards your ideas and how you develop them; C rewards getting the text type, register and tone right for your reader. Knowing what each one wants lets you bank marks on all three, not just on the language.
- Criterio A — Lengua
- Criterion A — Language /12: the range and accuracy of your vocabulary and grammar
- Criterio B — Mensaje
- Criterion B — Message /12: how relevant, developed and organised your ideas are
- Criterio C — Comprensión conceptual
- Criterion C — Conceptual understanding /6: text-type conventions, register and tone for your reader
- el registro
- register — formal (usted) or informal (tú), matched to the audience
- las convenciones
- conventions — the features a text type needs (a blog title, an email sign-off…)
- la cohesión
- cohesion — how connectors and paragraphs link your ideas smoothly
Write for the marker, not just the page: Every feature you add can be tied to a criterion: a varied verb (A), a developed reason (B), a proper sign-off (C). If you can name which criterion a sentence is winning, you're writing like a candidate who scores.
What each criterion rewards: Hold the whole mark scheme in your head with one table. The split most students forget under pressure is that A and B are worth twice as much as C — so strong language and a developed message carry most of your grade, but C is the easy 6 marks you bank simply by using the right form and register.
| Criterio | Máximo | Qué premia |
|---|---|---|
| A — Lengua | /12 | variedad y corrección del vocabulario y la gramática, claridad |
| B — Mensaje | /12 | relevancia, desarrollo y organización de las ideas, cumplir la tarea |
| C — Comprensión conceptual | /6 | convenciones del tipo de texto + registro + tono adecuados al destinatario y al propósito |
Lock in the split: A Lengua /12 · B Mensaje /12 · C Conceptual /6 = /30. A and B are the big halves (language + ideas); C is the free 6 marks you earn just by respecting the text type, register and tone.
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One move per criterion: You don't earn the criteria by luck — each rewards a specific habit you can build in. Show a range of language (A), develop every idea (B), organise clearly (B), use the conventions (C) and match the register (C). Do all five and you've touched all three criteria.
Earn marks on every criterion
1
Show a range of language (A)
Reach for varied vocabulary, tenses and connectors instead of repeating the same easy words — range and accuracy are what Criterion A rewards.
2
Develop each idea fully (B)
Don't just list points — back each one with a reason or example. Developed, relevant ideas are what Criterion B rewards.
3
Organise with paragraphs & connectors (B)
Group ideas into clear paragraphs and link them with connectors so the message flows — organisation also counts towards Criterion B.
4
Use the text-type conventions (C)
Give the text the features its form needs — a blog title, an email greeting and sign-off, an article's intro and conclusion — to bank Criterion C.
5
Match the register to the reader (C)
Choose tú or usted to fit your destinatario and keep the tone consistent throughout — register and tone are the rest of Criterion C.
Range → Develop → Organise → Conventions → Register
C is the easiest to lose and to win: Language (A) and ideas (B) take years to build, but Criterion C is fast: the right greeting, sign-off and register cost you nothing and bank up to 6 marks. Never write a beautiful answer in the wrong form — that throws C away.
One paragraph, three criteria: Here's a short slice of a blog post with the marker's eyes on it — each line is doing a job for a different criterion. Watch how a greeting, a varied sentence, a developed idea and a sign-off each bank marks. Tap Ver traducción to see which criterion each feature earns, or 🔊 to hear the Spanish.
One paragraph, three criteria
What earns each mark
- «¡Hola a todos los lectores del blog!»
- «El deporte no solo fortalece el cuerpo, sino que también mejora el ánimo y la concentración.»
- «Por ejemplo, desde que empecé a nadar tres veces por semana, duermo mejor y rindo más en clase.»
- «Por eso, os animo a probar un deporte que os guste: vuestro cuerpo y vuestra mente os lo agradecerán.»
- «Un saludo, y nos leemos en el próximo artículo del blog.»
Make every sentence earn something: Notice that no sentence is wasted: the greeting and sign-off win C, the varied structure wins A, and the reason-plus-example wins B. Aim to write so that, line by line, you could point at the criterion each sentence is earning.
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What lifts vs sinks each criterion: Most lost marks come from predictable habits, criterion by criterion. Here's the contrast: the Sube nota column banks marks on A, B and C; the Baja nota column throws the same marks away. Fix these and your grade climbs without learning a single new word.
Sube nota
- Vocabulario y estructuras variadas.
- Desarrolla cada idea con un ejemplo.
- Usa las convenciones del tipo de texto.
- Mantén el registro adecuado al lector.
Baja nota
- Repeat the same easy words again and again → loses A.
- List points with no reasons or examples → loses B.
- Write a generic essay that ignores the text type → loses C.
- Use the wrong register (slang for a formal task) → loses C.
Protect C — it's the cheapest 6 marks: The most common avoidable loss is Criterion C: a strong, accurate answer written in the wrong form or register. Before you write, name the text type and register in your head and give the text its features — that protects up to 6 marks for free.