Las Vacaciones
You are going to write a passage about “Las vacaciones”. This may be real or imaginary,
good or bad. If you are aiming for Higher then you will need to write between 300-500
words; for Foundation between 200-300 words. You will also need to match your choice of
vocabulary to the level for which you are aiming.
Before you start this piece of work, you need to remember that it will be assessed under the
following three headings:
• Content
• Use of language
• Accuracy
The next page shows you how you can earn your marks.
To begin your work, you will have to prepare a plan of what you are going to write about.
Look in this booklet to help you. The first pages are filled with reminders about the language
you could use and some exercises to help you become more confident about using the
phrases and vocabulary.
Once you have prepared your plan, you must :
• Make notes (using any sources necessary)
• Select from and organise your notes
• Finalise the plan in discussion with me/ Sr. Schwarz.
• Write the piece of work in Spanish, totally independently, using your plan and your
notes
What is a “plan”?
• Decide what you are going to write about in general
• What will the first paragraph cove
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Las Vacaciones
Useful phrases and linking words for writing in Spanish
• Remember to keep it simple but effective.
• Do not translate from English
• Use the phrases you have learned in class
The beginning:
Quisiera hablar de …
I’d like to talk about …
Voy a hablar de …
I’m going to talk about …
Primero …
Firstly …
Para empezar …
To begin with …
Bueno …
Well …
Expressions of time (with the past tense):
La semana pasada
Last week
El fin de semana pasada
Last weekend
El año pasado
Last year
Ayer
Yesterday
Anoche
Last night
Hace 2 meses
Two months ago
lunes / domingo
On Monday / Sunday
El 25 de mayo
On the 25th of May
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Time expressions (present tense):
Los sábados
On Saturdays
el lunes / el domingo
On Monday / On Sunday
Todos los días
Everyday
Cada día /Cada viernes
Everyday / every Friday
normalemente
Normally
generalemente
Generally
De vez en cuando
From time to time
Cada dos domingos
Every other Sunday
Linking words:
Sin embargo
However
Pues / entonces
Well / then
Luego
Next / then
Por lo tanto
So / therefore
pero
but
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How to … say what you did
• First of all read the blue sheet that shows you how to form the preterite.
• Now read the passage below and highlight all the verbs in the preterite
¿Adónde fuiste de vacaciones?
- Fui a Africa
¿Lo pasaste bien?
- Sí. Tomé el sol y nadé en el mar … ¿Te divertiste en el Mediterráneo?
No. Lo pasé fatal. Visité una cuidad o dos, comí varios bocadillos …
- ¿No bebiste vino?
¡Sí, pero bebí demasiado!
• Now place all the verbs in the 1st person singular in the cloud on the right
and all the verbs in the questions in the left hand cloud.
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Las Vacaciones
Try to think of at least 5 words associated with each of the words below. This will help with
all your skills. The words can be verbs /nouns/adjectives.
1.
vacaciones
2.
España
3.
Inglaterra
4.
avión
5.
hotel
6.
los paises
7.
salir
8.
sol
9.
playa
10.
nadar
Can you think of any others?
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