ap spanish 2016 essay

AP® Spanish Language

The ultimate guide to 2016 ap® spanish language writing frqs.

The Albert Team
Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

AP® Spanish Language Writing FRQ

This study guide, based on the old AP® Spanish exam from 2016 and feedback from the CollegeBoard, will provide a walk through of both writing FRQ questions, and offer examples and strategies to assist you get a high score. It will do this by excavating the 2016 FRQ test to offer thorough guidance on what test scorers look for in top scores. Examples of the AP® Spanish Language FRQ writing section test prompts and prior test takers tests will make known what to take advantage of or sidestep when writing your own answers come test day.

2016 FREE RESPONSE QUESTION #1:

Questions #1, also known as the Presentational Writing component of the AP® Spanish Language FRQ writing section, asked that test takers probe a document – an email, text message, or invitation perhaps – and respond with a written reply.

This Spanish FRQ task required students to write a response to an e-mail message in 15 minutes. The email message was looking for contribution money to help shelter animals in an animal refuge center. Scorers were looking to see if the test taker understood the received email and if they responded in the formal register. The retort also had to address questions and requests mentioned in the communication, as well as inquire further into any given subject raised in the initial email. Students were also required to formulate a proper greeting and a closing salutation.

The 5s – A Strong Response

The test scorer of this essay believed that the writer’s email response was of high quality. It was not only easy to read, but it met all of the requisite information (retorts to questions, a call for further details) while providing elaborate details.

Student’s Written Response

The above response provides evidence of a rich interpersonal exchange that carries a formal greeting and tone throughout the piece: Como ustedpodrainferior, and si no esmuchamolestia , are a few examples. The student evidently recognized and responded appropriately to the tasks required in the prompt.

The test scorer commented on the student’s diverse use of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions: por gusto ; humilde ; and molestia are a few notable examples in the excerpt above. The essay writer also has a good command of grammar, syntax, and usage, with minimal errors. Take, for instance, their use of subjunctive: maltrate y abandone ; future tense: haré ; present perfect: me hanencantado ; and using the conditional as a polite verb form: Deberíamos , also present in the same excerpt.

The student also uses indirect object pronouns correctly, as seen in the above example with: regresarle .

Pronouns are also regularly formal throughout, as seen exemplified in: Le and usted above.

Also commendable is the use of compound sentences like: Toda mi vida … como el perro .

Though the student does make the occasional error, it does not impede their ability to communicate effectively; porque and porqué and mistakes such as ya que ellosnecesitar were common, but not detrimental.

Finally, as demonstrated well here, remember to elaborate your responses in the main body of your essay. This will give you the chance to earn your highest points on the FRQ section of the test!

The 4s and 3s – A Fair Response

In this retort, the test taker demonstrated a clear understanding of the content read and the task at hand.

All required information is present (replies to requested information and more details, for example). The first excerpt shows both the greeting, and the second excerpt demonstrates how the student chose to answer some of the posed questions.

The above quote shows the student requesting further information from the original sender of the email.

Though mostly filled with simple sentences: Uds.hacen mucho porlos animals, the student’s effort to construct complex sentences like: Yo me gusta … divertido, was looked at favorably by the test scorer. The above response shows not only an example of this, but also reveals the writer’s control of adjective agreement: esunorganizacionmuybueno ; the preposition por: hacen mucho porlos animals ; and some good examples of present tense: Tengo and Puedo.

Though infrequent, original vocabulary can be found in examples like: amable y divertido and Puedover el perroen la persona ?

Nevertheless, test scorers noted that vocabulary and idiomatic language were often recycled or repeated, as seen here: Gracias por el mensajeelectronico!

In many places, errors impede comprehensibility of the overall email response, like in the above example: Yo meencantan ; y Ud. refugio; and Cuándorecibio las fotografías de mi animal ?

Equally confusing at times, grammatical errors impede readability. In the above example, the response includes a personal pronoun error: Yo me encantan ; incorrect conjugations verbs: Y decidió ; and a type verb mistake: Yo me gusta.

Try your best to show off your language skills or to acquire more! Read lots literature. Crack open a novel or read some poetry for at least an hour per day. Do not read just to understand the words you already know; take time to look up and put to use those you do not know as well too.

The 2s and 1s – A Weak Response

This email response (presented in its entirety above) does not maintain an accurate exchange between the sender and the test taker. For starters, it is too short and lacks development. They fail to answer the questions posed in the original email and did not request further details. The response indicates that the test taker has limited Spanish vocabulary use or grammatical register, syntax, or usage. Finally, the test scorer deducted points because the response does not follow an email format (there is no greeting or salutation, for example).

On an end note, Read the assignment carefully so as to know what you ultimately have to do (write a greeting, answer questions, request clarification or additional information, and write a closing statement). Be sure to follow the directions so that you answer what is being asked of you. If, for example, an email prompt asks that you “include a greeting and a closing,” be sure to include this in your reply.

Tips from the Test Scorers

Test scorers collectively agreed that the majority of students understood the prompts and the tasks they were asked to do. Those who did have difficulty did so because they believed they were being offered a volunteer position at an animal shelter rather than being asked for a monetary donation. It is important to know your Spanish vocabulary for the exam. If you get stuck on a particular verb or expression, try to infer meaning from the surrounding text.

Many who took the exam also did not elaborate their responses but relied on straightforward, direct replies. Remember that it is okay and even encouraged, to use examples from your real daily lives. Using personal details may help you more easily ask for further information when needed.

It’s also important to consistently use the requested register or format desired. This is where paying attention to the directions come in. Underline each of the tasks required of you and from time to time, check back that you are still on track.

Doing a few practice drills will better acquaint you with the sorts of essay questions asked on the test. If your AP® Spanish teacher has the time, ask them to go over any mistakes you may have made while working out your answers.

FREE RESPONSE QUESTION #2:

Question #2, the Persuasive Essay component of the AP® Spanish Language FRQ writing section, requires students to examine multiple sources such as articles, tables, graphs, or audio artifacts, and use them to formulate an argument, based on their beliefs on a particular theme.

For this Spanish FRQ prompt, test takers were given three sources of information – two printed and one listening source that included diverse viewpoints and statistical data regarding a Spanish language contest, and if “the increasing popularity of electronic books is beneficial?” They had six minutes to read the essay topic and the two printed sources, and then they listened to the audio source. Following that, students had 40 minutes to write their essay.

Test scorers were looking to see that students understood each of the provided sources, and that they could then express their point of view, defend it, and support it using the source material in well-organized paragraphs. Additionally, it was important that students not only referred to the sources, but that they cited them appropriately.

This essay presents a clearly written and well-stated thesis statement that addressed each of the questions asked.

The test scorer believes the main body paragraphs of the essay support the thesis well, and end with a logical conclusion, drawn from the sources, as also seen above.

In the above excerpt, you can see that the same student is able to express their viewpoint, while demonstrating a trustworthy treatment of the source perspective.

The student also does a fine job of incorporating content from all three sources, comparing data between them, while going on to develop their own perspective. In the above excerpt, Además…ideas and Apesar de que…lugaresen el mundo are good examples of this. The test scorer commends the writer’s use of graphic information in the essay, as demonstrated in the above example.

The grammatical use here is solid, and the writer used the subjunctive tense effectively, for example: que usemos ; and impersonal verbs, for example: Como se menciona .

The above extract shows robust use of vocabulary and idiomatic language: a pesar de que ; No cabeduda; and elusocreciente .

Here complex sentences also contribute to an overall impactful essay, seen here in: A pesar de muchos … con la tecnología.

This essay is fully comprehensible, with insignificant errors: son simplementemásfácil ; y ideas ; tuvíamos are just a few examples taken from the above excerpt.

This student’s essay addresses the topic and tasks fairly.

For starters, the test taker indicates their understanding of the source material, and adequately addresses each of them in the essay. The test scorer noted, however, that the majority of data referenced in one particular source had several inaccuracies, as seen in the above passage.

That being said, though the writer does express their viewpoint, to some degree, most of the essay comes across as a summary of the sources, as seen in the above passage.

Here is evidence that the overall remarks made in the essay are understandable, but it takes some effort to get a clear meaning when presented with errors like: f uenten ; obseració n; libroselectronicosescomplicado de usar.

Equally problematic are the significant amounts of grammar and spelling mistakes. Examples of these errors are found in the preterite: hablo ; a transfer from English: Ella dijo que libroselectrónicos ; future tense: vaver and vatomar ; andsubjunctive: actualze las cosas.

This essay does not do a sufficient job of meeting the task requirements, for example there is very limited incorporation of the source material. In other words, you could say that it does not try to persuade the reader. It is also disorganized, with no transitional elements, cohesive devices, or basic punctuation. The test scorer commented that the essay, on the whole, is barely understandable.

It is important to note that you are interpreting the source material, not only summarizing it. Instead of using the data to build an argument, here above the student simply repeats information from them: arbolesmochado ”; “ loslibro … que cuidarlo.

Though trivial when compared to errors mentioned in the previous excerpt, the assortment of vocabulary presented here is limited and often repetitive. As seen in the above passage, words like: cosa, bueno , and the expression hay que cuidar are written several times to no effect.

Finally, represented in the above selection, errors in grammar, syntax, and usage are pervasive: lostrabajo ; loslibro ; and mucha persona are just a few.

According to test scorers, there seemed to be an imbalance between how often students cited particular sources, most favoring one over the other two. There seemed to be particular difficulty in accurately interpreting visual data as well. It’s important to incorporate all three, including graphs and appropriate citations, into your essay to earn top points.

There was also confusion with what exactly constitutes a persuasive essay. Some students didn’t present their point of view, others merely responded with personal anecdotes, some stated pros and cons or advantages and disadvantages, but did not choose a side and defend it. Few answered the question posed, which asked that they present their views on the increased popularity of electronic media, and instead went off on other tangents.

It is important to carefully read the question and tasks being asked, and then do the same with the reading and listening sections. From there, establish a clear viewpoint based on the question posed. While studying, look at a number of different sources (written, visual, auditory, academic, popular, etc.). Learn how to draw and interpret data from each to form an argument. Learn how to connect ideas found in material that addresses similar themes of varying viewpoints. Also, practice citing sources correctly.

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52 Spanish Essay Phrases for Your AP Exam

In order to do well on the AP Spanish exam’s free-response section, you must be able to write a persuasive essay based on three Spanish-language sources.

Here we’ve put together a list of 52 vocabulary words and essays phrases that will come in handy for making and supporting arguments in your AP Spanish essays.

Handy Essay Phrases for Writing a Strong Spanish AP Composition

Starting your essay, agreeing and disagreeing, stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, contrasting (or comparing), transitional phrases, changing topics, concluding your essay, how to prepare for the ap spanish essay, what are the details of the ap spanish essay, and one more thing….

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Para empezar – To begin with

Hoy en día – Nowadays…

Hoy en día, las personas están en Internet hasta ocho horas por día. (Nowadays, people are on the Internet up to eight hours per day.)

A manera de introducción – We can start by saying…

Como punto de partida – As a starting point

Al principio – At the beginning…

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En primer lugar – To start…

Empecemos por considerar – Let’s begin by considering…

Estoy de acuerdo/No estoy de acuerdo — I agree/I disagree

Estoy de acuerdo con lo que dice el autor. (I agree with what the author says.)

No estoy de acuerdo con la idea principal de la fuente número dos . (I disagree with the main idea of source number two.)

En mi opinión — In my opinion

En mi opinión, los jóvenes deberían comer más sano. (In my opinion, young people should eat healthier.)

La verdad es — The truth is

La verdad es que todavía hay mucha desigualdad en los Estados Unidos . (The truth is there is still a lot of inequality in the United States.)

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Es verdad — It’s true

Es verdad que las redes sociales pueden ser peligrosas . (It’s true that social media can be dangerous.)

Es falso — It’s false

Hay gente que dice que las redes sociales son peligrosas, pero esto es falso . (There are people who say that social media is dangerous, but this is false.)

Me parece/No me parece — It seems to me/It doesn’t seem to me

Me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

No me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I don’t think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

Remember that since me parece implies an opinion or emotion, you must conjugate the verb in the subjunctive tense.

(Yo) pienso que — I think that

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Yo pienso que no hay nada más importante que la familia . (I think that there is nothing more important than family.)

(Yo) creo que — I believe that

Yo creo que todos los adolescentes deberían aprender a tocar un instrumento . (I believe that all adolescents should learn to play an instrument.)

The following phrases all have the same structure: Es + adjective + que .

This structure is similar to the English “It’s [adjective] that…” and is great for expressing and supporting opinions in a strong and confident manner. Here are some phrases that are especially useful when making and defending claims in a persuasive essay:

Es evidente que — It’s evident that

Es claro que — It’s clear that

Es cierto que — It’s certain that

Es obvio que — It’s obvious that

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Es importante que — It’s important that

Es necesario que — It’s necessary that

Es probable que — It’s probable that

Es dudoso que — It’s doubtful that

For some of these phrases, the verb following the word que must be conjugated in the indicative, while others require the subjunctive . A good rule of thumb is that when implying that something is certain, use the indicative. When expressing doubt or expressing some other emotion, use the subjunctive.

On this list, evidente, claro, cierto and obvio use indicative verbs, and importante, necesario, probable and dudoso use subjunctive verbs.

Es cierto que nuestro clima está cambiando . (It is certain that our climate is changing.)

Es importante que la gente sepa hablar más de un idioma . (It’s important that people know how to speak more than one language.)

These words will help you refer to your three sources, which contain information that will help you support your argument. This section also contains transition words to connect one part of your argument to the next.

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Según — According to

Según el autor… (according to the author…)

La fuente — The source

Según la fuente numero 1… (According to source number one…)

El tema — The theme/topic

Esto es un tema muy importante. (This is a very important topic.)

Mostrar — To show

La fuente muestra la importancia de la diversidad. (The source shows the importance of diversity.)

Remember, mostrar is an o-ue stem-changing verb—pay attention to conjugation!

Demostrar — To demonstrate

La tabla demuestra que muchos jóvenes en España juegan al fútbol. (The table demonstrates that many youths in Spain play football.)

Demostrar is also an o-ue stem changing verb. Luckily for you, it follows the exact same conjugation rules as mostrar !

Indicar — To indicate

La tabla indica que hay muchas familias pobres en ese barrio. (The table indicates that there are many poor families in that neighborhood.)

Apoyar — To support

Estos datos apoyan la idea de que el clima está cambiando. (This data supports the idea that the climate is changing)

Sin duda — Without a doubt

Sin duda, el cambio climático es el problema más grave que enfrenta nuestra planeta. (Without a doubt, climate change is the most serious problem that our planet faces.)

Por otra parte — On the other hand

Es importante que la economía crezca, pero por otra parte, tenemos que cuidar el medio ambiente. (It’s important that the economy grows, but on the other hand, we have to care for the environment.)

Aunque — Even though/Although

Aunque is followed by an indicative verb when the outcome is known, but a subjunctive verb when the outcome is speculative.

Aunque cuesta mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución. (Even though it costs a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Aunque cueste mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución . (Even though it may cost a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Al igual que — Just like

Al igual que en los años 40, hoy en día hay mucha gente que no quiere ayudar a los refugiados de guerra . (Just like in the 40s, today there are many people who don’t want to help war refugees.)

Tanto… como… — … as well as…

Fill in this phrase with two nouns to emphasize that you’re talking equally about two different things.

Tanto chicos como chicas deberían aprender a cocinar, limpiar, coser y cuidar a los bebés. (Boys as well as girls ought to learn how to cook, clean, sew and care for babies.)

Sino — But rather

Remember that Spanish has two translations for the English word “but.” The word sino is like the English phrase “but rather,” used to introduce an alternative.

En comparación — In comparison

En comparación, la fuente número 2 indica que hay más obesidad en Estados Unidos que en España . (In comparison, source number 2 indicates that there is more obesity in the United States than in Spain.)

Leer no es una pérdida de tiempo, sino una manera de aprender y de conocer otras culturas . (Reading isn’t a waste of time, but rather a way to learn and understand other cultures.)

Además — Additionally

This word is usually seen at the beginning of a sentence, and it’s useful for transitioning from one idea or argument to another.

Además, es evidente que la tecnología nos ayuda mucho. (Additionally, it’s evident that technology helps us a lot.)

Sin embargo — However

This is another good transition word. In your essay, you may want to present an alternate argument and then explain why you disagree with it. Sin embargo is very helpful for this.

Obviamente, estudiar es muy importante. Sin embargo, es necesario que los adolescentes tengan tiempo para jugar con sus amigos . (Obviously, studying is very important. However, it’s necessary that teenagers have time to play with their friends.)

Por lo cual — For this reason/That’s why/Which is why

This phrase is used in the middle of a sentence to connect ideas.

La Amazonía tiene un alto nivel de biodiversidad, por lo cual la conservación de esta región debe ser una prioridad. (The Amazon has a high level of biodiversity, which is why the conservation of this region must be a priority.)

Sobre un tema relacionado — On a related topic

Sobre un tema relacionado con la inteligencia artificial, se están llevando a cabo investigaciones para mejorar la capacidad de aprendizaje de los algoritmos de machine learning. (Regarding a topic related to artificial intelligence, research is being conducted to enhance the learning capacity of machine learning algorithms.)

Cuando se trata de – When it comes to

Relacionado con esta idea — Related to this idea

Una idea similar es — A similar idea is

Una idea similar es utilizar la realidad virtual como herramienta educativa para mejorar la experiencia de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. (A similar idea is to use virtual reality as an educational tool to enhance the learning experience of students.)

Ahora estoy pasando a — Now moving onto

In your final paragraph, you’ll want to provide a summary of your main argument and your main supporting points. You can use the following helpful phrases:

En conclusión — In conclusion

En resumen — In summary

En fin — Finally

En conclusión,/En resumen,/En fin, las tres fuentes muestran que la contaminación del aire es un problema muy grave para todo el mundo . (In summary, the three sources show that air pollution is a very serious problem for the whole world.)

After summarizing your essay, you’ll want to restate your main argument in a succinct, strongly-worded sentence. Start with these phrases:

Por estas razones — For these reasons

Por eso — That is why

Así que — Therefore

Entonces — So

Por estas razones,/Por eso,/Así que/Entonces, afirmo que los adolescentes no deberían usar las redes sociales. (For these reasons, I affirm that teenagers should not use social media.)

In many ways, preparing for the free-response section is the same as preparing for the rest of the AP exam.

It involves studying grammar and vocabulary, and it also means immersing yourself in the Spanish language as much as possible.

There are also some targeted ways to practice for the free-response section.

Do practice exams and read sample essays. The College Board has posted the full AP exams from the last several years. Try to read the sources and write the essay in the allotted 55 minutes. When you’re done, go back and slowly revise your essay for errors in grammar, spelling and logic. After that, you can also check out the grading rubric provided by the College Board and several sample persuasive essays . Try to compare your essay against the rubric and the samples to see how you can improve your writing.
Practice summarizing and analyzing Spanish-language sources. Remember all those great resources listed above? Well, it’s not enough to just read or listen to them. The whole point of the presentational essay is to measure your ability to summarize, synthesize and argue. So, after you read or listen to a Spanish-language source, take five minutes to summarize it—on paper. Identify the main argument, and then make a bulleted list of important points. Finally, write a few sentences summarizing your personal opinion.
Learn targeted vocabulary for talking about opinions and arguments. Is there anything more frustrating than knowing exactly what you want to say, but not having the vocabulary to say it? This article lists many crucial vocabulary words for expressing and supporting opinions in persuasive essays. Using these words and phrases will help make your writing flow more smoothly, and allow you to argue with more credibility.

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You can also find some great info on great news outlets , podcasts , YouTube channels and blogs —all in Spanish. Even following some Spanish Twitter feeds or listening to Spanish music can be a great way to work a little language practice into your day.

The free-response section of the exam is meant to test your ability to communicate with others in spoken and written Spanish.

There are two essays in the free-response section. The interpersonal essay asks you to respond to an email. The presentational essay tests how well you can draw information from Spanish-language sources, form an argument and write formally. This second essay is a little less straightforward, so we’ll walk you through it here.

So, how does it work?

The presentational essay is based on three sources . Two of them are written sources and one is an audio source.

These sources can be just about anything: Advertisements, articles, infographics, letters, maps, interviews, radio programs, podcasts and conversations are just some examples of the types of sources you may encounter.

You’ll have about 55 minutes to complete this particular essay. First, you’ll have six minutes to read the prompt and the two written sources, and then you’ll hear the audio source twice. Finally, you’ll have 40 minutes to plan and write your essay.

The essay is graded on the basis of Spanish language skills like reading, listening, writing and grammar—but it’s also based on your general ability to analyze the sources and make a strong, coherent argument.

Of course, learning vocabulary and essay phrases is just one way to prepare for the free-response section.

Remember to expose yourself to as many Spanish-language sources as you can before test day, and don’t forget to think critically about those sources as you read them!

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Ultimate Guide to the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

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The AP Spanish courses are the most popular AP foreign language classes. In fact, they’re so popular that two sets of Spanish curricula exist: AP Spanish Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture. This is the only AP foreign language that has more than one course offering. In 2019, over 185,000 students took the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, making it by far the most popular foreign language exam taken.

The curriculum for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam emphasizes communication by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills in real-life situations. As you undertake the coursework or exam preparations, you will need to focus on understanding others and being understood by others. If you’re planning to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, whether you have taken the class, are a native speaker, or have self-studied, read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for how to best prepare.

When is the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam?

The College Board will administer the 2020 AP Spanish Language and Culture exam on Tuesday, May 12, at 8 am. For a complete list of all the AP exams, along with tips for success and information about how students score, check out our article 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know.

About the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish and includes instruction in vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness.

Although there is some emphasis placed on correct grammar usage, the College Board specifically warns against overemphasizing grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. Instead, more time will be spent on applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication skills in real-life situations, exploring the culture in both contemporary and historical contexts, and building an awareness and appreciation of cultural products, practices, and perspectives.

There are no explicit prerequisites for the AP Spanish Language and Culture course, but students who take it are typically in their fourth year of high school-level Spanish language study or have extensive practical experience communicating in both written and oral Spanish language.

There are four essential components to the framework of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course that clarify what you must know, be able to do, and understand to qualify for

college credit or placement. Those components are skills, themes, modes, and task models.

Skills: Skills are the abilities you’ll need to think and act like a Spanish speaker. The College Board breaks these skills into eight units; below is a list of those units along with the weight they are given on the multiple-choice section of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam:

Themes: The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is divided into 6 themes in which there are 5-7 contexts covered. Below are the 6 themes along with their recommended contexts:

Modes: To pass the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, students need to demonstrate proficiency engaging in three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Students need to possess skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing in the following areas:

Audio, Visual, and Audiovisual Interpretive Communication
Written and Print Interpretive Communication
Spoken Interpersonal Communication
Written Interpersonal Communication
Spoken Presentational Communication
Written Presentational Communication

Task Model: Finally, you will work with various task models to demonstrate linguistic skills and cultural understanding. The task model types are:

AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Content

At 3 hours and 3 minutes long, the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is one of the longer-lasting AP exams. It consists of two primary sections—the first section featuring multiple-choice questions, and the second made up of free response questions.

The multiple-choice questions are further broken down into two parts—one part based on text as a stimulus, the other part uses audio as a stimulus.

Section 1(a): Multiple-Choice Text

40 minutes | 30 questions | 23% of score

The first part of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam uses a variety of printed materials—journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables—as a stimulus. You’re asked to identify ideas and details, define words in context, identify an author’s point of view or target audience, and demonstrate knowledge of cultural or interdisciplinary information contained in the text.

Example of a text-based multiple-choice question:

Answers to multiple-choice questions above:

Section 1(b): Multiple-Choice Audio

55 minutes | 35 questions | 27% of score

The second part of the multiple-choice section uses audio material—interviews, podcasts, PSAs, conversations, and brief presentations—as a stimulus. In this part of the exam, students will encounter two subsections of questions.

In the first subsection, you’re asked to answer questions using two audio sources and related print materials as a stimulus.
The second subsection uses three audio sources (and no print material) as the stimulus.

Example of a question you’ll encounter in the audio-based multiple-choice section, click on the question for audio:

Answers to the multiple choice questions above:

The free-response section of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is also broken down into two parts—one part focusing on writing, and the other on speaking.

Section 2 (a): Free Response Written

1 hour 10 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The first free response section features two questions—one on interpersonal writing and the other on presentational writing. The first of the two questions require you to read and respond to an email. You have 15 minutes to complete this section, and it’s worth 12.5% of your exam score. The second of these questions provides three sources—including an article, a table, graph, chart, or infographic, and a related audio source offering different viewpoints on a topic—that you will use to construct an argumentative essay. This question is allotted 55 minutes (15 minutes to review materials and 40 minutes to write) and is also worth 12.5% of your exam score.

Example of an email free-response question:

Section 2: Free Response Spoken

18 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The spoken part of the free response section tests your interpersonal and presentational speaking ability. For interpersonal speaking, you will participate in five exchanges in a simulated conversation with 20 seconds for each response. For the second part, you’re tasked with delivering a two-minute presentation requiring you to compare a cultural feature of a Spanish-speaking community to another community you are familiar with.

When delivering oral responses, you will be digitally recorded and your proctor will submit your recordings with the rest of your test materials. Learn more about submitting audio on the College Board’s webpage of the same name, Submitting Audio .

Example of a spoken, presentational, free-response question:

AP Spanish Language and Culture Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

In 2019, students generally did quite well on the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. More than half of all students received a score of 4 or 5, and nearly 90% of test-takers received a passing score (3 or higher). Though students who regularly spoke or heard Spanish outside of school did perform slightly better overall than the standard group of foreign language students, the standard group still passed the exam at a rate of nearly 85% and only 3% received the lowest score of a 1.

To guide your studying, read the full AP Spanish course description . For a comprehensive listing of the score distribution on all of the AP exams, check out our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams .

Best Ways to Study for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

Step 1: start by assessing your skills.

It’s important to start your studying off with a good understanding of your existing knowledge. Although the College Board does not provide a complete practice test, you can find sample questions with scoring explanations included in the course description . Additionally, you can find a free AP Spanish Language and Culture diagnostic test from Varsity Tutors. You may also find practice or diagnostic exams in many of the commercially printed study guides.

Step 2: Study the Material

In the case of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course, the theory you’ll need to know falls into six themes (Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Families and Communities, Global Challenges, Personal and Public Identities, Science and Technology). Many textbooks will be divided into units based on these themes. Even if they are not, you should find threads of them throughout your studies.

Of course, the best way to study a foreign language is to truly immerse yourself in it. Although your course will be taught primarily in Spanish, this will account for only a tiny percentage of your day. You should find other ways to further your exposure to the Spanish language, and given the prevalence of Spanish in our own contemporary culture, this should not be difficult. You can easily find engaging young adult books written in Spanish, interesting Youtube videos or TV shows in Spanish, or even Spanish podcasts. Check out comic books, news, or websites in Spanish. Make sure you are speaking, listening to, and reading Spanish as much as possible, even outside of your regular study or class hours.

The College Board also provides some valuable study tools for your use. Reviewing the AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description can help you to more deeply understand the course content and format. You should also review the exam audio files and the official Exam Practice Tips to help guide your studying.

In addition, you should take advantage of the many commercial study guides available for your use. One of the top-rated AP Spanish Language and Culture study guides is the Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam with Audio CD, 2020 Edition . This compilation of content reviews and strategies also contains two full-length practice tests with complete answer explanations and access to the Princeton Review’s AP Connect portal online. Another great option is Barron’s AP Spanish Language and Culture with MP3 CD, 8th Edition , which again contains two full-length practice exams with audio sections for both practice exams.

There are also vast amounts of study materials available online. Taking one of the more popular AP exams means that many students have been in your shoes, and often they or their teachers have posted past materials to supplement their studying. You can find a huge database of resources including sound files, Spanish reading sites, and grammar sites— this site is a good place to get started.

Finally, apps are a relatively new and fun way to squeeze in a little more studying. The Fluent U app is a great option for AP foreign languages. The basic version is free, but watch out for in-app purchases. The premium versions can set you back between $30 and $240 dollars.

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you’ve got a good handle on the major course content and theory, you can begin putting it to use. Start by practicing multiple-choice questions. You will be able to find plenty of these available online (for example, study.com has a free 50-question online practice test ) for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, or you can try the practice ones provided in commercial study guides.

The College Board course description also contains a number of multiple-choice questions with answers and explanations. As you are reviewing these, keep track of which broad content areas are coming easily to you and which still require more effort. Think about what each question is really asking you to do, and keep a list of vocabulary, grammar, and content areas that still seem unfamiliar. These will be points for more review before you move on.

Step 4: Practice Free Response Questions

Even if you’ve studied for the free response section of other APs in the past, your studies for the free response section of the foreign language AP exams will be quite different. In addition to practicing your written responses, you’ll also need to fine-tune your listening skills and oral responses.

Begin your preparations by brushing up on your vocabulary and grammar. Make sure you have a handle on a broad variety of verbs and how to conjugate each. Also, reaffirm that your knowledge of vocabulary will allow you to express yourself as fluently as possible. A great tool for this is a supplementary set of Barron’s AP Spanish Flash Cards . These cards emphasize word usage within the context of sentences and review parts of speech, noun genders, verb forms and tenses, and correct sentence structure.

Beyond vocabulary and grammar, your studies should also include practicing written and oral responses. The best way to specifically prepare for both the written and spoken portions of your free response questions is to practice repeated similar prompts. There is a huge resource of past free response questions available on College Board’s website dating back to 1999, with accompanying scoring explanations and examples of authentic student responses.

To make the most of these example free response questions, review the Chief Reader Report on Student Responses wherein the Chief Reader of the AP Exam compiles feedback to describe how students performed on the prompts, summarizes typical student errors, and addresses specific concepts and content with which students have struggled the most.

It can be especially difficult to prepare for the oral portion of your free response section since it’s difficult to identify your own spoken errors. Try recording your responses and comparing them to the authentic student responses available above. Alternatively, collaborate with a classmate to record and trade responses, offering one another constructive criticism framed by the scoring examples available above.

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

Just as you took a practice test at the beginning of your preparations to gauge your readiness for the exam, do so again after a thorough review of the course content and each exam portion. Identify the areas in which you’ve improved the most, and areas still in need of improvement. If time allows, repeat the steps above to incrementally increase your score with each pass.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

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For more information about APs, check out these CollegeVine posts:

2020 AP Exam Schedule
How Long is Each AP Exam?
Easiest and Hardest AP Exams

Tips For the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay

Need some help with the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay? In my humble opinion, it is the most complicated task our AP Spanish students will have to complete. El ensayo argumentativo requires excellent reading skills, listening skills and writing skills. So how can we help our students do well on this part of the AP Spanish exam? Here are some tips!

Tip #1 Direct Instruction

Students need to understand what exactly they need to do for the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay. Consider taking the class time to have a mini lesson that provides the specifics and details of the expectations. Here is a short list of what students should know.

-2 readings; one in narrative form and usually on graph or chart

-1 listening source

-each source must be referenced at least once in their essay

-writing needs to be organized and concise

-only 1 hour to read, listen and write!

I created this Google Slides presentation for the direct instruction I provide to my students. Feel free to create one too, or use mine to save time!

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Tip #2

Don’t assume that your students have good writing skills. *Yes, they need to understand what they read and hear. Let’s assume that they are practicing those skills daily in one way or another in class. But in my experience, students really struggle with organizing their writing.

Teach them how to write a concise introductory paragraph that ends with a thesis statement (the answer to the question that was asked for the task).

Then teach them how to write a topic sentence. When they have a clear topic sentence, their paragraph is much more likely to stay on track. This is really important, because the time constraint on this section of the AP Exam is a big challenge!

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Tip #3

Design teacher-friendly ways for students to practice.

Let’s face it. Students need lots of practice and lots of feedback to get good at this essay. But essays are very time consuming to write and very time consuming to grade.

The strategy I use with my students is to break the essay into parts and allow them to practice one part at a time.

Day 1: Direct instruction followed by a set of sources

-Teach students how to focus on what the question is

-Encourage them to underline, star and highlight important parts of the text

-Ask them to take notes while listening

*Now, develop a thesis/answer to the question. Teach them to choose the one that’s easier to prove rather than the one they believe is the right answer!

Pair students. Have them write the introductory paragraph only. I am always shocked with how many students need help getting the formula right for their intro. I tell them to put their thesis statement last! Why don’t they?? Lol!

Giving feedback on just one paragraph is far less overwhelming and time consuming than grading a whole essay, especially if they’re working in pairs! Half the correcting!

Once they have a good intro paragraph, have them move on to their topic sentences for each body paragraph. Ask them to identify a quote/idea from each source to include within their paragraph.

When you are happy with their topic sentences and quotes, now they can write their conclusion. This part is easier- it’s the inverse of their introduction!

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Tip #4

Share resources!

At least for me, it took me a long time to feel confident in my instruction for the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay. I did not have a colleague- I was (and still am) the only one teaching the course at my school. The College Board did not have AP Classroom, or at least nothing like what exists now. I had never heard of Teachers Pay Teachers.

Therefore, I learned by trial and error and created everything from scratch. It was time consuming. Like…. years!!!!

Profes, don’t do that to yourself!

If you have a teaching partner in your school, or maybe someone you know from another district, divide and conquer! Share what you create!

Here are the resources I know about that may help you and your students gain confidence regarding the Argumentative Essay!

AP Spanish Language and Culture: the College Board site (has lots of lessons, videos and free practices!)

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay: Sample Intro Paragraphs (FREEBIE!)

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Feedback Checklist (My lifesaver!)

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay: Graphic Organizer for Student Practice

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay: How To

Test Prep Growing Mega Bundle (This includes all my materials for the open ended sections of the AP Spanish test)