A step-by-step tutorial, complete with examples, on how to write an A Level/AS level Spanish essay. Clearly explained in digestible English with the essay in Spanish.
Sample question: En tu opinión, ¿cuáles son los dos temas más importantes de Como agua para chocolate? ¿Tienen relevancia en...
A-level Spanish essays are more simplistic than most A level essays and follow the PEEL
paragraph set-up from KS3. Treat the examiner a bit like an idiot who’s never read the book
or seen the film. This applies to whatever the book or film is; although I’ve used Como Agua
Para Chocolate for my example, you should be able to use this basic structure wherever.
Here is a basic outline to have;
Generic introduction- it's a good idea to have this memorised. It’s a few sentences
introducing the book/film, its background, and plot.
Opinion- what are you going to argue?
PEEL- Point, Evidence, Explain, Link.
Conclusion- allow your essay to come to a close.
Finally, here is the exam question;
En tu opinión, ¿cuáles son los dos temas más importantes de Como agua para
chocolate? ¿Tienen relevancia en la vida moderna?
[This question is made up of two questions, which we can either answer one after another
or mention theme by theme. It doesn’t matter too much which you choose, as long as you
link it to make sense.]
[Generic introduction:]
Como agua para chocolate es una novela de realismo mágico, escrito por Laura Esquivel,
lo que cuenta la historia de dos amores, Pedro y Tita, quienes no pueden amarse en
público y en vez solo pueden comunicarse en secreto por la gastronomía.
[Themes in Como Agua Para Chocolate involve el amor, la gastronomía, la tradición, la
libertad del individuo, and la revolución mexicana. You can lie; even if you don’t think that
those are the two more important themes, you just need to back up your argument. State
your opinion, then support it.]
[Introduction:]
En mi opinión, yo creo que la gastronomía y la tradición son los dos temas más
importantes en la novela, como influyen los acontecimientos en la novela lo más.
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