
No matter what language you’re studying, in this case, Spanish, you will be wondering whether to prepare yourself to take an official Spanish exam to prove that you have a specific level. Preparing yourself for a Spanish exam can sound awful and a big challenge, but if you try you can achieve an excellent mark. But how can I prepare for it? What can I do?
Investigate the type of Spanish exam that you’re doing
Firstly, you must know what you will do and what type of exercises you have to prepare. There are four parts: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Focus on what you are required to do in those parts and, if you can, look at previous exams from other years so you can practice a little bit.
Evaluate your Spanish level
Before beginning to study, collect material and, most importantly, inscribe yourself to the exam, you need to know if you are prepared and what level of Spanish you should apply for. You can do tests in different academies or do lessons with teachers, so you know what parts you have to focus more on or less.
Create a plan
Be organised and plan a schedule. On Mondays, you can practise listening with podcasts, online exercises or even songs and films. The grammar and vocabulary can be practised on Tuesdays; we recommend you to go to an academy, where you can find a teacher who can help you with this and other questions. For instance, our academy. On Wednesdays, you can practise writing, on Thursdays the speaking, and on Fridays the reading. Make sure that you have Spanish friends, that you can practise with them so they can help you, especially in the speaking part.
Don’t forget to relax and take the weekends free. On Saturdays and Sundays, forget about the exam and keep your mind chill, so you can restart the next week freshly.
Use your hobbies as a way of practising
We’ve spoken about this in other articles, but there are many ways of practising Spanish without taking lessons. Read books, listen to Spanish songs, watch films in Spanish… Do you like TED talks? Watch them in Spanish. Do you enjoy journaling? Write your days in Spanish. Even if you like fashion and social media, you can follow Spanish influencers and buy Spanish magazines. You can find opportunities everywhere!
Simulate the Spanish exam
There are two ways of doing this: you can do it with an academy and with a teacher that follows your progress and gives you feedback, or you can take your time and do the exam with a chronometer and the results to check if you are doing it well or if you need some help.
Relax and be constant
As we’ve said before, an important part of this process is to keep your mind relaxed and be constant about the Spanish exam. Take your time and be sure that you have a balance: sleep and eat enough and don’t blame yourself if you don’t study one day, we are not always ready to study.
In conclusion, if you plan, practise and keep a positive attitude, you are ready to take the Spanish exam. Don’t be stressed! Follow the advice that we’ve given to you and remember that every step is an opportunity to improve your abilities. If you don’t feel prepared, don’t worry, you have plenty of time; and, if you want to do it, go for it!
Author: Maria Pilar Casabán
Photo: Jeswin Thomas