Choosing the right register for the external oral interaction
In the external oral, Tomás is given a role-play card. He must telephone a Spanish-speaking host family to confirm arrival details. The card specifies: you are a student arriving on Saturday at 21:00; you need to ask whether dinner will be provided; you must explain that your flight was delayed. Tomás prepares the following opening: "Hola, soy Tomás. Quiero confirmar mi llegada. ¿Hay cena? Mi vuelo está retrasado." His teacher comments that the interaction is grammatically accurate but would score poorly on the interaction criteria because it lacks appropriate sociolinguistic features and interactive strategies. The marking criteria reward initiating and sustaining the exchange, using appropriate register (usted/tú), and negotiating meaning.
1. Identify the specific weaknesses in Tomás's opening and explain why they would lower his interaction score.
Read the worked answer
Three weaknesses stand out:
- Register: Tomás uses no form of address at all. A host family in a formal first contact would normally expect usted forms or at least a greeting such as Buenas noches and an introduction. The bare Hola, soy Tomás is too abrupt for a telephone call to adults he has not met.
- No interactive strategies: The opening is a monologue. There is no question inviting a response, no checking of understanding, no softening. The criteria reward initiating and sustaining the exchange, which requires turn-taking signals.
- Missing content negotiation: He states Mi vuelo está retrasado but does not explain the consequence (a later arrival time) or ask whether that is a problem. The task requires confirming the 21:00 arrival, which he never actually does.
A stronger opening would greet, introduce, check the time, and ask about dinner using an appropriate register and a question that invites a reply.
2. Rewrite Tomás's opening as a stronger interaction opening, and explain each change you make.
Read the worked answer
A stronger version: Buenas noches, ¿hablo con la familia García? Soy Tomás, el estudiante que llega el sábado. Disculpe la hora, pero mi vuelo se ha retrasado y llegaré sobre las nueve de la noche. ¿Le importaría confirmarme si habrá cena a esa hora?
Changes and reasons:
- Greeting and identification: Buenas noches plus a question checking he has the right number establishes the exchange and shows awareness of telephone conventions.
- Register: Disculpe, Le importaría and the usted pronoun Le mark formal politeness appropriate to adults he has not met.
- Content: He confirms the Saturday arrival (llega el sábado), gives the time (sobre las nueve), and explains the delay and its consequence.
- Interactive strategy: The final question invites a reply and negotiates the dinner arrangement, which is exactly what the criteria reward. The apology for the hour (Disculpe la hora) shows sociolinguistic awareness.