Spanish or French
Spanish
Master ser/estar, por/para, subjunctive triggers (ojalá, es necesario que), and pretérito versus imperfecto. Traps: por for cause/exchange, para for purpose/destination; estar for states and location. False friends: embarazada (pregnant), largo (long), actual (current).
French
Master passé composé versus imparfait, agreement of the past participle (with être and preceding direct object with avoir), and subjunctive after il faut que. Traps: depuis with present tense ("j'habite ici depuis 2010"), and savoir versus connaître. False friends: actuel (current), éventuellement (possibly).
Reading strategy
Identify connectors (sin embargo, no obstante, cependant, toutefois) to detect contrast; these often carry the answer in comprehension items.
Worked example
"Il faut que tu sois là." The trigger il faut que requires the subjunctive; "es" is wrong. In Spanish, "Ojalá llueva" uses subjunctive because ojalá expresses wish.
Rule of thumb
When an item pairs a trigger expression with a verb form, check the trigger first; it determines mood, not the subject.