Andalusia PAU English case studies

Andalusia PAU English · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The Andalusia PAU English test (Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad, Inglés) is the English component of the university entrance examination taken by students in Andalusia who are finishing Bachillerato or accessing university through other recognised routes. It is a written test delivered in English: candidates read a short text and answer comprehension questions on main idea, specific detail, inference and the writer's purpose, then complete lexis and grammar tasks tied to the text, and finally write a guided composition assessed for coherence, cohesion, range and accuracy. The Andalusia PAU English case studies are 5 cases and about 2,839 words.

Inference Versus Literal Matching in a Main-Idea Item

In a mock PAU reading paper, the 450-word text describes a neighbourhood association in Málaga that collected 8,000 signatures against a proposed cap on short-term holiday lets. The text quotes a spokesperson saying the cap 'arrives late and leaves the real problem untouched', and notes that the council describes it as 'a step in the right direction'.

622 words, about 3 min 2

Acceptable Variants in Word Formation and Tense Items

In the lexis-and-grammar section of a mock paper, item 6 reads: 'The measure was widely criticised as (AFFORD) for young families.' The key is 'unaffordable'. Of 32 scripts, 9 wrote 'unaffordability', 4 wrote 'affordless', 3 wrote 'unafordable' (single 'r'), and 16 were correct.

552 words, about 3 min 3

Task Fulfilment Versus Language Quality in an Opinion Essay

In the written production section, students write a 150-180-word opinion essay: 'Should secondary schools ban smartphones during the school day?' The rubric awards 10 points across three criteria: task achievement (4), organisation (3), and language range and accuracy (3). Script A is 195 words, uses conditionals and passive voice accurately, and is coherently organised, but never mentions schools: it argues that social media harms teenagers and should be restricted at home.

568 words, about 3 min 4

Register Slips and Connector Logic in a Formal Email

In a mock writing task, students must write a 120-word email to the town hall in Málaga asking about a volunteer programme for a school exchange. One script opens: 'Hey guys, I'm writing to ask about the volunteering stuff.' It uses 'besides' to add a second question, 'on the other hand' to add another similar question, and ends 'Can't wait to hear from you!!'.

549 words, about 3 min 5

Interaction, Accuracy and Intercultural Awareness in the Oral Component

In the oral component of a mock exam, two candidates discuss 'local festivals and tourism' for four minutes, followed by a one-minute monologue each. Candidate A speaks fluently with accurate complex structures but interrupts, answers only the examiner's questions, and says: 'In Spain we all eat paella at fiestas; that is our culture.' Candidate B makes several tense errors, but asks A questions, paraphrases when stuck, and says: 'I'm not sure that's true for everyone - in my town we...' The department's oral scale gives 40% to interaction and only 15% to sociocultural awareness, but the regional framework lists intercultural competence as a criterion.

548 words, about 3 min