Castilla y León PAU English cheat sheet

Question types: main idea, specific detail, inference, vocabulary in context, author's purpose, tone. Match the question to the paragraph where the answer is located.

Skim the text first (2–3 minutes): read title, first sentence of each paragraph, and conclusion. This gives the gist and paragraph map before detailed reading.

For detail questions, scan for keywords from the question stem; the answer is usually a paraphrase, not a verbatim copy.

For inference questions, the answer must be logically supported by the text but not explicitly stated. Eliminate options that are true in general but not stated in the passage.

Vocabulary in context: go back to the sentence, read the surrounding clause, and substitute each option to see which fits the meaning and register.

Author's purpose: verbs like inform, persuade, criticize, entertain, compare. Tone adjectives: neutral, ironic, critical, enthusiastic, cautious.

Beware of absolute words (always, never, all, none) in options; they are often wrong unless the text uses them.

Time allocation: about 20–25 minutes for reading comprehension in a 90-minute exam. Answer easier questions first; return to difficult ones.

Reference words (this, these, it, they, such) often point to the previous sentence or noun phrase; check what they refer to when answering pronoun-reference questions.

Verb tenses: present simple for habits/facts; present continuous for actions now/temporary; present perfect for past actions with present relevance; past simple for finished past; past perfect for earlier past.

Conditionals: zero (if + present, present), first (if + present, will), second (if + past, would), third (if + had + past participle, would have + past participle). Mixed conditionals combine second and third.

Passive voice: be + past participle. Use by + agent only when important. Tenses change: present simple → am/is/are + past participle; past simple → was/were + past participle; present perfect → has/have been + past participle.

Reported speech: shift tenses back one step (present → past, past → past perfect, will → would). Change pronouns and time/place expressions (now → then, today → that day, here → there).

Relative clauses: defining clauses take no commas and can use that; non-defining clauses take commas and cannot use that. Who for people, which for things, whose for possession, where for places.

Word formation: common suffixes: -tion, -ment, -ness, -ity (nouns); -ful, -less, -ive, -ous, -able (adjectives); -ly (adverbs). Prefixes: un-, in-, im-, dis-, mis- for negation.

Collocations and prepositions: depend on, interested in, good at, afraid of, look forward to + -ing, despite + noun/-ing, although + clause.

Modals: must (obligation), have to (external obligation), should (advice), might/could (possibility), can't (deduction), must have + past participle (past deduction).

Phrasal verbs: turn on/off, give up, look after, find out, put off, take up, run out of. Learn them in context; particle changes meaning.

Typical tasks: informal email/letter, opinion essay, for-and-against essay, narrative, description, review. Word count usually 120–150 words; follow the instructions exactly.

Paragraph structure: introduction (state topic and purpose), body (1–2 paragraphs with main idea + support), conclusion (summary or opinion). One idea per paragraph.

Guided composition: use the input points as content, but do not copy them verbatim; paraphrase and connect with linking words.

Register: informal email uses contractions, direct address, phrasal verbs; opinion essay uses formal structures, no contractions, impersonal expressions (It is often argued that...).

Openings: In recent years, ... / It is widely believed that ... / I am writing to ... Closings: In conclusion, ... / I look forward to hearing from you. / Yours sincerely (name known) vs Yours faithfully (name unknown).

Cohesion: use referencing (this, these, such, the former, the latter) and substitution (do so, one, ones) to avoid repetition.

Punctuation: comma after introductory phrase; semicolon between related independent clauses; no comma splice; apostrophe for possession and contractions.

Planning (5 minutes): brainstorm 3–4 ideas, select 2–3, order them, note useful vocabulary. Leave 3–4 minutes for checking spelling, agreement, tense consistency, and word count.

Coherence = logical order of ideas; cohesion = linguistic links. Use connectors: addition (furthermore, in addition), contrast (however, nevertheless, whereas), cause (because, due to), result (therefore, as a result), example (for instance), sequence (firstly, then, finally).

Sentence variety: mix simple, compound (and, but, or) and complex (although, because, which) sentences. Avoid starting every sentence with the same subject.

Common accuracy errors: subject–verb agreement (he go → he goes), article use (a/an/the/zero), countable/uncountable (information, advice, furniture are uncountable), preposition after adjective/verb.

Avoid run-on sentences: join clauses with a conjunction or punctuation (period, semicolon), not a comma alone.

Pronoun reference must be clear: avoid ambiguous it/they; repeat the noun if necessary.

Formal writing: avoid contractions, slang, and vague words (thing, stuff, a lot of); use precise vocabulary (factor, aspect, considerable, numerous).

Checking checklist: verb tenses consistent, third-person -s, plural -s, irregular past forms, spelling of common words (because, although, environment, government, necessary).

Linking words should not be overused; one connector per sentence is usually enough. Do not use a connector if the logical relation is not real.