Castilla y León PAU Latin II exam-day guide
Castilla y León PAU Latin II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
DNI or passport
Bring the original photo ID document. The name must match your enrolment records exactly. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted if you do not have a DNI (for example, NIE or passport), and whether a photocopy is ever admissible.
Exam venue and session confirmation
Check the official PAU calendar and your assigned centre and classroom. The Castilla y León schedule is published by the Junta de Castilla y León and your centre; verify the date, the call time, and the exact room. Confirm with the provider if your centre has published any changes.
Printed or downloaded timetable of the whole PAU phase
Latin II is taken in the specific phase (materia troncal de modalidad or the corresponding block), and you may have other exams the same day. Write down the start time of each paper and the order, so you know whether Latin comes first or second and how much time you have between papers.
Blue or black pens, spare pens and pencil
Bring at least two working blue or black ballpoint pens, a pencil and an eraser for rough work. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is allowed for the final answers or only for drafts; do not rely on correction fluid unless the instructions explicitly permit it.
Wristwatch (no smartwatch)
Many exam rooms have no visible clock, and phones must be switched off and stored. A simple analogue or digital watch helps you allocate the 90 minutes. Smartwatches and phones on the desk are treated as serious irregularities.
Clear water bottle and a light snack
Sessions can be long, especially if you sit two papers in a day. Bring water in a transparent bottle with the label removed and a small snack for the break. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed inside the exam room.
No notes, dictionaries or electronic aids
Latin II is a closed-book paper. Do not bring a Latin dictionary, a grammar summary, annotated texts or any device. If you are unsure whether a permitted aid exists for your specific paper version, confirm with the provider before the exam day.
Text and author list for the set programme
Revise the prescribed authors and passages for the current PAU cohort as published by the regional university coordination. Check with your teacher or the provider that your edition of the programme is the one in force for your year, since the set texts can change between cohorts.
Vocabulary and morphology summary sheet (for study only)
Prepare a one-page list of high-frequency vocabulary, the main case functions and the irregular verb forms you keep forgetting. Use it during the final 72 hours, then leave it at home on exam day.
Arrival plan and transport buffer
Plan to arrive at the centre at least 20 to 30 minutes before the call time. Check transport strikes, weather and parking. Confirm with the provider the exact cut-off after which a candidate may be refused entry.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Reread your own summaries of the set authors: historical context, genre, metre and the main themes of each passage. Redo two complete past papers under timed conditions, 90 minutes each, using papers from the Castilla y León PAU or your centre's mock exams. Mark them against the official criteria and list the three error types that cost you most marks, typically case endings, verb tense recognition and vocabulary gaps.
Practise the translation routine explicitly: read the whole sentence before writing, identify the main verb and its subject, bracket subordinate clauses, then translate clause by clause. Drill the morphological recognition that the paper rewards, such as the five declensions, the four conjugations, the perfect and passive stems, participles, infinitives and the subjunctive in subordinate clauses. Spend 20 minutes a day on the literary commentary structure: locate the passage, describe its content, identify genre and metre, and note stylistic features with a short quotation.
Do a light review only: vocabulary list, a summary of the set texts and the layout of the exam. Prepare your materials in one bag: ID, pens, pencil, watch, water, snack, timetable. Recheck the venue, room and call time on the official notice, and confirm with the provider if anything is unclear. Sleep a full night; do not study past midnight.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive early. Leave the study sheets at home. Before entering, remind yourself of the mark allocation and the time budget: read the whole paper first, then decide how many minutes to give the translation, the morphology or syntax questions, and the literary commentary. Switch off your phone completely and store it as instructed.
Read all the questions before writing. Note the marks for each section and allocate time proportionally. Start with the section you are most confident about only if the paper allows it; otherwise begin with the translation, which usually carries the largest weight, but keep a strict time limit and move on.
For the translation, write a first version in the answer booklet, leaving space between lines, then revise case endings and verb agreement. For morphology and syntax questions, state the form and justify it briefly, for example by naming the case and its function. For the literary commentary, use a clear structure: location and summary, genre and metre, characters and themes, style with brief quotations. Watch the clock at the halfway point and at 15 minutes remaining, and make sure every answer is numbered as on the paper.
Check that your name and exam details are filled in, that no answer is left blank where a partial answer could earn marks, and that question numbers match. Cross out rough work clearly. Hand in all sheets as instructed.
Rules to check
Bring the original ID document and place it on the desk if asked. The name must match the enrolment. If you have any doubt about which document is accepted, confirm with the provider before the exam day.
Phones, smartwatches, tablets and any other electronic device must be switched off and stored away from the desk for the whole session. Having a device accessible during the exam is normally treated as a serious irregularity that can lead to annulment of the paper; confirm the exact consequence with the provider.
No dictionaries, grammar summaries, annotated texts or notes are allowed in the room. Only the materials the instructions permit may be on the desk, and bags go where the invigilators direct.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on timing, leaving the room and handing in papers. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait to be accompanied; do not take any exam material with you. Confirm with the provider the rules on leaving during the session.
Write in the language and script the paper requires, number answers as on the question paper, and use only the permitted ink. Answers written in pencil or with correction fluid may not be accepted; confirm with the provider if you are unsure.
The marks for each section are stated on the paper. Read them before starting and allocate time accordingly, since a long translation can otherwise consume the whole session.
Any suspicion of copying, talking or using unauthorised material is reported and may lead to the paper being annulled. Keep your eyes on your own work and do not pass materials to other candidates.
Results, review and appeal procedures and the rules on double correction or reclamación are set by the regional coordination. Check the official instructions for your year and confirm with the provider how and within what deadline a review can be requested.