Castilla-La Mancha PAU Foreign Language II - Italian exam-day guide
Castilla-La Mancha PAU Foreign Language II - Italian · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
DNI or passport (original, valid)
Bring the original photo ID in force. Photocopies or expired documents are generally not accepted. If you have any doubt about which document is valid for your centre, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Exam admission/signature sheet (hoja de matrícula or convocatoria)
Many centres require proof of registration or the individual exam schedule showing your seat and room. Confirm with the provider whether this is issued by the centre or must be printed by you.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (two or more)
Write clearly; answers must be legible. Take a spare pen. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is allowed for any part (it usually is not for the final answer).
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Useful for drafting and annotating the reading texts before transferring final answers in pen. Check with the provider whether rough work on the answer sheet is penalised.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Rooms do not always have a visible clock. Smart watches and phones are usually forbidden at the desk, so bring a simple analogue or digital watch.
Printed exam schedule with room and start time
Arrive with enough margin; access to the room usually closes once the exam has begun. The exact cut-off time is set by the centre - confirm with the provider.
Clear water bottle without label
Allowed in many venues but not guaranteed. Keep it on the floor and confirm with the provider whether drinks are permitted in your room.
Leave phone and smart devices switched off and stored away
Do not keep them on your person at the desk. Even a silent phone can lead to disqualification depending on centre rules - confirm with the provider.
Know the paper structure and time allocation
The Italian paper typically combines a reading comprehension, a lexico-grammar use-of-Italian section and a written production. Confirm the exact sections, item counts and marks with the provider and with the official model published for your year.
Review your own error log and key grammar
Bring a one-page summary of your recurring mistakes (verb tenses, agreement, prepositions, pronoun placement) to review in the final minutes before entering.
Plan your written production structure
Have a memorised plan: greeting/opening, two or three developed points, closing, plus a short revision pass for agreement, accents and spelling.
Transport and backup plan
Check the route and leave extra time for delays. If you rely on public transport, identify an alternative. The centre will not extend the exam time for late arrivals.
Plan the day
Work only from your own notes, error log and official model papers. Do one full timed simulation of the Italian paper, respecting the real duration and without a dictionary. Mark it against the official answer key if available, and list the top five error types. Then do focused revision on those five only. Re-read the instructions for the written production (word count, register, format) so you know exactly what is being asked.
Light revision only: verb tense tables, common prepositions, pronoun combinations, connectors and a bank of useful expressions for the written task. Do not start new material. Prepare your bag with ID, pens, pencil, eraser, watch and printed schedule. Check the room location and travel time. Sleep a full night; avoid late-night cramming, which costs more in attention than it gains in facts.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive at the centre with generous margin. Leave the phone off and out of reach. Before entering, skim your one-page summary rather than trying to learn anything new. Once seated, read the whole paper first, note the marks per section and allocate time so that the written production always gets its full share; do not let the reading section overrun.
Start with the section you handle most confidently to settle nerves, but keep to your time budget. For reading, read the questions before the text, then locate evidence in the passage rather than relying on general knowledge. For lexico-grammar items, use the surrounding context and check agreement and tense. For the written production, spend a few minutes planning, write legibly, keep to the required length, and reserve the last minutes to check agreement, accents, spelling and that every task point has been covered. If a question blocks you, mark it, move on and return.
Rules to check
Bring the original, valid photo ID required by the centre; without it you may be refused entry. If you are unsure which document is accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Arrive before the scheduled start. Access to the room typically closes once the exam has begun, and no extra time is given for lateness; the exact cut-off is set by the centre - confirm with the provider.
Phones, smart watches and any connected devices must be switched off and stored away, not kept at the desk. Possession of such a device during the exam can lead to annulment of your paper under centre rules - confirm with the provider.
Work individually and in silence. Talking, passing material or looking at another candidate's paper is treated as academic dishonesty and can void your exam.
Use only the materials the centre authorises. Dictionaries, grammar references and electronic translators are generally not permitted in the foreign language paper - confirm with the provider whether any exception applies.
Write your answers in the format the paper requires (pen, correct section, legible handwriting). Answers that cannot be read or are placed outside the designated space may not be marked.
Breaks and leaving the room during the exam are restricted; usually you may only leave accompanied and not in the first or last part of the session. Ask the invigilator and confirm with the provider.
Scoring follows the official marking criteria for the year, including section weighting and any penalty for length or task omission in the written production. Read the published criteria for your convocatoria and confirm details with the provider rather than relying on hearsay.