Canary Islands PAU German II
Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad (PAU) - Alemán II, Canarias
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ExploreAbout this exam
The PAU Alemán II (Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad, Canarias) is the German second-foreign-language paper taken by students in the Canary Islands who sit the university entrance assessment after the Bachillerato. It is intended for candidates who have studied German as a second foreign language at school and want the result to count toward their admission score, either as a compulsory subject or as a way to raise their overall grade. The paper tests practical command of German rather than abstract knowledge: reading a short authentic-style text and answering comprehension questions, producing a written text of your own, showing control of grammar and vocabulary in context, and, when the official model for that year includes it, understanding spoken German. Sociocultural and literary knowledge of German-speaking countries can also appear, and the paper rewards candidates who can use German to communicate and to work out meaning. Because the structure, timing and scoring are set each year by the regional authority, check the current official convocatoria and model papers on the Canarian education authority's website rather than relying on older versions. Preparation works best as steady reading and writing practice with feedback, plus targeted grammar review and regular listening, all built around the task types in the official model.
What you'll study
About Canary Islands PAU German II preparation
What does the Alemán II paper actually ask me to do?
Expect a short German text followed by comprehension questions, a grammar and vocabulary section tied to the text or to sentences, and a guided writing task such as a letter, email or opinion piece. Some years also include listening. The exact task list and weighting are published in the official model for your year, so download it and practise against those task types rather than generic exercises.
How difficult is it compared with school German?
It assumes the level reached at the end of Bachillerato, roughly B1 territory: you should cope with everyday texts, express opinions simply and control core grammar. The difficulty lies less in obscure vocabulary than in accuracy and in organising a coherent written answer under time pressure. Candidates who read German regularly usually find the comprehension part manageable.
How many questions are there and how long do I have?
Those details change between calls and the official body publishes the current figure for each convocatoria. Do not plan your timing from older papers or from what a friend told you. Check the current official model and instructions on the Canarian education authority's site, then rehearse with a timer using a recent paper so your pacing matches the real structure.
Can I retake the exam if my grade is low?
Retake rules are set by the official convocatoria and can change, so confirm them with the authority that publishes the exam rather than assuming. In practice, candidates normally sit the paper again in a later call, and some improve their score by repeating the whole access phase. Ask your school's guidance department for the current procedure and deadlines.
What score do I need to pass?
The passing threshold and the weighting of each section are fixed by the official body and published with the exam model and scoring criteria. Because these figures are revised, look them up on the Canarian education authority's website for your year. Knowing the weighting matters: it tells you whether to protect comprehension marks or invest more time in the composition.
In what order should I prepare?
Start with reading: short German articles on familiar topics, noting useful phrases. Then build writing around fixed structures for letters and opinion texts, and review grammar through your own mistakes rather than from scratch. Add listening practice regularly if the model includes it. Finish with timed past papers, and get written work corrected by a teacher.
Why do candidates lose marks in the writing task?
Common causes are ignoring the task instructions, missing required content points, writing too little, and letting Spanish or English structures show through in word order and cases. Examiners also notice repetition and vague vocabulary. Read the prompt twice, plan three or four points, and leave a few minutes to check verb endings, articles and capitalisation of nouns.
Is listening comprehension always part of the exam?
It depends on the model in force for your year, so treat it as conditional until you have seen the official instructions. Preparing listening anyway is worthwhile: it strengthens vocabulary and grammar intuition. Use short authentic audio at a moderate pace, listen once for gist and once for detail, and practise note-taking rather than trying to catch every word.
Do I need to know about German literature and culture?
Some sociocultural content can appear, usually linked to texts about daily life, traditions or well-known figures in German-speaking countries. You are not expected to be a specialist. Reading about festivals, cities, media and everyday habits in Germany, Austria and Switzerland gives you useful background and vocabulary that also helps the writing task.