Catalonia PAU Foreign Language - English common mistakes
Catalonia PAU Foreign Language - English · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
In reading comprehension, the candidate copies a full sentence from the text as the answer without adapting it to the question, and often includes irrelevant information that shows they did not understand the specific point asked.
Under time pressure and anxiety, candidates default to lifting chunks of the text because they recognise the words and assume that guarantees the mark. They have not been trained to paraphrase or to select only the relevant part.
What to do instead
Before answering, underline the key words in the question and find the exact sentence in the text that answers it. Then rewrite that idea in your own words, using synonyms and changing the grammar if necessary. Check that every word in your answer is necessary: if a phrase does not directly address the question, delete it. Practise with past papers by writing answers and comparing them to a model answer that paraphrases.
In reading comprehension, the candidate answers true/false questions with only 'true' or 'false' and does not justify with evidence from the text, or justifies using their own opinion rather than a quotation or close paraphrase.
Candidates confuse the format with other exams where justification is not required, or they think the justification is optional. They may also lack the skill to locate the exact evidence quickly.
What to do instead
Always write the justification immediately after the true/false word, using a short direct quotation or a close paraphrase from the text. Make sure the justification explicitly supports your choice: if you say 'false', quote the part of the text that contradicts the statement. Practise by doing true/false exercises and highlighting the evidence in the text before writing the justification.
In the guided composition, the candidate writes a text that does not cover all the points in the prompt, often because they misread the instructions or ran out of time and omitted the last point.
Candidates skim the prompt quickly and start writing immediately, or they spend too long on the first point and have to rush the rest. They may also not plan the content before writing.
What to do instead
Spend 2–3 minutes planning: read the prompt twice, underline each required point, and jot down a brief outline with one idea per point. Allocate roughly equal time to each point. After writing, check off each point in the prompt to ensure it has been covered. Practise timed compositions with a checklist.
In the guided composition, the candidate produces a text with frequent basic grammatical errors (subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, articles, plurals) that impede communication and lower the score.
Candidates focus on communicating ideas and neglect accuracy, or they have fossilised errors from years of practice without correction. They may also not leave time to proofread.
What to do instead
Reserve 3–5 minutes at the end to proofread specifically for these high-frequency errors. Read each sentence aloud in your head to check subject-verb agreement and tense. Keep a personal list of your most common errors and check for them systematically. Practise by writing short paragraphs and self-correcting with a grammar checklist.
In lexis and vocabulary in context, the candidate chooses a word that is grammatically possible but semantically wrong because they rely on a superficial similarity or a false friend from Catalan/Spanish.
Candidates often translate directly from their first language, assuming cognates have the same meaning and usage. They may also ignore the surrounding context that restricts the meaning.
What to do instead
Before choosing an option, read the whole sentence and identify the part of speech and the semantic field needed. Eliminate options that do not collocate with the surrounding words. Keep a list of common false friends (e.g., 'actual' vs 'current', 'assist' vs 'attend') and learn them in context. Practise by covering the options and predicting the word first, then matching.
In lexis and vocabulary in context, the candidate ignores collocations and fixed expressions, producing combinations that are grammatically correct but unnatural, such as 'make a photo' instead of 'take a photo'.
Candidates learn words in isolation and are not exposed to chunks of language. They may also transfer collocations from their first language.
What to do instead
Learn vocabulary in chunks: record nouns with their typical verbs (take a photo, make a decision, do homework) and adjectives with their prepositions (interested in, good at). Use a collocation dictionary or corpus to check combinations. In exams, if two options seem possible, choose the one that forms a common collocation with the surrounding words.
In grammar and sentence-level accuracy, the candidate produces run-on sentences or comma splices, joining two independent clauses with only a comma or with no punctuation.
Candidates write as they speak, pausing with commas instead of using full stops or conjunctions. They may not know the difference between coordination and subordination.
What to do instead
Learn to identify independent clauses. Use a full stop, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction (and, but, so) to join them. Avoid starting a sentence with 'Also' or 'Besides' followed by a comma. Practise by rewriting run-on sentences from your own writing, marking the clause boundaries.
In grammar and sentence-level accuracy, the candidate overuses simple present and simple past, failing to use perfect aspect, conditionals, or passive voice where the context requires it.
Candidates stick to tenses they feel confident with and avoid complex structures. They may not recognise time markers that signal other tenses.
What to do instead
Review the form and use of present perfect, past perfect, conditionals, and passive voice. In writing, look for time expressions (since, for, already, by the time, if) and check that the tense matches. Practise by transforming sentences into different tenses and by writing short paragraphs that require a range of structures.
In coherence and cohesion, the candidate writes a text with no clear paragraphing or with paragraphs that do not have a topic sentence, making the text difficult to follow.
Candidates are not taught how to structure a text and may write in one block. They may also think that longer paragraphs look more advanced.
What to do instead
Plan your text with an introduction, body paragraphs (one per main idea), and a conclusion. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that states the main idea. Use linking words to connect sentences and paragraphs. In the exam, leave a blank line between paragraphs. Practise by writing outlines and checking that each paragraph has one clear focus.
In coherence and cohesion, the candidate uses linking words incorrectly or overuses basic ones (e.g., 'and', 'but', 'also') without showing logical relationships such as contrast, cause, or result.
Candidates learn a list of connectors but do not understand their precise meaning or grammatical constraints. They may also be afraid to use more sophisticated connectors.
What to do instead
Learn connectors in categories (addition, contrast, cause, result, concession) and their punctuation rules. Use a variety of connectors appropriately: for example, 'however' for contrast, 'therefore' for result, 'although' for concession. Check that the connector expresses the correct logical relationship. Practise by combining sentences with different connectors and by identifying the relationship in model texts.