Galicia PAU Portuguese - Second Foreign Language exam-day guide
Galicia PAU Portuguese - Second Foreign Language · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID (DNI, passport, or NIE card)
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. The name must match your exam registration exactly. If your ID is expired, lost, or being renewed, contact the Galician university that coordinates your PAU centre before exam day to confirm which alternative proof they accept; do not assume a driver's licence or a digital copy will be accepted.
Exam admission slip / registration confirmation (needs_review)
Print or download whatever confirmation the Consellería de Educación or your assigned centre issued when you registered. Whether a printed copy is mandatory or a digital version is accepted varies by centre, so confirm with the provider (your secondary school or the PAU coordination office) which format they require.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Answers are handwritten on official answer sheets. Bring spare pens of the same colour; some centres ask students to write in blue to distinguish originals from copies. Pencil is normally only for multiple-choice or machine-read sheets if your model uses them, so check the instructions on the paper itself.
Pencil, eraser, and a small pencil sharpener
Useful for any objective or grid-based section and for rough notes. Keep them in a clear pencil case if your centre restricts pencil cases; confirm with the provider whether transparent cases are required.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Many exam rooms have a clock, but not always visible from every seat. A simple analogue or digital watch without connectivity helps you pace the reading, grammar, and writing sections. Smartwatches and phones must be switched off and stored away.
Clear water bottle with no label
Hydration helps during a long sitting. Remove the label so invigilators can see the contents. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed at your specific venue, since some rooms prohibit them.
Printed copy of the official exam structure and scoring for Portuguese
Know before you enter how many questions, sections, and marks the paper has and how much each part is worth, so you can allocate time. Do not rely on memory; check the current model published by the Consellería for the year you are sitting.
Review of the reading-comprehension and writing task types
Be ready for the typical mix: a short text with comprehension questions, vocabulary or grammar items, and a guided written production. Confirm the exact task types and word limits with the provider or your teacher, because the model changes between years.
Personal vocabulary and connector list (studied, not brought into the room)
Revise high-frequency Portuguese connectors, verb tenses, and topic vocabulary the night before. Notes, dictionaries, and electronic devices are not allowed during the exam, so the list must be memorised.
Plan for arrival time and transport
Check your assigned building and room in advance and arrive well before the published start time. PAU sessions are tightly scheduled; late arrivals may be refused entry once the exam has begun. Confirm the exact cutoff with the provider.
Phone switched off and stored out of reach
Even a silent phone can be treated as a serious irregularity if it is on your person or rings during the exam. Leave it in your bag at the front or in a locker as instructed.
Calm, timed practice under exam conditions
In the final days, do at least one full timed run of the paper so the pacing is automatic. This is preparation, not something to bring, but it is the single most useful exam-day asset.
Plan the day
Re-read the official exam structure and scoring for Portuguese and note how many marks each section carries. Do one full timed mock under exam conditions, then mark it honestly and list your three weakest areas. Spend the remaining time on those areas rather than re-reading everything. Revise the grammar points that most often cost marks: verb tense consistency, agreement, prepositions, and pronoun placement. Prepare and memorise a small bank of connectors and useful phrases for the writing task.
Do light revision only: review your vocabulary list, connector bank, and the corrections from your mock. Practise one short writing task to time so the structure is fresh. Confirm the exact venue, room, and start time, and plan the route and transport. Pack your ID, admission slip if required, pens, pencil, eraser, watch, and water bottle in one place. Set two alarms. Sleep a full night; cramming new material now costs more in fatigue than it gains in marks.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue with margin. Leave your phone switched off and out of reach. Check that you have your ID and pens before leaving. Once seated, read the whole paper before writing: identify the sections, note the marks, and decide a time budget, for example roughly proportional to marks with a few minutes reserved for checking. Read each text twice before answering comprehension questions.
Answer the questions you find easiest first to bank marks, then return to harder items. For comprehension, locate the evidence in the text before writing, and answer in your own words where the task asks you to. For grammar and vocabulary items, check agreement, tense, and preposition after writing each answer. For the writing task, spend two or three minutes planning paragraphs, write clearly, and leave time to check spelling, accents, and verb endings. If you run out of time, write something for every required item rather than leaving blanks, and make sure your handwriting is legible.
Rules to check
Bring original official photo ID and keep it on your desk for inspection. If your document is expired or unavailable, confirm with the provider in advance which alternative is accepted; do not rely on a photocopy or a phone image.
Electronic devices, including phones and smartwatches, must be switched off and stored away from your person for the whole session. A device found on you can be treated as an irregularity regardless of whether you used it.
Dictionaries, grammar reference sheets, notes, and translation apps are not permitted. Confirm with the provider whether any monolingual or bilingual dictionary is allowed for this subject, since rules differ by exam and year.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, answer-sheet completion, and timing. Write your identifying details on every sheet you hand in and do not remove exam materials from the room.
Leave the room only if strictly necessary and only with permission; time lost is not normally made up. Confirm with the provider the rules on breaks and on leaving early.
Scoring is based on the official marking criteria for the subject, which weight comprehension, language accuracy, and written production. Read the marks per section on the paper and allocate time accordingly rather than treating all parts as equal.
Academic integrity applies: copying, talking, or exchanging material during the session can lead to annulment of your exam. If you believe there is a problem with the paper or the room, raise it with the invigilator at the time and note it afterwards through the official channel.