Madrid PAU English - Additional Foreign Language exam-day guide
Madrid PAU English - Additional Foreign Language · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
DNI or passport (original, valid)
Bring the physical original document, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. Your name must match the enrolment record. If your document is expired or being renewed, confirm with your school or the Universidad de Alcalá (the body that organises the PAU in the Comunidad de Madrid) whether a provisional document or a police renewal receipt is accepted before exam day.
Exam venue and seat confirmation
Check your assigned building, room and call time on the official summons or your school's notice. Madrid venues for the foreign-language paper can be large faculties with several entrances, so locate the exact access point the day before. If you cannot find your assignment, confirm with your school or the coordinating university.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (two)
Write the whole paper in ink. Bring two working pens plus a spare refill; pencil is normally only for multiple-choice answer sheets if your paper uses one, and the invigilator will tell you. Confirm with the provider whether correction fluid is allowed - many venues discourage it, so prefer clean crossings-out.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Needed if any section uses a machine-read answer sheet. Use a soft pencil (HB or 2B) and erase fully before re-marking. Do not fold or crease the answer sheet.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones must be switched off and stored away. A simple analogue or digital watch lets you pace the reading and writing sections. Smartwatches are treated as electronic devices and must not be worn.
Clear water bottle, no label
A small transparent bottle is usually permitted at the desk. Remove the label to avoid any suspicion of notes. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed in your specific room.
No phone, smartwatch or earbuds at the desk
Switch the phone off completely (not silent) and leave it in your bag at the back of the room as instructed. Even a device that vibrates in your pocket can be treated as misconduct. Confirm the venue's storage rules with the provider if you must travel with a device.
Printed summons and your own notes left outside
Bring the summons if one was issued, but leave books, vocabulary lists and handwritten notes in your bag, not on the desk. The invigilator may ask to see bags. Confirm with the provider what documentation they expect you to show at the door.
Arrival margin of at least 30 minutes
Aim to be at the venue well before the call time so that ID checks and seating do not eat into the exam. Late arrival rules vary by venue; do not assume you will be admitted once the paper has started.
Strategy decided for the writing task
Before the day, fix your default plan: how many minutes you will spend planning, writing and checking, and which register and connectors you will use for the task type (formal email, opinion essay, article, review). Decide this in advance so you do not improvise under pressure.
Medication, glasses and small snack
Bring anything you need personally (inhaler, insulin, prescription medicine) and tell the invigilator if you may need to use it during the paper. Bring glasses if you use them for reading. A small snack for before or after the exam is fine, but eating at the desk may not be allowed - confirm with the provider.
Special arrangements confirmed in writing
If you have a recognised access arrangement (extra time, separate room, larger print), carry the written confirmation. Do not rely on the venue knowing about it. Confirm the details with the provider at least a week in advance.
Plan the day
Do a full timed mock under exam conditions: one reading section and one writing task in the official time, with no dictionary and no phone. Mark it honestly against the task requirements (did you answer every bullet point? did you respect the word count?). List the three error types that cost you most marks - typically verb tense, article use, and spelling of common words - and spend your remaining study time only on those.
Re-read the official instructions for the paper you are sitting: number of tasks, time allowed, word limits and whether there is a listening component. The Madrid PAU foreign-language paper is normally a single sitting combining comprehension and written production; check the exact structure and timing for your year with your school or the coordinating university rather than relying on older students' accounts.
Prepare a one-page writing toolkit in your own words: five linking devices you actually use correctly, three sentence frames for opening and closing a formal email, and a checklist for the opinion essay (state position, two reasons with examples, concession, conclusion). Practise producing the frames from memory rather than copying model answers.
Stop learning new grammar. Review your own error list and your writing toolkit, then do a light 20-minute reading in English (a news article) to keep the language active. Pack your bag: ID, two pens, pencil, eraser, watch, water, summons. Check the route and travel time to the venue, including Madrid metro or cercanías disruptions, and set two alarms.
Eat normally, avoid an all-night cram session, and sleep at your usual time. Confirm the call time once more, lay out clothes and documents by the door, and decide your arrival time. If you feel anxious, write down your three main worries and one concrete action for each - this reduces rumination more than reassurance does.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue at least 30 minutes before the call time. Switch your phone off and put it away before entering the building. Find the room, check your seat and ID, and sit down with your pens, pencil and watch laid out. Use the waiting time to breathe slowly and recall your writing plan, not to skim notes.
Read the instructions and the whole paper before writing anything. Note the marks per task and the suggested time. Write the start and end time of each section on your question paper so you can check the clock at a glance. If there is a choice of writing task, choose within two minutes - indecision is the most expensive mistake in this paper.
Skim the questions first, then read the text once for gist and a second time for detail. Underline the evidence in the text for each answer. For gap-fill or matching items, decide by grammar and cohesion as well as meaning. Never leave a blank: an educated guess costs nothing.
Spend about five minutes planning (audience, register, three or four content points, key vocabulary). Write the task in full, respecting the word limit - going far under loses content marks and going far over wastes time and invites errors. Reserve five minutes to check subject–verb agreement, plurals, articles, prepositions and spelling of high-frequency words.
Check that every task has been attempted, that your name and details are on every sheet or answer document as instructed, and that your handwriting is legible. Cross out drafts cleanly rather than scribbling them out. Hand in all materials when told and leave the room quietly without discussing the paper near the door.
Rules to check
Carry your original DNI or passport and place it on the desk for inspection. A candidate without valid identification may be refused entry; if your document is lost or expired, contact your school or the coordinating university immediately to ask what alternative is accepted - do not assume a photocopy will do.
Electronic devices must be switched off and stored away from your desk for the whole session. Using a phone, smartwatch, earbuds or any connected device during the exam is normally treated as serious misconduct and can lead to annulment of your paper. Confirm the venue's exact policy with the provider.
Write in blue or black ink and answer on the official paper or answer sheet provided. Work on loose paper, in a different colour, or on your own notes is not accepted. Follow the invigilator's instructions on how to correct a mistake.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the paper has started, and do not look at another candidate's work. Talking, passing materials or attempting to read answers is misconduct regardless of intent.
Breaks and toilet visits are usually restricted, and you may be accompanied. If you have a medical need for frequent breaks, arrange it in advance with the provider and carry the written confirmation.
Once the time is called, stop writing immediately and put your pen down. Continuing to write after the instruction can be penalised. Hand in every sheet issued to you, including rough work if the invigilator requires it.
Scoring is based on the official criteria for the paper: comprehension of the text and the ability to produce a coherent, accurate, appropriate written text, with marks for task achievement, organisation, range and accuracy. Word limits and task requirements are part of the marking, so answer every point asked.
If you believe there is a problem with the room, the timing or your materials, raise it with the invigilator at the time and ask for it to be recorded. Complaints raised only afterwards are much harder to resolve. Confirm the appeals procedure with the provider.