PAU Latin II (Madrid) exam-day guide
PAU Latin II (Madrid) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official ID document
Bring the original DNI, passport, or residence card that matches the name on your registration. A photocopy or a photo on your phone is not accepted. Confirm with the provider which documents are valid if you are unsure.
Exam admission slip / registration confirmation
Print or download the document issued by the organising university or the Consejería de Educación. It normally shows your seat, the call time, and the exam location. Check whether the provider requires a printed copy; if unclear, confirm with the provider.
Two blue or black ballpoint pens
The Latin II paper is handwritten. Bring at least two pens that write cleanly, and test them beforehand. Pencil is generally not accepted for the final answers, so use pen for the text you want marked.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Useful for rough work such as scansion, morphological analysis, and drafting translations before writing the final version in pen. Keep rough work clearly separated if the instructions ask for it.
A wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock. A simple analogue or digital watch helps you keep to your time plan. Smart watches and phones are normally not allowed at the desk; confirm with the provider.
Clear water bottle with the label removed
Hydration helps during a long paper. Many venues require transparent bottles with no label. Check the venue rules in advance.
Small snack for before or after the exam
Eat it outside the exam room and only if the venue allows food. Do not plan to eat during the exam unless the invigilator explicitly permits it.
Know the exact location and travel route
Check the address, building, and room on the admission slip, and plan to arrive well before the call time. Madrid campuses can be large; identify the correct entrance and building beforehand.
Review the official exam structure and marking criteria
The PAU Latin II paper typically combines a translation from Latin into Spanish, a morphological or syntactic analysis, and questions on literature, culture, or lexicon. Confirm the current structure and weightings with the provider, because these can change between years.
Revise the prescribed authors and texts
The syllabus usually sets specific authors or works (for example prose and verse authors). Check the current official list for your year and prepare the passages, characters, and themes that are most likely to appear.
Practise timed translations
Do at least two full papers under timed conditions in the final week. Aim to translate a short passage accurately and then answer the analysis and culture questions within the total time.
Confirm permitted materials with the provider
Do not assume a dictionary or a vocabulary list is allowed. The use of a Latin dictionary in the PAU is normally restricted or prohibited, but rules vary; confirm with the provider before relying on any aid.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Spend the time on consolidation: review your summary of morphology (declensions, conjugations, pronouns, irregular verbs), core syntax (case uses, subordinate clauses, indirect statement, ablative absolute), and the prescribed authors. Re-read your own corrected translations and note the errors you repeat most often.
Do one full past paper or a realistic mock under timed conditions, without notes. Mark it yourself using the official criteria or your teacher's guidance. Identify the two or three question types where you lose the most marks and target those next.
Work on translation technique: read the whole passage first, identify the main verb and subject of each clause, mark connectors and subordinators, and only then translate. Practise writing a clean final version with clear handwriting and sensible line spacing.
Do light revision only: vocabulary lists, principal parts of common verbs, a few set authors' key passages, and your personal error list. Prepare your bag with ID, admission slip, pens, pencil, eraser, watch, and water. Check the venue address and travel time, and set two alarms.
Eat normally, avoid last-minute cramming late at night, and get a full night's sleep. Confirm transport times and any planned disruptions. Have your clothes and documents ready by the door.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue with plenty of margin before the call time. Leave your phone switched off and stored as instructed. Go to the toilet before entering the room. Once seated, read the whole paper before writing anything.
Read all the questions and the translation passage. Decide the order in which you will answer, usually starting with the translation because it carries substantial weight, but confirm the weightings in the instructions. Allocate minutes per section and write them down.
Draft the translation, then write a clean version in pen. Answer the analysis questions precisely, quoting the Latin forms you are analysing. For literature and culture questions, give specific names, works, and features rather than vague generalities. Leave a few minutes at the end to check that every question has been attempted and that your handwriting is legible.
Rules to check
Bring the original ID document that matches your registration; without it you may be refused entry. If you have any doubt about which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times, including where to sit, when you may open the paper, and when you must stop writing. Writing after the final instruction can lead to your paper being annulled.
Electronic devices, including mobile phones and smart watches, must normally be switched off and left outside the desk area. Do not keep any device on your person during the exam unless the invigilator explicitly allows it.
Do not bring unauthorised materials such as dictionaries, vocabulary lists, notes, or annotated texts into the room. Whether any aid is permitted in Latin II varies, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Breaks are usually not permitted during the exam, although you may leave the room with an escort in an emergency. Confirm the venue's policy on water, food, and toilet access with the provider.
Scoring is based on the official marking criteria for the subject, which weight translation, analysis, and literature or culture questions. Answer every required section; an unattempted question normally scores zero, and partial credit is often available for accurate partial answers.
Write clearly in pen for the final answers and keep rough work separate if instructed. Illegible or ambiguously labelled answers may not be credited.
Academic dishonesty, including copying from another candidate or using hidden notes, can result in disqualification from the exam. Report any problem with your paper or environment to the invigilator immediately.