La salud
GCSE Spanish model answers: healthy living
Foundation, about 90 words
- lo que comes
- el deporte que haces
- lo que hiciste ayer para estar en forma
- tus planes para estar sano
Para estar sano, como mucha fruta y verdura. Me encantan las manzanas porque son deliciosas, pero odio el pescado. Juego al baloncesto dos veces a la semana en el instituto. Ayer fui a la piscina con mi padre y nadé durante una hora. ¡Fue cansado pero genial! Mi deporte favorito es la natación porque es muy relajante. No fumo porque es peligroso. En el futuro voy a comer menos chocolate y voy a dormir más. También me gustaría correr un maratón algún día.
To be healthy, I eat lots of fruit and vegetables. I love apples because they are delicious, but I hate fish. I play basketball twice a week at school. Yesterday I went to the swimming pool with my dad and I swam for an hour. It was tiring but great! My favourite sport is swimming because it's very relaxing. I don't smoke because it's dangerous. In the future I am going to eat less chocolate and I am going to sleep more. I would also like to run a marathon one day.
- About 83 words, close to the 90 the task asks for, with every bullet point covered.
- Three time frames: 1 past-tense reference and 3 future or conditional.
- 5 opinions, most of them backed up with a reason.
- 1 connectives to link ideas and make the writing flow.
Higher, about 150 words
- tu estilo de vida
- un cambio que hiciste recientemente
- los peligros para los jóvenes
- tus propósitos para el futuro
Intento llevar una vida sana, aunque no siempre es fácil con el estrés de los exámenes. Normalmente hago deporte por lo menos tres veces a la semana y como de forma equilibrada. Hace seis meses decidí dejar de tomar bebidas azucaradas, ya que me había dado cuenta de que bebía demasiadas. Desde entonces me siento mucho más activo. En mi opinión, el mayor peligro para los jóvenes es la falta de sueño, sobre todo porque pasamos horas delante de las pantallas. Además, algunos empiezan a fumar para hacer lo mismo que sus amigos, lo cual me parece muy triste. El año que viene intentaré acostarme más temprano y haré natación los fines de semana. Si todos hiciéramos un pequeño esfuerzo, estaríamos más sanos. Es fundamental que los institutos animen a los alumnos a moverse más.
I try to lead a healthy life, although it isn't always easy with exam stress. Normally I do sport at least three times a week and I eat a balanced diet. Six months ago I decided to stop having sugary drinks, because I had realised that I was drinking too many. Since then I feel much more active. In my opinion, the biggest danger for young people is lack of sleep, especially because we spend hours in front of screens. What's more, some start smoking to do the same as their friends, which seems very sad to me. Next year I will try to go to bed earlier and I will go swimming at weekends. If we all made a small effort, we would be healthier. It is essential that schools encourage pupils to move more.
- About 135 words, close to the 150 the task asks for, with every bullet point covered.
- Three time frames: 1 past-tense reference and 2 future or conditional.
- 3 opinions, most of them backed up with a reason.
- 6 complex structures, such as si clauses, the subjunctive, the pluperfect and relative pronouns, which show a wide range of language.
- 3 connectives to link ideas and make the writing flow.
Phrases to steal
| Intento llevar una vida sana | I try to lead a healthy life |
| Me había dado cuenta de que... | I had realised that... |
| ...lo cual me parece muy triste | ...which seems very sad to me |
| Si todos hiciéramos..., estaríamos... | If we all made..., we would be... |
Try it yourself
Write your own answer to one of the tasks above, then see what the checker spots. Tip: press Hide the answer first so you're not tempted to copy.
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Quick questions
How do I get a grade 9 in GCSE Spanish writing?
Answer every bullet point, write accurately, and show a wide range of language: past, present and future or conditional, opinions with reasons, and complex structures such as si clauses, the subjunctive and relative pronouns such as lo que.
Can I learn these answers by heart?
Use them as a model, not a script. Learn the phrases to steal and the structures, then write your own answer about your own life. Examiners reward language that fits the task.
More Spanish model answers
- My family and friends Mi familia y mis amigos
- My school Mi instituto
- Free time El tiempo libre
- Festivals and celebrations Las fiestas
- Celebrities and role models Los famosos
- Holidays Las vacaciones
- Technology and social media La tecnología
- My town and the environment Mi ciudad y el medio ambiente
Keep going
Learn the words for this topic in Spanish vocabulary: Healthy living and lifestyle, drill the Spanish verbs, or practise speaking on the same topic in Spanish speaking.