Adjectives — relative (cuyo) — active knowledge at A level

The relative adjective 'cuyo' (and its forms 'cuya', 'cuyos', 'cuyas') is a key grammatical structure at A-level Spanish, particularly for the WJEC specification. It translates to 'whose' in English and is used to indicate possession or relationship within a relative clause. Mastering 'cuyo' allows you to express complex ideas about ownership or association between nouns, moving beyond simple relative pronouns like 'que' or 'quien'. This structure is essential for achieving higher marks in writing and speaking, as it demonstrates a sophisticated command of Spanish syntax.

In the WJEC A-level context, 'cuyo' is tested in both receptive skills (reading and listening) and productive skills (writing and speaking). You will encounter it in literary texts, articles, and formal registers, and you are expected to use it accurately in essays and oral presentations. Understanding its agreement rules and avoiding common pitfalls is crucial for precision. This topic builds on your knowledge of relative clauses and possessive structures, and it is a hallmark of advanced Spanish proficiency.

Why does this matter? Using 'cuyo' correctly shows examiners that you can handle complex sentence structures, which is a requirement for top-band marks. It also enriches your expression, allowing you to link ideas more fluidly. For example, instead of saying 'El hombre tiene un coche. El coche es rojo' (The man has a car. The car is red), you can say 'El hombre cuyo coche es rojo...' (The man whose car is red...). This conciseness and elegance are exactly what examiners look for.