Written Spanish: Communicating Personal Information
This unit develops skills in reading and writing Spanish texts about personal information in social or work contexts. Learners will understand and produce simple texts such as forms, emails, and short descriptions.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The WJEC Level 1 Award in Written Spanish: Communicating Personal Information is a vocationally-related qualification that focuses on developing your ability to write in Spanish for everyday, practical purposes. This unit covers essential topics such as introducing yourself, describing your family, talking about your hobbies, and giving basic personal details like your age, nationality, and where you live. The aim is to build confidence in writing short, accurate texts that you might need in real-life situations, such as filling in forms, writing a simple email, or creating a social media profile in Spanish.
This qualification is important because it provides a solid foundation for further study in Spanish and demonstrates your ability to communicate in a second language—a skill highly valued by employers and colleges. By mastering this unit, you will be able to write about yourself and your immediate world using basic vocabulary and grammatical structures. It also prepares you for the more advanced WJEC Level 2 qualifications, where you will tackle more complex topics and longer texts.
In the wider context of language learning, this unit emphasises accuracy in spelling, verb conjugation, and sentence structure. You will learn to use the present tense of regular and common irregular verbs (like 'ser', 'tener', and 'vivir'), as well as adjectives for describing people and things. The course is designed to be practical and accessible, so you can immediately apply what you learn to real-world writing tasks.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Present tense of regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs (e.g., hablar, comer, vivir) and key irregular verbs (ser, tener, estar, ir).
- →Agreement of adjectives with nouns in gender and number (e.g., 'alto' vs 'alta', 'altos' vs 'altas').
- →Basic sentence structure: subject + verb + object/complement, including use of 'me llamo', 'tengo... años', 'soy de...'.
- →Vocabulary for personal information: family members, hobbies, physical descriptions, and numbers (age, date, phone numbers).
- →Use of connectives like 'y', 'pero', 'también', and 'porque' to link ideas and form longer sentences.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Understand texts on personal information in a social or work context, Be able to produce texts on personal information in a social or work context
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Understand key personal information in written Spanish.
- Complete forms with accurate personal details.
- Write short texts describing oneself or others.
- Use correct grammar and vocabulary for personal information.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Practise filling in sample forms under timed conditions.
- 💡Learn key phrases for introducing yourself and others.
- 💡Check spelling and accents carefully before submitting.
- 💡Tip 1: Always check your verb endings carefully. The most common mistakes are using the wrong person (e.g., 'hablo' instead of 'habla') or forgetting to conjugate at all. Practise writing short sentences for each person (yo, tú, él/ella, nosotros, vosotros, ellos) to build accuracy.
- 💡Tip 2: Use a range of vocabulary and structures to show what you know. Instead of just saying 'Me gusta el fútbol', add a reason: 'Me gusta el fútbol porque es divertido'. This demonstrates your ability to use 'porque' and adjectives, which can earn you higher marks.
- 💡Tip 3: Pay attention to spelling and accents. Missing an accent can change the meaning (e.g., 'tengo' vs 'tengó' is incorrect). Also, remember that Spanish uses inverted question and exclamation marks (¿ ¡) at the start of sentences. These small details show care and can make the difference between a pass and a merit.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Confusing masculine and feminine forms of adjectives.
- Incorrect verb conjugation for subject pronouns.
- Omitting accents on words like 'teléfono' or 'dirección'.
- Misconception: 'Tengo' is used for age and possession in the same way as English 'have'. Correction: In Spanish, 'tener' is used for age ('tengo 15 años'), but also for possession ('tengo un perro'). However, 'tener' is not used for 'to be' (like 'I am hungry' is 'tengo hambre', not 'soy hambre').
- Misconception: Adjectives always come after the noun. Correction: While most adjectives follow the noun (e.g., 'un libro interesante'), some common adjectives like 'bueno', 'malo', and 'grande' can come before the noun, often with a shortened form (e.g., 'un buen amigo', not 'un amigo bueno').
- Misconception: 'Ser' and 'estar' both mean 'to be' and can be used interchangeably. Correction: 'Ser' is used for permanent characteristics (nationality, profession, physical traits) and time/date, while 'estar' is used for temporary states (emotions, location) and ongoing actions (present continuous).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for WJEC-CBAC Written Spanish: Communicating Personal Information
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic knowledge of the Spanish alphabet and pronunciation (to help with spelling).
- •Understanding of English grammar terms like 'noun', 'verb', 'adjective', and 'subject' (to grasp Spanish grammar rules).
- •Familiarity with numbers 1-100 (for age, dates, and phone numbers).
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Understand texts on personal information in a social or work context, Be able to produce texts on personal information in a social or work context
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