Being Famous: Grammar and Phonics (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Note
Exam code: 8692
Being famous: grammar
The specific grammar points associated with this topic are negation and the use of the indefinite adjectives/pronouns alguno / ninguno.
Negation
Mastering negation is crucial for discussing the disadvantages of fame and expressing opinions.
Negative term | English equivalent | Position rule | Example phrase |
no... nada | nothing / not anything | Can precede the verb (Nada es fácil) or follow the verb if no is used (No es nada fácil). | No tiene nada de privacidad. (He/She does not have any privacy.) |
no... nunca | never / not ever | Can precede the verb (Nunca veo televisión) or follow the verb if no is used (No veo televisión nunca). | Nunca critica a nadie. (He/She never criticises anyone.) |
no... nadie | nobody / not anyone | Can precede the verb (Nadie habla) or follow the verb if no is used (No hablo con nadie). | Nadie es perfecto. (Nobody is perfect.) |
no... ninguno/a | none / not any | Can precede the verb (as a pronoun) or follow the verb if no is used. | No tiene ningún problema. (He/She doesn't have any problem.) |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In Spanish, the negative marker no is placed directly before the conjugated verb.
'Alguno' and 'ninguno'
These words are used to refer to an undefined quantity or presence of people or things, often implying any or none.
Gender and number agreement: They must agree with the noun they modify (e.g., alguna ventaja, ningún famoso)
Alguno and ninguno shorten to algún and ningún when placed immediately before a masculine singular noun
Term | English | Example phrase | Translation |
alguno/a/os/as | some / any | Tiene alguna desventaja. | It has some disadvantage. |
ninguno/a | none / not any | No hay ninguna ventaja. | There is no advantage. |
algún | some / any (m. before noun) | ¿Tiene algún famoso favorito? | Do you have a favourite celebrity? |
ningún | none / not any (m. before noun) | No hay ningún periodista bueno. | There isn't any good journalist. |
Being famous: phonics
Practicing sounds ensures your pronunciation is clear and comprehensible.
[j] The harsh 'h' sound spelt with j or ge / gi like in words like ejercicio (exercise)
Va a trabajar en el ejército. (Juan is going to work in the army.)
[ll] Like in words like calle
Las ventajas llegan a llamar la atención. (The advantages manage to attract attention.)
[z] / soft [c] Often pronounced like the 'th' in 'thing' (Spain) or 's' (Latin America). E.g., celebridad
Las celebridades pueden odiar la fama. (Celebrities can hate the fame.)
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