Role Models: Grammar and Phonics (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Note
Exam code: 8692
Role models: grammar
The specific grammar point you see here is the use of interrogatives. Mastering these is crucial for both receptive skills (understanding questions) and productive skills (asking questions, especially in the Spanish speaking exam).
Interrogatives
Interrogatives is the overall term for any word used to ask a question. They are your "wh-words" (like Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, and Which) in English.
The main rule for all Spanish interrogatives is that they must have an accent mark (tilde) when they are asking a question (e.g., ¿Qué? means "What?").
Spanish | English | Example phrase |
¿Qué? | What? | ¿Qué hace tu persona famosa favorita? (What does your favourite famous person do?) |
¿Quién(es)? | Who? (singular / plural) | ¿Quién es el modelo a seguir? (Who is the role model?) |
¿Cuándo? | When? | ¿Cuándo empezó su fama? (When did their fame start?) |
¿Cómo? | How? | ¿Cómo es tu persona famosa favorita físicamente? (What does your favourite famous person look like?) |
¿Cuál(es)? | Which? / Which one(s)? | ¿Cuál es tu opinión sobre la televisión? (What is your opinion about television?) |
¿Cuánto(s)/a(s)? | How much / How many? | ¿Cuántos seguidores tiene? (How many followers do they have?) |
Interrogative pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are question words that are specifically used to replace a noun (a person, place, or thing). They literally stand in for the answer you are looking for.
The key words in this group often are:
¿Quién(es)? (Who/Whom?) — Replaces a person
¿Cuál(es)? (Which one(s)?) — Replaces a specific item or choice
¿Cuánto(s)/a(s)? (How much/How many?) — Replaces an amount/quantity
When revising, remember this simple functional difference:
Interrogative category | Function/role in the sentence | Example |
General interrogative | This type of word asks how or when or why an action happens (e.g., it acts like an adverb or adjective). | ¿Cómo es tu persona famosa? (How is your famous person?) |
Interrogative pronoun | This word directly replaces the noun (the person or thing) you are asking about. | ¿Quién es tu modelo a seguir? (Who is your role model?) |
This distinction is important because some interrogatives, like ¿cuál? (which), must agree in number (singular or plural) with the noun they replace, ensuring you apply grammar accurately, which contributes to achieving higher marks .
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Use the relative pronoun que (without an accent) to mean 'who' or 'that' in relative clauses (e.g., El cantante que robó un coche - The singer who stole a car). Use the interrogative ¿Qué? (with an accent) only for direct questions.
Role models: phonics
The sounds below are crucial for accurately pronouncing key vocabulary used when discussing celebrities, and they relate directly to the grammar point of interrogatives (question words). Practicing these will ensure your pronunciation is clear and comprehensible.
[qu-] The sound combination of 'que' and 'qui' produces the hard 'k' sound in words like ¿Qué? (What?) and ¿Quién? (Who?)
[j] This sound is spelt with 'j' (e.g., joven) or 'ge' / 'gi' (e.g., generoso), useful for describing people
[gu], [ga], [go] The spelling 'gu' before 'a', 'o', or 'u', such as in guapo (good-looking), or simply 'g' before 'a' or 'o', like in negativo (negative) gives you the hard 'g' sound
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