My Home: Grammar and Phonics (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Note
Exam code: 8692
My home: grammar
This topic focuses on describing locations and where things are in relation to others.
Prepositions
Prepositions are crucial for accurate description in the 'My Home' topic. They define location, possession, and relationships between objects and actions. Knowing how their usage differs from English is vital for accurate translation.
Prepositions for location and general use:
Preposition | English | Context | Example |
en | in / on | General location. | Vivíamos en un pueblo tranquilo. (We lived in a quiet village.) |
de | of / from | Most common preposition, used for possession and origin. | El jardín de la casa es verde. (The garden of the house is green.) |
a | to / at | Used for movement, time, and the personal a. | Vamos a la cocina. (We go to the kitchen.) |
sin | without | Used with nouns or infinitives. | No puedo vivir sin mi teléfono. (I cannot live without my phone.) |
entre | between / among | Used to indicate position relative to others. | Mi dormitorio está entre la cocina y el baño. (My bedroom is between the kitchen and the bathroom.) |
sobre | on top of / over / about | Used for position or topic. | El libro está sobre la mesa. (The book is on top of the table.) |
Prepositional contractions (The two essential rules)
There are mandatory contractions when the prepositions a and de meet the masculine definite article el:
a + el = al: The preposition a (to/at) must contract with el (the masculine singular definite article) to form al.
Example: Voy al parque. (I go to the park.)
de + el = del: The preposition de (of/from) must contract with el to form del.
Example: La puerta del jardín. (The door of the garden.)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Beware of these contractions, because examiners will be looking out for accurate use of them to achieve higher marks.
Prepositions in verb phrases
Some verbs require a specific preposition before an infinitive or noun, and this changes the verb's meaning:
Dejar + de + infinitive: Means "to stop + -ing". This construction is listed specifically because the preposition de changes the meaning of the base verb dejar (to let/leave).
Example: Dejamos de pintar la pared. (We stopped painting the wall.)
Llegar + a + infinitive: Means "to manage to" or "to succeed in + -ing".
Example: Llegamos a terminar la cocina. (We managed to finish the kitchen.)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Use these complex verb structures if you're aiming for the top marks, especially at Higher tier.
My home: phonics
The prescribed sounds for this topic relate to the hard and soft 'c' sounds. Ensure clear pronunciation of these sounds, as this impacts your score in the speaking exam:
Hard 'c' sound ('k' sound): Used before a, o, u
Example: casa, cocina, cuarto (house, kitchen, room)
Soft 'c' sound ('s/th' sound): Used before e, i
Example: cerca, ciudad (close, city)
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