Portuguese — Language (AS only) 8684
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What you'll cover
- Wider topic areas
Published syllabus exam years: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029. Confirm exam-series and centre availability with your school and Cambridge.
Portuguese Language 8684 · partial topic and skill map
2026 Version 1 · 2027 Version 1 · 2028–2029 Version 1
27 of 28 topic and cultural-reading areas have teaching and practice
Start the learning pathwayStudy options and assessment
Sixty-five original lessons provide one hundred and ninety-five guided, independent and application tasks and one hundred and fifty-seven written-response models. All 27 wider topic areas now have introductory teaching; depth remains uneven and the comprehensive cultural reading bank is unfinished. Seven shared-skill lessons support reading, grammar, synthesis, essay writing and speaking preparation. Each prescribed 2026–2029 topic has a reading lesson and an argument lesson with a complete essay. Seven further reading-and-argument sequences use primary publications with explicit dates and source limits, original paraphrases and analysis. Two original 105-minute Reading and Writing papers each have 22 explained responses and a separate review lesson; their fictional texts and proposed content points are for self-checking, not calibrated marking. Twenty-eight complete 250–400-word essays and a short paired-text response are models for comparison, not full examination coverage. Wider-topic essays do not replace the five prescribed topics for each examination year. Partial course: shared skills, topic sequences for the 2026–2029 essay lists and selected wider-topic readings, not full AS preparation. Fictional exercises are labelled as such. Source-based lessons identify real publications, dates and original StudyForA paraphrases separately from our analysis; they do not establish the current situation or represent an entire country. Portuguese examples mainly use European Portuguese; obtain specialist feedback on regional usage, language accuracy and cultural evidence. Written comparisons are self-checks, not AI or Cambridge grades. There is no pronunciation assessment, live examiner, comprehensive authenticated contemporary reading bank or calibrated full-paper marking. 8684 is AS Level Portuguese Language, separate from the full A Level 9718. June examinations only in the checked 2026–2029 syllabuses; confirm centre and administrative-zone entry. AS has Speaking 20 minutes (29%), Reading and Writing 105 minutes (50%), and Essay 90 minutes (21%). Dictionaries are not permitted in any assessment. AS marks cannot be carried forward as staged assessment towards 9718; the full A Level requires all its components in the same series. Component 4 literary set texts belong to 9718, not this AS course.
The annual lists below are verified guidance, not a claim that all those years’ topics have teaching. The published 2025 syllabus remains linked in the catalogue; this course has not verified or mapped its annual essay list. 8684 is AS Level Portuguese Language, separate from the full A Level 9718. June examinations only in the checked 2026–2029 syllabuses; confirm centre and administrative-zone entry. AS has Speaking 20 minutes (29%), Reading and Writing 105 minutes (50%), and Essay 90 minutes (21%). Dictionaries are not permitted in any assessment. AS marks cannot be carried forward as staged assessment towards 9718; the full A Level requires all its components in the same series. Component 4 literary set texts belong to 9718, not this AS course.
Choose your paper route
- AS Language 8684 · assessed componentsSpeaking: 20 minutes, 100 marks, 29% · Reading and Writing: 105 minutes, 70 marks, 50% · Essay: 90 minutes, 40 marks, 21%
8684 is AS Level Portuguese Language, separate from the full A Level 9718. June examinations only in the checked 2026–2029 syllabuses; confirm centre and administrative-zone entry. AS has Speaking 20 minutes (29%), Reading and Writing 105 minutes (50%), and Essay 90 minutes (21%). Dictionaries are not permitted in any assessment. AS marks cannot be carried forward as staged assessment towards 9718; the full A Level requires all its components in the same series. Component 4 literary set texts belong to 9718, not this AS course.
- 2026 · five prescribed essay topicsGeneration gap · The media · Employment and unemployment · Free time activities · Social and economic development
Choose one of the five questions on the actual paper and write 250–400 words. The wider 27-topic map also supports reading and speaking; annual topic lists must not be interchanged. Original reading-and-argument sequences and complete essay models are available for this year. This is not full examination preparation.
- 2027 · five prescribed essay topicsLaw and order · Health and fitness · Travel and tourism · Scientific and medical advances · Pollution
Choose one of the five questions on the actual paper and write 250–400 words. The wider 27-topic map also supports reading and speaking; annual topic lists must not be interchanged. Original reading-and-argument sequences and complete essay models are available for this year. This is not full examination preparation.
- 2028 · five prescribed essay topicsYoung people · Urban and rural life · Food and drink · Equality of opportunity · Sport
Choose one of the five questions on the actual paper and write 250–400 words. The wider 27-topic map also supports reading and speaking; annual topic lists must not be interchanged. Original reading-and-argument sequences and complete essay models are available for this year. This is not full examination preparation.
- 2029 · five prescribed essay topicsFamily · Patterns of daily life · Cultural life/heritage · Technological innovation · Environment
Choose one of the five questions on the actual paper and write 250–400 words. The wider 27-topic map also supports reading and speaking; annual topic lists must not be interchanged. Original reading-and-argument sequences and complete essay models are available for this year. This is not full examination preparation.
Cambridge recommends prior Portuguese study equivalent to IGCSE/O Level. This is not a beginner-language course or a replacement for 180 guided learning hours.
View syllabus coverage
The 27 topic entries preserve Cambridge’s wider topic areas; a separate content entry tracks a comprehensive authenticated cultural reading bank. Codes are StudyForA identifiers. All 27 topics have introductory teaching: twenty 2026–2029 reading-and-argument sequences and seven sequences using real primary publications. Linked topics are not a percentage of full syllabus preparation. Topic depth is uneven; a few dated cases and source records do not constitute a complete cultural reading programme. Shared-skill lessons are supplemental. The comprehensive cultural reading bank, broader topic depth, specialist review and assessment remain unfinished. Partial course: shared skills, topic sequences for the 2026–2029 essay lists and selected wider-topic readings, not full AS preparation. Fictional exercises are labelled as such. Source-based lessons identify real publications, dates and original StudyForA paraphrases separately from our analysis; they do not establish the current situation or represent an entire country. Portuguese examples mainly use European Portuguese; obtain specialist feedback on regional usage, language accuracy and cultural evidence. Written comparisons are self-checks, not AI or Cambridge grades. There is no pronunciation assessment, live examiner, comprehensive authenticated contemporary reading bank or calibrated full-paper marking.
Wider topic areas
- Human relationshipsRELATIONSHIPS
- FamilyFAMILY
- Generation gapGENERATION
- Young peopleYOUNG
- Patterns of daily lifeDAILY
- Urban and rural lifeURBAN-RURAL
- The mediaMEDIA
- Food and drinkFOOD
- Law and orderLAW
- Philosophy and beliefBELIEF
- Health and fitnessHEALTH
- Work and leisureWORK-LEISURE
- Equality of opportunityEQUALITY
- Employment and unemploymentEMPLOYMENT
- SportSPORT
- Free time activitiesFREE-TIME
- Travel and tourismTRAVEL
- EducationEDUCATION
- Cultural life/heritageHERITAGE
- War and peaceWAR-PEACE
- Social and economic developmentDEVELOPMENT
- Scientific and medical advancesSCIENCE
- Technological innovationTECHNOLOGY
- EnvironmentENVIRONMENT
- ConservationCONSERVATION
- PollutionPOLLUTION
- Contemporary aspects of Portuguese-speaking countriesCONTEMPORARY
Shared skills · supplemental
- Choose your Portuguese AS exam-year routeSKILL-ROUTE · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
- Read meaning and justify an inferenceSKILL-READ · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
- Change a structure while preserving meaningSKILL-GRAMMAR · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
- Combine two texts and add a personal responseSKILL-SUMMARY · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
- Build and revise an argumentative essaySKILL-ESSAY · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
- Plan a presentation about a Portuguese-speaking communitySKILL-PRESENT · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
- Develop a conversation and ask for a viewpointSKILL-CONVERSE · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
Full-paper practice · supplemental
- Original Reading and Writing practice · Information and accessPAPER2-INFORMATION · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
- Original Reading and Writing practice · Landscapes and shared accessPAPER2-LANDSCAPES · Supplemental StudyForA practice, not a syllabus section
Content gap
- Comprehensive authenticated contemporary cultural reading and wider topic depthCULTURAL-READINGLessons not available yet
Assessment limitation
- Live speaking, pronunciation review and moderationORAL-ASSESSMENT · Assessment limitation, not a syllabus sectionTeacher, centre, or specialist assessment required
- Broader full-length practice and calibrated markingFULL-PAPERS · Assessment limitation, not a syllabus sectionTeacher, centre, or specialist assessment required
Specialist review
- Qualified Portuguese language and cultural reviewSPECIALIST-REVIEW · Assessment limitation, not a syllabus sectionTeacher, centre, or specialist assessment required
Practice the papers
Practice the papers
- Speaking: presentation and spontaneous conversations1 · 3 lessonsChoose your Portuguese AS exam-year routePlan a presentation about a Portuguese-speaking communityDevelop a conversation and ask for a viewpoint
Presentation about three minutes, maximum 3½; topic conversation 7–8 minutes; general conversation 8–9 minutes. Cue card permitted; script prohibited. Candidates seek information and opinions in both conversations. Selected source cases are available, but broader independent cultural research, live interaction, pronunciation feedback and moderation remain required.
- Reading and Writing: meaning, manipulation and synthesis2 · 34 lessonsRead meaning and justify an inferenceChange a structure while preserving meaningCombine two texts and add a personal responseGeneration gap: negotiate a shared spaceThe media: test a claim before sharing itEmployment: evaluate access to trainingFree time: compare access and regularityDevelopment: evaluate who benefitsLaw and order: separate observation from accusationHealth and fitness: read a campaign criticallyTravel and tourism: hear visitors and residentsScientific advances: interpret a pilot studyPollution: interpret what a cleanup measuresYoung people: peer pressure and choiceUrban and rural life: distance and accessFood and drink: tradition and adaptationEquality of opportunity: rules and accessSport: competition and participationFamily: responsibility and availabilityPatterns of daily life: flexibility and free timeCultural life and heritage: memory and representationTechnological innovation: use and learningEnvironment: an early result and a wider processEducation: access, recovery and learningConservation: recognition and continuing careContemporary Portugal: a dated public announcementHuman relationships: reciprocity and expectationsPhilosophy and belief: values and disagreementWork and leisure: days, hours and restWar and peace: agreement and implementationReading and Writing practice: Information and accessReview information and access: meaning before marksReading and Writing practice: Landscapes and shared accessReview shared landscapes: preserve the limits
Original short Portuguese texts and explained responses across the 2026–2029 topic sequences, plus two complete original 105-minute practice papers and follow-up review lessons. Each paper has two related fictional passages totalling no more than 750 words, five task groups, 22 model responses and the general 70-mark structure. Proposed content points support self-checking; language and personal-response marking are not calibrated or automatic. Source-based topic fiches link primary publications or records with their limits. In the official paper, the final combined response is about 140 words. A broader paper bank and calibrated marking remain unfinished.
- Essay: answer a question and develop a judgement3 · 55 lessonsBuild and revise an argumentative essayGeneration gap: negotiate a shared spaceGeneration gap: argue for fair use of shared spacesThe media: test a claim before sharing itThe media: balance speed and verificationEmployment: evaluate access to trainingEmployment: training and the conditions of opportunityFree time: compare access and regularityFree time: access, choice and reliable provisionDevelopment: evaluate who benefitsDevelopment: judge growth through its distributionLaw and order: separate observation from accusationLaw and order: evaluate surveillance and preventionHealth and fitness: read a campaign criticallyHealth and fitness: responsibility and opportunityTravel and tourism: hear visitors and residentsTravel and tourism: judge growth and local benefitScientific advances: interpret a pilot studyScientific and medical advances: communicate uncertaintyPollution: interpret what a cleanup measuresPollution: weigh cleanup and preventionYoung people: peer pressure and choiceYoung people: advertising and independent judgementUrban and rural life: distance and accessUrban and rural life: evaluate a place to liveFood and drink: tradition and adaptationFood and drink: argue about changing traditionsEquality of opportunity: rules and accessEquality of opportunity: argue about a fair processSport: competition and participationSport: success beyond winningFamily: responsibility and availabilityFamily: negotiate shared responsibilitiesPatterns of daily life: flexibility and free timePatterns of daily life: evaluate flexible routinesCultural life and heritage: memory and representationCultural life and heritage: preserving more than filesTechnological innovation: use and learningTechnological innovation: evaluate educational valueEnvironment: an early result and a wider processEnvironment: judge improvement over timeEducation: access, recovery and learningEducation: access and the quality of learningConservation: recognition and continuing careConservation: recognition and responsibilityContemporary Portugal: a dated public announcementContemporary issues: judge evidence of public programmesHuman relationships: reciprocity and expectationsHuman relationships: solidarity and autonomyPhilosophy and belief: values and disagreementPhilosophy and belief: respect and critical dialogueWork and leisure: days, hours and restWork and leisure: time, intensity and choiceWar and peace: agreement and implementationWar and peace: commitments and lasting change
Twenty-eight complete original essay models, twenty 2026–2029 reading-and-argument sequences and seven sourced wider-topic sequences. The additional wider-topic essays are writing practice, not prescribed 2026–2029 Paper 3 questions. 250–400 words; 24 marks language and 16 content in the official paper. No automatic score or mastery claim. Broader topic depth, culturally sourced writing and specialist review remain unfinished.
Lessons and worked examples
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- 01
Choose your Portuguese AS exam-year route
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Not started - 02
Read meaning and justify an inference
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Not started - 03
Change a structure while preserving meaning
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Not started - 04
Combine two texts and add a personal response
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Not started - 05
Build and revise an argumentative essay
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Not started - 06
Plan a presentation about a Portuguese-speaking community
Learn the method · Practise with help · Try it yourself · Apply the idea
Not started - 07
Develop a conversation and ask for a viewpoint
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Not started - 08
Generation gap: negotiate a shared space
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Not started - 09
Generation gap: argue for fair use of shared spaces
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Not started - 10
The media: test a claim before sharing it
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Not started - 11
The media: balance speed and verification
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Not started - 12
Employment: evaluate access to training
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Not started - 13
Employment: training and the conditions of opportunity
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Not started - 14
Free time: compare access and regularity
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Not started - 15
Free time: access, choice and reliable provision
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Not started - 16
Development: evaluate who benefits
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Not started - 17
Development: judge growth through its distribution
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Not started - 18
Law and order: separate observation from accusation
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Not started - 19
Law and order: evaluate surveillance and prevention
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Not started - 20
Health and fitness: read a campaign critically
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Not started - 21
Health and fitness: responsibility and opportunity
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Not started - 22
Travel and tourism: hear visitors and residents
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Not started - 23
Travel and tourism: judge growth and local benefit
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Not started - 24
Scientific advances: interpret a pilot study
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Not started - 25
Scientific and medical advances: communicate uncertainty
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Not started - 26
Pollution: interpret what a cleanup measures
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Not started - 27
Pollution: weigh cleanup and prevention
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Not started - 28
Young people: peer pressure and choice
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Not started - 29
Young people: advertising and independent judgement
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Not started - 30
Urban and rural life: distance and access
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Not started - 31
Urban and rural life: evaluate a place to live
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Not started - 32
Food and drink: tradition and adaptation
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Not started - 33
Food and drink: argue about changing traditions
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Not started - 34
Equality of opportunity: rules and access
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Not started - 35
Equality of opportunity: argue about a fair process
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Not started - 36
Sport: competition and participation
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Not started - 37
Sport: success beyond winning
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Not started - 38
Family: responsibility and availability
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Not started - 39
Family: negotiate shared responsibilities
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Not started - 40
Patterns of daily life: flexibility and free time
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Not started - 41
Patterns of daily life: evaluate flexible routines
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Not started - 42
Cultural life and heritage: memory and representation
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Not started - 43
Cultural life and heritage: preserving more than files
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Not started - 44
Technological innovation: use and learning
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Not started - 45
Technological innovation: evaluate educational value
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Not started - 46
Environment: an early result and a wider process
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Not started - 47
Environment: judge improvement over time
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Not started - 48
Education: access, recovery and learning
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Not started - 49
Education: access and the quality of learning
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Not started - 50
Conservation: recognition and continuing care
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Not started - 51
Conservation: recognition and responsibility
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Not started - 52
Contemporary Portugal: a dated public announcement
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Not started - 53
Contemporary issues: judge evidence of public programmes
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Not started - 54
Human relationships: reciprocity and expectations
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Not started - 55
Human relationships: solidarity and autonomy
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Not started - 56
Philosophy and belief: values and disagreement
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Not started - 57
Philosophy and belief: respect and critical dialogue
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Not started - 58
Work and leisure: days, hours and rest
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Not started - 59
Work and leisure: time, intensity and choice
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Not started - 60
War and peace: agreement and implementation
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Not started - 61
War and peace: commitments and lasting change
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Not started - 62
Reading and Writing practice: Information and access
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Not started - 63
Review information and access: meaning before marks
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Not started - 64
Reading and Writing practice: Landscapes and shared access
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Not started - 65
Review shared landscapes: preserve the limits
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Browse 28 topics →Written practice with explained models
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