Writing from 2028
Practise the 2028–2030 form and revised 10-mark and 25-mark writing tasks with the updated criteria in view.
Exam scope and assessment notes
All Spanish passages, prompts, model answers, listening scripts and tasks are original StudyForA materials, not Cambridge assessment content. Vocabulary is taught in context, but Cambridge's 2028 vocabulary spreadsheet has not been mapped word by word. Grammar groups have not had an item-by-item Spanish-specialist audit, and a Spanish-language specialist should review the original Spanish before publication is described as complete. Browser speech synthesis is not Cambridge audio and cannot guarantee a regional accent, natural pace or pronunciation. Speaking is rehearsal and self-review, not the supervised centre assessment or examiner interaction; writing is not Cambridge-marked. No complete timed specimen paper or 130-hour course is included. Check your exam year, entry option and centre arrangements with Cambridge and your school. A 2025–2027 Version 2 lesson is intended for that syllabus cycle; use the separately labelled format from 2028. Cambridge states that 7160 has the same subject content as 0530, with grades 9–1. Limited-entry 9–1 route. The 2025 syllabus has June and November series; 2026 and 2027 have June only; 2028–2030 have June only. Cambridge's subject-page notice lists June availability in zone 3 and for centres in Oman and UAE. Confirm your exact year, series and centre entry with Cambridge. The official 2028 vocabulary list is linked from the subject page and has not been reconciled word by word.
Before you begin
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
How are 2028 Question 3's 25 marks divided?
What you will learn
- Complete the five-mark form task accurately.
- Write the directed response and distinguish task completion from range and accuracy.
- Develop the extended email, letter, article or blog and check its task coverage, range and accuracy.
- Recognise the revised 40-mark paper and avoid applying older mark allocations.
Use the new mark structure
From 2028, Paper 4 is one hour and 40 marks. Question 1 is 5 marks; Question 2 is 10 marks, split equally between task completion and range/accuracy; Question 3 is 25 marks, split 9 for task completion, 9 for range and 7 for accuracy.
The question still determines the task and length. Plan each requested point before drafting, then leave time to check whether the response stays relevant and uses a suitable range of structures.
Review the three criteria separately
For Question 2, review task completion and language range/accuracy as distinct questions. For Question 3, check coverage and development, then language range and accuracy. A language-rich response cannot replace a missing content point.
Marks shown in the syllabus describe Cambridge assessment. StudyForA's prompts and feedback are practice aids and do not reproduce examiner decisions or award official marks.
Sources for this lesson
- Cambridge IGCSE Spanish (9–1) 7160 subject page, entry notice and vocabulary-list link
- Cambridge IGCSE Spanish (9–1) 7160 syllabus for exams in 2025–2027
- Cambridge IGCSE Spanish (9–1) 7160 syllabus update for 2025–2027
- Cambridge IGCSE Spanish (9–1) 7160 syllabus for exams in 2028–2030
- Cambridge IGCSE Spanish (9–1) 7160 2028–2030 vocabulary list
Pause and explain
What should you do with the 2025–2027 12/28 split in a 2028 practice plan?
Worked example
A 2028 task asks for a 80–90-word message: describe a weekend activity and say why you enjoyed it. How would you review it against the 10-mark Q2 structure?
Show the worked solution
- Check whether both requested content points are present.
- Review range and accuracy separately.
- Do not turn this self-check into a Cambridge grade.
Answer First check that the activity and reason are both covered (task completion). Then review vocabulary, sentence structures and accuracy. The official 2028 Q2 allocates 5 marks to each criterion; this self-review does not assign those marks.
From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Review a short response to a 2028 Q2 task asking for an activity and a reason. Make separate notes for task coverage and language.
Give me a hint
Use two headings: task completion; range and accuracy.
Compare my reasoning
- Check whether the activity is stated.
- Check whether a reason is stated.
- Separately note one language strength and one correction.
A useful review might say: task completion—activity and reason included; language—one varied connector, but check adjective agreement. The syllabus allocates 5 marks to each Q2 criterion; this review is not an official mark.
Look for these in your work
- Checks both content points
- Separates the criteria
- Avoids awarding an unofficial score
Plan a 130–140-word article for a 2028 Q3 task about a local event: what happened, your view, one challenge and a suggestion for next year.
Give me a hint
Use the 9/9/7 criteria to organise your own review, not to claim a grade.
Compare my reasoning
- List evidence for every content requirement.
- Plan a range of connected structures.
- Reserve a final check for accuracy and requested length.
A strong plan covers all four content elements, develops them with a range of relevant Spanish and reserves time for accurate spelling and grammar. Official Q3 criteria are 9 task completion, 9 range and 7 accuracy; only Cambridge awards the official mark.
Look for these in your work
- Covers each requested element
- Plans relevant range
- Checks accuracy and length
Compare two drafts for the same 2028 writing prompt: one fluent but missing a required point, one complete but with a few agreement errors. Explain what feedback each needs.
Give me a hint
Separate task completion from language range and accuracy.
Compare my reasoning
- Identify the missing point in draft A.
- Identify the language issue in draft B.
- Give a focused next revision for each.
Draft A needs the missing prompt point before polish. Draft B needs targeted agreement corrections while retaining its full coverage. Under the 2028 Q3 structure, task completion, range and accuracy are separate criteria; neither draft can be assigned an official mark here.
Look for these in your work
- Prioritises missing content
- Targets the language issue
- Uses criteria without pretending to grade
Common mistakes
- Using the old 12/28 mark split for a 2028 paper
- Reviewing grammar but skipping task completion
- Assuming a self-check is an official mark
What can you explain now?
How is 2028 Question 2's 10 marks divided?
Compare with the explanation
5 for task completion and 5 for range and accuracy
This is the revised syllabus allocation.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Make it stick
Before leaving writing from 2028, explain one idea from memory, answer the checkpoint and name one syllabus detail you still need to practise.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.