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Year 11 - Spanish

Una vida más sana: impersonal verbs, conditional, extended writing (AQA)

People and Lifestyle: Repaso - consejos de vida

Unit Summary

This revision unit focuses on a variety of moods and tenses. Pupils revisit the second person singular and plural imperative including irregulars, the conditional and impersonal verbs.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to complete a range writing tasks on the topic of healthy lifestyles.

Key Notes

  • 'Hay que', 'se debe', 'se puede' and 'se necesita' are impersonal verbs.
  • Examples of impersonal uses of verbs are 'basta (con)', 'falta', 'hace falta', 'parece' and 'vale la pena'.
  • These impersonal verbs are used without a subject and followed by an infinitive.
  • To conjugate the conditional, add -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -iáis, and -ían to the infinitive.
  • The BORDER acronym is a useful tool to respond fully and accurately to bullet point writing prompts.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • impersonal verb: verb that doesn't refer to a particular person or thing
  • conditional: form of verb used to express what would happen
  • BORDER: acronym used to respond fully and accurately to bullet point writing prompts

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • I can translate verbs like 'basta' and 'hace falta' word-for-word.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.

'Hay que', 'se debe', 'se puede' and 'se necesita' are impersonal verbs. Examples of impersonal uses of verbs are 'basta (con)', 'falta', 'hace falta', 'parece' and 'vale la pena'.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'impersonal verb'

verb that doesn't refer to a particular person or thing. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: I can translate verbs like 'basta' and 'hace falta' word-for-word. Correction: Verbs like 'basta' and 'hace falta' can't always be translated word-for-word - they don't work the same way as English verbs. You need to choose the most idiomatic or natural-sounding translation based on the context.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 Spanish guide library.