Tips to help you prepare for the AP spanish Exam

1. Know what to expect.

Whenever you go into a test, the element of uncertainty can throw you for a loop. Eliminating uncertainty will enable you to focus on your Spanish rather than the logistics of the test itself.

Lucky for you, The College Board describes the exam thoroughly online. Be sure to read this thoroughly and investigate any doubts further on the site.

In short, it is a three-hour exam that consists of multiple choice and free response sections that will test your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

2. Listen to Spanish-language Music

Listening with a focus on grammar structures will help reinforce grammar rules in your mind.

Try to memorize any song that has examples of rules you struggle to grasp. If you need to remember the rule, you can think back to the song lyrics and easily remember an example to use as a model while you take the AP Spanish exam.

Remembering a song will also help you remember vocabulary. When you’re under the pressure of the AP exam, you might even forget words you’d usually know to use. If you remember a song in which they’re sung, though, that’s much easier to remember—just think of the tune, and you’ll have the word you need in no time.

Shakira’s music is particularly helpful for studying for the AP Spanish exam. She uses more advanced vocabulary and grammar structures than many singers. Plus, her tunes are very catchy, and that will make them easier to recall during the AP exam.

3. Watch Spanish-language Television

Watching Spanish-language TV shows will help you see conversations in context, which will in turn help prepare you for the interpersonal speaking portion of the exam. This portion focuses on conversation.

While it may seem obvious, learning conversational rules and exchanges in a foreign language doesn’t always come naturally, so pay attention to how the characters exchange ideas and take turns speaking.

There are lots of great drama series to help you prepare for the AP Spanish exam. Entertaining, drama-filled telenovelas are another helpful tool if you like something fast-paced.

Try to focus on Latin American TV shows, since Latin American Spanish is more commonly used on the exam.

For example, “Yo soy Betty, la fea” (“I’m Betty, the Ugly”) is a particularly good option. This Colombian show is funny and entertaining, but also has relatively neutral Colombian accents. It follows the adventures of a young woman who’s unattractive by conventional standards, but still seeks career success in the fashion industry. The American show “Ugly Betty” is based on “Yo soy Betty, la fea,” so it may seem familiar.

4. Watch Spanish-language Movies

Like watching Spanish-language TV shows, watching Spanish-language movies will provide you with conversational language and grammar rules in context.

The main difference between movies and TV shows is length. A Spanish-language movie is longer than any episode of a TV show, so you can really get in the zone. While this will be harder to squeeze into your schedule, it also offers a more immersive Spanish experience. This immersion can help you think in Spanish, which will save you valuable time trying to conjure up words during the AP Spanish exam.

When it comes to Spanish-language movies to help you practice for the AP exam, there are a number of exceptional movie options you can go for, but again, try to focus on movies from Latin America.