Pearson Edexcel GCSE Spanish Read Aloud Practice

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Spanish Read aloud is Task 1, worth 12 marks. You read a short text, then have a short unprepared interaction related to it. Pronunciation is assessed in the reading; communication is assessed in the interaction.

Spanish Pearson Edexcel

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Exam at a glance

Board and paper: Pearson Edexcel · 1SP1 · Paper 1 Speaking
Task and tiers: Read Aloud · Foundation and Higher
Marks: 12 marks: 8 for reading pronunciation; 4 for interaction communication
Approximate task duration / format: Foundation 1.5–2 minutes; Higher 2–2.5 minutes, including interaction
Preparation: 15 minutes supervised preparation for the whole speaking test, not per task
Whole speaking test: Foundation 7–9 minutes; Higher 10–12 minutes · 50 marks · 25% of the GCSE

Task order: Read aloud → Role play → Picture task with conversation.

What happens in this part of the exam?

This opens the speaking test, before the Role play and Picture task with conversation. It is not AQA’s Task 2.
Use preparation time to look through the printed text, notice spellings and plan sensible phrase breaks. The final minute of the 15-minute preparation period is in the examination room: you may practise the reading aloud then. This minute is recorded but not assessed.
Read the text aloud, then respond to the two short unprepared questions related to it. At both tiers, these ask for likes, dislikes or opinions in the present tense. Do not rely on a script for the interaction.
Foundation has 35–40 words in five sentences; Higher has 50–55 words in four sentences. Practise the passage for your tier, but apply pronunciation patterns to unfamiliar words too.

What examiners are looking for

For the reading, make the printed words clearly and accurately audible: pronunciation is the assessed focus.
For the short interaction, communicate an appropriate response to each question.
Do not describe pronunciation and communication as if they were identical criteria applied to every part of the task.

Try one now

Original ScoreMySpeech practice task. This is a static website exercise: speak aloud on your own or with a partner; this page does not record you. It is not official exam-board material.

Original ScoreMySpeech practice task

An afternoon cooking together

Read the passage for your tier. Then respond to the two practice questions as a short interaction. These are original prompts, not Pearson assessment material.

Foundation practice passage

Los domingos cocino con mi padre. Preparamos arroz con verduras y una ensalada. Mi padre compra los ingredientes por la mañana. Me gusta ayudar porque aprendo cosas nuevas. Después comemos juntos y hablamos de la semana.

Higher practice passage

El domingo pasado preparé la cena con mi padre porque mi madre llegó tarde del trabajo. Elegimos una receta sencilla con verduras que teníamos en casa. Aunque al principio me resultó difícil cortar todo, acabamos a tiempo. La próxima vez me gustaría preparar un postre delicioso para toda la familia.

Original follow-up practice questions

¿Qué te gusta cocinar?
¿Con quién prefieres comer?

One language detail: In cocina, c before i is pronounced differently from c before o; the c-before-i sound varies between valid Spanish accents. The j in juntos is not an English ‘j’. The accent in llegó marks final-syllable stress.

Foundation / Higher support

These are concise ScoreMySpeech example responses, not official model answers or guaranteed marks. Follow the demands of your actual stimulus.

Foundation approach

Make the message clear

Me gusta cocinar arroz. Prefiero comer con mi familia.

Keep the vowel sounds in cocina steady. Answer each interaction question directly, even if your answer is short.

Higher upgrade

Add what the task needs

Me gusta cocinar arroz con verduras porque es fácil de preparar. Prefiero comer con mi familia para que podamos hablar de nuestro día.

Break llegó tarde into a natural phrase. Develop your own answer without changing the words when reading the printed text.

Common mistakes

Thinking all 12 marks are only for reading pronunciation.
Adding your own words to make the text sound more impressive.
Ignoring accents, punctuation or sound–spelling patterns.
Repeating the text instead of answering the interaction question.

A quick practice strategy

One focused rehearsal

Read one sentence slowly and identify one difficult spelling.
Say the passage again with natural phrase breaks.
Close the text and answer a related question from a partner.
Listen back once: check reading clarity and relevance of your response separately.

This is a revision routine, not official exam preparation timing.

Official specification

Exam information checked against the current Pearson Edexcel GCSE Spanish 1SP1 specification (first teaching September 2024; first examinations 2026 and beyond). Last reviewed: October 2026. Exam boards may update guidance; follow your school’s instructions too.

Official Pearson Edexcel GCSE Spanish 1SP1 specification

Practise it aloud with ScoreMySpeech.

Reading an example is a start. The speaking exam is about what you can actually say. Record your response in the app, receive practice feedback, then repeat and improve for your selected exam board. Feedback is not an official mark or grade prediction.