Edexcel IGCSE Spanish Past Papers & Mark Schemes | 4SP1
Revise confidently with Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) past papers and official mark schemes for Paper 1: Listening, Paper 2: Reading and Writing, and Paper 3: Speaking. Organised by exam series and year, these resources help you practise Spanish vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, extended writing and spoken communication across every specification topic. Use the mark schemes to understand how answers are assessed, identify where you can gain more marks and improve your exam technique with our exclusive examiner tips.
2025 Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) Past Papers – Papers, Listening Audio & Mark Schemes
June 2025 Edexcel IGCSE Spanish | Question Papers & Audio | Mark Schemes |
Paper 1 (4SP1/01) – Listening | ||
Paper 1R (4SP1/01R) – Listening, Regional Paper | ||
Paper 2 (4SP1/02) – Reading and Writing | ||
Paper 2R (4SP1/02R) – Reading and Writing, Regional Paper |
2024 Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) Past Papers – Papers, Listening Audio & Mark Schemes
June 2024 Edexcel IGCSE Spanish | Question Papers & Audio | Mark Schemes |
Paper 1 (4SP1/01) – Listening | ||
Paper 1R (4SP1/01R) – Listening, Regional Paper | ||
Paper 2 (4SP1/02) – Reading and Writing | ||
Paper 2R (4SP1/02R) – Reading and Writing, Regional Paper |
2023 Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) Past Papers – Papers, Listening Audio & Mark Schemes
June 2023 Edexcel IGCSE Spanish | Question Papers & Audio | Mark Schemes |
Paper 1 (4SP1/01) – Listening | ||
Paper 1R (4SP1/01R) – Listening, Regional Paper | ||
Paper 2 (4SP1/02) – Reading and Writing | ||
Paper 2R (4SP1/02R) – Reading and Writing, Regional Paper |
2022 Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) Past Papers – Papers, Listening Audio & Mark Schemes
June 2022 Edexcel IGCSE Spanish | Question Papers & Audio | Mark Schemes |
Paper 1 (4SP1/01) – Listening | ||
Paper 1R (4SP1/01R) – Listening, Regional Paper | ||
Paper 2 (4SP1/02) – Reading and Writing | ||
Paper 2R (4SP1/02R) – Reading and Writing, Regional Paper |
2021 Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) Past Papers – Papers, Listening Audio & Mark Schemes
June 2021 Edexcel IGCSE Spanish | Question Papers & Audio | Mark Schemes |
Paper 1 (4SP1/01) – Listening | ||
Paper 2 (4SP1/02) – Reading and Writing |
2020 Edexcel International GCSE Spanish (4SP1) Past Papers – Papers, Listening Audio & Mark Schemes
November 2020 Edexcel IGCSE Spanish | Question Papers & Audio | Mark Schemes |
Paper 1 (4SP1/01) – Listening | ||
Paper 1R (4SP1/01R) – Listening, Regional Paper | ||
Paper 2 (4SP1/02) – Reading and Writing | ||
Paper 2R (4SP1/02R) – Reading and Writing, Regional Paper |
Six Examiner Tips for Edexcel International GCSE Spanish
1. Answer the four bullet points instead of writing a memorised essay
Do not reproduce a pre-learnt essay simply because it is connected to the general topic. Paper 2 Question 7 assesses how well you answer the specific task.
Read all four bullet points carefully and plan a separate paragraph or developed section for each one. Aim to write two or three relevant sentences per bullet point.
If your answer does not address the task, it can receive zero marks for Communication and Content. A zero for Communication and Content also results in zero for Linguistic Knowledge and Accuracy, regardless of how sophisticated your Spanish appears.
You can use prepared phrases and complex structures, but you must adapt them to the exact question.
2. Use all four stimulus words exactly as printed
In Paper 2 Question 6, include every stimulus word without changing its spelling, number or grammatical form. For example, do not change “deporte” to “deportes” or “hotel” to “hoteles”.
Plan a sentence around each word so that it is used naturally and grammatically. Remember that a noun cannot automatically be used as an adjective or verb.
Underline or tick off each stimulus word after completing your response. You should also check that surrounding verbs match any time markers, such as using a past tense with “ayer”.
3. Keep reading-comprehension answers brief and targeted
Avoid copying long sections from the reading text. Extra information can introduce an incorrect detail and invalidate an otherwise correct answer.
Highlight the question word before answering:
“¿Cuándo?” requires a time.
“¿Dónde?” requires a place.
“¿Por qué?” requires a reason.
“¿Quién?” requires a person.
“¿Cómo?” may require a method, description or opinion.
When answering a question about someone in the text, change first-person pronouns and verbs into the appropriate third-person form. Your answer must make grammatical and logical sense from the perspective of the question.
4. Show control of different tenses and grammatical forms
Use time markers and bullet points as signals for the tense required. Do not use the present tense after expressions such as “ayer” or “el año pasado”.
For the highest writing and speaking marks, demonstrate accurate use of past, present and future time frames. Combining the preterite and imperfect can also help you construct more sophisticated descriptions.
Prepare thoroughly for the Paper 2 grammar task by revising:
Stem-changing verbs
Irregular preterite forms
Imperfect tense forms
Reflexive verbs and pronouns
Gerunds
Adjective agreement
Shortened adjectives such as “buen” and “primer”
Accent marks that distinguish verb forms
Use the surrounding sentence to decide whether each gap requires a noun, adjective, infinitive or conjugated verb.
5. Check distractors, cross limits and table headings carefully
Do not select an answer simply because you recognise one word from the recording or reading passage. The exam often uses synonyms, paraphrases, negatives and corrected statements as distractors.
Before choosing an answer, confirm that it responds logically to the full question.
In matching grids, follow the exact number of crosses requested. Check that you have:
Exactly six crosses in Paper 1 Question 2
Exactly eight crosses in Paper 2 Question 3
Extra crosses can lead to marks being deducted. In advantages-and-disadvantages tables, check that every positive point is in the correct column and every negative point is under the correct heading.
6. Speak spontaneously and develop every response
Avoid delivering a memorised picture description or giving one-word answers in Paper 3. The speaking assessment rewards interaction, spontaneity and your ability to respond naturally to the examiner.
Develop answers using this simple pattern:
Answer + opinion + reason + example
For example:
“Prefiero vivir en la ciudad porque hay más oportunidades de trabajo. Sin embargo, el año pasado visité un pueblo pequeño y me gustó mucho la tranquilidad.”
Listen carefully to the time frame used in each question and include past, present and future references across the conversations. If you do not understand a question, ask naturally:
“¿Puede repetir, por favor?”
Regular practice with unpredictable follow-up questions is more valuable than memorising complete scripts.
Edexcel International GCSE Spanish FAQs
1. What is the Edexcel International GCSE Spanish specification for 2027?
Students taking Edexcel International GCSE Spanish in 2027 study the Pearson Edexcel 4SP1 specification. It is a linear qualification, so all three papers are taken at the end of the course.
The qualification consists of:
Paper 1: Listening (4SP1/01) – 25%
Paper 2: Reading and Writing (4SP1/02) – 50%
Paper 3: Speaking (4SP1/03) – 25%
The papers assess listening, reading, writing, grammar and spoken Spanish.
2. Is Edexcel IGCSE Spanish divided into Foundation and Higher tiers?
No. Edexcel International GCSE Spanish 4SP1 does not have separate Foundation and Higher papers. All students complete the same three papers, which include questions covering a range of difficulty levels.
This allows every student to access the full 9–1 grade range. Later questions and extended tasks are designed to distinguish between students working towards the highest grades.
3. What topics are included in the Edexcel IGCSE Spanish syllabus?
The Edexcel International GCSE Spanish syllabus contains five main topic areas:
Home and abroad
Education and employment
Personal life and relationships
The world around us
Social activities, fitness and health
Students should learn vocabulary from every topic and practise discussing each area in different time frames. Questions may contain unfamiliar words, so students must also be able to infer meaning from the surrounding context.
4. What is the Edexcel IGCSE Spanish Listening exam like?
Paper 1 is a 30-minute listening examination with an additional five minutes of reading time. It contains seven tasks and is worth 40 marks.
Question types may include:
Multiple choice
Multiple matching
Note-taking
Table completion
Gap filling
Short written answers
Each recording is played twice. The texts become progressively longer and may include monologues or conversations involving two or three speakers.
5. How should I revise for Edexcel IGCSE Spanish Listening Paper 1?
Use past-paper audio recordings regularly and practise without pausing them. During the five-minute reading period, underline the information you need to identify, such as a reason, opinion, place, time or disadvantage.
Listen carefully for:
Negatives such as “no”, “nunca” and “nadie”
Opinion phrases
Time markers
Numbers, prices and dates
Changes of opinion
Contrasting words such as “pero” and “sin embargo”
Synonyms used instead of the words printed in the question
Do not select an answer after hearing only one familiar word. Listen to the full statement because the speaker may correct or qualify the information.
6. What is included in Edexcel IGCSE Spanish Paper 2?
Paper 2 is a one-hour and 45-minute Reading and Writing examination worth 80 marks and 50% of the qualification.
It contains:
Section A: Reading – 40 marks
Section B: Writing and Grammar – 40 marks
The reading section contains five tasks based on materials such as advertisements, emails, articles, webpages, letters and literary extracts. The writing section contains two extended tasks and one grammar exercise.
Students should aim to spend approximately 52 minutes on reading and 52 minutes on writing and grammar.
7. How many words should I write in the Edexcel IGCSE Spanish writing exam?
The first writing task requires 60–75 words. Students must include four prescribed words or short phrases in their response.
The longer writing task requires 130–150 words. Students select one of three questions and must address all four bullet points.
Before writing, check:
What each bullet point requires
Whether the task needs past, present or future references
Who the intended reader is
Whether the response should be formal or informal
Where opinions and justifications can be included
Writing substantially more than the recommended length does not guarantee additional marks and may create more opportunities for errors.
8. Which Spanish grammar should I revise for the 2027 exam?
Grammar is assessed directly in Paper 2 and also contributes to the writing and speaking marks. Students should revise:
Present, preterite and imperfect tenses
Near future and simple future
Conditional tense
Regular and common irregular verbs
Reflexive verbs
Adjective agreement
Direct and indirect object pronouns
Comparatives and superlatives
Negatives
Connectives and complex sentence structures
For the highest writing marks, students should use at least three tenses securely, include a range of vocabulary and avoid unnecessary repetition.
9. How does the Edexcel IGCSE Spanish speaking exam work?
Paper 3 is an 8–10 minute speaking examination worth 40 marks and 25% of the qualification. It contains three tasks:
Task A: A picture-based discussion
Task B: A spontaneous conversation
Task C: A second spontaneous conversation
The three tasks cover three different topic areas. Students choose the picture for Task A, while the topics for Tasks B and C are determined using Pearson’s randomisation process.
The Task A picture must contain at least two people, background objects and visible interaction. It must not contain supporting text. Students cannot bring notes into the speaking examination.
10. How should I use Edexcel IGCSE Spanish past papers to prepare for 2027?
Complete past papers in stages before attempting full timed examinations. Start by working on one skill at a time, such as listening or writing, and then combine the papers under examination conditions.
A strong past-paper routine should include:
Complete the paper without notes.
Mark it using the official mark scheme.
Record every error in an improvement log.
Identify whether each mistake involved vocabulary, grammar, comprehension or exam technique.
Correct the answer without looking at the mark scheme.
Repeat the question several days later.
For speaking practice, use past topics to answer unfamiliar questions aloud. For writing, complete both timed tasks and check verb formation, accents, agreements, bullet-point coverage and word count. This approach is more effective than simply reading model answers or memorising complete essays.