Writing Practice - Informal Open-Response: Media and Technology

Your turn to write

In the exam you write a short informal response about media and technology - to a Spanish-speaking friend, not a teacher. This module builds that skill. The golden rule of an informal answer: write to "tú", keep it relaxed, and always back up an opinion with a reason - porque (because). And remember the Spanish twist: open questions with ¿ and exclamations with ¡.

Media and tech words

Here is a core set for this topic. You will reuse them in your writing at the end.

What descargar means in Spanish

What does the Spanish verb "descargar" mean?

• To download
• To watch television
• To switch off
• To charge money

Match Spanish to English

Informal or formal?

An open-response to a friend is informal. In Spanish the register shows in the pronoun: tú for a friend, or usted for someone formal.

Which is informal?

You are writing to a Spanish friend. Which is the correct informal way to ask "do you like online games?"

• ¿Te gustan los juegos en línea?
• ¿Le gustan los juegos en línea?
• ¿Les gustan los juegos en línea?
• Me gustan los juegos en línea?

Say what you usually do

Most of an informal answer is about your habits, so you write in the present tense.\n\nRegular -ar verbs follow one pattern: yo descargo (I download), tú descargas (you download), nosotros descargamos (we download), vosotros descargáis (you all download). Learn the endings -o, -as, -amos, -áis. And to give a reason, add porque: "Me gusta, porque es divertido."

Present-tense endings

Videojuegos: yo _____ juegos, tú _____ música, nosotros _____ aplicaciones, y vosotros _____ vídeos.

Rules with "se"

To write about online safety like a native, use the impersonal se - it means "one" or "you" in general. se puede (one can), se necesita (one needs), se debe (one must), no se debe (one must not). The verb stays in the "it" form: "Para estar seguro en línea, se debe usar una contraseña segura" - to be safe online, one must use a secure password. Drop in a se rule and your writing looks a grade higher.

What makes a strong answer?

Select the TWO things that lift an informal open-response to a higher mark.

• Giving an opinion AND a reason with porque
• Using connectives like y, pero and también to join ideas
• Writing some sentences in English to be safe
• Using "usted" to sound polite to your friend

Build your answer

Put the parts of a strong informal answer into a sensible order.

• Open with a friendly line, using tú
• Give your opinion, with porque
• Add detail about what you usually do online (present tense)
• Add an online-safety rule, using se debe or se puede
• Close by asking your friend a question

Choose your words

Three moments in your answer. Choose the best Spanish each time.

• You want to say you love video games, informally and with a reason.
• You want to write an online-safety rule: "one must use a secure password".
• You want to end by asking your friend about their habits.

¡Escribe! (1)

Write about 40 words in Spanish, to a friend, about the technology you use. Keep it informal - use tú if you ask a question.

• Say what you like doing online, with a reason (porque)
• Use the present tense for what you usually do (yo descargo, yo juego...)
• Include at least one media word from this module (el móvil, la canción, descargar...)
• End by asking your friend a question, using tú

¡Escribe! (2)

Write about 40 words giving advice about online safety. Use the impersonal se (se debe, se puede, no se debe).

• Give at least two online-safety rules using se (se debe, se puede...)
• Give an opinion with a reason (porque)
• Use connectives (y, pero, también) to join your ideas
• Keep the register informal throughout (tú, relaxed tone)