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40 Persuasive Spanish Words for Writing a Killer AP Spanish Essay
In order to do well on the AP Spanish exam’s free-response section, you must be able to write a persuasive essay based on three Spanish-language sources.
You can conjugate any irregular verb , you’ve got conditionals down and your vocabulary is out of this world.
But can you form a coherent argument… in Spanish?
Here we’ve put together a list of 40 vocabulary words that will come in handy for making and supporting arguments in your AP Spanish essays, and in any other piece of Spanish writing !
What’s the AP Spanish Free-response Section Like?
40 vocabulary words for writing strong ap spanish essays, agreeing and disagreeing, stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, concluding your essay, how to prepare for the free-response section.
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The free-response section of the exam is meant to test your ability to communicate with others in spoken and written Spanish.
There are two essays in the free-response section. The interpersonal essay asks you to respond to an email. The presentational essay tests how well you can draw information from Spanish-language sources, form an argument and write formally. This second essay is a little less straightforward, so we’ll walk you through it here.
So, how does it work?
The presentational essay is based on three sources . Two of them are written sources and one is an audio source.
These sources can be just about anything: Advertisements, articles, infographics, letters, maps, interviews, radio programs, podcasts and conversations are just some examples of the types of sources you may encounter.
You’ll have about 55 minutes to complete this particular essay. First, you’ll have six minutes to read the prompt and the two written sources, and then you’ll hear the audio source twice. Finally, you’ll have 40 minutes to plan and write your essay.
The essay is graded on the basis of Spanish language skills like reading, listening, writing and grammar—but it’s also based on your general ability to analyze the sources and make a strong, coherent argument.
Estoy de acuerdo/No estoy de acuerdo — I agree/I disagree
Estoy de acuerdo con lo que dice el autor. (I agree with what the author says.)
No estoy de acuerdo con la idea principal de la fuente número dos . (I disagree with the main idea of source number two.)
En mi opinión — In my opinion
En mi opinión, los jóvenes deberían comer más sano. (In my opinion, young people should eat healthier.)
La verdad es — The truth is
La verdad es que todavía hay mucha desigualdad en los Estados Unidos . (The truth is there is still a lot of inequality in the United States.)
Es verdad — It’s true
Es verdad que las redes sociales pueden ser peligrosas . (It’s true that social media can be dangerous.)
Es falso — It’s false
Hay gente que dice que las redes sociales son peligrosas, pero esto es falso . (There are people who say that social media is dangerous, but this is false.)
Me parece/No me parece — It seems to me/It doesn’t seem to me
Me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)
No me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I don’t think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)
Remember that since me parece implies an opinion or emotion, you must conjugate the verb in the subjunctive tense.
(Yo) pienso que — I think that
Yo pienso que no hay nada más importante que la familia . (I think that there is nothing more important than family.)
(Yo) creo que — I believe that
Yo creo que todos los adolescentes deberían aprender a tocar un instrumento . (I believe that all adolescents should learn to play an instrument.)
The following phrases all have the same structure: Es + adjective + que .
This structure is similar to the English “It’s [adjective] that…” and is great for expressing and supporting opinions in a strong and confident manner. Here are some phrases that are especially useful when making and defending claims in a persuasive essay:
Es evidente que — It’s evident that
Es claro que — It’s clear that
Es cierto que — It’s certain that
Es obvio que — It’s obvious that
Es importante que — It’s important that
Es necesario que — It’s necessary that
Es probable que — It’s probable that
Es dudoso que — It’s doubtful that
For some of these phrases, the verb following the word que must be conjugated in the indicative, while others require the subjunctive . A good rule of thumb is that when implying that something is certain, use the indicative. When expressing doubt or expressing some other emotion, use the subjunctive.
On this list, evidente, claro, cierto and obvio use indicative verbs, and importante, necesario, probable and dudoso use subjunctive verbs.
Es cierto que nuestro clima está cambiando . (It is certain that our climate is changing.)
Es importante que la gente sepa hablar más de un idioma . (It’s important that people know how to speak more than one language.)
These words will help you refer to your three sources, which contain information that will help you support your argument. This section also contains transition words to connect one part of your argument to the next.
Según — According to
Según el autor… (according to the author…)
La fuente — The source
Según la fuente numero 1… (According to source number one…)
El tema — The theme/topic
Esto es un tema muy importante. (This is a very important topic.)
Mostrar — To show
La fuente muestra la importancia de la diversidad. (The source shows the importance of diversity.)
Remember, mostrar is an o-ue stem-changing verb—pay attention to conjugation!
Demostrar — To demonstrate
La tabla demuestra que muchos jóvenes en España juegan al fútbol. (The table demonstrates that many youths in Spain play football.)
Demostrar is also an o-ue stem changing verb. Luckily for you, it follows the exact same conjugation rules as mostrar !
Indicar — To indicate
La tabla indica que hay muchas familias pobres en ese barrio. (The table indicates that there are many poor families in that neighborhood.)
Apoyar — To support
Estos datos apoyan la idea de que el clima está cambiando. (This data supports the idea that the climate is changing)
Por otra parte — On the other hand
Es importante que la economía crezca, pero por otra parte, tenemos que cuidar el medio ambiente. (It’s important that the economy grows, but on the other hand, we have to care for the environment.)
Por lo cual — For this reason/That’s why/Which is why
This phrase is used in the middle of a sentence to connect ideas.
La Amazonía tiene un alto nivel de biodiversidad, por lo cual la conservación de esta región debe ser una prioridad. (The Amazon has a high level of biodiversity, which is why the conservation of this region must be a priority.)
Además — Additionally
This word is usually seen at the beginning of a sentence, and it’s useful for transitioning from one idea or argument to another.
Además, es evidente que la tecnología nos ayuda mucho. (Additionally, it’s evident that technology helps us a lot.)
Sin embargo — However
This is another good transition word. In your essay, you may want to present an alternate argument and then explain why you disagree with it. Sin embargo is very helpful for this.
Obviamente, estudiar es muy importante. Sin embargo, es necesario que los adolescentes tengan tiempo para jugar con sus amigos . (Obviously, studying is very important. However, it’s necessary that teenagers have time to play with their friends.)
En comparación — In comparison
En comparación, la fuente número 2 indica que hay más obesidad en Estados Unidos que en España . (In comparison, source number 2 indicates that there is more obesity in the United States than in Spain.)
Al igual que — Just like
Al igual que en los años 40, hoy en día hay mucha gente que no quiere ayudar a los refugiados de guerra . (Just like in the 40s, today there are many people who don’t want to help war refugees.)
Tanto ________ como ________ — _________ as well as ___________
Fill in this phrase with two nouns to emphasize that you’re talking equally about two different things.
Tanto chicos como chicas deberían aprender a cocinar, limpiar, coser y cuidar a los bebés. (Boys as well as girls ought to learn how to cook, clean, sew and care for babies.)
Sino — But rather
Remember that Spanish has two translations for the English word “but.” The word sino is like the English phrase “but rather,” used to introduce an alternative.
Leer no es una pérdida de tiempo, sino una manera de aprender y de conocer otras culturas . (Reading isn’t a waste of time, but rather a way to learn and understand other cultures.)
Sin duda — Without a doubt
Sin duda, el cambio climático es el problema más grave que enfrenta nuestra planeta. (Without a doubt, climate change is the most serious problem that our planet faces.)
Aunque — Even though/Although
Aunque is followed by an indicative verb when the outcome is known, but a subjunctive verb when the outcome is speculative.
Aunque cuesta mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución. (Even though it costs a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)
Aunque cueste mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución . (Even though it may cost a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)
In your final paragraph, you’ll want to provide a summary of your main argument and your main supporting points. You can use the following helpful phrases:
En conclusión — In conclusion
En resumen — In summary
En fin — Finally
En conclusión,/En resumen,/En fin, las tres fuentes muestran que la contaminación del aire es un problema muy grave para todo el mundo . (In summary, the three sources show that air pollution is a very serious problem for the whole world.)
After summarizing your essay, you’ll want to re-state your main argument in a succinct, strongly-worded sentence. Start with these phrases:
Por estas razones — For these reasons
Por eso — That is why
Así que — Therefore
Entonces — So
Por estas razones,/Por eso,/Así que/Entonces, afirmo que los adolescentes no deberían usar las redes sociales. (For these reasons, I affirm that teenagers should not use social media.)
In many ways, preparing for the free-response section is the same as preparing for the rest of the AP exam.
It involves studying grammar and vocabulary, and it also means immersing yourself in the Spanish language as much as possible. The more exposure you have to Spanish-language sources leading up to the exam day, the easier it’ll be for you to understand and analyze the three sources you encounter in the essay task.
Authentic content, like movies and TV shows , can really help you immerse yourself so you get used to thinking in Spanish.
A virtual immersion program can help you get going with a bit more structure. FluentU , for example, has a large library of Spanish videos on all kinds of subjects, like movie clips, music videos, news segments and more.
These videos have interactive subtitles that provide instant definitions of unfamiliar words. You can also save these words as flashcards to study at a later point through multimedia, personalized quizzes. This will help you see Spanish used naturally, and learn key vocabulary words that can be useful in the essay portion of the test.
You can also find some great info on great news outlets , podcasts , YouTube channels and blogs —all in Spanish. Even following some Spanish Twitter feeds or listening to Spanish music can be a great way to work a little language practice into your day.
There are also some targeted ways to practice for the free-response section.
- Do practice exams and read sample essays. The College Board has posted the full AP exams from the last several years. Try to read the sources and write the essay in the allotted 55 minutes. When you’re done, go back and slowly revise your essay for errors in grammar, spelling and logic. After that, you can also check out the grading rubric provided by the College Board and several sample persuasive essays . Try to compare your essay against the rubric and the samples to see how you can improve your writing.
- Practice summarizing and analyzing Spanish-language sources. Remember all those great resources listed above? Well, it’s not enough to just read or listen to them. The whole point of the presentational essay is to measure your ability to summarize, synthesize and argue. So, after you read or listen to a Spanish-language source, take five minutes to summarize it—on paper. Identify the main argument, and then make a bulleted list of important points. Finally, write a few sentences summarizing your personal opinion.
- Learn targeted vocabulary for talking about opinions and arguments. Is there anything more frustrating than knowing exactly what you want to say, but not having the vocabulary to say it? This article lists many crucial vocabulary words for expressing and supporting opinions in persuasive essays. Using these words and phrases will make your writing flow more smoothly—and they’ll allow you to argue with more credibility and style.
Learn and study the words listed above—they’ll help you express yourself more fluidly in your AP Spanish essays.
But, of course, learning vocabulary is just one way to prepare for the free-response section.
Remember to expose yourself to as many Spanish-language sources as you can before test day, and don’t forget to think critically about those sources as you read them!
With practice, writing strong essays for the AP Spanish exam will be a breeze.
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25 Creative Writing Prompts to Practice Spanish
Are you interested in discovering some new Spanish writing prompts? This post will give you some fun, creative writing prompts in Spanish that can be used in the classroom, at home, and as you work toward becoming a more fluent writer and speaker of the Spanish language.
Learning a new language is an exciting journey. Unfortunately, it’s not something you can master overnight. Becoming fluent in a language like Spanish takes time, practice, and dedication. Once you learn something new, you must continue to use it in order to put it to memory.
How Can I Practice My Spanish Writing?
If you’re trying to develop better writing in Spanish, it goes without saying that writing is the best way to do so.
Here are some other tips that can help you master this language:
- Take lessons with a Spanish tutor, either online or in-person
- Reading – read constantly and never stop reading!
- Make Spanish writing prompts part of your daily routine – consistency is key
- Don’t try to impress – just get some words out on paper!
- Learn proper punctuation, spelling, and grammar
- Find a buddy – practice makes perfect but it’s even better if you have a friend to help you learn
To improve your Spanish, it’s important to apply the concepts you’re learning directly in practice. You can do this by working on writing prompts for Spanish class, of course, but also through daily conversation and other forms of practice.
You can learn about more best practices for learning Spanish (as well as other languages) in this video:
Writing is an especially helpful way to practice Spanish , since you can develop and practice specific grammatical structures. Writing also encourages you to explore new vocabulary, work on your spelling, and combine all the concepts you’ve learned thus far. And the best part? You can always ask for feedback from a native speaker, your tutor, or a teacher.
What Are Some Good Writing Prompts? 25 Best Spanish Writing Prompts
Whether you are interested in finding writing prompts for Spanish class or for some extracurricular practice, we have you covered. Below, we have provided a handy list of Spanish writing prompts to help you challenge yourself and put to use what you already know.
The Spanish writing prompts below all address specific concepts that are crucial to expressing yourself fully and correctly. We have listed 25 Spanish essay ideas in our infographic and included a few bonus exercises for extra practice. Even though there are many fun ways to learn Spanish , this exercise is very hands-on and your progress will be noticeable.
So grab a pen and paper, and let’s get started!
1) Write a one-paragraph biography of your life so far. This can include a variety of past tenses to describe habitual and one-time actions, as well as tenses to describe events that happened before or after another event. You can also practice using sequencing and transition words such as primero , después , and entonces.
2) Describe your family. Not only will you be using family-related vocabulary, you’ll also get practice describing age and occupation.
3) Create a written sketch of your best friend. This Spanish essay idea encourages you to d etail why you like him or her, and also make use of physical and personality descriptors ( alto, rubio, amable, cómico ). You can also explain how you met using the reciprocal verb conocerse .
4) Recount a joke or funny event. This will challenge you to correctly use colloquial expressions as well as unique vocabulary that will take you outside of the box of typical Spanish vocabulary . This Spanish writing prompt will also help you experiment with puns and wordplay in Spanish and challenge you to make a joke transcend two languages.
5) Relate a specific event , either historical or personal, that occurred. Then rewrite it in the present tense. Bonus points if you rewrite it again in the future tense or the plus perfect tense! This exercise will help you to become faster and more accurate at conjugating verbs in any tense. The more you practice it, the more changing between tenses will become second nature to you.
6) Write an ad for something (a roommate, an item for sale, etc.). This will help you practice describing cost and specific details (for example, size or shape), as well as expressing requirements and commands in a polite way.
7) Write an opinion piece in which you express your subjective opinions, wishes, and feelings about a controversial issue. This will allow you to practice using the subjunctive mood (when necessary).
8) Discuss an issue that affects the public (a drought, an electricity outage, etc.) and express the impersonal in a variety of ways to give suggestions and recommendations for what people should do (for example, “ Hay que comunicar con el gobierno si… “).
9) Imagine you are a king or queen — what would you instruct people to do? Use command forms (for example, “ Traiga la comida .”) to order others to fulfill your wishes.
10) Write a dialogue between two people. Use question words to form interrogative sentences, and make sure the other person responds with the appropriate verb form (for example, if the question refers to “you all,” the response to use is “we.”).
11) Write a short story. Try to make it as descriptive as possible while also including lots of action verbs to move the story along. Have fun with it; it can be a crazy story with a creative twist or unexpected angle! You’ll certainly improve your Spanish reading comprehension if you write enough of these!
12) Review a book or film. Take a stance and then justify your reasoning, using connecting words like además, pero, etc.
13) Write an instructional paragraph about how to do something (arrive at a certain location using the bus, cook a particular dish, etc.). Tailor the formality of your words to your intended audience.
14) Write a letter in Spanish to a long-lost love. What would you say to this person to express your anguish, your delight, your memories, and your regrets? Use diminutives to express your affection for the person.
15) Write a paragraph introducing yourself for a job. Describe your education, skills, motivations, and interests. What makes you a good fit for this job?
16) You completely forgot to do a huge assignment that your teacher is now collecting — what can you say to explain why you don’t have the assignment to turn in? What compromise can you request in order to not receive a failing grade?
17) Create a short poem — it doesn’t need to rhyme. Try reading a few poems (check out Pablo Neruda , for example) to find inspiration.
18) Pick an object you know well or have in front of you to observe , then describe the item as fully and descriptively as you can. You can use comparisons ( tan … como ) and superlatives ( el más… ).
19) Describe an ideal world (for example, “ No habrá.” ). This is another opportunity to use the future tense .
20) Write a letter to another foreign-language student. In the format of a pen pal letter, explain what you like about learning Spanish, what you find difficult, what you hope to use Spanish for, and why you decided to learn a foreign language.
21) Convince someone to adopt your position on an issue. Use persuasive language ( en mi opinión es necesario ….) to convince them of the strengths of your argument and the weaknesses of theirs. You can choose a political topic, a personal decision, or anything else that can be argued for or against.
22) Write a short gratitude note — what are you grateful for today? Express your thanks with words of appreciation.
23) Introduce a reader to your town, city, or region — what’s particularly unique and interesting about it? Aim for the style of language you find in guide books and travel section articles.
24) Where have you traveled to that was interesting? Describe your trip, your travel partners, your activities, and your experience of this new place.
25) What goals would you like to accomplish in the future? If you could do anything, what would you do?
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4 Bonus Creative Writing Prompts in Spanish
Are you looking for a few more free Spanish writing exercises ? We’ve included some bonus exercises below. Add these to your daily Spanish writing practice and prepare to see your skills improve in no time.
- Write about a time you overcame a challenge . Describe the obstacle and how it made you feel. Express how you felt when you faced your fears and conquered them. Did you feel strong, proud, or accomplished? Use descriptive adjectives and phrases to bring this experience to life.
- Think about your favorite character in a book or movie , and then write his or her back story. Where are they from, and what was their childhood like? What were the events that led to their role in the story you love? This is a great opportunity to practice past and future tenses.
- Describe an everyday task, like making a sandwich , as if you were explaining it to an alien from another planet. For this Spanish writing prompt , go into great detail, describing each aspect, from what bread is to how to spread the mayo. Remember, an alien won’t be familiar with a refrigerator, cupboard, or even a butter knife!
- Write out the recipe for your favorite meal . This Spanish essay writing not only encourages you to practice vocabulary for food and ingredients, but you will also need to use the command form of verbs.
Try to practice writing one prompt each day or each week; by committing to a specific schedule you’ll make substantial and long-lasting progress as you learn how to speak Spanish. You can also respond to a prompt, go back at a later date, reread what you’ve written, and edit it based on your more advanced knowledge of vocabulary and grammar.
Alternatively, you can also respond again to a prompt without rereading your original copy first, and then compare to see how your Spanish has changed.
Is Spanish Easy to Write?
Spanish is not the most difficult language to write, but it does take some practice to get proficient! Consider starting with basic writing prompts and then work yourself up to advanced Spanish writing prompts as you gain confidence.
Interested in even more guidance? Sign up for online Spanish lessons to work with a private tutor one-on-one. Your instructor can provide you with more Spanish writing practice in a Spanish writing class and will review and offer feedback on all your essays.
Above all, enjoy using these prompts as a creative way to find your voice, en español !
Want more help with beginner or intermediate Spanish? Check out our FREE classes — live and online through the TakeLessons classroom! Learn more here.
One thought on “ 25 Creative Writing Prompts to Practice Spanish ”
Nice article to improve our creative writing in Spanish. Creative thinking is the first step to develop writing skill and to improve our communication and knowledge. Thanks for sharing the article.
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How to Write a Hook to Captivate Your Readers
The art of the hook is a vital component in the realm of essay writing. But what is a hook?
A hook is typically the first one or two sentences of an essay or article that is designed to grab the reader’s attention. Much like a fish gets literally hooked by bait, the hook of an essay should captivate your audience and make them want to read more.
Catch your reader's eye Grammarly can help make your writing shine Write with Grammarly
But knowing how to write a hook for an essay is a tough skill to acquire. For one, the vast amount of content out there—tweets, blogs , articles, emails, and more—make it challenging to compete for readers’ attention.
Moreover, people get distracted easily, and if you don’t hook them quickly, you might lose them.
Knowing how to write a good hook is an essential part of effective essay writing . By exploring the most common types of essay hooks, you can learn how to best engage audiences from the very beginning and develop a hook that’s right for your paper.
5 examples of essay hooks
1 statistic hook.
The statistic hook gives your audience a true and hard fact to latch onto from the get-go. Gaining your reader’s trust through expertise early on will help reinforce the points you make in the rest of your argument. Plus, a striking statistic can make your audience instantly interested in the topic at hand, motivating them to keep reading and learn more.
For example, if you’re writing a research essay about the link between sleep and stress, you can begin with a powerful statistic from the American Psychological Association like this one:
“According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, 43 percent of adults claim that stress has caused them to lie awake at night in the past month.”
2 Quotation hook
If you choose a memorable quotation that directly connects to what you’re writing about, the words will do the attention-grabbing work for you. Just make sure to attribute and explain the quotation after you include it so that the reader isn’t confused. And most importantly, the quotation you choose should add to the credibility and richness of your argument, rather than seeming like a random or one-off statement.
If you’re writing a literary essay about resiliency in Maya Angelou’s poetry, you might start off in this way:
“Maya Angelou once said, ‘Stand up straight and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances.’”
3 Anecdotal hook
Depending on the nature of your essay or article, anecdotal hooks can make for an intimate opening that tells your reader more about you. Though it’s not typical to write an essay in the first person , there are some times when you can make an exception, like in a narrative essay . This type of hook can be a little longer than others; just make sure that its length is relative to the rest of your essay.
If you’re writing about the differences between British and American baking, you might discuss an experience you had on a trip to London at the start of the essay:
“ When I first arrived in London, I was ravenous. I headed to a cafe just outside of the hotel to test out some of the local flavors and ordered a pot of tea, a scone, and pudding. But when the pudding arrived, I was surprised not to find a sweet, chocolatey custard. Instead, this pudding was made from something I’d never encountered before: mutton fat.”
4 Question hook
Posing a question at the start of a piece will immediately capture the reader’s attention and leave them wanting more. Make sure the question is open-ended. You want to make sure you’re giving the reader something to explore further, rather than asking them a simple yes or no question. People are naturally inquisitive, so give them something good to chew on.
An essay about dog psychology might begin with a question similar to this:
“ What is the difference between a well-adjusted dog and an anxious one? For starters, owners that encourage their dog’s excitement can make anxiety seem like a behavior that’s rewarded.”
5 Statement hook
Kicking off your essay with a solid declaration of your argument or position is another smart way to hook the reader. Even if they don’t agree fully with your statement, they will be intrigued to see how you support your assertion. Statement hooks often make the reader either want to argue against your view or follow along as you develop your claim.
When exploring the historical value of French cinema, you could start with a strong, declarative hook like this one:
“ French cinema is the most influential genre of film in the last 100 years and has singlehandedly shaped modern cinema as we know it.”
A great hook will not only get your reader’s attention, but it will build toward your thesis and give your reader an idea of the essay they’re about to read. Any of these options, done well, can make your essay start strong and stand out.
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The essay is graded on the basis of Spanish language skills like reading, listening, writing and grammar—but it’s also based on your general ability to analyze the sources and make a strong, coherent argument. 40 Vocabulary Words for Writing Strong AP Spanish Essays Agreeing and Disagreeing
Analyze model argumentative essays for AP Spanish. After teaching students the components of each part of the essay, have them analyze a model essay and label the parts: 3 reasons, topic sentences, transitions, hook, topic sentence, evidence. (I divide the class up and use this activity as a competition.) AND NOW THE SOURCES! 11.
The final thing you need to do before you write your conclusion is to revise it in terms of your argument. There are many ways that you can revise your essay, but if you are worried that you are not putting across the strong points you had earlier in the essay you may want to write a revision note.