Edexcel A Level Spanish (9SP0) — Paper 2, Section B: Written response to works (literary texts)
Teacher Guide: The Literary Essay — La casa de Bernarda Alba
What the mark scheme rewards, what examiners criticise, and every Bernarda Alba question from 2018 to 2025
This guide is based on the Paper 2 question papers, mark schemes and Principal Examiner reports for all eight series from June 2018 to June 2025, saved in Spanish/A Level/Past Papers. References such as (QP 2019), (MS 2023) and (ER 2024) mean the question paper, mark scheme and examiner report for that series. The 2020 paper was sat in October 2020 (its cover says June 2020) and the 2021 paper in the autumn; both are referred to here simply as 2020 and 2021. Everything in Sections 1–3 comes from those documents. The classifications and counts in Section 3 are our own analysis of them. The teaching suggestions in Section 4 are ours and do not come from Pearson.
1. The task
1.1 Paper 2 at a glance
Paper 2 (Written response to works and translation) lasts 2 hours 40 minutes and is worth 120 marks (QP 2018–2025).
Section A is a translation into Spanish worth 20 marks. Pearson recommends 30 minutes for it (QP 2018–2025).
Sections B and C are the two essays. Each essay is worth 50 marks, so the two together are worth 100 of the 120 marks: “TOTAL FOR SECTIONS B AND C = 100 MARKS” (QP 2022). Section B covers 13 literary texts (Questions 2–14) and Section C 12 films (Questions 15–26). La casa de Bernarda Alba has been Question 9 in all eight papers.
Pearson gives no recommended time for each essay. Taking away the 30 minutes for Section A leaves 2 hours 10 minutes, which is about 65 minutes per essay. This is our arithmetic, not Pearson guidance.
“Dictionaries are not allowed in this examination. Copies of works are not allowed in this examination” (QP 2018–2025). Every quotation has to come from memory.
1.2 Choice rules
“You must answer two questions from Sections B and C – this means either two questions from Section B or one question from Section B and one question from Section C” (QP 2018–2025).
The answer booklet fixes the order: the first essay must be one question from Section B; the second is one question from either Section B or Section C. “Your second question must NOT be on the same literary text as your first question” (QP 2018–2025).
Each text offers two questions, (a) EITHER and (b) OR. Students answer one of them. If a student answers both questions on the same work, “only one would be considered for marking” (ER 2021); “candidates are not allowed to answer questions on two separate films” (ER 2022).
Students must tick the right question box and write each essay in its own section, “even when both questions are on texts instead of a text and a film” (ER 2022, 2023, 2025).
Essays are written in Spanish: “Respond to TWO questions in Spanish” (QP 2022–2025).
1.3 Word count
Every paper says: “Write between 300 and 350 words for questions in Section B and Section C” (QP 2018–2025).
The mark scheme explains why, and what happens if students go over: “It is recommended that, in order to give a detailed analysis of the work, students write between 300-350 words for each essay. This is sufficient for students to give relevant, justified points of view, arguments and conclusions with evidence from the work. The whole essay will be marked regardless of length” (MS 2018, 2020–2025).
Examiners say long essays do not help: “some essays were five pages which often led to more mistakes and rambling sentences. Very rarely were the extra-long essays of a higher quality” (ER 2022; the same point in ER 2023 and 2025). A 2024 top-band essay “exemplifies how a candidate does not need to write an extensive essay in order to achieve the top bands” (ER 2024, Volver). Too short is also a problem: “Essays that were too short were difficult to award high marks due to lack of content” (ER 2025).
1.4 How each essay is marked
Three separate grids are applied to every essay, “once for each essay individually” (MS 2018–2025):
| Grid | Assessment objective | Marks | What it rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical and analytical response | AO4 | 20 | Responding critically and analytically to the aspect of the work named in the question: “select relevant material, present and justify points of view, develop arguments, draw conclusions based on understanding and evaluate issues, themes and cultural and social contexts” |
| Range of grammatical structures and vocabulary | AO3 | 20 | Variety of grammar, vocabulary and terminology for literary analysis, producing “articulate written communication with a range of expression” |
| Accuracy of language | AO3 | 10 | Applying grammar and syntax accurately; judged by how often errors occur and how much they affect clarity |
| Total per essay | 50 | Content (AO4) is 20 of the 50 marks; language (AO3) is 30 of the 50 |
Source: MS 2018–2025. We compared the grid wording in MS 2018 and MS 2025 and it is identical.
How examiners use the grids. They read the whole essay, choose the band that fits best, then place the mark high or low in the band: “if the response is predominantly band 5–8 with a small amount of band 9–12 material, it would be placed in band 5–8 but be awarded a mark near the top of the band” (MS 2018–2025). The indicative content for each question “is not exhaustive. Students should be rewarded for any valid response” (MS 2018–2025).
The grids are independent. “Language does not have to be perfect in order to demonstrate a good critical response. Similarly, there were instances where language was very good but the question was not answered” (ER 2018, 2019). A 2020 Bernarda Alba essay was placed at the bottom of the top band for AO4 but in the 3–4 band for accuracy (ER 2020).
1.5 The band descriptors in summary
Critical and analytical response (AO4), 20 marks
| Band | Analysis and evidence | Arguments and conclusions | Focus on the question |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | Convincing interpretations, “consistently justified with appropriately selected evidence” | Detailed, logical; conclusions “consistently link together” | “Relevant response to the question throughout” |
| 13–16 | Critical analysis “frequently demonstrated”; evidence “predominantly” appropriate | Generally detailed; “some persuasive conclusions that mostly link together” | “Predominantly relevant” |
| 9–12 | Critical analysis of “particular aspects of the question”; evidence “sometimes” appropriate | Logical on particular aspects; “some points are made without exploration” | “occasional loss of focus” |
| 5–8 | Attempts at interpretation, some misunderstanding; evidence “often descriptive” | Arguments “with inconsistencies”; conclusions do not fully link | “often loses focus” |
| 1–4 | “simplistic justification”; frequent misunderstanding; evidence descriptive | “Limited ability to form arguments or draw conclusions” | “limited focus on the question” |
Range of grammatical structures and vocabulary (AO3), 20 marks
| Band | Grammar | Vocabulary | Literary terminology |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | Consistent variation, including complex language; “consistently articulate” | Consistently varied; ideas conveyed “in a variety of different ways” | Consistent |
| 13–16 | Frequent variation, different types of complex language; articulate for most of the essay | Frequently varied | Frequent |
| 9–12 | Some variation, “some recurrent examples of complex language”; occasionally stilted | Some variation, not sustained | Some |
| 5–8 | Mostly straightforward; infrequent complex language; sometimes stilted | Mostly high frequency; frequently repetitive | Occasional |
| 1–4 | Straightforward, much repetition; restricted and stilted | Limited, repetitive | Limited |
Accuracy of language (AO3), 10 marks
| Band | Descriptor (summary) |
|---|---|
| 9–10 | Accurate throughout, consistently coherent; “Any errors do not hinder clarity of communication” |
| 7–8 | Accurate through most of the essay; errors “rarely hinder clarity” |
| 5–6 | Frequent accurate sequences, generally coherent; errors “occasionally hinder clarity” |
| 3–4 | Some accurate sequences; errors sometimes hinder clarity and occasionally prevent meaning |
| 1–2 | Limited accurate sequences; errors “often prevent meaning being conveyed” |
Source: MS 2018–2025.
Key definitions in the mark scheme (MS 2018–2025):
Complex language includes “conceptually challenging tenses such as the pluperfect, future perfect”, the passive, the subjunctive, relative pronouns, “extended sentences to express abstract ideas/convey justified arguments”, synonyms and varied expressions, and all A Level-specific grammar.
Terminology for literary analysis means “vocabulary for critical analysis according to the work being studied, for example ‘plot’, ‘character’; figures of speech such as ‘metaphor’, ‘similes’”.
Articulate writing means students “say what they want to say rather than what they can say”.
Errors that prevent meaning include “errors that make it unclear who is carrying out the action, for example using the incorrect person of the verb” and “mother-tongue interference”. Gender and adjective agreement errors are listed as errors that do not hinder clarity, provided they are infrequent. “Students are not expected to produce perfect, error-free writing in order to access the top band”.
2. What examiners are looking for
The points below come up again and again in the eight examiner reports. Section 3.8 counts how many reports mention each one.
2.1 Answer the exact question, all of it
“In some cases the question was partially understood or only one aspect of it was addressed in the answer. The best pieces remained those which dealt with the precise question posed” (ER 2022). “Misinterpretation or partial understanding of questions affected the quality of some responses; it is important that candidates read the questions carefully and identify all the aspects to be considered” (ER 2025).
Pre-learnt paragraphs do not work: “There are still some candidates who seem to have learnt certain specific topics for some works/films and they try to include a paragraph on that topic, even if it does not match the question” (ER 2023).
Bernarda Alba examples. 2024 (b) asked how Lorca uses colours to show the characters’ feelings. The exemplar essay wrote about what the colours mean and about Bernarda’s repression, which was “not necessarily linked to how colours represent the feelings of the characters” and “not fully relevant to the question” (AO4 9–12, ER 2024). In 2021, an essay on motherhood used evidence about “different symbols around Adela’s passion, youth and disobedience” instead of motherhood (ER 2021).
Every report from 2019 on repeats the tip to copy the question at the top of the answer: “Some students choose to copy the question as a title for their essay to remind them of what they are being asked” (ER 2019–2025). “Ask yourself: Am I answering the question? – if not, you are probably losing focus” (ER 2023, 2024, 2025).
2.2 Analyse; don’t retell the story
“Responses that focused on the analysis and the how and the why, rather than who and what, showed more evaluation and less description, thus scoring the most marks” (ER 2022; almost the same words in ER 2023).
“In order to illustrate, a certain amount of narration and description is required but an essay which consists only of the latter will not score highly” (ER 2022). “Some still relied too heavily on summary rather than interpretation” (ER 2025).
“Avoid including unnecessary descriptions, telling the story, or giving details that are not relevant to the questions” (ER 2020–2025, paper summaries).
2.3 Use evidence, and explain it
“Each piece of evidence should be appropriately explained, so the reader does not have to infer the reasons why that example or quote has been chosen” (ER 2019, 2020, 2021).
Quotations must be real and accurate: “Direct, appropriate quotations can be a useful form of illustration but too many of these were inaccurate, meaningless, or even invented” (ER 2022).
Quotations are not compulsory: “Evidence does not need to be direct quotes, but if examples are selected, they need to be relevant, and candidates should avoid storytelling” (ER 2023). “Use specific quotes or scene references to support points. Always explain and evaluate the evidence—don’t just insert quotes” (ER 2025).
Facts must be right. A 2019 Bernarda Alba essay lost credit because “it Martirio, not Adela who cannot marry Enrique Humanes” [sic] (ER 2019). “Avoid factual errors about the book/film (characters, events, etc.)” (ER 2025).
2.4 Structure: introduction, paragraphs, conclusion
“The most successful candidates presented a mention of the two or three points they would develop in the introduction, organised each point as a separate paragraph, and linked back to the question at the end of each section. The conclusion answered the question directly and brought both, or all three, elements together” (ER 2022, 2023).
The paragraph pattern examiners recommend: “each paragraph should state the argument at the start, followed by the relevant evidence and explanation and with an evaluation phrase that links the argument back to the question” (ER 2020–2025). In 2025 they name it: “the PEEL method (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link)” (ER 2025).
Introductions: several Bernarda Alba exemplars were criticised because the introduction gave background without saying how the question would be answered (ER 2019, 2023, 2024). “Sometimes introductions were too long and gave unnecessary information” (ER 2025).
Conclusions: do not add new ideas. A 2020 Bernarda Alba essay “closed with an unclear statement about how the tragedy could have been avoided, relating it to the colour of the walls, which is not relevant to the question and brings in new ideas” (ER 2020). A 2024 essay had no conclusion at all, although one is “highly recommended” (ER 2024). A good conclusion “is not simply another way of paraphrasing what has already been stated in the introduction” (ER 2018).
2.5 Plan in Spanish
The 2018 Bernarda Alba exemplar was chosen “to illustrate how a well-thought plan, which is written in the target language, can help students to structure the essay”. “The bonus of writing this plan in the target language means that complex language and structures, as well as literary terms, are also planned” (ER 2018).
“It was very useful to see in some cases candidates who, next to their essay plan, had prepared a list of expressions/vocabulary/tenses that they followed when writing the essay” (ER 2023).
Crossing out planning pages is “unnecessary” (ER 2022, 2025), although ER 2023 said “It would be preferable that candidates cross off their plan once they finish their essay”. Leaving space between paragraphs to add ideas works better than adding material at the end of the paper (ER 2022, 2023).
2.6 Evaluate: weigh up, and you may disagree
From 2024 the indicative content for Evalúa questions opens with “Students need to evaluate…” and usually sets out both sides: “It could be said that… It could also be said that…” (MS 2024, 2025). For 2024 9(a) it gives arguments for both Adela and María Josefa; for 2025 9(a) arguments that La Poncia’s advice was and was not a good idea.
Students can reject the premise if they argue it well. In 2022 9(a) (Evalúa si la casa es el símbolo que mejor representa los temas principales), the exemplar concluded that “the house is not the symbol that best represents the themes in the play, instead Bernarda’s walking stick is more effective” and scored in the top band for AO4 (ER 2022). The 2022 indicative content itself lists “other symbols such as the walking stick, heat, the use of black and white, water” (MS 2022).
“It was pleasing to see the level of evaluation demonstrated by candidates where the question involved a dual element of analysis, for example, love vs tradition, or weighing up the importance or effect of two themes or characters” (ER 2022).
2.7 Context: Lorca is not writing about Franco
This mistake appears in three reports. “It is important for candidates to remember that Lorca did not intentionally attempt to portray the Francoist dictatorship as he was killed before Franco took power” (ER 2022, on Bodas de sangre).
On Bernarda Alba: “there is evidence of a slight confusion by comparing Bernarda to Franco as the play is set before the dictatorship; this is not an uncommon mistake and candidates should be very careful when researching the social context of the play” (ER 2024). Again in 2025: “it implies how Bernarda represents the Franco regime, however the play is set before the civil war and therefore Franco was not in power yet” (ER 2025).
Relevant context is rewarded: “Have a clear understanding of the wider context of the text/film; most of the set works have deeply political or social connotations which will always be relevant to any question” (ER 2022–2025). But “any information given should be clearly linked to the question” (ER 2023).
2.8 Language
Range of tenses: “There are still several students not showing progression from AS as they have conjugated the entire response in the present tense” (ER 2018, 2019, 2020).
“Develop a bank of complex structures to use, including a variety of synonyms to avoid repetition and achieve variety” (ER 2022–2025). But do not force it: one student used “a complex structure from a pre-learned formula (imperfect subjunctive + conditional); students need to be careful to avoid using phrases as such this, that do not add to their answer just for the sake of including complex language” (ER 2020).
Literary terminology is what most often held Bernarda Alba essays back on the range grid. In five of the ten Bernarda Alba exemplars the examiners say terminology was infrequent or should have been more consistent (ER 2019, 2023, 2024 twice, 2025).
Examiners praised this Bernarda Alba vocabulary in top-band work: cerrado a cal y canto, hacer un guiño, tan palpable desprecio, cabeza de la casa, tono amenazador, minar la moral, desacredita, decidir reprimirla, privándolas, pudientes (ER 2023).
Common accuracy problems: missing accents, “even for the preterit tense or the conditional”, gender and agreement, pronouns, and misspelled English cognates (ER 2023). Handwriting was raised in 2022, 2023 and 2025: “Assessors cannot guess at what might be written” (ER 2022, 2023).
The examiners’ own summary of a good essay (ER 2025): “Linked directly to the essay question, with well-supported analysis using textual/film evidence. Followed a clear structure, often using the PEEL method … Included well-planned introductions and conclusions … Used literary and cinematic terminology effectively … Showed awareness of social and historical context.” |
3. Patterns from 2018 to 2025
3.1 Every Bernarda Alba question
All sixteen questions, quoted in full from the question papers. The focus column is our classification.
| Series | Option | Question (QP) | Focus (our classification) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 9(a) | Examina de qué manera los personajes luchan por su libertad en la obra. | Theme: freedom (characters in general) |
| 2018 | 9(b) | Analiza el simbolismo usado para representar el tema de la represión en la obra. | Technique: symbolism (theme: repression) |
| 2019 | 9(a) | Evalúa hasta qué punto el miedo afecta las decisiones de los personajes. | Theme: fear (characters in general) |
| 2019 | 9(b) | Analiza el efecto en el público de la estructura dramática de la obra. | Technique: structure; effect on audience |
| 2020 | 9(a) | Analiza cómo presenta el autor el contexto social a través del personaje de Bernarda. | Character: Bernarda (social context) |
| 2020 | 9(b) | Evalúa cómo la atracción sexual afecta a los personajes de la obra. | Theme: desire / sexual attraction |
| 2021 | 9(a) | Analiza cómo se muestra en la obra la importancia del dinero en la sociedad de la época. | Theme: money / social class (social context) |
| 2021 | 9(b) | Analiza cómo los personajes nos ayudan a entender el tema de la maternidad en la obra. | Theme: motherhood / women’s roles |
| 2022 | 9(a) | Evalúa si la casa es el símbolo que mejor representa los temas principales de la obra. | Technique: symbolism and setting (the house) |
| 2022 | 9(b) | Analiza la importancia del papel de la Poncia en la familia de Bernarda. | Character: La Poncia |
| 2023 | 9(a) | Analiza la forma en que Lorca presenta el tema de la violencia en la obra. | Theme: violence |
| 2023 | 9(b) | Analiza la importancia de las acotaciones escénicas usadas por Lorca. | Technique: stage directions |
| 2024 | 9(a) | Evalúa quién ejemplifica mejor el tema de la represión y sus efectos: Adela o María Josefa. | Character comparison: Adela v María Josefa (theme: repression) |
| 2024 | 9(b) | Analiza cómo usa Lorca los colores para representar los sentimientos de los personajes. | Technique: colour |
| 2025 | 9(a) | Evalúa el consejo que La Poncia da a Adela sobre su relación con Pepe. | Character: La Poncia (and Adela, Pepe); one specific moment |
| 2025 | 9(b) | Analiza la presentación que hace Lorca de los hombres en la sociedad de la época. | Theme: men / gender roles (social context) |
Source: QP 2018–2025, Question 9.
3.2 What the questions focus on
Each question is counted once, by its main focus (our classification):
| Main focus | Count (of 16) | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| A theme | 7 | freedom 2018a; fear 2019a; sexual attraction 2020b; money 2021a; motherhood 2021b; violence 2023a; men in society 2025b |
| A dramatic technique | 5 | symbolism 2018b; dramatic structure 2019b; the house as symbol 2022a; stage directions 2023b; colour 2024b |
| One or two named characters | 4 | Bernarda 2020a; La Poncia 2022b; Adela v María Josefa 2024a; La Poncia’s advice to Adela 2025a |
Five of the eight papers had one technique question (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024). The other three (2020, 2021, 2025) offered only theme and character questions. Students cannot rely on a technique question being there, or on avoiding one.
Repression is the only theme named twice (2018b, 2024a). Every other theme has been named once. Themes you might expect, such as honour and reputation, religion, death or the ending, have never been the named focus of a Bernarda Alba question. The indicative content shows that they still feed into other questions: reputation for 2019a and 2020a, honour for 2022a and 2025a, religion for 2020a and 2021a (MS 2019–2025).
Social context is named in 3 of the 16 questions (contexto social 2020a; la sociedad de la época 2021a, 2025b). Across all Section B texts, 32 of the 208 questions (15%) contain sociedad, época or contexto (QP 2018–2025).
Characters named in the question: La Poncia 2, Adela 2, Bernarda 1 (plus la familia de Bernarda in 2022b), María Josefa 1, Pepe 1. Five questions say only los personajes (2018a, 2019a, 2020b, 2021b, 2024b) and one los hombres (2025b). Martirio, Angustias, Magdalena and Amelia have never been named.
Since 2022 the questions are more specific. 2018–2021 mostly used broad theme or technique questions; from 2022 there are named characters (La Poncia twice), an either/or choice between two characters (2024a) and a single moment in the play (2025a).
No Bernarda Alba question quotes the play. None of the 208 Section B questions from 2018 to 2025 contains a quotation from the work (QP 2018–2025).
3.3 Which characters Pearson expects students to use
The indicative content in the mark schemes lists points students might make. Counting how many of the 16 questions mention each character there shows who comes up most (our count, MS 2018–2025):
| Character | Questions (of 16) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bernarda | 15 | All except 2025a |
| Adela | 12 | Every year |
| María Josefa | 8 | 2018 (both), 2019a, 2020b, 2021b, 2023a, 2024 (both) |
| Angustias | 8 | Often through money and marriage to Pepe |
| Pepe el Romano | 6 | “Men are heard but never seen” (MS 2025) |
| La Poncia | 5 | 2019a, 2021b, 2022b, 2025 (both) |
| Martirio | 4 | 2019a, 2020 (both), 2022b |
| Adelaida | 3 | 2021b, 2023a, 2025b |
| Magdalena / la hija de la Librada | 2 each | Magdalena 2021a, 2022b; la Librada’s daughter 2020a, 2023a |
| Paca la Roseta, Enrique Humanes, Maximiliano | 1 each | All in 2020 |
| Amelia | 0 |
3.4 Command words
Bernarda Alba (16 questions): Analiza 10, Evalúa 5, Examina 1, Explica 0. Hasta qué punto appears once, inside an Evalúa question (2019a). Every paper has had at most one Evalúa option for Bernarda Alba, and 2021 and 2023 had two Analiza options.
All Section B texts (208 questions, 13 texts × 2 options × 8 papers):
| Series | Analiza | Evalúa | Examina | Explica | Evalúa as % of 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 31% |
| 2019 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 38% |
| 2020 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 27% |
| 2021 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 31% |
| 2022 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 46% |
| 2023 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 42% |
| 2024 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 38% |
| 2025 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 50% |
| Total | 111 (53%) | 79 (38%) | 14 (7%) | 4 (2%) |
Source: QP 2018–2025, Section B. Our count of the first word of each question.
Since 2023 only two command words have been used: Analiza and Evalúa. Examina was last used in 2020 and Explica in 2022.
The share of Evalúa questions has risen, from 31% in 2018 to 50% in 2025.
“¿Hasta qué punto…?” has never been used as a stand-alone question. The phrase hasta qué punto appears inside 18 questions: 15 Evalúa hasta qué punto…, 2 Examina hasta qué punto… (2018, 2019) and 1 Analiza hasta qué punto… (2022).
How the 79 Evalúa questions are worded: Evalúa + noun (la importancia de…, el efecto de…, el consejo…) 28; Evalúa hasta qué punto… 15; Evalúa si… 15; Evalúa quién… 6; Evalúa cómo… 5; Evalúa qué… 4; Evalúa cuál… 4; Evalúa cuáles… 1; Evalúa por qué… 1. Seven questions give two named options after a colon, e.g. …: Adela o María Josefa (2024 9a). Only one question in eight years says en tu opinión (2023, Bodas de sangre).
3.5 How popular Bernarda Alba is
Bernarda Alba was the most popular literary text in every one of the eight reports: “the most popular text” (ER 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021); “by far the most popular” (ER 2022, 2023); “the second most popular question and the most popular text” (ER 2024, 2025).
Which option students chose: 2022, option (a) (the house as symbol) “was chosen by a significantly higher number”; 2023, option (a) (violence) “significantly higher”; 2024, “over double the students chose option (a)” (Adela v María Josefa); 2025, “a significant number of candidates chose option (b)” (men in society). The reports for 2018–2021 do not say.
Across all texts, examiners say students prefer character questions and avoid technique questions: “Candidates favoured questions focused on characters and were more successful in character analysis questions than thematic-based questions. As in previous series, questions based on stylistic techniques were less popular and generally less well answered” (ER 2022). The 2023 stage-directions exemplar was chosen because this kind of question “is usually avoided by candidates” (ER 2023).
3.6 What the reports say about Bernarda Alba answers
Every report (8 of 8) has a Question 9 section. Between them they include ten exemplar Bernarda Alba essays with marks and commentary (one a year from 2018 to 2023, two a year in 2024 and 2025). The 2023 report also mentions Bernarda Alba twice in its general comments (the vocabulary list in 2.8, and women’s oppression as an example of good use of the author’s purpose).
| Report | Essay | Marks awarded | Main comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| ER 2018 | 9(b) symbolism of repression | AO4 top band; range top band | Plan in Spanish; introduction names the symbols (house, walking stick, black); conclusion analyses rather than repeats |
| ER 2019 | 9(a) fear | AO4 bottom of top band; range “top band (13-16)” [sic]; accuracy 7–8 | Introduction did not show how the question would be answered; factual slip (Martirio, not Adela, and Enrique Humanes); terminology “not so frequent” |
| ER 2020 | 9(a) social context through Bernarda | AO4 bottom of 17–20; range “top band (13-16)” [sic]; accuracy 3–4 | Clear two-argument plan and paragraphs; conclusion brought in an irrelevant new idea (colour of the walls) |
| ER 2021 | 9(b) motherhood | AO4 middle of 13–16; range top of 13–16; accuracy 5–6 | Evidence on Adela and María Josefa not linked to motherhood until the end of the paragraph |
| ER 2022 | 9(a) the house as symbol | AO4 top band; range top of 13–16; accuracy 5–6 | Argued the walking stick is the better symbol and scored top band; “a lack of complex structures”; errors such as la tema, los paredes, bares for barras |
| ER 2023 | 9(b) stage directions | AO4 towards bottom of top band; range top of 13–16; accuracy 7–8 | Each paragraph ends with an evaluation linking to the question; could use terminology more consistently |
| ER 2024 | 9(a) Adela v María Josefa | AO4 13–16; range top of 13–16; accuracy 7–8 | Introduction gave background but not the approach; compared Bernarda to Franco; terminology could be more consistent |
| ER 2024 | 9(b) colours | AO4 9–12; range 5–8; accuracy 5–6 | Wrote about what colours mean, not the characters’ feelings; no conclusion; mostly straightforward language |
| ER 2025 | Men in society (labelled 9a) | AO4 13–16; range bottom of 17–20; accuracy 7–8 | Two viewpoints set out in the introduction; implied Bernarda represents the Franco regime |
| ER 2025 | 9(b) men in society | AO4 9–12; range 5–8; accuracy 3–4 | Points “not explicitly linked to the question”; examples not explained; language gets in the way |
Source: ER 2018–2025, Question 9 sections. The 2025 report labels its first Bernarda Alba exemplar 9(a), but the commentary describes an essay on men in society, which was question 9(b).
What comes up most in the ten Bernarda Alba exemplars (our count):
| Point made by the examiner | Exemplars | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Literary terminology infrequent or should be more consistent | 5 | 2019, 2023, 2024 (×2), 2025 |
| Evidence or argument not linked to the question / loss of focus | 4 | 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025 |
| Introduction gives background but not the line of argument | 3 | 2019, 2023, 2024 |
| Plan praised (in Spanish, or leading to a clear structure) | 3 | 2018, 2020, 2022 |
| Bernarda / the play wrongly linked to Franco | 2 | 2024, 2025 |
| Conclusion problem (new idea, or no conclusion) | 2 | 2020, 2024 |
| Factual error about the play | 1 | 2019 |
3.7 Evidence Pearson itself uses
The indicative content quotes the play for every Bernarda Alba question. These are the quotations Pearson used, grouped by topic. They are printed exactly as in the mark schemes; students should check them against the class edition before learning them.
| Quotation (as printed in the mark scheme) | Speaker / context given in MS | MS |
|---|---|---|
| “Esto hago yo con la vara de la dominadora” | Adela breaks Bernarda’s cane | 2018 |
| “¡Nos hundiremos todas en un mar de luto!” | Bernarda after Adela’s death | 2018 |
| “En esta casa no hay un sí ni un no. Mi vigilancia lo puede todo” | Bernarda; the house and power | 2022 |
| “no ha de entrar en esta casa el viento de la calle” | The house as isolation | 2022 |
| “Así pasó en casa de mi padre y en casa de mi abuelo” | Mourning as family tradition | 2022 |
| “hilo y aguja para las hembras. Látigo y mula para el varón” | Bernarda; gender roles | 2020 |
| “Las mujeres en la iglesia no deben mirar más hombre que al oficiante” | Bernarda; men and women kept apart | 2020, 2025 |
| “Mi sangre no se junta con la de los Humanes” | Bernarda; social class | 2020 |
| “Los pobres son como los animales” | Bernarda; money and class | 2021 |
| “¡El dinero lo puede todo!” | Magdalena on Angustias’ wedding | 2021 |
| “De parte de los hombres esta bolsa de dineros para responsos” | Money, religion and men | 2021, 2025 |
| “Los hombres necesitan estas cosas” | La Poncia; double standard | 2021, 2022, 2025 |
| “quiero vivir en casa decente” | La Poncia | 2021, 2025 |
| “¡Mandona! ¡Dominanta!” | La Poncia on Bernarda | 2022 |
| “este luto me ha cogido en la peor época de mi vida para pasarlo” | Adela; repression | 2018, 2024 |
| “¡Mañana me pondré mi vestido verde y me echaré a pasear por la calle! ¡Yo quiero salir!” | Adela; green, freedom | 2024 |
| “¿Es éste el abanico que se da a una viuda?” | Adela’s coloured fan for Bernarda | 2024 |
| “Nadie podrá evitar que suceda lo que tiene que suceder” | Adela; desire for Pepe | 2025 |
| “este fuego que tengo levantado por piernas y boca” | Adela; desire | 2020 |
| “Me escapé porque me quiero casar” | María Josefa | 2018, 2024 |
| “Yo quiero casas, pero casas abiertas” | María Josefa; the ideal house | 2018, 2024 |
| “aunque quisiera verte como hermana no te miro ya más que como mujer” | Martirio to Adela | 2020 |
| “Habitación blanquísima”; “Cuatro paredes blancas ligeramente azuladas” | Stage directions; white | 2023; 2024 |
| “¡Matadla! ¡Matadla!” | La Librada’s daughter; violence | 2023 |
Source: MS 2018–2025, indicative content for Question 9. The years show every mark scheme that uses the quotation.
3.8 What the reports criticise in Section B essays generally
How many of the eight examiner reports (2018–2025) make each point about Section B and C essays (our count):
| Point | Reports (of 8) | Which |
|---|---|---|
| Answer the exact question / read it carefully / don’t answer a slightly different one | 8 | 2018–2025 |
| Too much narrative or description; don’t retell the story | 8 | 2018–2025 |
| Evidence missing, not explained, or not relevant | 8 | 2018–2025 |
| Plan the essay (in Spanish) | 8 | 2018–2025 |
| Introduction and conclusion that link to the question; one argument per paragraph | 8 | 2018–2025 |
| Copy or re-write the question at the top | 8 | 2018–2025 |
| Check accuracy / proofread | 8 | 2018–2025 |
| Build a bank of complex structures and synonyms | 4 | 2022–2025 |
| Understand the wider political and social context | 4 | 2022–2025 |
| Whole essay written in the present tense | 3 | 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| Lorca wrongly linked to Franco | 3 | 2022, 2024, 2025 |
| Over-long essays (five pages) make more mistakes and ramble | 3 | 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| Poor handwriting | 3 | 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| Technique (stylistic) questions avoided or less well answered | 2 | 2022, 2023 |
| Pre-learnt material that does not fit the question | 2 | 2020, 2023 |
| Two answers on the same work: only one is marked | 2 | 2021, 2022 |
Source: ER 2018–2025, introductions to Sections B and C, question comments and paper summaries.
4. How to support students
These are our suggestions. Each one is aimed at a problem shown in Sections 2 and 3.
4.1 An exam routine for the essay (about 65 minutes)
Choose (2–3 minutes). Read both options. Underline every part of the question (e.g. represión and sus efectos; los colores for los sentimientos). Pick the one you can answer with three arguments and evidence, not the one on your favourite topic.
Copy the question at the top of the answer space (ER 2019–2025).
Plan in Spanish (8–10 minutes). Three arguments, each with one or two pieces of evidence, a link phrase back to the question, and two or three complex structures you will use. For Evalúa, decide your final answer before you write.
Write (40–45 minutes). Introduction that names the two or three arguments; one PEEL paragraph per argument; a conclusion that answers the question directly and adds nothing new. Aim for 300–350 words.
Check (5–8 minutes). Accents on preterites and conditionals, gender and agreement, who is doing each action, and “Am I answering the question?”
4.2 Teaching the two command words
| Command word | What it needs | Model shape (our suggestion) |
|---|---|---|
| Analiza | Explain how and why Lorca presents something, with evidence. Evaluation still earns credit (the AO4 grid rewards conclusions for every question). | Intro: three ways Lorca shows X. Paragraphs: technique/character → evidence → effect → link. Conclusion: which way matters most and why. |
| Evalúa (+ noun, si, hasta qué punto) | Weigh up. Give arguments on both sides and reach a clear judgement. Pearson’s indicative content from 2024 usually sets out two sides. | Intro: state your judgement. Two paragraphs for, one against (or the reverse). Conclusion: judgement with the main reason. |
| Evalúa quién / cuál… : X o Y | Compare two named options and choose. You may conclude both, if you argue it (ER 2022 on Bodas de sangre). | Paragraph on X, paragraph on Y, paragraph comparing them directly. Conclusion: which, and why. |
| Evalúa si X es el mejor / más importante | You may argue that something else is better (top band in ER 2022). | Case for X, case for an alternative, judgement. |
4.3 Covering the play so no question is a surprise
Prepare evidence under three headings matching Section 3.2: themes (at least freedom, repression, fear, desire, money and class, motherhood and women’s roles, men, violence, honour and reputation, religion, death), characters (Bernarda, Adela, La Poncia, María Josefa, Martirio, Angustias, Pepe el Romano and the unseen men), and techniques (symbols such as the house, the cane, colours, water and heat; the structure of the three acts; stage directions).
For each character, prepare two or three arguments and two quotations, not a plot summary. The 2025 question on one piece of advice (La Poncia to Adela) shows questions can target a single scene.
Build a quotation grid: rows are quotations, columns are themes, characters and techniques. Many quotations serve several questions; “Los hombres necesitan estas cosas” has been used by Pearson for motherhood, La Poncia and men (MS 2021, 2022, 2025).
Teach the context accurately: the play was written in 1936, Lorca was killed in 1936 “before Franco took power” (ER 2022), and the play is set in rural Andalusia before the Civil War (ER 2025). Students can discuss rural society, class, religion, honour and the position of women without linking Bernarda to Franco.
Give technique questions extra time. They come up in most years (5 of 8), students avoid them, and examiners note that “An essay on stylistic techniques usually lends itself to a varied range of vocabulary and terminology for cinematic analysis” (ER 2022, on a film), which suggests the same benefit for the AO3 range grid with a play.
4.4 Evidence
Short quotations (5–10 words) learnt word-perfect are safer than long ones. Invented or garbled quotations are specifically criticised (ER 2022). A precise reference to a moment (Adela breaking the cane, the coloured fan) also counts as evidence (ER 2023).
Train the “so what?” sentence after every quotation: what it shows and how it answers the question. Mark any quotation with no explanation as unfinished.
Use the mark schemes’ indicative content (Section 3.7) as a model of how Pearson turns a quotation into a point.
4.5 Language for the two AO3 grids
Give students a phrase bank taken from the reports, for example: esto demuestra que, el autor quiere mostrar que, esto sugiere que, esto simboliza, cabe destacar, a través de, a lo largo de la obra, no cabe duda de que, se podría decir que, es necesario que consideremos, no solo… sino también, convendría subrayar, esto se refleja en (ER 2020, 2022, 2023, 2025).
Literary terminology for drama: la obra teatral, el dramaturgo, las acotaciones, el acto, el desenlace, el escenario, el personaje, el símbolo, la metáfora, el presagio, la estructura circular (several of these appear in exemplars praised in ER 2018–2024). Set a target of one term per paragraph.
Practise one evaluative si-clause per essay, of the kind examiners quoted from a 2023 top-band Bernarda Alba essay: “si Lorca no hubiera usado las acotaciones para describir el tipo de abanico que Adela da a Bernarda, sus lectores no habrían podido entender ni el personaje verdadero de Adela, ni el alcance de su rebelión” (ER 2023). It should support an argument, not be added for show (ER 2020).
Vary tenses: use the preterite and imperfect for events, the present for analysis, the pluperfect and conditional perfect for evaluation (ER 2018–2020 criticised all-present essays).
4.6 Classroom activities
Question dissection: give students all 16 past questions (Section 3.1). They underline each part of the question and write one sentence saying what a top-band answer must include.
Introduction only: 10 minutes to write just the introduction to an unseen question, naming three arguments. Compare with the ER criticism that introductions give background but not the approach.
Mark with the grids: students mark an anonymised essay on all three grids separately, then compare with the examiner commentary in the reports (Section 3.6).
Fact check: give a paragraph containing a factual error (e.g. wrong daughter, Bernarda as Franco) and ask students to find and correct it.
Timed essays: at least one full 65-minute essay under exam conditions each half term in Year 13, with no text in the room.
Practice questions on areas that have not yet been the named focus (not a prediction): Analiza la importancia del tema del honor en la obra; Evalúa el papel de Martirio en el desenlace; Analiza cómo presenta Lorca la religión en la sociedad de la época; Evalúa si Pepe el Romano es el personaje más importante aunque nunca aparece en escena; Analiza el significado del final de la obra. These are our own questions written in Pearson’s style.
5. Materials
| File | Use |
|---|---|
| Past Papers / Paper 2 – [series] – Question Paper | Question 9 for all 8 series; the cover page and answer-booklet pages state the choice rules and word count |
| Past Papers / Paper 2 – [series] – Mark Scheme | The three assessment grids (pages 8–12 or so) and the Question 9 indicative content, including Pearson’s quotations (Section 3.7) |
| Past Papers / Paper 2 – [series] – Examiner Report | Question 9 commentary and exemplar essays with the marks awarded on each grid (Section 3.6), plus general advice on Sections B and C |
| This guide | Section 3.1 as a question bank; Section 3.7 as a starting quotation list; Section 4.2 for essay shapes |
Pearson’s reports also point students to the “Literature Glossary and the ‘How to Analyse a Film or a Text’ guides which can be found on the Spanish A Level pages on the Pearson’s website” (ER 2019, 2020). These are not saved in the Past Papers folder.