AP Spanish Language and Culture · Exam guide
AP Spanish Language Toolkit: Circumlocution, Connectors and Register
Three skills lift your score on the essay, the presentation and the recorded questions: saying what you mean when a word does not come, linking your ideas, and choosing the right level of formality. This guide gives you phrases to practice until they are automatic.
Circumlocution: talking around a missing word
| Strategy | Phrase to use |
|---|---|
| Describe what it is for | Es algo que se usa para... |
| Compare | Es como un... pero más grande. |
| Give the opposite | Es lo contrario de... |
| Describe a person | Es una persona que trabaja en... |
| Correct yourself | Mejor dicho,... or Quiero decir que... |
Example: you cannot recall the word for "drought". Say: "la falta de lluvia durante mucho tiempo, que daña las cosechas." The listener understands, and you keep your fluency.
Connectors: linking your ideas
| Purpose | Connector |
|---|---|
| Add | además, también |
| Contrast | sin embargo, no obstante, en cambio |
| Concede | aunque, a pesar de que |
| Show a result | por consiguiente, por eso |
| Order | primero, luego, por un lado... por otro lado |
| Conclude | en definitiva, en conclusión |
A connector marks the relationship between two ideas, so use the one that matches the relationship. Using "sin embargo" between two ideas that agree is worse than using none.
Register: tú or usted
- Use usted with someone you do not know well, with an elder, or in a formal setting such as an interview.
- Use tú with friends, family and classmates.
- In a presentation, address the audience in a formal register unless the task says otherwise.
- Stay consistent. Switching between tú and usted in one answer is a common error.
Example: "¿Podría decirme dónde queda la biblioteca?" (formal) and "¿Me dices dónde queda la biblioteca?" (informal).
How to practice
- Pick three circumlocution phrases and use them every day for a week.
- Write one connector from each row on a card and use it in your next essay.
- Record yourself on a short question and listen for tú or usted slips.
Common mistakes
- Stopping in silence instead of describing the word.
- Repeating the same connector, such as "y" and "pero", through a whole essay.
- Choosing a connector that does not match the idea.
- Mixing tú and usted in the same answer.
Frequently asked questions
What is circumlocution?
Describing an idea in other words when you cannot recall the exact word. It keeps your speech going and is a skill the exam rewards.
How many connectors do I need?
A handful you can use correctly. Using five or six well is better than using many incorrectly.
Which register should I use on the exam?
Use the register the task calls for. When in doubt in a formal task, use usted.
Does using connectors improve my score?
Yes. Connectors help organization, and they show control of the language.
Where can I find the official scoring rules?
Exam formats change a little from year to year, so check the current course and exam description on the College Board site before test day.
Keep practicing
The AP Spanish course has three production sections with five tasks each (the essay, the presentation and the questions), each with a model response scored on the full rubric. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:
See the AP Spanish Language and Culture course Free lessons and lesson list
More AP Spanish Language and Culture guides (5)
Start here
Free-response and writing
- AP Spanish Language Argumentative Essay Explained: Using Three Sources to Earn 10 Points
- AP Spanish Language Project Presentation Explained: Three Minutes, Three Factors and the Three Ps
- AP Spanish Language Recorded Questions Explained: Four Answers in 40 Seconds Each
Multiple choice
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