Spanish Intermediate (full syllabus)

Begin to understand the complexities of Spanish with this 30-week Intermediate level course. You’ll learn to express your emotions, doubts, desires and opinions using the subjunctive mood, so you can communicate with native speakers in a more meaningfully way.

In these intermediate Spanish lessons, you’ll also develop a good understanding of current affairs and cultural traditions –such as fiestas – an important element of Spanish and Latin American societies.

By the end of this course you will be able to summarise the plot of your favourite book or movie, recite anecdotes and participate in short hypothetical debates, leading to you CEFR B1 level of communication.

Who is it for?

If you have completed our lower intermediate syllabus or you have a good or recent GSCE this is the best next step. You should already be communicating at CEFR A2 level or have studied Spanish formally for at least 120 hours. The eligibility section has more information.

Timetable

The course includes 60 hours of learning and is taught across three terms, starting in October and finishing in July.

October – December (Part 1)

One evening per week (two-hour lessons) for 10 consecutive weeks.

Christmas Break

January – March (Part 2)

One evening per week (two-hour lessons) for 10 consecutive weeks.

Easter break

April/May – July (Part 3)

One evening per week (two-hour lessons) for 10 consecutive weeks.

Benefits

• Enrol on the full year and you’ll study all three modules for the lowest price
• Uncover Spanish in more detail than simply “getting by”, with support from your qualified Spanish tutor
• Learn in a welcoming and small group environment

This course is designed to develop your Spanish skills in creative ways, working towards an advanced level of fluency where you can communicate with conviction.

By the end of this course you will be able to

• talk about habits, customs and circumstances in the past
• express the duration of an action
• express obligation and prohibition, hypothesis and probability
• recount anecdotes and summarise the plot of a book or movie
• develop communication strategies
• recommend, advise and give instructions
• express wishes and necessity
• propose a solution
• take and convey a message
• talk about causes and consequences
• describe the characteristics and function of a given object
• know vocabulary relating to the world of advertising, education, politics and society
• talk about travelling and different types of tourism
• talk in detail about family and relationships
• express feelings and interests
• show agreement and disagreement
• describe objects and express opinions on them
• assess situations and articulate views on actions and behaviours
• participate in short debates about hypothetical situations.

Grammatical structures

• revision/contrast of all indicative past tenses
• periphrasis
• future tense
• clause if
• impersonal se
• quantifiers and modifiers
• verb soler
• linking words
• direct and indirect object pronouns
• revision/contrast of all indicative past tenses
• imperative (negative)
• reflexive and indirect and direct object pronouns
• present of subjunctive
• reported speech
• linking words to express cause and consequences
• pluperfect tense
• present subjunctive in relative clauses
• expressions of agreement or disagreement with indicative or subjunctive
• subjunctive to express feelings and interest
• superlatives
• modifiers
• exclamatory clauses
• subjunctive in relative clauses
• conditional
• subjunctive vs indicative expression different grades of probability.

You will be awarded an official City St George’s, University of London certificate on completion of the course. You must attend over 70 per cent of the classes to be eligible for the certificate.

There is no formal assessment at the end of the course, but your tutor will offer feedback throughout the year and asses your progress based on your homework and participation in class.

Teaching

We combine traditional teaching with activities including group discussions and debates. You’ll examine newspapers, films and listen to audio clips to expand your vocabulary in context. You are required to do some independent study in your own time.

The book used on this course is Aula Internacional 3- Nueva Edicion.

It is the right level if one of the following applies:

• you can communicate at A2 level, according to the Common European Framework Reference of languages
• you have completed our full Spanish lower intermediate syllabus, or equivalent elsewhere (at least 120 hours of study)
• you have a recent or good GCSE.

You should already know:

• how to invite people to do things, accept and refuse
• how to describe people, places and things in the past
• how to give opinions about historical experiences and activities
• irregular verbs in the past tense
• the imperative form.

English requirements

You will need a good level of spoken and written English to enrol on this course.