Spanish · B2 · Family moment
Making Sense of Your Marks in Spanish
When school grades come back, it's a great opportunity for parents to help children navigate academic feedback constructively. This guide focuses on discussing how work was evaluated using the Spanish present perfect passive voice.
What you'll learn
- Master the Spanish 'pasiva analítica' in the present perfect (pretérito perfecto compuesto).
- Distinguish between passive actions ('ha sido') and becoming/change of state ('se ha vuelto' or 'ha llegado a ser').
- Acquire vocabulary related to academic assessment and grading criteria.
Spanish phrases for making sense of your marks
¿Ha sido evaluado todo tu proyecto, o solo la parte escrita?
Has your whole project been assessed, or only the written section?
Uses 'ha sido' + participle for the passive voice.
¿Qué partes de tu respuesta han sido marcadas como incorrectas?
Which parts of your answer have been marked as incorrect?
'Marcadas' must agree in gender and number with 'partes'.
¿Se os han explicado los criterios de evaluación a vuestra clase?
Have the assessment criteria been explained to your class?
This uses the 'se' passive construction, common in natural Spanish.
Tu argumento ha sido elogiado, pero la evidencia ha sido cuestionada.
Your argument has been praised, but the evidence has been questioned.
'Elogiado' (masculine) and 'cuestionada' (feminine) match their respective subjects.
¿Ha sido tenida en cuenta tu contribución a la presentación grupal?
Has your contribution to the group presentation been taken into account?
The phrase 'tener en cuenta' becomes 'ha sido tenida en cuenta'.
Quizás ese párrafo ha sido pasado por alto; preguntemos antes de suponer nada.
Perhaps that paragraph has been overlooked; let's ask before assuming anything.
'Pasar por alto' is a common idiom for 'to overlook'.
La fecha límite ha sido cambiada, así que tu entrega original no fue tardía.
The deadline has been changed, so your original submission was not late.
'Fecha límite' is the standard term for deadline.
Tu escritura se ha vuelto más clara, aunque esta tarea ha sido calificada de forma más estricta.
Your writing has become clearer, even though this assignment has been marked more strictly.
Contrasts 'se ha vuelto' (became) with 'ha sido calificada' (was marked).
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Evaluado / Calificado
Assessed / Marked
Both are used in academic contexts, though 'calificado' specifically refers to the grade given.
Criterios de evaluación
Assessment criteria
A formal term used in schools to describe how work is judged.
Pasar por alto
To overlook
Literal translation: 'to pass by high'.
Entrega
Submission
Refers to the act of handing in work or the work itself.
Present Perfect Passive (Pasiva Analítica)
In Spanish, the passive voice in the perfect tense is formed using 'haber' (present) + 'sido' (past participle of ser) + the Past Participle of the action verb. The action participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular Masculine | Ha sido + [Participle -o] | El examen ha sido corregido. |
| Plural Feminine | Han sido + [Participle -as] | Las tareas han sido entregadas. |
Distinguishing 'Been' (Passive) vs 'Become'
While English uses 'has been' for both passive actions and states of being, Spanish distinguishes between an action performed on a subject (ser) and a transformation (volverse / llegar a ser).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Passive Action | Ha sido + participle | La nota ha sido modificada (The grade was changed). |
| Transformation | Se ha vuelto + adjective | El tema se ha vuelto difícil (The topic has become difficult). |
More examples
La rúbrica ha sido actualizada por el profesor.
The rubric has been updated by the teacher.
Shows the agent (teacher) introduced by 'por'.
Mi hijo se ha vuelto muy responsable con sus estudios.
My son has become very responsible with his studies.
Example of 'becoming' (change of state) rather than passive voice.
¿Han sido revisados tus comentarios?
Have your comments been reviewed?
Passive question with plural agreement.