Spanish 2 Quiz: Responding To Commands
10 questions · exam conditions
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Responding To CommandsQuestion 1 of 10

Tu entrenador de fútbol grita desde la banda: "¡Marcos, pásale el balón a Elena, no a Diego!"

Marcos has the ball and hears the command clearly. He sees that Elena is well-positioned but Diego is even more open near the goal. What is the correct response to the coach's command?

Marcos dribbles toward the goal himself rather than passing to either player, since neither option was clearly optimal according to his own judgment.
Marcos passes to Diego because Diego's position near the goal gives the team a higher probability of scoring, which is the ultimate objective.
Marcos holds the ball and waits for the coach to repeat or revise the command before deciding whom to pass to.
Marcos passes the ball to Elena as instructed, trusting the coach's decision even though Diego appears to be in a better position.
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Spanish 2 Quiz

Spanish 2 Quiz: Responding To Commands

Practice Responding To Commands in Spanish 2 with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Responding To Commands, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Spanish 2.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Tu entrenador de fútbol grita desde la banda: "¡Marcos, pásale el balón a Elena, no a Diego!"

Marcos has the ball and hears the command clearly. He sees that Elena is well-positioned but Diego is even more open near the goal. What is the correct response to the coach's command?

  1. Marcos dribbles toward the goal himself rather than passing to either player, since neither option was clearly optimal according to his own judgment.
  2. Marcos passes to Diego because Diego's position near the goal gives the team a higher probability of scoring, which is the ultimate objective.
  3. Marcos holds the ball and waits for the coach to repeat or revise the command before deciding whom to pass to.
  4. Marcos passes the ball to Elena as instructed, trusting the coach's decision even though Diego appears to be in a better position. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you see a question involving a direct command in Spanish, focus on both comprehension and appropriate response. The coach's sentence uses an indirect object pronoun and a direct command: "pásale el balón a Elena, no a Diego" — "pass the ball to Elena, not to Diego." The key grammatical and situational test here is whether you understand what the command requires and can identify the response that follows it correctly. The correct answer is D because the coach issued a clear, explicit instruction: pass to Elena, not Diego. Marcos heard and understood the command, so the appropriate response is to follow it. In Spanish communication exercises, comprehension means acting on what was said — and the coach's authority and perspective (perhaps tactical reasons invisible to Marcos) justify trusting the instruction. A is wrong because Marcos was given a specific command about passing; choosing to dribble himself ignores the instruction entirely and introduces an option the coach never mentioned. B is tempting but represents a reasoning trap — Diego's open position might seem better, but the question tests whether you understand that the command must be followed as given. Substituting your own judgment for an explicit instruction contradicts the coach's direct order. C is wrong because the command was already stated clearly; there is no ambiguity requiring Marcos to wait for repetition. Hesitating would be an inappropriate response to a fully understood instruction. As a study tip, watch for questions that test whether you can distinguish comprehension from personal judgment. In Spanish-2 listening and command exercises, the correct response almost always honors the literal meaning of the instruction given — don't let tempting alternatives distract you from what was actually said.

Question 2

Estás en clase de cocina. La instructora dice: "Añadan la sal al agua hirviendo, ¡pero esperen a que el agua esté completamente hirviendo primero!"

You notice the water on your burner is just beginning to form small bubbles at the bottom but is not yet at a full boil. What is the most appropriate response to the instructor's command?

  1. You add half the salt now to prepare and plan to add the rest once the water reaches a full boil, dividing the task into steps.
  2. You add the salt now since small bubbles indicate the water is hot enough and adding salt will help it reach a full boil faster.
  3. You ask the instructor to clarify exactly what temperature constitutes 'completamente hirviendo' before taking any action.
  4. You wait, watching the water until it reaches a full rolling boil with large bubbles breaking the surface, and only then add the salt. (correct answer)
Explanation: When interpreting commands in Spanish, pay close attention to the full structure of what's being said — not just the main verb, but any conditions attached to it. Here, the instructor uses two commands: "Añadan la sal" (add the salt) and "esperen a que el agua esté completamente hirviendo" (wait until the water is completely boiling). That second command establishes a clear prerequisite: full boil first, salt second. D is correct because small bubbles at the bottom of a pot signal the beginning of heating, not a full rolling boil. A completamente hirviendo state means vigorous, large bubbles breaking across the entire surface. Waiting for that stage before adding salt is exactly what the instructor commanded. A is wrong because the instructor gave no instruction to divide the salt into portions — this response invents a strategy not supported by anything in the passage and still violates the "wait" instruction by adding salt early. B is wrong on two levels: scientifically, small bubbles don't mean the water is hot enough, and more importantly, the instructor explicitly said to wait. Rationalizing early action contradicts a direct command. C is wrong because the instructor's language is clear enough in context — a full rolling boil is a visually observable condition, not an ambiguous technical specification. Asking for unnecessary clarification wastes time and ignores practical common sense. Your study tip: when a Spanish passage contains esperar a que + subjunctive, that construction signals a condition that must be met before acting. Train yourself to identify those conditional triggers — they frequently appear in reading comprehension and listening questions on Spanish exams.

Question 3

Estás en el supermercado con tu mamá. Ella te dice: "Busca los tomates maduros y ponlos en la bolsa, pero no agarres los que estén magullados."

This command contains two parts. Which response shows that you correctly understood and acted on BOTH parts of the instruction?

  1. You select several firm, ripe tomatoes without visible bruising, place them in the bag, and leave the soft or discolored ones on the shelf. (correct answer)
  2. You pick up all the tomatoes that look red and place them in the bag quickly, reasoning that color is the best indicator of ripeness.
  3. You ask your mom to come help you choose because you are not sure which ones count as magullados in this context.
  4. You select the largest tomatoes available and put them in the bag, assuming size indicates ripeness and good quality.
Explanation: When reading instructions in Spanish, you need to identify every verb and condition in the sentence — not just the first action. This question tests your comprehension of a two-part command with a positive directive and a negative restriction. Your mom's instruction breaks down like this: (1) "Busca los tomates maduros y ponlos en la bolsa" — find the ripe tomatoes and put them in the bag; (2) "no agarres los que estén magullados" — do NOT grab the ones that are bruised. The word magullados means bruised or damaged, and maduros means ripe. To follow the full instruction correctly, you must select ripe tomatoes and avoid bruised ones. Choice A is correct because it satisfies both conditions — you choose firm, ripe tomatoes with no visible bruising and leave the damaged ones behind. That's a complete and accurate response to both parts of the command. Choice B fails the second condition. Focusing only on color (redness) ignores the restriction about bruising — a red tomato can still be magullado, so you'd risk grabbing damaged ones. Choice C shows a misunderstanding of the vocabulary rather than a correct response to the command. Asking for help means you haven't acted on either part of the instruction. Choice D ignores both conditions entirely. Size has nothing to do with maduro or magullado — this response reflects a guess rather than comprehension. When you see commands in Spanish, always count the verbs and look for no + subjunctive constructions, which signal a negative restriction you must also follow.

Question 4

Tu jefe en el trabajo te dice: "Llámame mañana a las ocho de la mañana, ¡pero no antes!"

The next morning, you wake up at 7:45 a.m. Which action best reflects an appropriate response to your boss's command?

  1. You wait until exactly 8:00 a.m. and then make the call, respecting both the time specified and the restriction your boss gave. (correct answer)
  2. You call at 7:55 a.m., thinking that five minutes early is close enough and shows that you are eager and responsible.
  3. You send a text message at 7:45 a.m. explaining that you are ready to talk, so your boss can call you when convenient.
  4. You call at 8:15 a.m. to be safe and avoid any possibility of calling too early, prioritizing the restriction over the time.
Explanation: When interpreting commands in Spanish — or any language — precision matters. Your boss gave you two pieces of information: a specific time (8:00 a.m.) and a boundary condition (not before). A strong response honors both elements, not just one. Choice A is correct because it satisfies the full command exactly. Calling at 8:00 a.m. means you respect the designated time and you avoid violating the restriction your boss emphasized. Notice that your boss stressed "¡pero no antes!" — the exclamation marks signal this restriction carries real weight. Answering the command fully means treating both parts as equally binding. Choice B seems reasonable on the surface, but 7:55 a.m. is still before 8:00 a.m., which directly violates the "no antes" restriction. Enthusiasm doesn't override an explicit instruction — calling early is calling early, regardless of how few minutes separate you. Choice C ignores the command entirely. Your boss said llámame — "call me" — not "text me" or "wait for me to reach out." Substituting a different communication method doesn't fulfill a direct instruction, even if your intentions are good. Choice D prioritizes the restriction so heavily that it misses the target time. Calling at 8:15 a.m. avoids being too early, but your boss specified 8:00 a.m. for a reason. Ignoring the designated time is also a failure to follow instructions. As a study tip: when a Spanish command includes both a directive and a limiting condition, always check that your answer satisfies both — not just the one that feels most important.

Question 5

Estás en clase y tu profesora dice: "Para mañana, escriban un párrafo corto en español sobre su rutina diaria. Usen el tiempo presente y al menos cinco verbos reflexivos distintos."

A student submits a paragraph the next day that is written entirely in the present tense, describes their daily routine, and uses the following reflexive verbs conjugated correctly for 'yo': levantarse (used in two different sentences), ducharse, vestirse, and peinarse. No other reflexive verbs appear in the paragraph. Which statement best evaluates this student's compliance with the command?

  1. The student fully complied: five reflexive verb instances appear in the paragraph, the tense is correct, and the topic matches, so all conditions are met.
  2. The student did not fully comply: only four distinct reflexive verbs were used (levantarse, ducharse, vestirse, peinarse), falling short of the five-distinct-verb requirement. (correct answer)
  3. The student partially complied, but the repeated verb is acceptable because the command said 'at least five verbs,' which can include repeated uses of the same verb.
  4. The student did not comply because using a verb twice in one paragraph is a stylistic error that violates academic writing standards in Spanish.
Explanation: When a command uses the phrase "at least five distinct verbs," you need to carefully parse what distinct means — it refers to unique, different verbs, not total instances or uses. This question is really testing your ability to read instructions precisely, a skill that matters both in Spanish class and on exams like this one. Here, the teacher's command required five distinct reflexive verbs. The student used levantarse, ducharse, vestirse, and peinarse — that's only four unique verbs. The fact that levantarse appeared twice doesn't add a fifth verb to the list; it simply repeats one that was already counted. So B is correct: the student fell one distinct verb short of the requirement. Choice A is the classic counting trap — it confuses five instances (total appearances) with five distinct verbs. Counting occurrences instead of unique items is exactly the mistake the question is designed to catch. Choice C is tempting because it correctly identifies that "at least five" allows for repetition in general, but it misreads the instruction: "at least five verbs" with the word distintos means five different verbs, minimum. Repetition doesn't help you reach that count. Choice D invents a rule that doesn't exist. Using a verb twice in a paragraph is not a stylistic violation in Spanish academic writing — that's a fabricated distractor meant to mislead you. Study tip: Whenever you read assignment instructions (in Spanish or in English), underline qualifier words like distintos, diferentes, or al menos. These small words carry the real requirements and are often the hinge point of comprehension questions like this one.

Question 6

Estás en la biblioteca. El bibliotecario te dice en voz baja: "Por favor, apaga tu teléfono o ponlo en silencio. Estás molestando a los demás estudiantes."

Your phone is on vibrate, which makes a buzzing sound when notifications arrive. Which response best satisfies the librarian's command?

  1. You place the phone face-down on the table so the screen does not light up, reducing visual distraction for other students.
  2. You leave the phone on vibrate since vibrate is already a form of silent mode and technically satisfies the 'ponlo en silencio' option.
  3. You turn off notifications entirely or switch the phone to silent mode so that no sound — including vibration buzzing — is produced. (correct answer)
  4. You put the phone in your backpack on vibrate so the buzzing is muffled, which you believe adequately reduces the disturbance.
Explanation: When the librarian says "apaga tu teléfono o ponlo en silencio," you're dealing with two specific Spanish commands: apagar (to turn off) and poner en silencio (to put on silent). The key to this question is understanding what "silencio" truly means in context — not just reduced noise, but no sound at all, including vibration buzzing. C is correct because switching to full silent mode or disabling notifications eliminates all audible disturbance, which is exactly what the librarian is asking for. Vibration buzzing is a sound — it rattles surfaces, creates noise, and disturbs others. Truly satisfying "ponlo en silencio" means zero sound output. A is wrong because placing the phone face-down only addresses screen brightness, a visual distraction. The librarian's complaint was about sound ("estás molestando"), not light. This response completely misses the nature of the problem. B is the trickiest distractor. Vibrate mode is sometimes labeled "silent" on phone interfaces, so it feels like a reasonable interpretation — but the librarian explicitly said the phone is already disturbing other students. Defending vibrate as "technically silent" ignores the real-world context and the librarian's clear complaint about ongoing disruption. D partially addresses the problem by muffling the buzz, but it doesn't eliminate it. "Muffled" is not "silent." The librarian asked for silencio, not less noise. As a strategy, watch for questions where Spanish vocabulary has a precise meaning that a distractor tries to stretch or reinterpret. When you see en silencio, think zero sound — don't let English phone-interface labels blur the definition.

Question 7

Tu médica te dice durante la consulta: "Tome estas pastillas dos veces al día con comida, y no las tome con jugo de toronja."

It is lunchtime and you are about to take your midday pill. You have water, orange juice, and grapefruit juice available. Which action correctly follows the doctor's command?

  1. You skip this dose since you are unsure whether any juice is safe and decide to wait until you can call the doctor for clarification.
  2. You take the pill with orange juice, since the doctor only prohibited grapefruit juice and orange juice is a different beverage that was not mentioned.
  3. You take the pill with water at lunchtime, avoiding the grapefruit juice as instructed and using a neutral beverage. (correct answer)
  4. You take the pill with a small amount of grapefruit juice mixed with water, thinking that diluting it neutralizes the prohibited interaction.
Explanation: When reading medical instructions in Spanish, your job is to extract the key commands and apply them accurately to a real situation. The doctor's sentence contains two usted formal commands: "Tome estas pastillas dos veces al día con comida" (take these pills twice a day with food) and "no las tome con jugo de toronja" (don't take them with grapefruit juice). Lunchtime counts as a mealtime, and you have three beverages available — your task is simply to follow both rules simultaneously. C is correct because taking the pill with water at lunch satisfies both conditions: you're taking it with food (a midday meal), and you're avoiding grapefruit juice entirely by choosing a neutral beverage. Water was never restricted, so it's the safest, most compliant choice. A is wrong because the instructions are clear — there's no ambiguity that justifies skipping a dose. Skipping medication without reason contradicts the first command to take it twice daily. Inventing uncertainty where none exists is a reading comprehension error. B is tempting but flawed. The doctor prohibited jugo de toronja specifically, not all juices, so orange juice isn't technically forbidden — however, the instructions say to take the pill with food, not necessarily with juice. More importantly, water is available and perfectly appropriate, making orange juice an unnecessary risk when a safe option exists. Still, B's core reasoning isn't grammatically wrong, just medically reckless. D is wrong because diluting a prohibited substance doesn't remove the prohibition. The command was absolute: no las tome con jugo de toronja — period. Study tip: On Spanish medical passages, underline every command verb and its negation separately — they each carry distinct instructions you must track independently.

Question 8

Estás ayudando a un amigo a mudarse. Él señala una caja y te dice: "¡Cuidado con esa caja! Es muy frágil. Llévala tú solo y no la pongas encima de ninguna otra caja."

You carry the fragile box to the new apartment. When stacking boxes in the corner, where should you place the fragile box to comply fully with the command?

  1. You place the fragile box on top of the stack of other boxes so that nothing can be placed above it and it is protected from being crushed.
  2. You place the fragile box directly on the floor, not on top of any other box, keeping it separate from the stack. (correct answer)
  3. You place the fragile box on top of a single, flat, sturdy box, since the command only prohibits stacking it on multiple boxes, not just one.
  4. You ask your friend where exactly he wants the box placed, since the command did not specify a location within the apartment.
Explanation: When interpreting commands in Spanish (or any language), precision matters — you need to honor every condition stated, not just the most obvious one. Here, your friend gives you a two-part instruction: carry the box alone ("llévala tú solo") and don't place it on top of any other box ("no la pongas encima de ninguna otra caja"). That second part is the key to this question. The phrase "ninguna otra caja" means "any other box" — it's an absolute negative, leaving no exceptions. That means the only compliant placement is directly on the floor, which is exactly what B describes. The box rests on nothing, and nothing is said about placing other boxes on top of it, so the floor is the one safe, rule-following choice. A fails because it still places the fragile box on top of other boxes — the reasoning that "nothing can be placed above it" is your own invention, not part of the command. You're adding logic the friend never gave you. C tries to find a loophole by arguing "multiple boxes" vs. "one box," but "ninguna" in Spanish means none — singular or plural, zero boxes beneath it is the rule. D is a trap for students who overthink it; the command was clear about what not to do, and the floor is the obvious compliant location without needing clarification. Study tip: Watch out for answer choices that partially follow an instruction but add a self-justifying exception. On Spanish comprehension questions, absolute words like ningún/ninguna mean exactly zero — don't let clever-sounding logic water them down.

Question 9

Estás en la cocina con tu compañero de cuarto. Él te dice: "Oye, ¡pon la mesa antes de que lleguen los invitados!" Tú ya pusiste la mesa hace diez minutos.

Which response most appropriately and naturally addresses your roommate's command in this situation?

  1. "¡Ya la puse! No te preocupes, todo está listo para cuando lleguen." (correct answer)
  2. "Voy a ponerla ahora mismo, dame un momento para terminar lo que estoy haciendo."
  3. "No sé dónde están los platos ni los vasos para poder hacerlo."
  4. "¿Por qué siempre me mandas a mí? Tú también puedes hacerlo perfectamente."
Explanation: When responding to a command in Spanish, the most natural and contextually appropriate reply depends on what has already happened — not just what is being asked. Here, the key detail is that you already set the table ten minutes ago, so your response needs to communicate that completed action clearly and politely. A is correct because it uses the preterite tense — "Ya la puse" — to signal a completed past action. The word "ya" (already) is essential here; it directly counters the roommate's command by confirming the task is done. The follow-up "No te preocupes, todo está listo para cuando lleguen" reassures him and even mirrors the subjunctive construction from his original command ("antes de que lleguen"), showing natural conversational flow. B fails because it says you're about to set the table ("Voy a ponerla ahora mismo"), which contradicts the situation — you already did it. Choosing B would mean ignoring the premise entirely. C is wrong because claiming you don't know where the dishes are is irrelevant and unhelpful. It invents a problem that doesn't exist in the scenario and completely ignores the fact that the table is already set. D is grammatically fine Spanish, but it's socially inappropriate — it escalates into a complaint rather than addressing the actual situation. Even if frustration were warranted, this response doesn't mention the completed task at all. A useful pattern to remember: when a Spanish question involves a completed action, look for the preterite tense paired with "ya" in the correct answer — that combination is the natural, idiomatic way to say something is already done.

Question 10

Tu profesora de español te dice durante el examen: "¡No uses el diccionario! Está prohibido durante la prueba."

You had your dictionary open on your desk. Which response best demonstrates that you understood and are complying with the command?

  1. You say "Sí, profesora" and close the dictionary, placing it inside your bag without opening it again. (correct answer)
  2. You say "Entendido" and move the dictionary to the edge of the desk so it is still visible but not open.
  3. You say "Lo siento, no sabía la regla" and continue glancing at the dictionary occasionally when the teacher looks away.
  4. You say "¿Puedo usarlo solo para revisar la ortografía?" and wait for a second explanation before putting it away.
Explanation: When learning a language, understanding a command means more than just hearing the words — it means acting on them correctly and completely. Questions like this test whether you can connect spoken Spanish instructions to real-world compliance behavior. Your teacher said "¡No uses el diccionario! Está prohibido durante la prueba." This is a direct prohibition using the negative command form (no uses) paired with a clear reason (está prohibido — it is forbidden). Full comprehension means you stop using the dictionary immediately and entirely, with no ambiguity. Answer A is correct because saying "Sí, profesora" confirms you heard and understood, and physically placing the dictionary inside your bag removes all temptation or appearance of cheating. This is complete, respectful compliance. Answer B falls short because moving the dictionary to the edge of the desk still leaves it visible and accessible. Compliance isn't partial — the dictionary needs to be completely out of reach and out of sight. Answer C is a serious failure. Saying you didn't know the rule might seem polite, but continuing to glance at the dictionary afterward shows you are not actually complying — you're being dishonest while appearing apologetic. Understanding a command means following it, not just acknowledging it. Answer D demonstrates incomplete compliance. Asking whether you can use the dictionary for spelling after being explicitly told it's prohibited shows you either didn't fully understand the word prohibido or are stalling. A clear prohibition doesn't leave room for negotiation. As a study tip: on Spanish exams, when you see commands with prohibido, no uses, or está prohibido, treat them as absolute rules — no exceptions unless explicitly stated.