HSC Armenian Continuers cheat sheet

The listening section typically contains several recorded texts (monologues, dialogues, announcements) played twice; answers are written in English or Armenian as specified.

Key skill: identify main idea, specific details (names, numbers, times, places), purpose, tone, and implied meaning.

Pay attention to discourse markers: ուրեմն (therefore), սակայն (however), բայց (but), այսինքն (that is), նախ (first), ապա (then), վերջապես (finally).

Recognize register: formal (դուք, ողջույն, խնդրեմ) vs informal (դու, բարև, արա՛) and how it signals relationships.

Numbers, dates, and times are common distractors; listen for corrections (ոչ, ավելի շուտ, ոչ թե... այլ).

Infer meaning from context when unknown words appear; focus on cognates and repeated vocabulary.

Note intonation and stress: rising intonation for questions, emphatic stress for contrast.

Armenian has no grammatical gender; pronouns նա (he/she/it) and նրանք (they) are gender-neutral, so context determines gender.

Common listening text types: phone messages, announcements, interviews, conversations at home/school/work, radio segments.

Reading texts may include articles, letters, advertisements, literary extracts, and notices; questions test comprehension, inference, and vocabulary in context.

Skim for gist first (titles, first/last sentences, visuals), then scan for specific information (dates, names, figures).

Identify text type and purpose: inform, persuade, entertain, instruct; note format features (headings, bullet points, salutations).

Armenian uses a unique alphabet (38 letters); recognize both print and cursive forms, and pay attention to similar-looking letters (ա/ա, ո/ո, ս/ս).

Vocabulary strategies: use word roots and affixes (֊ություն, ֊ական, ֊ել, ֊ում) to deduce meaning.

Recognize cohesive devices: pronouns (այն, սա, նա), conjunctions (և, բայց, ուրեմն), and repetition to track ideas.

Distinguish fact from opinion; identify tone (հեգնական, լուրջ, ուրախ) and attitude of the writer.

For literary texts, note narrative voice, setting, character relationships, and figurative language (փոխաբերություն, համեմատություն).

Answer in the required language and format; cite evidence from the text where asked.

Writing tasks may include informal/formal letters, emails, diary entries, articles, reports, narratives, and descriptions; adhere to the required text type and audience.

Plan before writing: identify purpose, audience, register, and key points; organize into introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Use appropriate greetings and closings: formal (Հարգելի՛..., Հարգանքով՝...) vs informal (Սիրելի՛..., Շուտով կհանդիպենք).

Armenian punctuation: the question mark (՞) is placed over the stressed vowel of the question word; the exclamation mark (՜) similarly; the full stop is a colon-like sign (։).

Use a variety of sentence structures (simple, compound, complex) and cohesive devices (ուրեմն, սակայն, բացի այդ, օրինակ).

Accuracy in spelling, grammar (verb conjugations, noun cases, agreement), and vocabulary range is assessed.

Word count guidance: follow the task instructions; typically 150–200 words for extended responses.

Armenian verb system: two main conjugations (֊ել, ֊ալ), present, past, future, imperative, conditional; use correct aspect and tense.

Noun cases: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, ablative, instrumental, locative; prepositions govern specific cases.

The oral component typically involves a conversation with the examiner on familiar topics (family, school, hobbies, future plans, cultural events) and may include a brief monologue or picture description.

Fluency and coherence: maintain flow, use fillers naturally (դե, ուրեմն, իհարկե), self-correct without long pauses.

Pronunciation: stress typically falls on the final syllable of a word; distinguish aspirated and unaspirated consonants (e.g., թ/տ, ք/կ, փ/պ).

Use appropriate register: formal (ձեզ, խնդրում եմ) with examiner; informal with peers.

Range: use varied vocabulary, idiomatic expressions (աչքդ լույս, բարի գալուստ, համեցեք), and complex sentences.

Interactive strategies: ask for clarification (Ներեցե՛ք, կրկնե՛ք, խնդրեմ), paraphrase when lacking a word, and extend answers with reasons and examples.

Grammar accuracy: verb endings, noun cases, agreement, and correct use of postpositions.

Prepare to discuss personal experiences, opinions, and plans; support opinions with reasons and examples.