Writing Skills in Modern Greek
What you must control
Writing tasks ask for short texts: a note, an email, a postcard, a description or a simple opinion. Marks come from three places: completing the task (all bullet points covered), range and accuracy of language, and organisation. Plan the text in three parts: opening, body covering each point, closing.
You need reliable sentence frames. Opening: Αγαπητέ Νίκο, / Γεια σου Μαρία,. Apology or invitation: Θέλεις να πάμε...; / Συγγνώμη, αλλά δεν μπορώ. Opinion: Νομίζω ότι..., Μου αρέσει πολύ..., Είναι ωραία γιατί.... Closing: Τα λέμε σύντομα, Φιλικά, Με αγάπη. Keep tenses simple: present for habits, past (ήμουν, πήγα, έφαγα) only where the task requires it.
Traps in questions
Candidates lose marks by missing a bullet point, writing far too much and making more errors, or mixing formal and informal address. Decide early whether the task needs εσύ or εσείς and keep it consistent. Another trap is forgetting the accent, which can change meaning (πότε when / ποτέ never; πού where / που that). Do not translate word for word from English; Greek word order is flexible, and time phrases often come first.
Rule of thumb
Write a short plan with one line per bullet point, then write one or two sentences per line using structures you already know. After writing, check three things: every bullet covered, every verb ending matches its subject, every noun has the correct article and case.
Worked example
Task: Write an email to a friend inviting them to a birthday party. Include the day, the place and what to bring. Model: Γεια σου Άννα, το Σάββατο έχω τα γενέθλιά μου. Θέλεις να έρθεις στο σπίτι μου στις επτά; Φέρε μια σαλάτα. Τα λέμε, Μαρία. Each bullet is answered in one clear sentence, the verb forms are second person singular throughout, and the closing is appropriate.