VCE Modern Greek cheat sheet

The recording is played twice; the first pass is for global gist, the second for detail confirmation - answers are written during or after the second pass.

Question stems in Greek often contain the answer's grammatical frame (case, preposition, verb aspect), so matching the stem's grammar narrows the choice.

Numbers, times, prices and dates are frequent distractors: the text usually states a figure, then corrects or qualifies it, and the corrected figure is the answer.

Signal words that mark the answer: αλλά, όμως, ωστόσο (contrast), δηλαδή, με άλλα λόγια (reformulation), επειδή, αφού (reason), τελικά, τελικώς (resolution).

Greek negatives stack: δεν … ποτέ, δεν … κανένας, μην … τίποτα - a double negative in Greek remains negative, unlike English.

Register cue: συ/εσείς and μου/σας reveal the relationship between speakers, which is often the basis of an inference question.

Note-taking in the target language: record keywords and abbreviations in Greek to avoid translation lag during the second listening.

For true/false items with justification, the justification must quote or paraphrase the specific phrase in the recording, not merely restate the statement.

Skim for genre and layout first: an opinion piece, a notice, an advertisement and a news report each signal different expected content and tone.

Scan for the answer's anchor word from the question, then read the whole sentence plus one sentence either side before deciding.

Verb aspect carries meaning: imperfective (έγραφα) = habitual/ongoing, perfective (έγραψα) = single completed act; a question about duration or repetition depends on this distinction.

Genitive absolute and participial phrases (έχοντας, όντας) compress cause or condition; expand them into a full clause to test comprehension.

Passive morphology (-μαι, -θηκε, -μένος) often hides the agent; ask 'by whom?' when the question concerns responsibility.

Connectors define text structure: πρώτον/δεύτερον (enumeration), αντιθέτως (contrast), επομένως/άρα (conclusion), γι' αυτό (consequence).

Inference items require evidence: locate the sentence that licenses the inference and reject options that are true in general but unsupported by the passage.

Vocabulary in context: a familiar word may carry a figurative sense (e.g. τραβάω for 'to endure'), so test the candidate meaning against the surrounding clause.

Text types have fixed conventions: informal email (φίλε/φίλη + closing φιλιά), formal letter (Αξιότιμε κύριε/κυρία + Με εκτίμηση), article (headline + subheading), report (headings + recommendations), diary (date + first person).

Accent rules: monosyllables take no written accent except in a few cases (πού/πως, ή/η); accented syllable is marked with the appropriate accent (τόνος), and breathings appear only in capitals-free all-caps or in traditional polytonic contexts.

Final -ν is retained in articles and particles before vowels and before κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ (την πόλη, δεν πάω) and dropped otherwise (τη θάλασσα, δε θέλω).

Verb endings must agree with the subject: -ω/-εις/-ει/-ουμε/-ετε/-ουν in present; aorist stem + -α/-ες/-ε/-αμε/-ατε/-αν.

Subjunctive is marked by να + verb; θα + verb marks future or conditional - mixing them (να θέλω θα) is a common error to avoid.

Word order is flexible but the comment/topic normally precedes the verb; placing the subject last gives emphasis, not neutrality.

Word-count compliance is part of the task: plan paragraph allocation (introduction, two body paragraphs, conclusion) before drafting to hit the required range.

Register consistency: συ + second person singular throughout an informal text; εσείς + plural throughout a formal one - mixing them costs marks.

The oral has two parts: a general conversation on personal world topics, then a discussion based on the detailed study text(s) chosen by the student.

Assessment criteria include fluency, range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar, pronunciation and intonation, and depth of content - not speed.

In the detailed study, the student must be able to summarise the text, explain its themes, and support opinions with specific references to characters, events or ideas.

Repair strategies in Greek: Πώς το λένε…; Δηλαδή…; Μπορώ να το εξηγήσω αλλιώς; - using them keeps communication going rather than stalling.

Follow-up questions probe justification: because-answers (επειδή, γιατί) with a reason and an example score higher than yes/no answers.

Pronunciation focus points: γ/χ/κ palatalise before front vowels (γη, χέρι, κέφι); ζ is voiced [z]; μπ/ντ/γκ are voiced stops word-initially.

Idiomatic expressions (μου αρέσει, μου κάνει εντύπωση, κατά τη γνώμη μου) raise the range criterion when used accurately.

A personal-opinion question expects a stance plus two supports; a hypothetical question expects θα + subjunctive or αν-clause structures.

Analysis separates content (what is said) from form (how it is said): purpose, audience, tone, structure and stylistic devices are all scored.

Persuasive devices to name: rhetorical question, direct address, repetition, emotive vocabulary, statistics, expert reference, contrast, irony.

Audiovisual elements carry meaning: camera angle, close-up, music, sound effects, editing pace, colour and body language must be linked to effect on the viewer.

A claim about effect needs evidence: quote the line, describe the shot, then state the response it invites in the audience.

Tone words in Greek for analysis: ειρωνικός, συγκινητικός, επικριτικός, ουδέτερος, ενθουσιώδης, απειλητικός.

Structure of a response: introduction naming text type and purpose, body paragraphs each with device + evidence + effect, conclusion on overall impact.

Distinguish the author's intention from the audience's likely reaction - they can differ, and examiners reward recognising the gap.

When comparing two texts or clips, organise by point of comparison rather than by text, so each paragraph makes a direct contrast.