Writing in Modern Greek
What you must understand
Writing tasks assess task fulfilment, organisation, range and accuracy of language, and register. You must control the conventions of the required text type: a formal επιστολή opens with Αξιότιμε κύριε/Αξιότιμη κυρία and closes with Με εκτίμηση; an informal email uses Αγαπητέ/Αγαπητή and Φιλικά; an άρθρο has a headline, an opening hook, developed paragraphs and a conclusion; a δοκίμιο requires a thesis and argumentation. Master cohesion: connectors of addition (επιπλέον, παράλληλα), contrast (ωστόσο, από την άλλη πλευρά), cause (επειδή, καθώς, λόγω του ότι), consequence (επομένως, συνεπώς) and exemplification (για παράδειγμα, όπως).
Grammar to control actively
- Cases: accusative after most prepositions; genitive for possession and after certain verbs.
- Verb aspect: παρατατικός for habitual or background past, αόριστος for completed events, εξακολουθητικός μέλλοντος (θα γράφω) versus στιγμιαίος (θα γράψω).
- Subjunctive: να + verb after θέλω, μπορώ, πρέπει, and the να μη/να μην negation.
- Passive and impersonal constructions for formal writing: θεωρείται ότι, έχει διαπιστωθεί πως.
Traps
- Register clash: slang in a formal letter, or stiff archaisms in a friendly message.
- Ignoring bullet prompts: each bullet must be addressed explicitly.
- Overlong sentences that collapse in agreement; short, controlled sentences score better than ambitious errors.
- Word count below the minimum costs marks; padding with repetition does not help content.
Rule of thumb
Spend three minutes planning: list the bullets, choose a register, and write one topic sentence per paragraph. Then draft, and reserve three minutes to check verb endings, article–noun agreement and accents.
Worked example
Prompt: write a formal letter to a mayor proposing a bicycle lane. Weak opening: «Γεια σου δήμαρχε, θέλω να σου πω...» - wrong register. Strong opening: «Αξιότιμε κύριε Δήμαρχε, με την παρούσα επιστολή θα ήθελα να σας προτείνω...» - formal address, genitive of the title, and a subjunctive construction signalling polite proposal.