Castilla y León PAU Greek II exam-day guide
Castilla y León PAU Greek II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
DNI or passport
Bring the original photo ID you registered with. The document must be valid on exam day; an expired ID may be refused. Confirm with your school or the Universidad de Valladolid coordination (which organizes the EBAU in Castilla y León) whether any additional identification is required.
Exam venue and session confirmation
Check the official call (convocatoria) published by your assigned tribunal or university for the exact building, room, date, and start time. Venues and timetables vary by province (Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid, Zamora), so do not rely on a friend's schedule. Confirm with the provider.
Printed or downloaded exam schedule
The EBAU runs over several days with back-to-back sessions. Write down the order of your subjects and the gaps between them, including which afternoon sessions apply to you.
Black or blue pens (several)
Write the exam in ink; bring at least two working pens of the same colour. Pencil is normally acceptable only for diagrams or rough work, not for the final answers. Confirm any specific requirement with the provider.
Pencil, eraser, and sharpener
Useful for rough drafts of translations and for annotating the Greek text before writing the final version in pen.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Rooms may not display a visible clock. A simple analogue or digital watch without connectivity is safest; smartwatches are typically not allowed. Confirm with the provider.
Clear water bottle and small snack
Sessions can be long and the day is tiring. Keep the bottle label-free if the venue enforces clear-container rules. Confirm with the provider.
No notes, dictionaries, or electronic devices in the exam room
Greek II is taken without a dictionary or grammar reference. Leave phones switched off and stored as instructed; a phone visible at the desk is usually treated as a serious irregularity.
Know the paper structure before you sit down
The Castilla y León Greek II paper typically offers a text for translation and a set of questions on morphology, syntax, vocabulary/etymology, and literary or cultural context, often with options to choose from. Read the instructions carefully to see which questions are compulsory and which allow a choice. Confirm the current structure with the provider.
Arrive early
Aim to be at the venue well before the call so you can find the room, stow your bag, and settle. Late arrival rules are set by the tribunal; confirm with the provider.
Personal medication and necessities
If you need medication, water, or an accessibility adjustment, arrange it in advance with the tribunal. Do not assume it will be provided on the day.
Transport and backup plan
Check routes and timetables the day before. Have a backup way to reach the venue in case of a delay.
Plan the day
Consolidate, do not cram new content. Review your summary sheets: the Greek alphabet and accents, the main declension and conjugation paradigms, the most frequent irregular verbs (εἰμί, φημί, οἶδα), and the syntax points that appear in the exam (articular infinitive, participle constructions, indirect statement, subordinate clauses). Reread two or three short passages you have already translated and check them against your notes.
Do one timed mini-simulation: translate a short passage in about 45–60 minutes and answer a few morphology and syntax questions, then mark yourself against a model. Identify the two or three error types you make most often (accents, case endings, verb voice, participle agreement) and write them on a single reminder card.
Prepare your materials: pens, pencil, eraser, watch, ID, water, snack, and printed venue details. Check the official call one more time for any change of room or time.
Light review only. Reread your reminder card and your vocabulary list of high-frequency words and etymological roots. Do not start new texts. Confirm transport and set two alarms.
Eat normally, avoid late-night study, and sleep. Pack your bag the night before so nothing is forgotten in the morning.
Eat breakfast and arrive early. Leave notes at home or in your bag as instructed; only permitted items at the desk. Once seated, read the whole paper before writing: note which questions are compulsory, which allow a choice, and how the marks are distributed.
Budget your time according to the marks. A common plan: skim the translation text, then translate it in a first pass, then refine; leave time for the grammar, vocabulary/etymology, and context questions. Answer the questions you are most confident about first if time is tight.
For the translation, identify the main verb of each clause first, then work out subjects and objects from case endings, and only then fill in the rest. Mark unknown words and infer from context or roots rather than leaving gaps. Write legibly and leave space to correct.
For grammar questions, state the form precisely (case, number, gender; tense, mood, voice, person) and justify it briefly. For etymology, give the Greek root and its meaning, then the Spanish derivative. For context questions, answer directly and add one concrete detail (author, work, genre, myth, institution) rather than a vague general statement.
Check that every required question has an answer, that accents and breathings are on the Greek you wrote, and that your name and details are filled in correctly. Do not erase a correct answer to replace it with an uncertain one unless you are sure.
Rules to check
Bring valid original photo ID and place it on the desk when asked. Confirm with the provider what forms of ID are accepted and whether a photocopy is ever allowed.
No dictionaries, grammar books, notes, or electronic devices are permitted in the Greek II exam. Phones must be switched off and stored as the tribunal instructs; a device at the desk is normally treated as an irregularity.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, starting, and finishing. Do not begin writing before the signal and stop immediately when time is called.
Breaks and leaving the room are controlled by the tribunal. If you need to leave, raise your hand and wait to be accompanied; do not assume you may leave and return freely. Confirm the venue's policy with the provider.
Write your answers in the space and format the paper indicates. If you use extra sheets, put your details on them and follow the invigilator's instructions.
If you believe there is an error in the paper or a problem with the room, tell an invigilator immediately rather than discussing it with other candidates.
Scoring follows the official marking criteria for the subject, which weight the translation and the grammar, vocabulary/etymology, and context questions. Read the rubric printed on the paper and allocate time accordingly.
Any suspected irregularity is handled by the tribunal under the official EBAU regulations. If you are unsure about a rule, ask an invigilator before acting; confirm specific procedures with the provider.