Madrid PAU Greek II (Griego II) exam-day guide
Madrid PAU Greek II (Griego II) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
DNI or passport (original, valid)
Spanish PAU sittings normally require official photo ID; the DNI or passport must be the original physical document, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. Confirm with your university or the coordinating committee whether a driving licence or expired-but-renewed document is accepted, as this varies by autonomous community (needs_review).
Exam admission slip / matrícula confirmation
Print or download the document your university issues after enrolment showing your assigned exam centre, classroom and the list of subjects. If you cannot find it, contact the registry office before the exam day; do not assume you can be admitted without it (needs_review).
Two or more blue or black ballpoint pens
Written exams are answered on official paper; bring spare pens of the same ink colour. Pencil is normally only for multiple-choice answer sheets, and correction fluid is usually discouraged because it can invalidate a scanned answer. Confirm the material rules for your centre.
Wristwatch (non-smart, analogue or basic digital)
Mobile phones must be switched off and put away, so a plain watch is the safe way to pace yourself. Smartwatches and any device with connectivity are normally banned from the desk; check the centre's rules (needs_review).
Clear water bottle with the label removed
Many centres allow a transparent bottle without labels; some do not allow any drink. Ask your centre in advance rather than risk having it confiscated at the door (needs_review).
Know which Greek texts are on your syllabus
Griego II in Madrid is built around prescribed authors and passages. Re-read the official curriculum for your year and mark exactly which works or passages can appear, so you do not waste the last days on texts that are not examinable.
Prepare your translation method as a written routine
Write out the steps you will follow on the day: read the whole passage once, identify main verbs and their subjects, mark subordinate clauses, note particles and connectives, then translate clause by clause. Having this on paper makes the exam calmer.
Review a short grammar and syntax checklist
Focus on the high-frequency items: case functions, middle/passive endings, contract verbs, athematic forms such as eimi and phemi, participles (especially genitive absolute and circumstantial), infinitives in indirect statement, and the main subordinate clause types with their moods.
Practise timed translation under exam conditions
Do at least two full timed run-throughs in the final week using an unseen passage of similar length, then mark your own version against a commentary. Time yourself strictly so you know whether your translation pace fits the paper.
Rehearse the literature and context answers
Prepare structured notes on the prescribed authors, genres, historical setting and key themes, plus short model paragraphs. Practise writing one answer in the time you would realistically have after the translation.
Plan your journey and arrival time
Check the exact building and room, not just the campus, and aim to arrive well before the call time. PAU sessions are strict about late arrivals, and access is often closed once the exam has begun (needs_review on the exact cut-off).
Leave prohibited items at home
Do not bring smartwatches, earphones, notes, annotated texts or any electronic device beyond a basic phone that you switch off and stow. Possession of unauthorised material during an exam can lead to annulment of the subject or the whole sitting.
Plan the day
Finish content revision and switch to consolidation. Re-read the official syllabus to confirm which Greek texts and authors are examinable, then make a one-page summary of the grammar and syntax points you most often get wrong in practice translations. Do one timed translation and correct it carefully, writing down the type of error for each mistake rather than just the right answer.
Do a second timed translation, ideally from an author on your syllabus, and rehearse a literature or context answer in exam conditions. Build a personal vocabulary sheet of the twenty to thirty Greek words and constructions that have repeatedly blocked you. Review the morphology tables you need to recognise instantly: article, pronouns, participle endings, and the principal parts of common irregular verbs.
Stop learning new material. Read through your error log and summary sheets only, check the exam centre address and transport, and lay out your ID, admission slip, pens and watch in one place. Confirm the start time and the call time, which are not always the same; if anything is unclear, contact your centre. Sleep a full night rather than revising late.
Eat properly and arrive early with your ID, admission slip and pens. Do not try to memorise new vocabulary in the queue; instead skim your one-page syntax checklist and your translation routine. Switch off your phone and stow it before entering the room, and check that nothing written, including notes on your hands or case, is visible.
Read the whole paper and the instructions before writing. Note the marks for each section and decide how many minutes the translation, the literature or context questions, and any grammar or lexical questions each deserve. Start with the translation, since it usually carries the largest weight, but leave a clearly marked margin for returning to difficult sentences.
Read the Greek passage once for sense, then work clause by clause: find the main verb, identify its subject and objects, resolve participles and infinitives, and only then render into natural Spanish. Mark uncertain words and return to them using context and word formation. Keep the word order of the Spanish version readable rather than mirroring Greek word order.
Check that every question has been attempted and that your name and details are on every sheet. Re-read your translation for Spanish sense and for missed negatives, particles and tense choices, and make sure any literature answer directly addresses the question asked. Do not rewrite whole passages; make targeted corrections only.
Rules to check
Bring original official photo ID and your admission document; without them you may be refused entry. If you are unsure what counts as valid ID for your centre, confirm with the provider before the exam day (needs_review).
Electronic devices, smartwatches, earphones and any notes or annotated texts must be left outside the exam room or switched off and stowed as instructed. Unauthorised material found during the exam can lead to the annulment of the subject or the whole sitting.
Late arrival rules are strict and vary by centre: access may be closed once the exam has started, and extra time is not normally granted for lateness. Confirm the exact cut-off with your centre in advance (needs_review).
Write your answers in the language and on the official paper required by the instructions. Answers written outside the designated spaces, or on unauthorised sheets, may not be marked.
Use only the permitted writing materials. Pencil is generally reserved for answer sheets that are machine-read; correction fluid and erasable pens can cause problems with scanned scripts, so check before using them.
Breaks and leaving the room are usually restricted during the exam, often only with permission and accompanied. Plan ahead and confirm the centre's policy rather than assuming you can leave and return freely (needs_review).
Scoring follows the official marking criteria for the subject: accuracy and completeness of translation, correct identification of grammatical and syntactic structures, and relevance and precision in the literature and context answers. Read the marks available and allocate effort accordingly.
If you believe there is an error in the paper or a problem with the room, raise it calmly with the invigilator at the time; appeals are handled through the official review procedure afterwards, not by the invigilator. Ask the provider for the deadlines if you think you need to appeal (needs_review).