Paper 3: Listening, reading and writing in Greek — Edexcel A-Level Greek

Paper 3 tests comprehension of spoken Greek drawn from a range of authentic listening sources, such as interviews, reports, announcements and discussions, so you must cope with different speakers, speeds and registers. You show understanding by extracting main points, specific details and implied meaning, not by translating word for word. The paper also assesses summarising: condensing spoken and written material into a short accurate account that keeps the essential points and drops repetition. Alongside this you evaluate viewpoints, judging the stance a speaker or writer takes, the reasons given and how convincing or balanced that position is. In practice you listen or read for gist first, then for detail, note key points in Greek or English as instructed, and write a concise summary plus a reasoned judgement of the viewpoints presented.

This criterion asks you to work out meaning that is not stated outright in a demanding Greek recording. You hear the audio, often twice, and answer multiple-choice questions. 'Complex' means the passage carries extended sentences, subordinate clauses, idiom, implied attitude or inference, and possibly regional or formal registers. 'Infer' means you deduce what the speaker intends from clues: tone of voice, stress, discourse markers such as όμως, παρ' όλα αυτά, πράγματι, and the relationship between stated facts. For example, if a speaker says a scheme was launched with much fanfare but then lists delays and unmet targets, you infer criticism even though the word 'criticism' is never used. Prepare by listening to authentic Greek news, interviews and discussion programmes, noting how speakers signal stance indirectly.

This criterion requires you to gather information from both a recording and a written Greek text, combine it, and use it in your own extended answer. 'Assimilate' means you absorb, select and organise relevant points from each source; 'use' means you apply them to the task, for example summarising, comparing viewpoints, or supporting an argument. Suppose a radio interview presents a family's reasons for moving to an urban centre while an article gives employment and education statistics: a strong answer draws on both, showing where they agree and where the spoken account adds personal detail the written source lacks. You must attribute ideas to the correct source, avoid copying long stretches of the written text, and write in your own Greek. Plan briefly, group points by theme, and integrate evidence rather than listing source one then source two.

This criterion asks you to work across both spoken and written Greek material and then produce a written summary that reports the key points and the overall subject matter. In practice you listen to an audio passage, read a written passage, and then write in Greek a condensed account that captures what each source is mainly about and the most important supporting points. For example, if a radio item discusses the benefits and drawbacks of city transport and an article covers the same theme, your summary should state the shared subject matter and report the main points from each source without copying long stretches. You select, condense and reorganise, keeping the original meaning. Assessment looks at whether your summary is accurate, relevant, complete in covering key points, and written clearly in Greek.

This criterion requires you to listen to and read Greek material, identify the main ideas, and then summarise the different points of view that appear in those sources. In practice you might hear an interview where one speaker supports a proposal and another opposes it, and read an article presenting further perspectives. You then write a summary that states the main ideas and sets out the differing viewpoints fairly and accurately. The skill is distinguishing a speaker's or writer's position from mere background detail, and representing each viewpoint without distorting it. Assessment considers whether you correctly identify the main ideas, capture the range of viewpoints, and summarise them clearly in written Greek.

In Paper 3 you read or hear Greek material in which people express attitudes, then write a response that weighs those attitudes and reaches your own conclusion. Evaluating a point of view means identifying what a speaker or writer claims, judging how far the evidence or reasoning supports it, and saying where it is strong, weak, partial or inconsistent. Drawing conclusions means committing to a defensible overall judgement rather than listing opinions. For example, if one speaker argues that city life benefits young people while another stresses its costs, you would compare the grounds each gives, note any unstated assumption, and end with a reasoned verdict such as which case is better supported and why. Support every judgement with specific detail from the Greek material, and organise the answer so each paragraph advances the evaluation rather than merely summarising.

This criterion requires integrated performance: you listen to Greek material, read related stimulus, and write your own Greek response drawing on both. In Paper 3 the tasks are linked, so information heard in one item must often be carried into a reading or writing task. While listening, note key facts, names and viewpoints in Greek; when reading, compare those notes with the text to identify agreement or contrast. Then draft a structured response with accurate Greek accidence, agreement and syntax. For example, after hearing an interview, you might read an article and write a paragraph summarising both viewpoints before concluding. Assessment rewards accurate, coherent Greek that demonstrably integrates evidence from both sources to answer the prompt.