Greek to GCSE: Part 1

First written in response to a survey of over 100 schools, and now endorsed by Cambridge OCR, this textbook has become a standard resource for students in the UK and for readers across the world who are looking for a clear and thorough introduction to the language of the ancient Greeks. This thirdedition is updated to match the changes to the Cambridge OCR specification for Classical Greek (first teaching September 2026). Part 1 covers the basics and is self-contained, with its own reference section. It covers the main declensions, a range of active tenses and a vocabulary of 250 Greek words to be learned. Pupil confidence is built up by constant consolidation of the material covered. After the preliminaries, each chapter concentrates on stories with one source or subject: Aesop, Homer’s Odyssey and Alexander the Great, providing an excellent introduction to Greek culture alongside the language study. Vocabulary is updated throughout to match the 2026 revision to the Cambridge OCR defined vocabulary list whilewords on the Intermediate Certificate in Classical Greek syllabus are flagged also. Written by a long-time school teacher and examiner, this two-part course is based on experience of what pupils find difficult, concentrating on the essentials and on the understanding of principles in both accidence and syntax: minor irregularities are postponed and subordinated so that the need for rote learning is reduced. It aims to be user-friendly, but also to give pupils a firm foundation for further study.