What do I need to know to pass the Latin placement exam?
Advanced level: Qualification for an upper-level (300-level or higher) LATN class consists of (1) thorough knowledge of Latin grammar and (2) proficiency in reading Latin.
- Thorough knowledge of Latin grammar means:
- knowing all of the conjugations of verbs (regular and irregular) and the declensions of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, as well as the forms of infinitives and participles.
- It also means understanding how Latin combines those forms to create complete meaningful statements, whether in the indicative, imperative, or subjunctive mood.
- It also includes basic knowledge of the most common Latin vocabulary words.
- Proficiency in reading Latin means being able to read (i.e., correctly pronounce, construe, and understand) continuous passages of Latin using a dictionary. By dictionary I mean a physical, preferably hard-cover, dictionary, which you should acquire as soon as possible, if you do not already possess one (e.g., Cassell’s Latin Dictionary).
Intermediate level: Qualification for an intermediate-level (199 or 201) LATN class consists of basic knowledge of elementary Latin grammar.
- Basic knowledge of elementary Latin grammar means:
- knowing all of the conjugations of regular verbs (and some familiarity with the irregular verbs); the declensions of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns; and the forms of infinitives and participles.
- It also means understanding how Latin combines those forms to create meaningful statements, whether in the indicative, imperative, or subjunctive mood.
- It also includes an increasing familiarity with the most common Latin vocabulary words.
Etymologies 