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The GRE verbal section of the exam is the most sophisticated way of assessing the critical thinking skills of a candidate and a clear check if the candidate is in a position to understand the master's level language in an academic context or not. Today we shall be discussing some real-time applicable GRE verbal tips and tricks so that the candidates can score high. We are sure if you follow the given GRE verbal tips, this article shall serve as a GRE verbal guide, especially for the students who are preparing on their own, i.e. self-study.
GRE: Sample Papers | Preparation Tips | Guide
The most important aspect of the GRE verbal section is that the aspiring candidate must have accurate awareness and knowledge of the format of the GRE verbal section, when we talk about the format, the candidate should just not be limited to knowing the types of questions but also must be aware of understanding what each question type assess and the techniques required to solve those type of questions. Hence, the best way to familiarize yourself with the exam is to give a diagnostic test and see how different types of questions put you in different thinking zones and how much time you take to solve them and also the level of accuracy that you achieve.
The Gre verbal section assesses your way of understanding the written academic text in analytical way, the way you are able to comprehend the relation of words used in the sentence. Always remember that to score high in the GRE verbal section you should be able to recognize the different parts of the sentence or the text to reach the accurate answer.
There are different kinds of questions in the GRE verbal section and to score high one must follow certain techniques, the techniques to be followed may vary from individual to individual as each one has a different level of English. Different types of Questions in the GRE verbal sections are as follows:
Reading comprehension
Text completion
Sentence Equivalence
Attempting the GRE verbal section in an excellent manner calls for an enriched vocabulary of the candidate. Always remember that vocabulary does not enhance with learning thousands of words instead, you should follow some strategies to enhance the power of your language.
Some techniques are as follows:
The most important one is to prepare your own GRE dictionary. Always remember that you cannot rely on following a particular dictionary that is made by someone else. Your dictionary should have words that are only difficult for you.
In the dictionary, when you write a word along with its meaning, do not forget to add its synonym, and antonym, and the most important part is to frame a sentence of all the words.
The human mind is more trained to remember the sentences made than just retaining the words.
When you think of utilizing contextual clues, you are actually inferring the answer in context to what is mentioned in the academic context. You should be able to understand
If words are used to give examples or support them
If words are used in a contractive manner
If words are used in a structure just for explanation
Example: In the sentence- “Her penchant for adventure led her to climb the highest peaks and explore remote landscapes.”
The words penchant in the above sentence indicate a strong liking or inclination.
The development of root words in your dictionary plays a crucial role in enhancing your vocabulary. So prepare a word map which highlights different words made from each root word.
For example: "Morph-" (Greek: form): Words like "metamorphosis," "morphology," and "amorphous" contain the root "morph-," indicating a connection to shape or form.
To excel in the GRE verbal reading section, one must have strong reading habits and also to retain the information, in other words, reading has to be focused and not just skimming the text.
One of the authenticated academic reading practices can be done on aldaily.com
Remember you need to be an avid reader.
Some of the strategies to follow as GRE verbal tips specifically useful for the reading section:
Be focused and read with full concentration.
In case, you are not able to relate the information to the answer, remember that there is no negative marking in the GRE test and it is okay to guess an answer
You should not waste much time and move on to the next question.
After you complete all, come back to the difficult one and re-approach it freshly.
While you are reading, do not forget the following :
Engage yourself with the academic text
Be curious as to what could be next
Analyse the tone of the writer
Make connections with the information in the text with your own experiences.
Highlight the unfamiliar words
Analyzing passage structure is another important skill that will help you score high in the GRE verbal section. Some GRE verbal tips to analyse the passage structure are as follows:
Understand the introduction of the passage
Analyze the background information
Understand the main argument or thesis that is included
Post understanding of the introduction, you should:
Identify the main ideas that are presented.
Focus on the way they are explained with details and evidence.
Concentrate on the transitional words that showcase the movement from idea to details to portraying the evidence.
Understand the structure with the help of words like therefore, in contrast, furthermore, as a result of.
The main purpose of the text will be identified after you understand the central idea of the passage. Analyze the detailed explanation given for the purpose and also check the persuasion the author has tried to make. It could be emotional, logical, or even authoritative.
Mastery of different types of questions comes with diligent practice. We have mentioned detailed strategies for solving each question type in our last article and we assure you that if you follow them, you will be able to boost your score. Listed below are some GRE verbal tips so that you are able to score high by following the strategies:
Initially do not time yourself and practice each type of question and analyze your weakness
Enhance your vocabulary
Do not cram words
Read the text for meaning and do not skim
Logically attempt the questions
After you have done the initial phase of practice, you should attempt a mock test in real-time so that you are able to check the level of your score and how far you are from the desired score.
Each student should have their own strategies considering the time they are able to manage for the preparation, however, students need to keep in mind that only practice and strategic preparation will help in achieving higher scores.
All students must give appropriate time to practice and must make a point of evaluating their level of performance on a regular basis. Ideally, every 10 days there should be a mock test in a real exam scenario, that is one should attempt the mock test in complete silence with full focus and concentration.
While attempting the mock test or even the real exam, students should not forget that there is no negative marking and hence wasting time on a particular question that keeps you stuck is of no use, instead, you should move forward and attempt the next one. Your revision time will give you a chance to analyze the difficult question again.
You should practice giving the mock test on authenticated web portals of the ETS website so that you are able to use the software in a free manner. Flagging difficult questions and returning to them at revision time gives you a chance to think again and also not forget to attempt them.
Daily practice will help you develop speed and accuracy and you will be able to manage time in the best of manner. Once you are able to boost your score, you should have strictly timed practice of each section of the GRE so that you start gaining confidence in attempting the exam in real time.
Divide each section of the GRE verbal on an individual basis, basically according to the level of difficulty and ease you feel for each type of question.
Remember that all questions are going to be in chronological order so you will not have to waste time reading the text again and again.
Every 10 days you should give a mock test following a strict timeline and analyze your score. The increment in the score will motivate you to keep up the practice, however, if you score low, do not feel disheartened as you will be realizing your errors and will get a chance to further improve on the mistakes made.
Continuous improvement is a sign of preparation done in the best manner. Hence, if you start scoring your desired score on a regular basis then you should register for the exam. After you register for the exam, keep doing the practice, work on all the mistakes that are happening, and seek personalized coaching if required.
Break down the sentence into smaller chunks, understand its deeper meaning, analyze the clues and synonyms, and use the elimination method to reach the correct answer.
Yes, you should guess an answer if you are struggling to reach the correct answer as the GRE does not do negative marking.
This is one of the most important aspects of the test, the candidate must manage time in a way he has 5-10 minutes to revise the entire test and re-attempt any difficult answer.
The best way is to do a self-study referring to some authenticated material available both online and offline. In case, you feel you need help, then you should prefer taking personalized coaching online so that you do not waste time traveling or studying in long groups.
You should practice mindfulness and give your best. Take a deep breath and say to yourself that you will excel. Practice well and work strategically.
TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, and GMAT are all standardized tests used for college admission, detailed information regarding these exams is mentioned below:
TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language is a standardized test that is used to know the English language proficiency of non-English speakers. TOEFL exam is taken by students wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities abroad. TOEFL scores are accepted by more than 11,000 universities in more than 190 countries.
IELTS: The International English Language Testing System is an English proficiency test, it checks your ability to understand and communicate in English. Many universities around the world require international students to have a valid IELTS score for admission to universities to study abroad.
GRE (Graduate Record Examination): This is a general exam required for many Master's programmes especially in humanities, social sciences, and sciences. GRE scores are also applicable for admission to some PhD programmes. GRE test checks your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills.
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test): This is specifically required for admission to MBA courses. GMAT test assess analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, integrated reasoning, and verbal reasoning skills, but with a focus on business applications.
Key differences: TOEFL, IELTS, GRE & GMAT
Feature |
TOEFL & IELTS |
GRE & GMAT |
Purpose |
Assess English proficiency |
Assess readiness for graduate studies |
Required for |
Many universities for international students |
Master's & PhD programmes (GRE), MBA programs (GMAT) |
Specific skills tested |
Reading, listening, speaking, writing |
Verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, critical thinking (GRE), similarly GMAT accesses a candidate's abilities but with a business focus. |
Hello aspirant,
Those who wish to pursue postsecondary education, specifically a Master's degree, specialised Master's programme, MBA, or PhD, are eligible to take the GRE. You must show up for the GRE general exam. Use the following link to get the comprehensive exam details:
https://studyabroad.careers360.com/articles/gre
Thank you
Hope this information helps you.
Hello Aspirant,
Higher the chances of success, the better the coaching. Therefore, be sure to select the best GRE coaching in Hyderabad based on your personal GRE strengths and weaknesses as well as the faculty's experience, course costs, and distance from your home.
Some of the Coaching centers:
Thank You
Dear Student,
For admittance to premier universities like MIT, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and CMU, your resume must be exceptionally strong.
Even if you address all of the aforementioned criteria, there is no assurance that you will be admitted to one of the universities you have named. When you make a decision, a combination of all these criteria will be taken into account, but these 10 ideas are a fantastic place to start.
I know someone who received acceptance letters from MIT, UC Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon University for their MS and PhD programmes after scoring between 1400 and 1600 on the GRE. He applied with an excellent resume that included a 9+ GPA throughout college, two years of research in Microsoft R&D, and a few patents. Therefore, what matters is your whole profile.
I hope that helps! I wish you the best!
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