ICON+

The GRE Verbal section is often quoted as the more difficult section of the test. The reason is that so many of the answer options available will seem incredibly similar. The key to success is acquiring the ability to decipher the differences between seemingly identical answers.  This section of the test is designed to really test your reasoning and verbal skills to the limit.

The verbal section of your GRE exam is nicely split into four separate types of tasks.

The first is analogies, where you are presented with two sets of words that have a corresponding link. Your task then, is to figure out the correct relationship between the corresponding words. I know this sounds deceptively simple, but it’s vital to understand all the possible meanings of the word. The tricks are to measure the likeness of the word in relation to its context and to be cautious of overly obvious answers!

 The second types of questions are antonyms. normal"> From the choices given, you are asked to find the opposite of the word presented.

The next tasks are sentence completions, where you are presented with an incomplete sentence and have to choose the right missing word. This section is about making sure the word fits in the context of the sentence whilst adhering to grammatical rules.

Finally, you will need to tackle normal">reading comprehension. During this section, you are required to read a passage and respond to questions relating to the text. You are then asked to answer descriptive, analytical and interpretive questions in regard to the passage you just read. The only way to master this section of the test is to practice examining texts. When reading any piece of text, the first and last sentences are the ones essential to understanding the piece. You are not expected to digest the entirety of the passage in one go, and you are free to refer back to the text at any time to confer answers. Just make sure you keep your eye on the clock.

Below are a few simple rules to follow when attacking the GRE verbal section

• During sentence completion, attempt to fill in the space before you look at the answers available.
• Take notice of any negative words in a sentence – these can be easy to miss.
• If you are presented with an unknown word, consider the words roots and affixes to help decipher the meaning of the word.
• Before you select an answer choice, ask yourself if the word chosen has another meaning. For example, many words acquire different meanings depending on the context of the sentence.
• During the reading comprehension, only provide answers that link directly to the text provided.
• When reading the text, focus mainly on the first and last sentence of each paragraph as these will hold the major information.
• Finally, if you don’t know an answer, use the power of deduction to eliminate the wrong answers. This is will increase your chances of getting to the correct one.

In conclusion, be aware that a lot of the answers will look similar; it’s your job to choose the best answer of all the ones that seem right. It’s very easy to see a correct looking answer then jump to conclusions. Try and restrain yourself before you go straight to click the box; make sure you consider all the other options given to you. This is the simplest way the test makers catch you out on the exam. Keep your focus and avoid falling into the traps laid out for you.