Want to study in USA? Ace GRE verbal test with this guide
Hi I am Maria. I gave GRE General exam recently and scored 326 (161 verbal, 165 quant, 4.0 AWA). Based on my experience with the test, I am jotting down some personal insights to answer commonly heard FAQs about the GRE Verbal section. For instance,
- How much time does it take to prepare for the verbal section of GRE?
- How many words should I memorize to build my vocabulary for GRE?
- Which resources are best to prepare for GRE verbal?
- What should be my focus, GRE verbal or GRE quantitative?
- Why do we hear contrary statements about the GRE verbal section; some people say it is too easy, and some say it is impossibly difficult?
What categorizes as a good score in GRE verbal depends on your intended field of study. If you are an Engineer, the quantitative section is more important than the verbal section.
If you are an engineer (or in any related field that puts emphasis on Mathematics), please do not stress about the verbal section. Try to score perfect in the quantitative section and with an average score (150–160) in verbal you will be good to go. Remember, while a good score in verbal is always a plus, we engineers are not allowed to have any excuse for a low quant score. So, divide your efforts accordingly.
Start using Magoosh GRE Vocabulary app today. Do not wait till the day you start preparing for the test.
Magoosh GRE Vocabulary mobile app is a good start but it is not a head-start. By that I mean, it is not a resource for high paced preparation. Rather, it is something you should start using months before you actually initiate the preparation. Just make it a part of your life, replace your general mobile gaming and social media with this app. 15–20 minutes with it daily can do wonders beyond just GRE. So, no matter what stage of preparation you are at now, or even if you do not have any solid plan for GRE yet, download this app and start building your vocabulary, slowly yet steadily.
Memorizing words blindly is not a good strategy. GRE does not test whether you know the meaning of a word, rather it tests if you can understand its usage in the given context.
As for head-on preparation, I do not consider memorizing words blindly a good strategy. I think you should solve GRE verbal section in ETS books/ practice tests and when you see a difficult word in the questions or options (each question will offer 3–5 good words), you should make your own flashcards* for these words. Go through these flashcards every week. While recalling a word from a flashcard, also try to recall the context/question you saw it in. Moreover, group the flashcards which have similar meaning words and try to remember differences in their usages. The benefit of this strategy are threefold:
- The content in ETS books is a reflection of the actual test, so you will learn the words which are most frequent in GRE.
- You will try to solve the questions first, face difficulty in deciphering the meanings of difficult words and make some guesses. Only after this effort will you check it up in the dictionary. This way the word will stay in your memory far longer, since you have put in more effort in understanding it.
- Most importantly, you will learn the context in which GRE uses specific words. GRE does not test whether you know the meaning of a word, rather it tests if you know its usage. For example, In a dictionary, you would find ‘rebuke’ and ‘castigate’ as synonyms. Both can be used in the meaning of scolding, or punishing. However, only after understanding their usages, you would know that castigate has a comparatively harsher tone. Rebuke can be used in the meaning of scolding a child while castigate can mean punishing a corrupt police officer. These subtle differences are frequently tested in GRE.
I am advocating strongly for this technique on the basis of personal experience. I had used this strategy 6 years ago to prepare for a university entrance exam, which was very similar to GRE. Amazingly, after all these years, that preparation still helped me in GRE.
The amount of time and work it will take for you to prepare for the verbal section is heavily dependent on your past interaction with English language. However, most people can secure a decent score with a maximum 2 months of focused preparation.
The amount of time and work it will take for you to prepare for the verbal section is heavily dependent on your past interaction with English language. If you have been reading good English literature (Books, research papers, news papers), it will inevitably accelerate your verbal preparation. As I had been reading for many years, I did not have to spend more than a week on preparing for a 161 on the verbal section. So, if you are in the initial years of undergraduate degree, it is imperative to use your time efficiently; develop a habit of reading one page daily.
The only reliable way to find out how much preparation you will need, is to give practice tests. Make a target score, and keep preparing until you hit your target.
However, if your exposure with English is limited, there is no need to stress about it. Most people can secure a decent score with a maximum 2 months of focused preparation (for verbal only). The only reliable way to find out how much preparation you will need, is to give practice tests. Make a target score, and keep preparing until you hit your target score in the practice test.
Good luck.
*A flashcard is simply a piece of paper; you write the word on one side and its meaning on the other. You see the word, try to remember the meaning, and if you do not remember, check it on the back of the flashcard.
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