If so, then you have reached the correct blog. There’s no denying that most Indian test-takers do find the GRE verbal reasoning section pretty tough when compared to the quantitative section. Let’s look at some quick stats from the ETS’s July 2012- June 2017 report. The table below lists out the average scores of test takers across countries where the GRE is taken by a large number of students each year.

GRE Country wise Test Takers Statistics – »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ (…formerly GREedge)

As you can see, Indian test takers scored the least in the verbal section when compared to the rest. Even though we have a large percentage of the population exposed to English on a daily basis, there exists a gap in learning. While everyday conversations help us improve general fluency a good GRE score requires deeper learning and a strong command over the language. This is partly due to the fact that the GRE’s vocabulary comprises as many as 3500 words, many of which hardly find use in day-to-day speech.

Indian test takers are noted to be naturally good with quants, it’s preparing for the verbal section that’s likely to take up the better part of your efforts, as well as act as the determining factor behind your final score. Some of the best universities require a strong GRE Verbal reasoning score and hence the command you have in the universal language to consider your application. Here is the list of some famous universities and their average GRE Verbal reasoning score requirement.

Famous Universities With Average GRE Verbal Reasoning Score

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ÌýStructure of GRE Verbal Reasoning:

The intent of the GRE Verbal reasoning section is to test your ability to comprehend written text, form conclusions and figure out relationships between two or more parts of a sentence. There are two sets of 20 questions each and you get 30 minutes to answer each set.

The three types of questions that come on this section are:

• Reading Comprehension (RC) – 10 questions/set
• Text Completion (TC) – 5-6 questions/set
• Sentence Equivalence (SE) – 4-5 questions/set

The following graph shows the time spent by students on preparing for the 3 topics of the Verbal section. As you can see, students spent most of their time on Reading Comprehension (RC). This makes sense because 10 out of 20 questions, or 50% of this section, are from RC Passages, with Text Completion (TC) and Sentence Equivalence (SE) questions comprising the rest. Vocabulary building is also a very important part of your GRE Verbal reasoning preparation as you’ll need to learn at least 1000 high-priority GRE words.

Download our eBOOK on “High Priority GRE Words“

Learning just 30 GRE words per day can improve your vocabulary in a span of 30 days. ÌýCheck out WordBot now, a free vocabulary learning app that has the meanings of 3000+ GRE words along with picture guides, their synonyms, antonyms, and usage in sentences. Don’t be surprised even if find yourself learning even more than 50 words a day! Ìý

GRE Verbal Reasoning Section Graph

To improve your skills on the verbal section, practice Reading Comprehension; review your passages and your answers after each practice session. If you add one English newspaper (The New Yorker, Arts & Letters Daily, or The Atlantic) to your daily schedule, it helps you to learn words in their proper context, enhancing your vocabulary and as a bonus, brushing up your knowledge of current affairs for the AWA section.

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The GRE Verbal Section comprises three sections out of which only two would be scored. However, test-takers have no way of determining which of the 3 sections is unscored. Each section has 20 questions and you will be given 30 minutes to answer each (Roughly 1.5 minutes for each question). Most of the questions are multiple-choice questions, where one of the five answers will be correct.

You can begin your preparation by understanding where you stand at the moment. Take a score predicting test here.

Tips and Tricks of the trade:

1. Sentence Equivalence (SE):

These questions could be challenging at moments as you might not be able to think of two words which when placed in a blank will produce sentences that have exactly the same meanings. There can be an approx. of 8 SE questions in the GRE Verbal section. The following are some handy tips to ace Sentence Equivalence questions:

• As you read the sentence, fill in the word which you feel is most suitable, based on the context.

• Notice the signal words like and, but, yet, since, thus, although and while. These words will help you to understand the context of the word, and hence, help you make a better choice.

• Make reasonable guesses of the meanings of unfamiliar words.

• Consider all the choices even if you are completely sure. You might come across an even more appropriate word.

• Also, be careful while choosing a word. Many times test takers choose a word which doesn’t have a synonym in the group. Avoid this mistake at all costs.

Let’s understand with an example:

While serving in a place marred by bitter conflict, the high degree of alertness that they develop often gets so ingrained in the psyche of some of the serving soldiers that they continue to display the same sense of _________ in civilian life, often to the discomfort of those close to them.

1. aggression
2. distrust
3. discipline
4. assault
5. suspicion
6. restlessness

Correct answers: ÌýB & E

Scoring conditions:

• If you select any option other than B & E, you will not get any marks.
• If you select either B or E and not both, you will not get any marks.
• If you select both B & E, you will be awarded full marks for the question.

2. Text Completion (TC):

Text completion type questions are a step up from the SE type. You will have to fill two or more blanks in a 5-6 sentence long paragraph. Choices are to be made from the list of words given and marks would be provided only if you choose all the correct options. Like the SE section, no partial marking system is applied.

Following are the tips for TC type questions:

• Since the questions are lengthy and monotonous, break the text into smaller parts to digest quickly.

• Understand the tone and context that is being aimed by the sentence. Read it 2-3 times until you grasp the context of the question.

• Add your own word to fill up the sentence and then select the closest answer to that word.

Let’s try out an example and apply the tips:

Climate change has already led to the ________ of some bird species in parts of England, where intensively farmed land gives them no room to ______ to warming temperatures. Birds are facing a double-edged sword from climate change and declines in habitat quality as land management is making it harder for cold-associated birds to find cool corners of sites. As biodiversity across England _______________, stopping the destruction of habitat such as hedgerows and old orchards and creating new nature reserves can give opportunities for wildlife to adapt to global warming.

1. A) disappearance ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýD) migrate G) is fostered
2. B) evolution ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýE) retaliate H) continues to fall
3. C) conservation ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýF) adapt I) continues to spread

Correct Answer: ÌýA, F & H

Scoring conditions:

• If you select any option other than the correct ones, you will not get any marks.
• If you select the correct option for blank (1) and the wrong option for blanks (2 or 3) or any other combination, you will not get any marks.
• If you select the correct option for all the blanks, you will be awarded full marks for the question.

3. RC Passages:

One can expect around 5 RC Passages in each section which might vary in their length from 1 to 5 passages. These passages are picked up randomly from Scholarly journals, magazines, works of literature, politics, art, culture, textbooks, biographies, lifestyles, etc. These passages are composed well with complicated structure and advanced vocabulary. These passages make even a good reader break a sweat.

The three types of questions you will be answering are:

• Multiple Choice questions with one correct option: You will be required to choose from a set of five answers.
• Multiple Choice questions with more than one correct option: The twist with these types of questions is there is no partial credit provided for the answer. You will have to choose from a set of 3 answers out of which, one/ two/ even all three answers could be true.
• Select in Passage: The answer to this question lies in the passage. You need to select a sentence in the passage that answers the question.

With 30 minutes dedicated for each section, whilst solving these passages, time is of ultimate value.

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ÌýFollowing are a few tips if kept in mind can help you through GRE Verbal Reasoning section:

• Introduction and Conclusion of long comprehensions: To develop an understanding of long passages, read the introduction and conclusion first. Often these are enough to give you sufficient hints to answer the questions.
• Keywords and Context: If you find the keyword from the question in the text, read the preceding and succeeding sentences before forming a complete understanding. Then you can understand the intent and context of the author.
• Save the most complex passage for the last: Know your strengths and weaknesses beforehand. If it takes you a longer duration of time to solve certain passages that talk about say: history. Then skip it and then come back to it after you are done with other ones. This rule is pretty much the same as what applied to your school board exams.
• Stick to the information provided: Do not get carried away by your own opinions on the matter while answering a critical reasoning question based on the passage. Assuming information can be a self-destructive step while solving RC Passages.
• Take notes as you read: While going through the text, take notes simultaneously and notice the keywords.
• Misinterpreting the linking words: Every paragraph of the RC could be a turning point in the reading or it might simply support the preceding paragraph. Develop the understanding of linking words or phrases, like however, in contrast with, but, on the other hand, in addition, yet, in conclusion, and others.
• Wasting time in comprehending useless information: ÌýThis often happens with long RC passages. If you try to unravel the complexity, you are caught in the trap. Skim through the comprehension once focusing your attention on the first and the last paragraph of the comprehension to understand the intent of the RC. Then, read all the questions and look for the keywords in the body paragraphs. Extracting only the meaningful information from a long passage is a skill that you’ll keep getting better at with practice.
• Not taking notes: Test takers often don’t take notes and have to read the passage again. It wastes precious time. Take notes of significant points in the text as you go through RC the very first time.
• Adding details of your own: Strictly remember that the answers if the questions asked would be available in the RC passage. Do not make assumptions and find the answer.

Let’s try to apply these tips in the example below:

Through her works, Abril Bolivar aimed to take the average middle-class reader from a state of ennui and indifference to a state of enlightenment. Long before terms such as socialist, feminist, and progressive intellectuals got their modern definitions, Abril championed the cause of the marginalized section of the late 19th-century Bolivian society such as peasants and laborers in her writing.

Since Abril’s rather premature death at 45, her work has acquired greater significance. Her novels have achieved cult status, some are even made into movies, and her short stories were lapped up by schools and colleges as an essential part of their curriculum. Even those with a cursory interest in literature find her novels and short stories appealing. What perhaps has not found as much appreciation is her disquisitions, especially those where she explains her art, her view of the world, and philosophy of life.

Abril, in one of her speeches at a literary conference of Latin American writers, said that she did not subscribe to the “art for art’s sake” school of thought. In light of the themes she chose to write, this would give the facile impression of Abril being a pamphleteer for a cause. However, her language is more of an aesthete than an ideologue. Her writings express the restlessness of an artist and not the certitude of a propagandist.

Based on the information provided in the passage, the author most likely believes Abril’s work to be:

1. A fine blend of art as well as a social discourse
2. More biased toward social causes rather than aesthetics
3. More of cult literature following among movie-makers, students, and those with a cursory interest in literature
4. A propagandist that would leave the reader in a state of restlessness of an artist
5. Less interesting as compared to her disquisitions on her art, her view of the world and philosophy of life.

Correct Answer: Option A

Scoring conditions:

• If you select the incorrect option(s) / sentence, you will not get any marks
• If you select all correct choices, you will be awarded full marks.

4. Vocabulary

There are more than 3000 GRE words that you will have to learn. Though you won’t ever be directly tested on these words separately, GRE verbal reasoning comprises questions which can be solved only if you are familiar with their meanings. Without a vocabulary of GRE words, the chances of making a mistake grow several times. Let’s take a look at the graph of actual GRE verbal reasoning scores obtained by test takers who prepared with »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ (…formerly GREedge) vs. the number of words learned by them.

GRE Vocabulary – GRE words

Words Seen: Words that they have only seen, but not mastered.

Words Mastered: Seen the word & mastered using WordBot, by taking a test in GRE Style.

The graphs make it pretty clear to get a 160 above on the verbal section; you need to master the words with practice tests.

Download our eBOOK on “How to learn GRE Words to score 160+ in Verbal“

Ìý3 pointers that can lead you to improve your GRE Vocabulary:

Following are some most effective ways to keep in mind during this tenacious process of learning:

1. Choosing the right word-list: English is a vast language and mastering it all with a limited amount of time available might not be feasible. However, there’s still a lot you can achieve through smart work. Hence, right at the beginning, you need to select the correct list of GRE words. Basing on the frequency of their appearance on the GRE, apps like WordBot have a compiled list of words along with their meanings accompanied by picture-guides that can assist your learning.

2. The technique of mastering words: Let’s discuss exactly how big this list that could get you through GRE verbal reasoning is. There are around 3000 GRE words that you need to learn while preparing for the verbal. Mugging is not the solution for a list this large, at least not for the majority of them.

1. 1. Redefine Definitions: The dictionary definition of the word might not be that interesting and you might find it hard to keep those words in mind. So, reinterpret the definition given by the dictionary in your own words, you will realize that learning a definition written by you is comparatively easy to learn.
   2. Use the words in your daily life: Once you have learned a few words, try to add them to your daily conversations. As you carry your flashcards, think of the scenarios where you can use those words. Make sentences with them; say them out loud so that you familiarize yourself with the tone of that word.
   3. Keep a list:ÌýType out the unfamiliar words several times a day. Scribble it on the back of your notebook, text that word to someone; or write an essay containing that word.
   4. Revise and Repeat: Remembering 1000s of words can be challenging and you will start forgetting the words you learned first as time passes by, so remember to revisit the words from time to time to keep them in your memory.

3. Use apps: There are several apps that are designed to make this boring process into some type of game. They help you keep track of your overall development.

Apps like Wordbot from »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ (formerly GREedge) are premeditated to provide you with assistance throughout the process of your learning. They not only operate with a list but also test you from time to time keeping your memory intact throughout the months of your preparation.

Some other tips for prepping for GRE Verbal Reasoning:

• Knowing where you stand: Take a practice test and know where you stand at the moment. It will help you find your strengths and weaknesses and the degree of improvement that you actually require. It can be helpful in deciding how rigorously you need to address your existing vocabulary. Since GRE vocabulary comprises words that aren’t used in your day to day life, even if you realize you have a great deal of learning to do, don’t lose hope and start today.
• Start a habit of reading editorials: Newspapers like the Hindustan Times, The Economist has great articles in their editorials which can help you improve your vocabulary as well as keep you updated with the current events. It will help you with the other sections of your GRE Test as well. If you can, develop a habit of reading good books. ÌýThere is no better way of learning words than seeing them in their very own context.
• Don’t focus only on Vocabulary: It will amount to at max 50% of your score but the rest would come from your comprehending ability, your capability of understanding the context, and of course, reading speed. So prepare and practice RCs well.
• Assess yourself: Before going for the actual test, take practice tests and mock tests to get a better understanding of your state of preparation as well as the GRE time structure. These texts are important as the way you will be giving your exams would be entirely different from how you speak or write English in your daily life.

Download our eBOOK on “Ultimate guide to crack GRE Verbal Reasoning“

Now that you have got what you need to begin your battle against GRE Verbal reasoning, how about you give it a try? Remember, practice is the key and no matter what, don’t give up! You are already a step closer to your dream GRE score.

So select a good application to supplement your learning and start today! Keep this guide handy if you feel it can be of help.Ìý

All the best!

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All about GRE Text Completion:

The GRE text completion section assesses how you interpret and evaluate information presented to you based on your reasoning skills. They do this by omitting critical words from short passages which you need to fill up by using the remaining information in the passage as a basis to create a logical and meaningful whole.

A typical GRE text completion question features a sentence or short passage where one, two or three words are left blank. Your task is to pick the right word from the choices given and make the passage meaningful.

You can expect approximately 12 text-completion questions in total with roughly 6 text-completion questions in each sub-section of the GRE Verbal.

GRE text-completion questions can be of three types:

• Single-blank: These questions have a single blank to be filled up. For sentences or passages with a single blank, you will have to choose the right option from five given words. You can expect four single blank questions in total (2 per section)
• Double-blank: Double blank text completion questions have two blanks to be filled up. You will have to choose the right answer from three given options. You may expect around four to five double blank questions. (2-3 per section)
• Triple-blank: Triple blank text completion passages have three blanks which need to be filled. Three options will be given from which you will have to pick up the right word and you can expect roughly three to four triple blank questions. (1-2 per section)

It is important for you to remember that you have to choose the right answer for every blank for questions with either a double blank or a triple blank to earn a credit. You do not earn any credit for partially correct answers. Also, a double and a triple blank question counts as a single question even though the question passage has multiple blanks.

Tips to crack GRE Text Completion:

One of the most common mistakes candidates make on this section is to focus only on vocabulary building. Now don’t get me wrong here – a great vocabulary is, in fact, one of the pillars of your GRE verbal prep; but it’s not the only one! There’s quite a lot of critical thinking involved in answering Text Completion questions with respect to which word (or words) make the passage meaningful and rational, i.e., contextual usage of words.

Let us consider the following examples for a better understanding:

GRE Text Completion: example 3

Now, the tendency of test takers is to link the first two blanks and then find out the right word for the third blank. So, you might think that because the author is so ‘verbose’ that his work becomes ‘inaccessible’. And then, therefore you quickly link that to ‘lack of coherence and lucidity’. However, this is the point where you need to use your critical thinking and reasoning skills.

If you notice that there is a ‘but’ in the middle of the sentence, that’s your clue that it’s a turning point for the sentence, and the second part of the sentence is likely to take on a different tone from the first. Also, the term ‘knowledgeable critics’ appear and you need to think about why and what critics would point out in the author’s work. Hence, if you logically analyze this sentence, you will find that because of the author’s ‘verbosity’ people, in general, find his work ‘inaccessible’, but critics, because they are experts and know the topic really well, find this to be the most ‘succinct’ piece of work in the field’.

Thus, the answer to this question goes like this:

Because of the author’s (i) verbosity, many readers consider his latest work (ii) inaccessible but, in reality, as many knowledgeable critics point out the piece (iii) is the most succinct on the subject.

Therefore, do not jump into conclusions and make the wrong choices! But what must you do to identify the correct answers? Well, there are some tips and tricks to master text completion questions and handle them like a pro.

Tip 1- Break the sentence:

Text completions passages can be lengthy and are difficult to assimilate at one go. You might as well get lost in the maze of words by looking at the whole passage and attempting to answer the question. ÌýOne of the ways to handle a text completion question is to break the text into parts in a way that is easy for you to understand. So, before you consider any of the choices given, break the passage into smaller, easily understandable parts and consider each part at a time. You will then find it easy to link these smaller parts to get the bigger picture.

In order to understand this, let us consider an example:

GRE Text Completion: example 2 (Break the sentence)

In order to solve this, break this passage into smaller parts in your own words. Doing so will make it easier for you to find the right word for each blank.

(i) Let’s take a look at the first part of the sentence:

“For centuries now, cancer has (i) ___________ scientists.�

Since confused would be the right word here, look for the option that is closest in meaning to confused, which in this case is confounded.

Great! We now know the answer to one of the blanks!

(ii) Let’s move on to the second part of the passage now:

“Unlike most microbes, cancer can spread to the (ii) __________ organism.�

If ‘whole’ is the word you have in mind, you’re absolutely on the right track! Now, look for the option that is closest in meaning to ‘whole’. This is an easy one – entire!

(iii) Now for the 3rd and final part of the passage:

“making it very difficult for scientists to find a way to attack the cancer without (iii) _________ any of the affected organs.�

What words are you thinking of? Damaging? Harming? Destroying? Locate the GRE word for that and you’ll have successfully answered all three blanks correctly and earned your score

Download our eBOOK on “How to score 160+ in GRE Verbal by Learning GRE Words?“

In this case, the word you’re looking for is ‘impairing’ which essentially means the same as harming or damaging. Hence, here’s what the completed passage should look like:

For centuries now, cancer has (i) confounded scientists. Unlike most microbes, cancer can spread to the (ii) entire organism, making it very difficult for scientists to find a way to attack the cancer without (iii) impairing the functions of any of the affected organs.

If you would have tried to choose the right words without breaking down the sentence into smaller parts, you were very likely to choose ‘intrigued’ instead of ‘confounded’ for the first blank. The word ‘intrigued’ means ‘to arouse curiosity or to fascinate’ and considering that the passage talks about scientists finding it difficult to figure out how to attack the cancer cells, the word ‘confounded’ fits the blank better. The word ‘corrupted’ means ‘to act dishonestly for personal or monetary gains’. This word does not fit the blank because cancer being a disease cannot corrupt scientists.

On the same lines, you were very likely to choose ‘eradicating’ for the third blank which means to destroy completely. ÌýHowever, we need to understand that the passage talks about the scientists trying to eliminate cancer and not the organs. The word ‘eradicating’ therefore, changes the context of the passage completely. The right word choice is, therefore, ‘impairing’, which translates to ‘having an adverse effect’ on the organs.

Tip2- Check for word use and idiom problems:

GRE Text Completion uses words as well as idioms to express ideas which may sound and appear very tricky. You must make sure you understand how ideas have been expressed as phrases and eliminate the options or choices that result in the sentence appearing puzzling or awkward. Read the complete sentence and if it sounds wrong to your ear then maybe it is not the right answer.

Let us consider an example:

GRE Text Completion: example 1

In the case of the second blank, we can take a hint from the last line of the passage ‘sometimes the petty differences end up fatally’. This indicates that even though the social bonding in crows, bees, and humans is strong, sometimes they also quarrel amongst themselves and this sometimes can lead to loss of life. The word ‘criticism’ means ‘expression of disapproval’ which does not lead to any fatalistic outcome and therefore does not fit the bill. The answer choice ‘prejudice’ means ‘preconceived notion not based on any reason’. Since the comparison is made between humans and animals, this word will not fit because prejudices exist only in humans and not in animals. This leads us to the answer ‘quibble’ which refers to an argument. So, the passage with the correct words goes like this: In this passage, the phrase ‘creatures who bond, such as the crows and bees, humans too have Ìý…’ provides a vital clue regarding social behavior of these species for the first blank. The word ‘enthusiastic’ means showing interest and does not really relate to social behavior. Also, the other option ‘warm-blooded’ refers to birds and mammals and therefore does not fit the context, as the passage includes bees, too. This leads us to answer choice ‘gregarious’ which means being sociable.

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Humans too, like all (i) gregarious creatures who bond together, such as the crows and bees, have their (ii) quibbles. Sometimes the petty differences end up fatally.

Tip 3- Consider all the answer choices:

Always read the entire passage and don’t choose options in haste. Most of the times the difference between the options might be very subtle and you might end up choosing a weaker option when a stronger one is already provided.

GRE Text Completion: example

Now, in the options‘insincere’, ‘facetious’, and ‘mistaken’ all indicate a general sense of falseness; however, it is the word insincere which directly relates with the idea of trust and belief.If you examine this sentence carefully, then three keywords emerge from the passage which provides us a clue about the answer. The words ‘since’, ‘believed’ and ‘refused’ give us an idea that because of her belief, she refused to think that he might be lying or something that is false.

So, we hope these examples helped you to understand how critical thinking skills paired with knowledge of vocabulary can go a long way in selecting the right answer choice. By practicing text completion questions using these techniques, you can easily achieve a 160+ in the GRE’s Verbal section.

GRE Text Completion versus Sentence Equivalence:

Now that you have a fair idea on how to go about answering text completion questions, you must be wondering about the difference between text completion and sentence equivalence. Text completion and sentence equivalence are both types of fill-in-the-blank questions. However, apart from that similarity, there are significant differences between the two. Let us have a look at them:

GRE Text Completion versus Sentence Equivalence

Effective Vocabulary building techniques:

By now you must have understood that the keys to cracking GRE Verbal are developing critical thinking skills and a strong vocabulary with about 3,500 GRE words, their usage and application to learn! You can start off with reading different articles and pick up words which are unfamiliar to you and check their meanings.Ìý

Download our eBOOK on “High Priority GRE Word List“

Memorizing is one thing and usage is another. You may memorize a whole lot of words but you may not really be aware of the context in which these words are used. Therefore, while learning words you must also learn where to use them. In order to do this, construct your own sentences using the words you have just learned. This is where WordBot can really help you out! Try it out now – it’s completely free to use!

We hope this article provided you with smart ways to crack GRE Text Completion questions. All the Best!

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