Powerful Techniques that help you remember all the 3500 words of GRE:

These are some proven Vocabulary learning techniques. Research says that many students have benefited from them. We have mentioned these techniques many a time in our blogs. We now feel the need for discussing them here, exclusively! For convenience let us call Vocabulary Technique as VT.

VT 1: Work with the Word

A word is not just something that has to be seen from an examination perspective. You need to work with the word. The word has to become a tool in your hand. You need to apply it at the right time and right situation. You need to get into a relationship with it. Spend some considerable time with it. Only then will it be retained in your memory. Owing to a commitment like this you need to plan your GRE preparation well in advance.

Fact 1: You can never memorize the high frequency GRE words in 1 month’s time. You need a ‘minimum’ 6 month’s time frame.

VT 2: Expand its meaning into a suitable context

A word exists only in context. The beauty of the word is realized in context alone. So whenever you learn/memorize a new word use it in context immediately. Not a single context. Use it in all possible contexts and situations. Paint your imagination deeper and darker. Think where all the word can be applicable. Believe me when you use a word in multiple contexts like these you will never forget it.

Fact 2: ‘Mugging up’ GRE High Frequency words vaguely is a very bad thing to do!

VT 3: Relate it to the person or situation you know

Adjectives are best learned this way. Adjectives generally suggest a person’s trait. When you look at a word like ‘loquacious’, which means ‘talkative’ you can immediately think of a relative/friend/colleague/neighbor who is loquacious. Relate the word to that person and you will never forget it. And whenever you see that person you will instantly remember the word too. Isn’t that great?!

Fact 3: The actual GRE Verbal test has ‘only’ adjectives/nouns/verbs!

VT 4: Share the word with your friends, colleagues

Sharing doubles the knowledge! When you know a word, its context the next best thing is sharing it with your buddies. I strongly suggest until the day of your GRE test organize weekly ‘Vocabulary Review Meets’. During these meets share all the new words that you learned and let your friends share their words with you. This way you will be unendingly adding to your long list of Vocabulary. Great once again! Isn’t it?

Fact 4: Never prepare for GRE in isolation. You will never know where you stand in competition!

VT 5: Try to pronounce the word aloud at least five times

A word’s pronunciation is as important as its meaning. Some words are not pronounced the way they are written. For example consider the word ‘ennui’ which means ‘boredom’. Ennui is pronounced as ‘Onwee’. Now is that not interesting? Keep handy a good dictionary that also suggests pronunciation. When you learn a new word, look at the pronunciation aspect immediately. Jot that down in your notebook in the way you can easily understand it. Talk about pronunciation too during your weekly ‘Vocabulary Review Meets’. This will keep the meets interesting and happening.

Fact 5: Knowing the word Pronunciation is as important as knowing its meaning!

Learning Vocabulary is fun. Do not make it a stressful process. Do not get intimidated looking at the exhaustive word list that is quintessential for your GRE preparation. Practicing the above mentioned techniques will certainly help you memorize many words. A few diligent students have already shared with us some powerful techniques to memorize GRE Vocabulary. You can share your techniques too. Share them here with us. And do leave your valuable comment when you complete reading this blog on Vocabulary Learning.

Wishing you Success!!

Regards,

Anu Veluri

Manager- learnwordlist.com

I do realize that it’s not lesser than a Herculean task to memorize all these high frequency words. A proper planning for the exam will certainly help us out though. This day I am going to share with you a few secret mantras that will help you catapult your learning potential for the GRE test.

There are a few very important things a student should remember while preparing for GRE. These are the magic formulae without which your GRE gear is incomplete.

GRE Magic Number 1: Know your learning potential

It is very important for a student to know about himself/herself. Am I a fast learner? Do I grasp things quickly? How good is my memory? …are a few basic questions every aspirant should ask himself/herself. Once you get answers to these questions you will get the required morale and confidence to take the exam. If you are a slow learner a substantial time for preparation is highly recommended. Don’t book your examination slot not considering your preparation time.

GRE Magic Number 2: Plan a stepwise preparation

Too many cooks spoil the broth, this saying holds good for your GRE Preparation. If you consider all the segments at a time you will be thoroughly perplexed. Instead, work on one segment at a time. Only then you can prepare completely and rightfully. Don’t set for yourself unrealistic goals. Something like, ‘I am going to learn 20 new words a day!’ It is a target that can never be achieved. And moreover you cannot clog your mind like that.

GRE Magic Number 3: Learn the meaning of word by the root, prefix and suffix

A good hold on prefixes, suffixes and roots certainly helps you to learn better and faster. By knowing the word roots, prefixes and suffixes you can intelligently guess the meanings of the words that are alien to you.

GRE Magic Number 4: Trust the previous GRE Papers

If you can lay hands on the previous GRE Questions, nothing like it! Practicing these model papers will give you the hang of the real exam. The real GRE becomes a cakewalk for you.

GRE Magic Number 5: Believe in auto-suggestions

Research proves the potential of the subconscious. If the Conscious mind is an ant the subconscious is an elephant. You can train your subconscious mind in order to achieve anything you desire. It means that you can train your subconscious mind to crack GRE, get an awesome score! Give yourselves the following auto-suggestions at least 10 times daily, early in the morning:

1. I am a fast learner
2. I am confident

I am sure all these suggestions will certainly help you out in preparing for GRE. Above all magic is the magic of ‘hard work’. A planned preparation and a bit of hard work will certainly help you get an awesome score. Cast away all apprehensions and confusions and prepare diligently for the test.

You can make a comment either here or start a new topic on the forum. You can also post relevant questions there and seek participation.

Awaiting your responses on this.

Wishing you success in abundance!!

Anu Veluri

Manager- learnwordlist.com

Do you know a good score in GRE Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) segment gives you edge over your competitors in the test?? The ETS, the official examiners of GRE vouch for this!! Your score in the AWA segment will be an asset during the admissions decision. Now can you take AWA lightly? You can never.

What is tested in AWA?

Dear Students, the Analytical Writing segment of GRE primarily tests your writing skills, and of course your Analytical (methodical) judging skills. A writing exercise is a passive presentation. When you speak on something facing a group of audience it is an active presentation. But passive doesn’t mean the presentation has to be dull; it does mean it has to be even more effective than the active presentation. The reason being you are not present to defend your case to the panel.

Types of Questions asked in the Analytical Writing Segment:

There are two main questions asked under the Analytical Writing segment of GRE

1. Issue
2. Argument

The Issue Task:

Two questions are asked in the Issue Task and a student is given exactly 45 minutes to answer one of the two.

The Argument Task:

The Argument Task has no choice. Students are given a small paragraph and asked how well reasoned it is. You have to answer this in exactly 30 minutes.

The AWA Score Pattern:

The Analytical Writing Segment is rated over a scale of 6. Outstanding write-ups secure a 6 on 6. However a score that is above 3.5 is generally considered good.

What gets the best score in AWA?

The ETS (Official examiners of GRE) elucidates certain common aspects for a better score in the Analytical Writing Segment. They say that the essays both issue and argument should result from a thorough understanding of the pros and cons of the given issue and argument. The student should put forth his/her views in a logical order. Providing his/her views with proper examples. He/she should then conclude the writing task effectively.

Directions for the Issue and the Argument tasks:

In the AWA segment you need to present your perspective on the issue and critique (reason out) an argument in precisely an hour and fifteen minutes. The “Present Your Perspective on an Issue” task usually evaluates your ‘critical reasoning’ skills and the lucidity of your language. I mean more than trying to impress the reader of your essay, you need to focus on your ability to ‘express’. When you read an ‘Issue’ task that is usually presented to you within quotes, you need to take a minimum time to take your position on the given topic. The position that you take needs to be substantiated with a compelling, eloquent presentation. Your write-up should be a persuasive one seeking more and more participation from the reader’s side. A lackluster presentation will yield similar results.

The ETS suggests the students to start by asking the following questions to themselves:

• What, precisely, is the central issue?

• Do I agree with all or with any part of the claim? Why or why not?

• Does the claim make certain assumptions? If so, are they reasonable?

• Is the claim valid only under certain conditions? If so, what are they?

• Do I need to explain how I interpret certain terms or concepts used in the claim?

• If I take a certain position on the issue, what reasons support my position?

• What examples—either real or hypothetical— could I use to illustrate those reasons and

advance my point of view? Which examples are most compelling?

You need to be highly judicious when you choose a topic from the Issue. You have to bear in mind whether your experience helps you to equip your essay with proper examples and evidences. The ETS tells the student to bear the following things in mind before choosing an Issue task.

• Which topic do I find more interesting or engaging?

• Which topic more closely relates to my own academic studies or other experiences?

• On which topic can I more clearly explain and defend my perspective?

• On which topic can I more readily think of strong reasons and examples to support my

position?

Interesting aren’t they. You have to take your stance and support it with proper examples while working on an issue. You cannot tend to jump between choices you made. You also can have a neutral opinion on the entire Issue. But do remember you need to justify that too.

Preparing for the Argument Task

The Argument task has no choice. Your reasoning skills are typically evaluated in this task. For doing this you need to have some informal reasoning skills. You need not attend an institute to learn them. Your education so far already equips you with these skills. The ETS suggests: Although you do not need to know special analytical techniques and terminology, you should be

familiar with the directions for the Argument task in the Practice Tests and with certain key concepts, including the following:

• Alternative explanation—a possible competing version of what might have caused the events in question; an alternative explanation undercuts or qualifies the original explanation because it

too can account for the observed facts

• Analysis—the process of breaking something (e.g., an argument) down into its component parts in order to understand how they work together to make up the whole; also a presentation, usually in writing, of the results of this process

• Argument—a claim or a set of claims with reasons and evidence offered as support; a line of

reasoning meant to demonstrate the truth or falsehood of something

• Assumption—a belief, often unstated or unexamined, that someone must hold in order

to maintain a particular position; something that is taken for granted but that must be true in

order for the conclusion to be true

• Conclusion—the end point reached by a line of reasoning, valid if the reasoning is sound; the

resulting assertion

• Counterexample—an example, real or hypothetical, that refutes or disproves a statement in the argument

While working with the argument task bear in mind the following points:

• Carefully read the argument—you might want to read it over more than once
• Identify as many of its claims, conclusions, and underlying assumptions as possible
• Think of as many alternative explanations and counterexamples as you can
• Think of what additional evidence might weaken or lend support to the claims
• Ask yourself what changes in the argument would make the reasoning more sound
• Jot down each of these thoughts as a brief note.

General Advice:

You need to practice a lot of writing before actually taking the GRE Test. While practicing for the first few tasks you may not be stringent about the time frame. Let the thoughts flow logically and freely. See that you give a proper and a compelling ‘introduction’ to the write-ups.

As we know ‘Well begun is half done’ a good start gives a smooth flow to the essay. Let the main body of your essay have your ideas framed in a logical sequence. Provide all these ideas with good and sound examples. Don’t over express your feelings. You can be moderately eloquent.

While concluding reiterate the stance you chose. Don’t be didactic and don’t try to over emphasize your feelings. Try to be euphemistic. A harsh and acerbic tone is anti-GRE. Do not highlight or advocate any type of discriminations in your essays. Try to be cool. And one thing to remember and the most important one: Don’t fall a prey to circumlocution and hasty generalization.

Circumlocution is beating about the bush. If you keep repeating things you already mentioned you will gain nothing. Your write-ups should give the reader a feeling of discovery, not bore him/her on the contrary. And when I say ‘hasty Generalization’ I mean phrases like “all Indians’ ‘all electronic brands’. Phrases like these show that you have an impulsive nature. Avoid them seriously.

I hope you now know what AWA is all about. Until a pick up a few topics from Issue and Argument and start working on them you will never ever get the feel of it. You will not get readymade answers for the Issues and Arguments are different from the ones that appear in the previous examinations.

Do not wait for miracles to happen. You need to slog out and bead out that last drop of sweat on your forehead! Is that clear? Start working. In case you have queries pertaining to AWA do approach us anytime. We are available round the clock!

Regards,

Anu Veluri

Manager- Learnwordlist.com

The four sections pertaining to Verbal Ability in GRE are:

1. Antonyms
2. Analogies
3. Sentence Completion
4. Reading Comprehension

Antonyms: You all would love to know that Antonyms are generally restricted to Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives. This lessens your burden of preparation for quite an extent. In GRE you will never find an exact answer. You will always find an answer choice that is very close an option. So here lies your challenge. You have to judiciously sift the options for the right answer choice. This sifting requires elimination of irrelevant, inappropriate or wrong answer choices. Sometimes it might happen that you suddenly forget the meaning of a word. You can then try to define that word by using it in a sentence. Try that way. This will help you in establishing the meaning of a word. Questions sometimes might be indirect. In a situation like that also try deriving the ‘secondary meaning’ of a particular word. If you are unaware of the meaning of a word, try guessing the meaning considering the root, prefix and suffix of the word.

Analogies are slightly tougher, for the fact that you need to precisely establish the relationship between word pairs. Analogies measure your ability to recognize

• Relationships among words and concepts they represent
• Parallel relationships

Things you should never forget while answering Analogies:

1. Read the question and ‘all’ the answer choices at least once thoroughly

2. Do not jump to conclusion

3. Try to draw a connecting link between the two words given as question

4. Apply the same connecting link to all the answer choices

5. The word pair that takes the connecting link perfectly is your answer choice

Read more: GRE: Analogy Segment (Strategies and Techniques)

Sentence Completions

ETS Says:

Sentence completions measure your ability to recognize words or phrases that both logically and stylistically complete the meaning of a sentence.

Important points to remember while answering the Sentence Completion questions

1. Read the incomplete sentence completely, once or twice to understand the meaning better

2. Identify the tone of the sentence. The tone of the sentence could be neutral, acerbic, ironic, descriptive or critical

3. Your answer choices are in harmony with the tone of the sentence. For example a critical tone will never take neutral options as answers.

4. When a sentence has conjunctions like ‘and’ your answer choices are usually synonymous

5. When a sentence has words like but, however, yet, in spite of, nevertheless, the answer choices are usually antonymous. These words also indicate a change of thought, a twist of thought rather

6. Do not jump to hazardous conclusions while answering

7. See that both the options fit into the sentence mellifluously. Sometimes only one option fits into and students hastily select that, without realizing that it was a trap laid by the ETS. Beware!!

8. Please do not be in a haste to complete the segment and jump to the next!

Read more: Sense and Sentence Completion: Crack GRE Verbal with a Bang!

Reading Comprehension Questions

The ETS says:

Reading comprehension questions measure your ability to

• Read with understanding, insight, and discrimination
• Analyze a written passage from several perspectives

The passages for Reading Comprehension are mainly taken from humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

Some Effective reading techniques for GRE- RC:

1. Lip-sync while reading

2. Read with a sense of inquiry

3. Predict the future of the passage

4. Remember the 5 Ws

5. Guess the meanings of the words ( you don’t know) in broader context

6. Do a progressive reading not a regressive one

7. Jot down the important dates/data on a rough paper

Read more: http://learnwordlist.com/blog/gre-reading-comprehension/2009/08/gre-word-list-test-blog-barrons-vocabulary

With the GRE Verbal Ability Blueprint in your hand you can now aim for an inspiring score. Please do read the strategies once again to perform well in the exam. Once you have grip over the fundamentals try practicing some model GRE questions. This will help you evaluate your performance. And do take all the tests designed exclusively for you on the site. These tests help you gauge your performance.

In case you have queries please do get back to us without apprehensions.

Regards,

Anu Veluri

Manager- learnwordlist.com

An Introduction:

The Analogies Segment of GRE is one very challenging. Unlike the antonyms segment this segment doesn’t allow the student do some intelligent guessing. The student has to perfectly establish the relationship between the word pair given as the question, and select an answer that confirms a similar relationship.

You will have around 7 analogy questions on the CAT. The more questions you answer correctly, the harder the questions become.

What’s an Analogy?

Many types of relationships are possible in GRE analogies. The stem words may be related as above.

Analogy is the study of similarity existing between a word pair. For example there exists a similarity between a human hand and a whale’s flipper, a pump and a heart. A study of such similarity is Analogy.

Once you establish the similarity or understand the relationship between the word pair, identifying an answer choice showing an identical relationship is not a tough task at all. The only impediment for the student is to establish and understand an authentic relationship of the word pair given as the question. As any other GRE segment, the Analogy segment too has nine questions and each question is followed by five answer options.

Let us deal with the GRE Analogy questions and learn the way to crack them effectively in the subsequent blog. Let us for now comprehend a few very important Analogy types.

Types of Analogies and their relationships

As I already suggested that there are a few established word pair relations that will help us navigate through and succeed in the Analogy segment effortlessly. The only challenge for you is to commit these Analogy types to your memory infallibly. Once you do this, the Analogy segment no longer remains a tough nut to crack.

Definition

An Analogy type like this focuses on the definition of a particular word. Mostly a word that you are aware of or you at least came across once in your sixteen years of academic sojourn. For example:

Metamorphosis: Transforms

By definition, Metamorphosis is a scientific process that transforms the shape of an organism. This is how we establish a relationship between a word pair.

Defining the Character

An Analogy type like this focuses on the personality trait of an animal/man. For example

Lamb: Herbivorous

The character of Lamb is that it is mild and herbivorous (plant-eating). So now your challenge lies in identifying the option, a word pair that establishes a similar relationship. An ideal answer choice could be Tiger: Carnivorous (flesh-eating).

Class and Member

This is an easier relationship to identify. For example:

Amphibia: Frog

A frog (member) belongs to the phylum Amphibia (class)

You have to select a word pair confirming similar relationship. It could be

Aves: Bird

Antonym Relationship

The easiest of all Analogy types is the Antonym relationship

The question pair appears like this:

Loquacious: Taciturn

Obviously the opposite of the word loquacious (talkative) is taciturn (reserved). You need to identify a similar antonymous pair from the given options. It could be

Extravagant: Parsimonious

Synonym Relationship:

Once again it is the simplest of Analogy types. In this Analogy type there exists a synonymous relationship between the words. It means the second word in the word pair is the meaning of the first word. An illustration will make the explanation simpler:

Loquacious: Talkative

Talkative is the meaning of the word loquacious. You just need to identify an option that also has a synonymous relationship of words. Something like:

Opulent: Wealthy

Degree of intensity

This Analogy type has a word pair showing relationship between a more intense and less intense word or vice versa

For example:

Plead: Request

‘Plead’ is a more intense form of ‘Request’.

Part to Whole:

This is an Analogy type that shows a relationship between a part of a thing and its relation with the whole.

Stanza: Poem

Stanza is just a part of the whole Poem.

Function

An Analogy type like this shows the relationship between a person and a process/place. For example:

Rehabilitation: Addict

Asylum: Refugee

(An addict undergoes rehabilitation; a refugee seeks shelter in an asylum)

Manner

An Analogy type such as this suggests on the manner of speech, gait or any other thing.

Stammer: Talk

Fumble: Walk

Action and its importance

This is an interesting Analogy type. The first word in the word pair shows the effect caused by the second word. For example

Grimace: Pain (Grimace is facial distortion caused due to extreme pain)

Worker and Article Created

This is an Analogy type that shows the relationship between the worker and his/her creation.

Example: Ode: Poet (An Ode is the creation of a Poet)

Worker and Tool

Sculptor: Chisel

A sculptor (worker) uses a chisel (tool)

Worker and Workplace

Actor: Theater

An actor (worker) performs in a theater (workplace)

Tool and its Action

Drill: Bore

A drill is a tool used to bore holes.

These are the major Analogy types that you encounter in GRE (Graduate Record Examination). Besides these, there are some miscellaneous word pair relations too. I quickly enumerate them underneath.

Cause and Effect

Eg: Rain (cause): Dampness (effect)

Gender

Eg: Horse (male): Mare (female)

Age

Eg: Calf (the little one): Cow (the adult form)

Symbol and its meaning

Eg: Mace (symbol): Authority (meaning)

Read this blog pertaining to Analogies more than once. One reading will not help! Jot down all the Analogy types and try to comprehend them, imbibe their essence thoroughly. Underneath each Analogy type, try framing at least five word pairs having a similar relationship. You are suggested to share your Analogy types with us and all the other students who follow this blog. We all will be benefited immensely.

We are awaiting meaningful responses from you.

Wishing you Success!!

Anu Veluri
Manager- learnwordlist.com

The General GRE Test has three main testing components (and one unidentified pretest section pertaining to either Verbal or Quantitative reasoning for a period of 30 minutes).

1. Verbal Reasoning
2. Quantitative Aptitude
3. Analytical Writing

The scores for the components are 800 each for Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude and for Analytical Writing the score is over a scale of Six points. Students who score more than 4 points are stated to have done well in the exam. A good score in GRE assures a good university (also taking a student’s academic performance into consideration!)

The skills measured in GRE as stated by the ETS:

**(Verbal Reasoning — The skills measured include the test taker’s ability to:

• analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it
• analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
• recognize relationships between words and concepts

Quantitative Reasoning — The skills measured include the test taker’s ability to:

• understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis
• reason quantitatively
• solve problems in a quantitative setting

Analytical Writing — The skills measured include the test taker’s ability to:

• articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
• examine claims and accompanying evidence
• support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
• sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
• control the elements of standard written English)**

Coming to the Verbal Reasoning Section, there are five important components that are tested:

1. Antonyms ( opposite of a given word)
2. Analogies ( word pair relation)
3. Sentence Completion ( single, double blanks)
4. Text completion with two or three blanks (A new section that was introduced in the year 2007)
5. Reading Comprehension Passages (generally 3 in number, containing500-750 words each)

The total time given for both Verbal and Quantitative Sections is 30 minutes each, and there are precisely 38 questions in each section to answer. The Analytical Writing segment has two tasks: 1 Issue task (45 minutes) and 1 Argument task (30 minutes). An unidentified Quantitative or Verbal pretest section may be included and may appear in any order after the analytical writing section (as commented by the ETS). And the time given for the pretest section is 30 minutes. The total time taken for a GRE test is 3 hours approximately (with a 15 minutes break)!

Dear students, this is all about GRE. From next week onwards we will deal with the test components one by one. To begin with let’s discuss ‘Antonyms’ from the GRE perspective- the sample questions, the strategies etc.

In case you have anything to add, please do comment. We shall be extremely grateful for your contribution.

Regards,

Team- Learnwordlist.com

(** these lines are taken from the site www.ets.org)