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Time: |
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30 minutes |
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Format: |
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30 questions |
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Topics Tested: |
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Reading
Analytical Reasoning
Vocabulary |
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Question Types: |
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Sentence Completions
Analogies
Reading Comprehension
Antonyms |
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There is one scored verbal section with approximately 7
sentence completions, 7 analogies, 8 antonyms, and 8 reading
comprehension questions. If the experimental section is also
verbal, you will see two sections, but only one will be
scored.
Sentence Completions
Sentence completion questions test how well you can determine the
logic of a sentence. You are always shown a sentence with either
one or two words missing. Your job is to pick the answer choice
with the word, or words, that best fill the blank(s). You won't
need any outside knowledge to answer these questions. In fact,
bringing outside content knowledge to bear will probably only
cause problems for you. All the information you need will be
right there in the sentence itself.
Analogies
Analogies test your vocabulary and your understanding of word
relationships. You will see a pair of words in capital letters
that are related in some way. For instance: AIRPLANE :
HANGAR. These are referred to as the "stem words." There are
five answer choices, each consisting of another word pair. Your
task is to identify the answer choice with the word pair that is
related in the same way as the stem words.
Think carefully about the stem words and establish the
relationship between them before looking at the answer choices.
It helps to devise a word or phrase that relates the two words in
a meaningful way. For instance, an AIRPLANE is stored or
kept in a HANGAR. Likewise, money is stored or kept
in a vault.
So this would be the correct answer. A choice like
propeller : flight would not be correct, since the
relationship of the two words is different—even though the two
words are related to the general subject of planes and
flying.
Antonyms
Antonyms present you with a single word followed by five answer
choices containing words or short phrases. Your task is to find
the answer choice that's most nearly opposite in meaning
to the original word. These questions obviously test vocabulary.
So if yours could use some work, spend time improving it.
Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is a staple of standardized tests, so
you've probably seen this type of question before on the SAT.
Expect GRE passages to be tougher and more dense, and— often kind
of dull. These passages are taken from three broad areas: social
sciences, natural sciences, and humanities.
Essentially, reading comprehension is meant to test your
ability to grasp the content of written material and make some
quick conclusions about it. You'll see questions about the main
idea of a passage, its inferences, arguments, tone, or about
specific details in the passage. Don't make the mistake of poring
over a passage trying to memorize details. Instead, read through
a passage briskly, actively, and strategically. Pay attention to
the topic and scope of the passage as you read.