Analytical writing
ETS has a pool of topics which it draws upon to choose the “Analyse an issue” subject and you would be well advised to look through this list at https://www.ets.org/pdfs/gre/issue-pool.pdf and familiarise yourself with what to expect.
The analytical writing paper assesses your critical thinking abilities, whether or not you known how to construct an argument and defend your point of view, and convey complex ideas in a clear and well-structured manner. Once you are presented with an issue, your task is to evaluate what is being said, and give examples and reasons for your own perspective on the issue under discussion.
ETS will provide you with a basic word processor for typing your essay, but be aware that this does not offer spellchecker or grammar checker, so proofread your work carefully. Thirty minutes is not a long period of time, so planning your answer is crucial. Make a point of reading the question very closely -because this will give you specific instructions on how to write your essay and the approach you need to take. Are you being asked to confirm/criticise/evaluate/rebut…the keyword holds the clue to what your essay should look like and cover.
The paper is scored from 0-6 and you need to aim for 4.5+, whereas the average score has been calculated at 3.5. The general structure of your essay should include:
- An introduction
- 3-4 main paragraphs
- A conclusion
Clarity, coherence, logic and providing relevant evidence for your viewpoint are key to gaining a good mark. Note that ETS uses plagiarism software when marking this paper and unattributed quotations are not acceptable.
The best way to prepare for this section is to look through the above ETS pdf and practise writing 30 minute essays on a range of topics.
Verbal reasoning
The verbal reasoning section of the GRE assesses whether you can:
- Evaluate the information you are given in written material and reach conclusions or summarise a passage.
- Analyse how the different parts of a sentence relate to each other.
- Identify the links between words and concepts.
This is achieved through three types of questions: reading comprehension, text completion and sentence equivalence.
Reading comprehension
Passages are taken from books and journals, can be academic or general, and could focus on any number of subjects, including but not limited to social sciences, business, physical or biological sciences etc. You do not need any specialised knowledge, since the answers are contained in the text. You will be presented with a multiple choice option and asked to choose one or more answers -read through all the options before deciding; alternatively, you could be required to choose a sentence in the passage you are reading which matches the description in the question. You will be told which paragraphs to look at if the passage is a long one. Use your keyboard to select the right word or sentence.
Text completion
You will have to choose short phrases or individual words to fill in gaps in a text. Read through all the options and make sure that your chosen word/phrase is grammatically correct. There may be between 1-3 blanks in a sentence. Where there is one blank, you will have 5 answer choices; where there are two or three blanks, each blank has three answer choices.
Sentence equivalence
You will be presented with single sentences with one blank and six answer choices – and you will have to decide which two choices make the sentence itself complete. Check the grammar and make sure you have created a logical sentence.
Quantitative reasoning
This multiple-choice paper sets out to assess your knowledge of basic arithmetic, geometry, data analysis and algebra. It evaluates whether you are skilled at reasoning quantitatively and using quantitative methods to solve and model problems.
You will not be tested on your ability to construct proofs or inferential statistics, or your knowledge of calculus or trigonometry.
The paper can be divided into four sub-sets:
- Quantitative comparison questions
- Numeric entry questions
- Multiple-choice questions where you choose one answer
- Multiple-choice questions where you choose one or more answers.
- Data interpretation questions are combined in one place and can fall into the multiple-choice or numeric entry brackets. You may be given a bar or line graph.
You will be provided with an on-screen calculator to use in this paper – you are not allowed to use your own calculator. Double check your answers to make sure you have not made a key-entry error.
GRE subject tests
These tests are gradually being discontinued .They take place two weeks a month in September, October and April and if you are not satisfied with your score, it is possible to resit them after a break of 14 days.
At present you can sit the test in Psychology, Physics and Mathematics, see below: