All of the information you need to answer the questions will be within the given passage. Fortunately, you do not need to have any special subject knowledge to answer Reading Comprehension questions. The passages cover topics in history, science, or the arts and humanities. Reading Comprehension questions require you to read passages, and then answer questions about the passages. So, let’s now explore those last two question types: Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning. Likewise, the reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and critical-thinking skills that allow you to master Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning are also essential to your success in Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence. However, the vocabulary knowledge you use to answer Sentence Equivalence and Text Completion questions will help you in answering Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions, too. It’s true that these two question types focus more heavily on vocabulary knowledge than the next two types we’ll explore, Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning. Together, Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions make up what people sometimes refer to as the “vocab-based” questions in GRE Verbal. To answer a Sentence Equivalence question, you must select 2 answer choices that convey essentially the same meaning in the given sentence. However, because Sentence Equivalence questions require you to create two sentence versions that have equivalent meanings, a big part of mastering Sentence Equivalence is recognizing answer choices that are synonyms. The 2 answer choices you select need to not only logically complete the sentence but also produce sentences that convey essentially the same meaning.Īgain, you will need vocabulary skills, a keen eye for detail, and an understanding of how different parts of a sentence relate to each other. However, in Sentence Equivalence questions, you are presented with 6 answer choices, of which you must select 2. So, in that way, they are similar to 1-blank Text Completion questions. Sentence Equivalence questions consist of a single sentence that contains 1 blank, which you must fill to logically complete the sentence. Now, let’s review what Sentence Equivalence questions are. Text Completion questions ask you to select words or phrases that logically fit the blanks in a sentence(s). Luckily, these skills will come in handy regardless of which type of GRE Verbal question you’re answering. an understanding of how different ideas relate to each other.Whether you’re answering a Text Completion question that features a single blank or one that features multiple blanks, you’ll need to bring a few key areas of knowledge and skills to bear: Your job is to select the answer choice for each blank that results in a logical and cohesive sentence(s). Again, the answer choices may be single words or phrases. However, for questions with multiple blanks, you may be presented with either one sentence or a few sentences, and you will have only 3 answer choices per blank. Your job is to select the answer choice that will most logically complete the sentence.Ģ-blank and 3-blank Text Completion questions follow the same basic principles as 1-blank questions. Text Completion questions come in 3 varieties: 1-blank, 2-blank, and 3-blank.ġ-blank Text Completion questions present you with a single sentence that is missing a word or phrase, which is represented by a blank in the sentence, along with 5 answer choices. Let’s take a closer look at each of these 4 questions types.
The other half are Reading Comprehension, including a small number of Critical Reasoning questions. To start, let’s review the format of the GRE Verbal Reasoning section.Ībout half of the Verbal questions on the GRE are Text Completion or Sentence Equivalence.
I’ll also give you some important advice on how to practice for GRE Verbal Reasoning in a way that will keep your studying productive and efficient. This article will provide 10 realistic GRE Verbal Reasoning practice questions with answers for you to get your feet wet with each of the questions types you’ll need to master for test day. Of course, a big part of gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to earn a competitive GRE Verbal score is getting ample practice solving each of the various types of questions you’ll see in the GRE Verbal Reasoning section. But, the truth is, as long as you put in the work and study smart, you have nothing to fear when it comes to the Verbal portion of your GRE.Īs long as you put in the work and study smart, you have nothing to fear when it comes to the Verbal portion of your GRE test. Students often ask me, “Is GRE Verbal Reasoning hard?” It’s understandable to be nervous about the GRE Verbal section.