How To Get 160+ on the GRE Verbal Section

A 160+ score on the GRE Verbal will put you in the 90th percentile.

That’s much easier said than done.

You might have a lot of questions such as:

• How do you make the steep climb to a 160? How do I study/prepare for GRE Verbal?
• What common mistakes and small errors can you avoid in order to obtain a good GRE Verbal score?
• How do I practice GRE verbal? Is there a GRE Vocabulary list?
• What is a good score on GRE verbal and how can I reach it?
• How can you improve GRE Verbal scores?

That is exactly what we’re going to discuss today.

But before that, here’s a recap of the GRE exam pattern.

GRE Exam Pattern

The verbal part of the GRE score comes from your performance in 2 Verbal Sections within the GRE. 

The computer-delivered GRE General Test takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes. It consists of three separately timed sections.

For GRE Verbal Reasoning —

There are two 30-minute sections, each containing 20 questions.

Similarly, for Quantitative Reasoning —

There are two 35-minute sections, each containing 20 questions.

That’s a total of a minimum of 40 GRE Verbal questions that you have to tackle and crack.  The scores from these questions comprise half your overall score of 340, the half being 170.

The GRE Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning scores are reported on a 130–170 score scale, in 1-point increments.

Scores anywhere within the range of 160 to 170 signifies that your verbal skills are quite impressive because this score range falls within a very high GRE Verbal Percentile Range.

The reason a 160 plus score in GRE Verbal is a worthy target to aim for is because of what the score means. It means that you have performed better than 90 to 95% of the test-takers!

The second half of the test will be the Quant Section, where you will need to aim high once again, in order to obtain an impressive overall GRE Score.

In addition to these 2 sections, you will also have the GRE analytical writing section comprising two essays. The AWA section is scored from 0 to 6. You may get a research section or an unidentified section in addition to this.

Let us now look at how to prepare for the GRE Verbal Section to get a 160+ score. Read on! 

You cannot crack a 150+ score in GRE Verbal without some familiarity and comfort with reading comprehension – it is just not possible. This is why you must take the GRE verbal practice test regularly.

GRE Verbal Syllabus

GRE Verbal questions fall under three categories:

• Reading Comprehension
• Sentence Equivalence
• Text Completion

Of these, GRE Reading Comprehension forms half of all the questions you encounter in verbal reasoning altogether. So, anybody who’s even aiming for a 155+ score cannot afford to ignore reading comprehension preparation.

GRE Verbal Reasoning evaluates your ability to:

1. Analyze and evaluate written material across sentences, paragraphs, and passages.
2. Extract and use information from this material.
3. Understand relationships within sentences and between concepts.

It’s essential to read every day from a range of sources like books, magazines, and online articles. Focus on understanding content rather than speed, which builds your comprehension and vocabulary.

GRE Verbal Tips, Tricks & Strategies to Remember

The GRE verbal section is considered as the tough part in the entire GRE by many test-takers since this section is heavy in vocabulary. The unfamiliarity that arises when attempting this section and coming across tons of new words can be daunting.

The reality is that this Section is crackable with the right kind of preparation. With GRE vocabulary as a tool, you can attack the verbal section with confidence and emerge victorious.

Now, let us look at some general GRE Verbal tips to remember.

Effective Time Management for GRE Verbal

Prioritize simpler, discrete questions first to quickly boost your GRE verbal score. These are typically a sentence or two-sentence blanks that are easier to solve. Tackling these first saves time for more complex questions like Reading Comprehension and Text Completions with three blanks. Practice with plenty of GRE English questions available on our GRE app to improve your time management skills.

Careful Reading Is Key

Thoroughly read every part of the question, including stems, answer choices, and instructions. This prevents mistakes, especially in Sentence Equivalence questions where exactly two correct answers are required.

Understanding GRE Question Types

Know the types of questions you’re answering. For Sentence Equivalence and Reading Comprehension with multiple answers, assess each option. RC typically offers three choices, while Sentence Equivalence provides six, differentiating them from Text Completion’s five options.

Quick GRE Tip

No penalties for wrong answers mean you should attempt every question. Always verify you are addressing the correct question type, especially for RC sections with multiple correct answers.

GRE Verbal Practice

It’s crucial to review your mistakes after practicing GRE Verbal questions. This practice helps you understand what you did wrong and how to correct it. Even if you answer correctly, understand why to avoid future errors.

Understanding and Reviewing Mistakes

An essential aspect of mastering the GRE Verbal section is to thoroughly review your mistakes after each practice session. It’s not enough to simply know which answers were incorrect; understanding why you made those errors and how to avoid them in the future is key. Keep a detailed log of your errors, noting the type of mistake (e.g., vocabulary misunderstanding, reading error) and the context in which it occurred. Revisiting this log before each practice session will help cement the learning and prevent repetitive mistakes.

Effective Use of Practice Tests

For every practice test you take, allocate double the amount of time for review. For instance, if a test takes 10 minutes, spend at least 20 minutes reviewing your answers. This should include an analysis of both incorrect and correct responses, ensuring you understand why the correct answers are right. This practice not only solidifies content knowledge but also enhances test-taking strategies.

Text Completion Strategies

Text completion questions test your ability to understand the gist of a sentence or passage to fill in the blanks appropriately:

• First Step: Always start by understanding the overall theme or main idea of the text. This initial comprehension helps in predicting the missing words.
• Signal Words: Pay attention to transitional words such as “however,” “moreover,” and “consequently.” These words often indicate the direction the text is taking, which is crucial for selecting the correct words to fill in the blanks.
• Puzzle Approach: Consider each text completion question as a puzzle. Break down the sentence or passage into manageable parts to better understand what each blank is asking for.

Sentence Equivalence Strategies

Sentence equivalence questions require you to choose two options that give a sentence similar meanings, and they can be tricky:

• Deep Reading: Read the sentence carefully to grasp subtle nuances in tone and meaning before even looking at the answer choices.
• Own Words: Try filling in the blank with a word that fits before checking the available options. This can help you narrow down the choices based on your understanding of the sentence.
• Word Relationships: Be aware of synonyms among the options. However, ensure the words you choose fit the sentence contextually and grammatically.

Reading Comprehension Techniques

Reading comprehension passages can vary widely in topic and complexity:

• Question Preview: Before diving into the passage, glance at the questions to guide your reading focus. Knowing what information you need can save time and improve accuracy.
• Summarization: After reading, summarize the passage in your own words. This helps in retaining the main ideas and details, facilitating quicker and more accurate responses to the questions.
• All Options: Evaluate all given answer choices carefully. Ensure your selected answer is directly supported by the passage and not merely a true statement or a plausible assumption not covered by the text.

Time Management for GRE Verbal

In a 30-minute GRE verbal section, effective time management is crucial.

Initial Focus

• Spend the first 5-6 minutes on Text Completion with one blank (TC1) and Sentence Equivalence (SE) questions.
• Take advantage of the flexibility to navigate between questions.

Middle Section

• Dedicate the next 18-20 minutes to Reading Comprehension (RC) questions.
• Prioritize passages that align with your strengths, whether they are shorter or topic-specific.

Final Minutes

• Reserve the last 4-5 minutes for Text Completion with three blanks (TC3).
• Address these complex questions only after handling easier ones.

Review and Relax

• Use any spare time to review TC1 and SE answers.
• Between sections, take a minute to breathe and relax, preparing for the next set of questions.

Key Strategies for a 160+ Score in GRE Verbal

Engage with Reading Comprehension (RC) Passages

• Approach GRE RC sections with interest and curiosity. Each passage is designed to be accessible and introductory, ensuring you can grasp the concepts with a thorough reading.
• Avoid skimming the questions before reading the passage. This can bias your understanding and limit your ability to answer additional questions accurately. Focus on understanding the whole passage first, which helps in answering all related questions without the need to re-read.

Tactical Approaches to Questions

• Use scratch paper to jot down key points and summaries as you read. This tactic is especially helpful for retaining critical information and supporting details that will aid in answering questions correctly.
• Read each answer choice carefully, especially in RC sections. Avoid traps where answer choices directly quote the passage but are actually incorrect. Instead, look for answers that accurately rephrase or summarize the passage content.

Strategies for Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence

• Develop a strong vocabulary, which is crucial for tackling these questions effectively. Understanding the logic and context within the sentence will guide you more than simply matching synonyms.
• In Sentence Equivalence, pick words that complement the meaning of the sentence, rather than looking for exact synonyms. This approach helps in identifying correct answers that are contextually suitable but not necessarily direct synonyms.

Mastering the GRE Verbal Section

• Practice is key to excelling in the GRE Verbal section. Regularly engaging with practice questions and tests will familiarize you with the question patterns, common traps, and effective strategies.
• Aim to first break into the 150+ score range by mastering text completion and sentence equivalence questions, as these are typically more straightforward and can boost your score efficiently.
• Prioritize reading comprehension last, ensuring you have developed strong analytical skills to tackle these more complex questions. Always validate whether the answer choices are supported by the passage to eliminate incorrect options.

Final Tips for High Scores

• Always attempt every question. Use the ‘mark and review’ feature to manage your time effectively and return to tougher questions if necessary.
• Practice eliminating wrong answers systematically. This will reduce your margin of error and increase your chances of selecting the correct answer.

Getting to 160+ means 90 – 100% accuracy on GRE text completion question types, 90 to 100% accuracy on sentence equivalence question types, and at least a 70% plus accuracy on RC question types. It’s not impossible, you must just take up as many GRE verbal practice tests as possible. Practice is the key to get a 160+ on the GRE Verbal. Do not miss out on that one key aspect.