There are three types of questions on the Graduate Record Examination® (GRE®) verbal section. Many of the test’s questions are “sentence equivalence” problems, in which the test-taker is given a sentence that is missing a word and must choose two words that can both complete it in the same way. This test is designed to assess a person’s reading comprehension by having them read longer passages and then answer several questions. The GRE® verbal test also includes “text completion” questions, in which the test taker is given one or more sentences with blanks that must be filled in by the test taker.
The GRE® verbal test’s “sentence equivalence” questions can be challenging and require excellent vocabulary skills. These issues are frequently presented as a sentence with a single word missing. A list of possible responses is provided, usually consisting of six words that can be used in the sentence’s open section. The GRE® verbal test taker must select two words from the list that can each be used to complete and correct the sentence. These are usually similar words that have the same overall meaning and structure as the rest of the sentence.
The GRE® verbal test also includes a number of questions that assess the test taker’s “reading comprehension.” This section is usually presented as a lengthy collection of writing that must be read thoroughly and carefully. Following this reading sample, there are a series of questions about the selection, most of which focus on the themes that appear in it or the work’s purpose.
These questions are answered to show that the test taker understands the selection. Many of these questions are multiple choice, but this section of the GRE® verbal test may also include interactive elements. These problems are solved by choosing a sentence from the passage that exemplifies an idea or supports the selection’s overall argument.
On the GRE® verbal test, there are also “text completion” questions, which are similar to “sentence equivalent” problems but present a longer passage. Several sentences in this collection are missing one or more words. For each gap in the selection, a number of options are presented, and the person taking the test must select the correct word from each list. In this section of the GRE® verbal test, there is only one correct answer for each missing word. For credit to be given, all of the missing sections for each question must be answered correctly.