Vocabulary

Section: GRE Vocabulary — High-Frequency Words and Strategies Estimated study time: 45 minutes Content: Vocabulary is the foundation of GRE Verbal performance. While the GRE does not test vocabulary in isolation (no pure definition-matching questions), high-frequency words appear in Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence answer choices, and passage comprehension depends on understanding academic and literary vocabulary. A strong vocabulary shortens time per question and dramatically improves accuracy on TC and SE items. The most effective vocabulary-building approach for the GRE targets words by frequency of appearance on the exam. Studies of released GRE materials identify clusters of high-frequency words that appear repeatedly across different administrations. Rather than attempting to learn tens of thousands of words, focus your study on the top 500–800 words. Many test-prep resources compile these — Magoosh, Manhattan Prep 5 Lb., and the ETS Official Guide all contain high-quality word lists. Learning vocabulary in context is far more effective than rote memorization of definitions. When you encounter a new word, read it in multiple sentences, note its typical connotation (positive/negative/neutral), and identify whether it typically describes people, ideas, tone, or actions. Also note degree — distinguish "dislike" from "loathe," "unusual" from "aberrant," "calm" from "impassive." The GRE often exploits degree distinctions in distractor design. Root words, prefixes, and suffixes are a powerful tool for decoding unfamiliar vocabulary on test day. Latin and Greek roots underlie most advanced English vocabulary. Common prefixes include: a-/an- (without, not), bene- (good), mal- (bad), pre- (before), post- (after), pro- (in favor of), contra- (against), mis- (wrongly), re- (again), trans- (across), sub- (under), super- (above). High-yield roots include: -log/-logy (study, word), -vers/-vert (turn), -cred (believe), -duc (lead), -ven (come), -port (carry), -rupt…