How to Improve Vocab ?
A student is required to have certain level of proficiency in English since the discourses at the graduate school will be in English. He should know how to interpret written information, how to comprehend the information, the meaning of words etc.
You can start building vocabulary a year in advance. Write down the new words which you come across in newspapers, magazines, textbooks etc. Compile them and start learning a few everyday. You must also know the usage of each word and for this you can refer to examples or form some on your own. Review these words periodically until you become familiar with them. Also start with the GRE word lists. Memorizing around 3500 words is not an easy task. You can select to study around 20-30 words a day. You can learn using flash cards, some software or choose Learnhub's WOW feature. Review the words you have already studied at the end of each week. If you do not review the words, you will end up with loosing lot many words.Here are some ways to help you improve vocabulary:
- When you learn a word, try to create a picture related to the word or its meaning in your mind. This will help in recalling the meaning of word.
- When looking for the meaning of a word in dictionary, also look for its secondary meaning and synonyms.
- Incorporate the new words into your speech.
- Crossword puzzles and scrabble - a great way of increasing your vocabulary.
Albeit, there's a lot of vocabulary involved, but there's also a lot of critical reading there, which is why I strongly suggest that you read to improve your GRE verbal score. In order to do well in Verbal Section, you should have good vocabulary, good reading and comprehension skills, good grammar.
Practice Reading,Reading,Reading!
Browse news on WSJ online, CNN, NYTimes, to practice Reading Comprehension. Reading from the Online Journals regularly will help improve vocabulary and reading skills and allow you to get used to reading from a computer screen for a long period of time. Reading also helps you to learn how others organize their ideas and writings, and this will help you in your organizational skills in analytical writing. Read analytical articles and reviews by editors and journalists that will help you in improving analytical writing skills.
Don't read like you would read a novel. Read actively. Ask yourself, "What is the main theme?", "Report or opinion?", and "What is the author's primary purpose?" Since you'll see these questions on the GRE, you should be on the lookout for the answers.
GRE Analytical Section
This section contains two subsections (Issue Task and Argument Task) each requiring you to write a short essay. Make sure that you understand the topic clearly. Take 5 minutes to select a position, pick strong examples, plan out your structure and organize your ideas before you begin writing your paper to ensure that your ideas flow logically and you have good organization. Use two-three strong and effective examples to present your perspective. Do not use vague and redundant examples.
Once you have developed a strong vocabulary, it should not be hard to crack verbal section and particularly antonyms.
Image Credit: miro-foto
Post Comments