5 Ways to Improve Your GRE Vocabulary

The Verbal Section of the GRE is very basic in scope, but VERY challenging due to the vocabulary expectations. Non-native English speakers are at a significant disadvantage. In fact, most native English speakers have never built such an expansive vocabulary. So, what can one do improve one’s vocabulary to help improve their GRE Verbal score?

Here are 5 things to improve your GRE Vocabulary.

1. Keep a vocabulary journal.
   
   Every day you run into words you don’t know. Start a running journal in which you add every unfamiliar word and its definition. Look up definitions in a dictionary (you might consider Dictionary.com). In addition, look up important root words if they exist and list out synonyms as well. This will help connect these new words to words you may already know.
   
2. Use a word from your vocabulary journal every day.
   
   It isn’t good enough to simple track the definitions, roots, and synonyms or new words you encounter. It is also necessary to use these words in your everyday life. When you make the attempt to use a new word, you will have to process its meaning and make sure you are using it correctly. When you use it once, you are likely to use it again. The more you use the word, the more you will start to put it into long term memory. The more you use the word, the more you will build connections in your brain to be able to recall the word.
   
3. Expose yourself to new vocabulary words by reading.
   
   Reading something new is inherently a vocabulary building exercise. It doesn’t have to be anything deep or important. Reading a comic book, trashy novel, scientific paper, or historical literature will expose you to new words and even old words in a new context. This will give you more words to add to your vocabulary journal and thus more words to use in your everyday conversations. Reading has the added benefit of being entertaining!
   
4. Focus your efforts on word roots and prefixes/suffixes.
   
   Much can be gained from specifically studying Latin and Greek roots and prefixes. In fact, plenty of other languages have been the foundation of the English language as well. There are actually classes you can take in your college/university that specifically teach word roots as part of the curriculum. Try looking for these and talking to your advisor to find out if these can serve as electives for your graduation requirements. The roots, prefixes, and suffixes you know the more you can tackle unfamiliar words.
   
   You can also start learning a new language. I would stick to a Romance (Latin) or Germanic based language because English draws the most from those. There are many apps out there to help learn new languages and one of my favorites is Duolingo.
   
5. Use a flashcards to start building your vocabulary.
   
   Flashcards can be an excellent way of building vocabulary. There are two ways to do this: 1) use a flashcard app and 2) use a GRE vocabulary app. Flashcard apps are all over the place, but one of the best that includes the scientifically supported spacing method is Anki. Anki has a bit of a learning curve. Look for the dozens of tutorial videos on YouTube. GRE vocabulary apps are also very prevalent. One of my favorite free apps is GRE Vocabulary Builder from Magoosh. Many other companies have physical GRE flashcards as well: Kaplan Test Prep, Manhattan Prep, and Princeton Review are the most common.

Building a stronger vocabulary won’t just help you with the GRE but will improve your life in many other ways as well. Being able to understand what you read at a deeper level and being able to hold conversations with a deeper meaning due to word choice. Get out there and add those GRE words to your vocabularies today!