GRE VERBAL REASONING SENTENCE EQUIVALENCE Sentence Equivalence Overview

GRE VERBAL REASONING SENTENCE EQUIVALENCE

Sentence Equivalence - Overview • 4 Sentence Equivalence questions in each Verbal Reasoning section • Tests ability to determine how sentence should be completed by using meaning of entire sentence • In each sentence, one word is missing – you must identify 2 correct words to complete the sentence • Correct answer choices, when inserted, result in same meaning for both sentences • Sentence Equivalence Directions: Select the two answer choices that, when inserted into the sentence, fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole and yield complete sentences that are similar in meaning

Sentence Equivalence - Steps • #1 Read the sentence and look for clues (road signs) • Straight Ahead (; semicolon, similarly, consequently, in addition) • Detour (while, conversely, on the other hand, nonetheless) • #2 Predict an answer • Prediction should be a word you choose before looking at answer choices • #3 Select two choices that most closely match prediction • Choose 2 words that, when plugged into sentence. most closely match prediction • Eliminate answer choices that don’t fit prediction • If necessary, adjust prediction to find two answer choices that match • #4 Check answers to see if sentence retains the same meaning

Sentence Equivalence - Tips • Consider all Answer Choices • Paraphrase the Question • Putting a difficult or long sentence into your own words makes it easier to predict the answer • Ensures that you understand the meaning of the sentence • Look beyond Synonyms (words with similar meaning) • Finding synonym pairs does not always lead to correct answer choices • Answer choices may include synonym pairs that don’t fit sentence context • Remember the meaning of each sentence must be the same & correct • Use Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots • Think about the meaning of prefixes, suffixes, & roots to help define words