Best GRE Test Prep Strategies for Non-Native English Speakers

I. Understand the GRE format and sections

Acquainting yourself with the sections of the GRE general test is a crucial part of GRE exam preparation; when you know what to expect on the GRE, your GRE study plan will be more effective and you will feel less anxious on test day! There are three main sections in the GRE: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. Once familiar with each section and its question types, you can divide your study time based on areas of strength and weakness, track your progress, and learn useful GRE test prep strategies for each section. This will make the GRE test will feel more familiar on exam day; you'll be less anxious and will be closer to getting a great score! To learn more about the GRE, click here: What is the GRE and Why It Matters for Grad School.

II. Build a strong English vocabulary

Even if English is not your first language, using the following tips and GRE prep strategies during test prep will help to improve your performance in the verbal reasoning section of the GRE:

Study high-frequency GRE words:

Use lists of high-frequency GRE words. Study their meaning and use each word in a sentence to improve your vocabulary knowledge during GRE prep. Create flashcards to help with vocabulary recall.

Practice active reading:

Read newspapers, academic magazines, and nonfiction articles to view vocabulary in context as a GRE prep strategy. Actively read by highlighting unfamiliar words, guessing their meaning, and adding them to your flashcards.

Learn word roots:

Many GRE vocabulary words share roots. Familiarizing yourself with word suffixes and prefixes is a GRE prep strategy that can help you to guess the meaning of words with which you are unfamiliar. For example, “beneficial” and “benefit” begin with “bene” and each indicates something that is helpful. 

III. Practice reading comprehension regularly

Remember that GRE reading comprehension passages aren’t meant to be memorized, but rather, understood. It is important that you are able to identify the main idea of a passage, its author’s tone, as well as pick up on context clues to correctly answer accompanying verbal questions. In order to so accurately and quickly, consider using the following test-taking strategies, which can also be used during GRE preparation:

To isolate the main idea of a passage quickly, note that it is usually stated either in the beginning or at the end of a reading. Ask yourself the role of each paragraph in the text; when you understand each paragraph’s particular role in a reading, you can piece them together to gain a better understanding of the overall intent behind the text.

The author’s tone is the attitude they convey. When it comes to GRE texts, an author’s tone is often either neutral, skeptical, moderately critical, analytical, or somewhat optimistic. To identify an author’s tone efficiently, look for clues in the text’s wording that demonstrate their outlook, such as "surprised" or “flawed” or contrast words like “however” or “yet,” implying that the author disagrees with a particular concept or that their viewpoint has shifted. 

Context clues are important because they can help you to identify the meaning of a piece of text, even if you don’t understand each individual word. For instance, contrast words such as “however” imply the author is potentially in opposition to a particular idea, and words such as “therefore” indicate they are more supportive. Context clues also work well in proximity. 

Consider the following sentence: “The finding was inconsequential for 19th-century scientists but would have a major impact on archeologists in the 21st century.” If you don’t know the meaning of “inconsequential,” the presence of the contrast word “but” and the phrase “major impact” tells you that the 19th-century finding was originally opposite in nature to a major impact, so inconsequential means “of no consequence.” To improve your GRE reading comprehension skills, click here: How to Improve Reading Comprehension for the GRE.

IV. Develop analytical writing skills

Developing strong analytical writing skills is crucial for the analytical writing portion of the GRE; practicing these skills should be a part of your study plan and GRE strategy:

Practice organizing your essay: 

• Strong essays have a clear format with an intro, a body, and a conclusion. 
• An essay’s introduction introduces its topic and your primary argument.
• The body contains upwards of 4 paragraphs. Each paragraph has a topic sentence explaining what it is about, evidence, and an explanation of how said evidence supports your argument; all paragraphs link back to your thesis statement.
• The conclusion ends your argument and demonstrates its importance. It restates your thesis in different words and summarizes your essay’s key points.

Practice presenting clear arguments:

• A clear argument is formed by a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement should be precise, specific, and debatable.
• A clear argument contains evidence, which is paired with examples or quotes to back it up; always include an accompanying explanation of why each piece of evidence adds weight to your overall argument.
• A clear argument contains paragraphs that flow logically. Consider using transition words or phrases to connect each paragraph, such as “as well as” or “in addition to …” 

Practice avoiding common grammar mistakes: 

• Many test takers with English as a second language make similar grammar mistakes. Learning to avoid these errors before you take the official GRE will help you to get closer to your target score on the exam.
• Familiarize yourself with subject-verb agreements (e.g., “he works” is a correct subject-verb agreement, but “he work” is incorrect.
• Many students mix up the articles “a/an/the.” Study the proper usage of these articles to avoid misusing them.
• Work on using concise, clear sentences in your essay. Long, run-on sentences may confuse the reader and potentially cost bring down your GRE scores in the analytical writing portion of the exam. 

Implement feedback and practice:

• Feedback is an excellent way to improve your writing; your peers in student clubs and your instructors can often see errors you might have missed.
• There are many ways to practice improving your analytical writing skills; writing a short essay of a few hundred words daily can help you to spot patterns in your errors, and reading academic articles and essays can teach you how strong writing is presented. 
• Practice editing your essays to improve upon your grammar and the strength and clarity of your arguments. 

V. Use official materials and mock tests

It is important that all GRE test takers, regardless of first language, use official materials to study for the GRE and practice taking mock tests when studying. When you use official GRE materials, you are familiarizing yourself with the difficulty level of the real exam and the question types you will encounter. When you practice taking mock tests that simulate exam day conditions, you learn how to pace yourself come exam day and how to work under pressure. Practice tests help you to identify areas of weakness and track your progress. Ultimately, all of the above will help you to feel less nervous and more confident on test day, as you will know what to expect and will be fully prepared! To learn more about the benefits of practice tests, click here: How Practice Tests Help You Improve Your GRE Score.

VI. Manage test-day stress and confidence

Managing stress and building confidence for test day are key factors that lead most test takers to getting better test scores. An important preparation strategy is to get enough sleep, both when you are on a study schedule and the night before your exam, as sleep helps to regulate emotions and reduce anxiety. Learn time management techniques before taking the exam to build confidence, an important one of which is being able to identify and flag difficult questions to return to once you have answered the others. A common mistake made by many students with English as a second language involves reading questions too quickly and misunderstanding them; stay focused and always ensure you understand a question fully before answering it! Learning strategies to stay calm and reduce stress during the GRE will help you to reach your target GRE score.

VII. Create a study plan that fits your goals

Building a study plan that meets your goals is really dependent on what your target GRE score is and how much time you have to study, but typically, it’s advisable to create a plan that allocates time for each part of the GRE. Below is an example of a such a schedule:

VIII. Common mistakes non-native test takers should avoid

Non-native GRE students often make similar mistakes to one another that can be avoided. One error that is commonly run into is when exam takers spend time translating questions into their native language; this is a problem because not only does it take up a significant amount of time, but the meaning of a question may change when translated. Another common mistake is when students choose not to study for the analytical writing portion of the exam. This can have a seriously negative effect on exam scores, as the essay portion of the test can significantly determine final scores. Finally, non-native students sometimes make the mistake of practicing vocabulary but neglecting reading comprehension, which can result in a lot of difficulty with understanding long passages on exam day!

IX. FAQ

Q: How can non-native speakers improve their GRE verbal score?

A: Non-native speakers can improve their GRE verbal score by practicing GRE and academic vocabulary words, reading academic articles in English, using official materials to practice GRE verbal questions and reading essays for comprehension purposes, not to memorize them. 

Q: How long should non-native speakers study for the GRE?

A: This depends on an individual’s target score and English abilities, but it is generally recommended to create a study plan of 3 - 6 months to have sufficient time to practice.

Q: Which resources are best for non-native English speakers?

A: The best resources for non-native English speakers include official ETS materials, Booster Prep, and the Princeton Review; to improve reading comprehension, consider articles from sources such as the New Yorker or The Economist. 

Q: What mistakes should I avoid when preparing for the GRE?

A: Common mistakes to avoid include studying vocabulary for the exam's verbal section but neglecting reading comprehension, not taking practice tests, and not reviewing your mistakes.