Top 200 Vocabulary Word List for the GRE General Test | Must Know Words for Common Examination Instructions

The 200-word examination instruction list

GRE General Test instructions tell you whether to compare two quantities, select every supported answer, complete a text or develop a position. The answer format matters. Sentence Equivalence requires two choices, while a Quantitative Comparison asks for a relationship rather than a numerical entry.

The list includes instructions, short phrases and supporting vocabulary that helps you read a prompt. Use the official directions for the specific question, paper or administration.

Exam requirements · Worked examples · Fencing Method

GRE question types and answer directions

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
1	Analyze an Issue	Develop a reasoned position that follows the specific writing directions.
2	Sentence Equivalence	Select the two choices that each fit the sentence and make the completed sentences similar in meaning.
3	Text Completion	Fill each blank so the completed passage is coherent as a whole.
4	Reading Comprehension	Use the supplied text to answer questions about meaning, structure or reasoning.
5	Quantitative Comparison	Determine how Quantity A relates to Quantity B across the allowed cases.
6	Quantity A	Evaluate the first expression or amount under the given conditions.
7	Quantity B	Evaluate the second expression or amount under the same conditions.
8	The relationship cannot be determined	Choose this when the given facts permit different relationships between the quantities.
9	Select all that apply	Select every choice that satisfies the stated requirements.
10	Select a sentence	Identify the sentence in the passage that performs the specified job.
11	Numeric Entry	Enter the number or fraction in the form shown by the response field.
12	Multiple answers	Check which options satisfy the question and follow its selection directions.
13	One choice per blank	Choose one option for each separate Text Completion blank.
14	Two choices	For Sentence Equivalence, select exactly two acceptable completions.
15	Blank interaction	Check how the possible answers to separate gaps affect one another.
16	Equivalent meaning	Check that the completed versions communicate essentially the same idea.
17	Data Interpretation set	Use the shared table, graph or other display for each linked question.
18	Determine the relationship	Compare the quantities instead of assuming the task asks for an exact value.
19	For all possible values	Check the relationship across the full set of permitted inputs.
20	For some values	Find at least one permitted case that meets the stated condition.
21	Sufficient information	Decide whether the facts supplied establish one required conclusion.

Verbal reasoning and argument language

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
22	Consider both quantities	Use the same assumptions and values when comparing A and B.
23	Countercase	Find a permitted example that changes or disproves the claimed result.
24	Scale drawing	Use visual proportions only as allowed by the instructions for that figure.
25	Geometric diagram	Use the labelled relationships and the ETS directions about diagram assumptions.
26	Number line	Use its labelled positions to interpret order, distance or the sign of a value.
27	Numerator field	Enter the top part of a fraction in the designated box when the format provides one.
28	Denominator field	Enter the bottom part of a fraction in the designated box when the format provides one.
29	Mark and review	Flag an item for another look within the current section.
30	Section-level adaptation	Expect the first section of a measure to help determine the difficulty of its second section.
31	Position on an issue	State what you think about the exact claim in the prompt.
32	Discuss the extent	Explain how far you agree or disagree and where your judgment changes.
33	Consider a challenge	Address a serious objection or case that might weaken your position.
34	Develop a position	Add specific reasons and examples that make your judgment clear.
35	Reason and example	Show how the example demonstrates the point made by the reason.
36	Specific instructions	Read the directions attached to the individual Issue prompt before planning.
37	Reasoning flaw	Locate the exact step where the evidence fails to support the conclusion.
38	Alternative explanation	Consider a different reason that could account for the same observation.
39	Author’s assumption	Identify a premise the argument relies on without stating directly.
40	Strength of support	Judge how directly a detail bears on the exact claim.
41	Reading selection	Use the passage or paired material attached to the question.
42	Transfer a result	Use the calculated value in the response format requested by the item.

Verbal and quantitative reasoning in context

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
43	Most logically completes	Choose the ending that follows from the text or notes.
44	Most precisely	Choose the wording whose meaning fits the context most closely.
45	Main purpose	Identify what the text as a whole is trying to accomplish.
46	Central idea	Choose the option that captures the main point at the right scope.
47	Best describes	Choose the description that most accurately fits the stated target.
48	Best illustrates	Choose the example or quotation that most directly shows the idea.
49	Most directly supports	Pick the evidence with the clearest connection to the named claim.
50	Would weaken	Find the hypothetical finding that would reduce support for the claim.
51	If true	Assume the answer choice is true while judging its effect on the claim.
52	Function of a sentence	Identify how the sentence develops, limits or supports the passage’s argument.
53	Overall structure	Track how the text’s main parts are organised.
54	Words in context	Choose the sense or expression that fits the local wording and purpose.
55	Cross-text connections	Compare how two texts address the same point.
56	Author’s claim	Find what the named author argues or asserts.
57	Point of agreement	Find what both sources would endorse based on the evidence.
58	Introduce	Choose wording that supplies the context needed for the stated audience.
59	Emphasise	Choose wording that gives the requested idea or contrast prominence.
60	Generalise	State a broader point only to the extent that the examples support it.
61	Transitions	Identify the relationship between ideas before choosing a connecting expression.
62	Continuation	Choose a link that adds a point in the same direction.
63	Concession	Acknowledge a point before shifting to the principal claim.
64	Cause and effect	Choose a link that shows one event producing or explaining the other.
65	Illustrative example	Choose a particular case that demonstrates a broader point.
66	Form, structure and sense	Check the grammatical form and meaning of the whole sentence.
67	Independent clause	Identify words with a subject and verb that can stand as a sentence.
68	Dependent clause	Identify a clause that needs a main clause to complete its function.
69	Modifier	Identify words describing another part and check what they attach to.
70	Negative sign	Include the sign when the value is below zero.
71	Round	Adjust a number to the requested precision using the next digit.
72	Fraction entry	Use the designated fraction fields when they appear and follow the item’s entry directions.
73	One possible value	Supply a single value that satisfies the given conditions.
74	Solution set	Identify the full set of values that satisfy the stated relationship.
75	Satisfies	Check that substitution makes the equation or condition true.
76	Equivalent expression	Choose an expression with the same value throughout the allowed domain.
77	Expression	Work with the requested combination of numbers, variables and operations.
78	Equation	Use or form a statement that two expressions have equal value.
79	Inequality	Use or form the required greater-than or less-than relationship.
80	System	Find values that satisfy all listed equations or inequalities together.
81	Intercept	Read the point where the graph crosses the specified axis.
82	Slope	Find vertical change divided by horizontal change.
83	Slope-intercept form	Read the rate and starting value from an equation in the form y = mx + b.
84	Constant term	Identify the part of the expression with no variable factor.
85	Coefficient	Identify the numerical multiplier of the specified variable term.
86	In terms of	Express the answer using the quantities named in the question.
87	Per	Treat the second unit or quantity as the denominator of a rate.
88	Unit rate	Calculate the amount corresponding to one unit of the other quantity.
89	Percent increase	Divide the increase by the starting value and convert to a percent.
90	Percentage point	Find the simple difference between two percentage values.
91	Initial value	Find the starting quantity, often the output at input zero.
92	Maximum	Find the highest possible value within the conditions.
93	Minimum	Find the lowest possible value within the conditions.
94	Exactly	Use equality at the stated quantity.
95	Fewer than	Use a strict upper bound that excludes the stated value.
96	Greater than	Use a strict lower bound that excludes the stated value.
97	No solution	Show that no allowed value meets every condition.
98	Infinitely many solutions	Recognise when the conditions hold for an unbounded number of possible values.
99	One solution	Identify the unique value or pair satisfying the conditions.
100	Integer	Use a whole-number value that may be negative, zero or positive.
101	Positive	Restrict the value to numbers greater than zero.
102	Consecutive	Use values following one another in the stated sequence.
103	Probability	Find the likelihood of the event under the given conditions.
104	Random sample	Check how cases are selected before drawing conclusions about a population.
105	Margin of error	Interpret the stated sampling uncertainty around an estimate.
106	Line of best fit	Use the trend line to estimate a value or interpret a rate.
107	Residual	Subtract the predicted value from the observed value.
108	Timed section	Manage questions and review within the active section.
109	Eliminate	Cross out a choice after identifying the specific condition it fails.
110	Quantifier	Watch for words such as all, some or none that alter a claim’s scope.
111	Rhetorical purpose	Identify the job a detail does in the author’s argument.
112	Textual evidence	Choose a detail from the source that supports the precise claim.
113	Scope	Check the population, time frame or range covered by the claim.
114	Strengthen	Identify information that makes the conclusion better supported.
115	Logical relationship	Identify whether adjacent ideas add, contrast, explain or exemplify.
116	Nonessential clause	Identify a clause that can be removed without changing the intended reference.
117	Colon	Check whether the preceding complete clause can introduce the following material.
118	Semicolon	Check whether the mark correctly joins complete clauses in the item.
119	Parenthetical detail	Identify supplementary information set off from the main sentence.
120	Sample size	Check how many observations or individuals contribute to the result.
121	Test a boundary case	Try an allowed endpoint or special value that could change the comparison.
122	Qualified agreement	State where you agree and explain the conditions that change your view.
123	Line of reasoning	Make the connection between the thesis, evidence and supporting ideas visible.
124	Competing interpretation	Consider another reading that the text can reasonably support.
125	Primary source	Use evidence created in or directly connected to the period or events under study.
126	Secondary source	Use an analysis or interpretation produced after or about the events.
127	Intended audience	Identify whom a document addresses and why that audience matters to the argument.
128	Author’s reservation	Identify a stated hesitation, exception or limit on the main claim.
129	Point of view	Identify the standpoint influencing how the source presents events.
130	Unstated implication	Identify a conclusion that follows from the passage without being stated directly.
131	Scope of the claim	Match the answer to the people, period or cases the passage actually discusses.

Core commands and evidence

No.	Instruction or term	What it asks you to do
132	Recognise	Find a familiar feature in a new example.
133	Identify	Name or pick out the item the question specifies.
134	Select	Choose only the number of options requested.
135	Choose	Commit to the option that fits the stated criteria.
136	Match	Pair each item with the option that corresponds to it.
137	Complete	Fill in what is missing while keeping the supplied structure.
138	Label	Attach the correct name to the indicated part.
139	Locate	Find the specified detail, point or region.
140	Indicate	Make the chosen feature or answer clear.
141	Answer	Respond directly to the question being asked.
142	Give	Supply the requested fact, example or result.
143	State	Express the required point directly and clearly.
144	Name	Supply the correct term, person or item.
145	List	Set out the requested items separately.
146	Define	Give the precise meaning used in the subject or question.
147	Describe	Report the relevant characteristics, events or pattern.
148	Outline	Give the main steps or points in brief.
149	Summarise	Select the central points and leave out minor details.
150	Explain	Connect the result to its cause, mechanism or reasoning.
151	Compare	Set the items side by side on the same relevant feature.
152	Contrast	Show how the items differ on a shared point of comparison.
153	Analyse	Break down the evidence and explain how its parts relate.
154	Interpret	Say what a statement, result or display means in context.
155	Infer	Use clues to reach a conclusion the material implies.
156	Predict	Use available evidence to say what is likely to happen.
157	Suggest	Offer a plausible answer suited to the information given.
158	Justify	Give evidence or reasoning that supports your answer.
159	Evaluate	Weigh relevant evidence or criteria before reaching a judgment.
160	Assess	Judge the extent, value or strength of something using evidence.
161	Discuss	Develop a structured response that considers the relevant issues.
162	Distinguish	Give the feature that lets the reader tell two things apart.
163	Support	Supply evidence that helps establish the claim.
164	Illustrate	Make an idea clear with a relevant example or diagram.
165	Demonstrate	Show how a fact, process or result can be established.
166	Determine	Work from the given information to establish an answer.
167	Calculate	Use numbers or other given information to work out a result.
168	Estimate	Find an approximate answer using the available clues.
169	Check	Test the answer against the original instruction or condition.
170	Correct	Repair the specific error while preserving the intended meaning or result.
171	Revise	Change a response so it better meets the task.
172	Arrange	Put items into the order or grouping requested.
173	Sequence	Put stages into a meaningful order.
174	Group	Put items with a shared feature together.
175	Replace	Swap the specified part for a suitable alternative.
176	Omit	Leave out the indicated item or detail.
177	Include	Make sure the requested part appears in the response.
178	Exclude	Keep the named item or category outside your answer.
179	Refer to	Use the specified passage, figure or notes when responding.
180	Based on	Ground the answer in the material named in the question.
181	According to	Use what the specified source says.
182	In context	Use the meaning that fits this passage or situation.
183	Most likely	Choose the conclusion with the strongest support among the options.
184	Best supported	Prefer the conclusion backed most directly by the evidence.
185	Relevant	Connected to the specific question or criterion.
186	Specific	Precise enough to identify a particular fact or example.
187	Explicit	Stated directly in the source.
188	Implicit	Suggested by the source and recoverable from clues.
189	Evidence	A fact, detail or observation that supports a claim.
190	Claim	An assertion that can be tested against evidence or reasoning.
191	Reason	The basis for a statement, choice or result.
192	Example	A particular case used to make a general idea clear.
193	Conclusion	The result reached after considering the reasoning or evidence.
194	Assumption	A premise taken as given for the purpose of the question.
195	Condition	A requirement that must be satisfied.
196	Constraint	A restriction that shapes the possible answers.
197	Criterion	A standard used to choose or judge an answer.
198	Context	The surrounding information that helps determine meaning.
199	Source	The particular text, figure, notes or data supplied for use.
200	Passage	A stretch of text provided for reading and answering questions.

What the examination requires

Structure of the current GRE General Test

ETS lists one 30-minute Analyze an Issue task, two Verbal Reasoning sections and two Quantitative Reasoning sections. The test takes approximately one hour and 58 minutes. Analytical Writing comes first. The first section of each reasoning measure helps determine the difficulty of its second section. Use the official General Test instructions for the format you are taking.

Verbal Reasoning changes answer type

Reading Comprehension can require one choice, all applicable choices or the selection of a sentence in the passage. Text Completion can have multiple blanks, with one answer for each. Sentence Equivalence requires two choices that fit the sentence and produce sentences with similar meanings. Check the response instruction before working with the text.

Quantitative Reasoning includes entry and comparison

Quantitative Comparison uses the relationship between two quantities. Other items can ask for one choice, one or more choices, or a number entered into a field. A shared chart or table can support a set of questions. In a comparison, check the allowed values before deciding whether the quantities have a fixed relationship.

Analytical Writing has one issue task

Read the directions accompanying the individual prompt. A statement to consider may be followed by a request about the extent of agreement, possible circumstances or a challenge to your position. Use the instructions to plan the argument, examples and qualifications. Verify graduate programme requirements directly with the institution.

• Mark the action and the material it applies to.
• Check the required number or length of responses.
• Use the official test format when you rehearse timing.

Worked examples of common examination instructions

These original examples show how changing a few words in a prompt can change what belongs in the answer.

Sentence Equivalence needs two checks

An invented stem reads, ‘The chair’s reply was so brief that it left little room for discussion.’ If the gap replaces brief, concise and succinct could each fit and preserve a similar meaning. A choice such as rude might fit the grammar, but changes the idea. When testing your options, reread each completed sentence as a whole.

Read both blanks together

Consider ‘The article sounded confident, yet the supporting results were so ___ that the author’s conclusion remained ___.’ Tentative and unproven fit together because the evidence gives limited confidence. Use the contrast signal yet and check that each completed gap contributes to the same reading of the passage.

Compare quantities across the allowed values

Suppose x is a real number, Quantity A is x² and Quantity B is x. At x = 2, A is greater. At x = 1/2, B is greater. The relationship cannot be determined from the given information. The permitted second case is enough to show that the first case did not establish the relationship.

Develop and qualify an issue position

An original practice prompt asks whether universities should require group projects and asks you to consider circumstances where the requirement might be less useful. A position could support group work in courses that assess collaboration, while allowing individual work when the course needs an independent demonstration. Explain a concrete example for each condition.

Use the Fencing Method to practise instruction words

Start with a short accurate sentence. Add a precise detail and then the relationship the task asks for. Practise the same instruction on fresh material. For selected-response items, the sentence is a practice step that helps you decide which option fits.

1. Group work can help students.
2. Group work can help students practise coordinating decisions.
3. Group work can help students practise coordinating decisions when the course assesses collaboration.
4. Test the claim with a different course. Add one circumstance where independent work better shows the skill being assessed.

Read the eduKate Fencing Method for Vocabulary.

Practise and check your answers

Use the answer format as a check

Before each practice question, write the number or type of responses required. In Verbal, distinguish one answer, all supported answers and exactly two completions. In Quantitative Reasoning, separate numerical entry from a comparison. This takes a few seconds and gives you a clear final check.

Track the reason for each error

For a missed comparison, note the assumption or boundary you overlooked. For a verbal miss, record the contrast, reference or qualifier you missed. For an Issue task, circle the direction that received too little attention and write a short paragraph repairing it. Use a fresh problem to test the repair.

Practice 1. x is positive. Compare x with 2x.

Quantity 2x is greater for every allowed x. The positive restriction is decisive.

Practice 2. A reading question asks you to select a sentence showing the author’s reservation. What should you select?

Choose the sentence in the passage that limits or qualifies the claim. A topic sentence alone may not show the reservation.

Practice 3. An Issue task asks you to consider the consequences of a policy. What should your outline include?

Connect your position to at least one concrete consequence and explain how it follows. Address other directions in the specific prompt.

Practice 4. Two options are synonyms but only one fits the syntax. Can both be selected for Sentence Equivalence?

No. Each must fit the sentence and the two completed sentences must have similar meaning.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a GRE synonym memorisation list?

The entries describe task wording, answer formats and reasoning actions. Use the actual sentence or passage to judge vocabulary in context.

Can I use one number to settle every Quantitative Comparison question?

A single case can disprove a proposed universal comparison. A fixed relationship generally requires reasoning that covers all permitted cases.

Which essay format should I practise?

Use the current Analyze an Issue task and its attached directions from ETS.

Official sources and next reading

• ETS GRE General Test structure
• ETS GRE General Test content
• ETS GRE Quantitative Comparison guidance
• ETS Analyze an Issue task

Related guide in this series · Digital SAT examination instructions

Read eduKateSG’s 200-word vocabulary guide for more ways to group and practise vocabulary.

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