GRE Verbal Reasoning

Last updated July 9, 2026

Two section-adaptive Verbal sections: 12 questions in 18 minutes, then 15 in 23. Reading Comprehension (RC), Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence. Section 1 is high leverage. We train vocabulary in context and passage discipline — not flashcard cosplay.

Section Structure

What You Face

Section 1: 12 questions · 18 minutes
Section 2: 15 questions · 23 minutes (difficulty influenced by section 1)
Text Completion (TC), Sentence Equivalence (SE), and Reading Comprehension (RC) interleaved—vocabulary in context + reasoning

How to Train

Build context-first vocab habits (not flashcards alone)
For Sentence Equivalence (SE): both correct answers must produce equivalent meaning
Reading Comprehension (RC): map structure; prove answers with passage evidence

Content Areas

Text Completion

1–3 blanks; use logic of the sentence before hunting hard words.

Sentence Equivalence

Pick two choices that yield the same meaning; synonyms aren’t enough if nuance differs.

Reading Comprehension

Short and long passages; inference, purpose, structure, detail.

Section-Adaptive Mindset

Protect accuracy on section 1; manage time without panicking hard items.

Deep Clinic: Vocabulary in Context

TC/SE logic before lexicon, charge-and-foil study method, and a 12-minute drill — not a 2,000-word dump.

Open GRE Vocab Clinic →

AI Prompts for Your Situation

Pick a prompt, copy it, and replace each [BRACKETED] part with your own details before you send it. Official practice tests set your real score; these prompts help you study between them.

Explain an official question I missed

When to use this: after reviewing an official ETS POWERPREP practice test. Paste one question you got wrong; use it on your 3–5 most important misses.

I missed this question on an official ETS POWERPREP practice test. Teach me why, don't just tell me the answer.

Section: [Verbal / Quant]
The question, with all answer choices (and the passage or figure if there is one): [PASTE QUESTION]
My answer: [MY ANSWER]. Correct answer: [CORRECT ANSWER].
Why I picked mine: [ONE LINE]

Please:
1. Explain why the correct answer is right. For Verbal, point to the words in the sentence or passage that decide the answer (for Sentence Equivalence, show why exactly two choices fit). For Quant, show the steps and any faster estimation or plugging-in route.
2. Pinpoint the mistake in my reasoning and label it: didn't know the content / wrong method / misread / careless / timing.
3. Give me a one-line rule to use next time.
4. Write 2 similar practice questions (not official) with answers and short explanations. Before you show them, silently solve each one again from scratch. If your two solutions disagree, or more than one choice could be right, rewrite or drop that question. Show only the final, clean questions, not your checking.

Trust the official answer key. If it looks wrong to you, say so, but assume I made a typo first and ask me to check.

Official score → 14-day plan

When to use this: right after you take an official ETS POWERPREP practice test and want a two-week plan built from your real scores.

You are my GRE coach. Build a 14-day plan from my official practice score.

My scores from an official ETS POWERPREP practice test: Verbal [VERBAL], Quant [QUANT], Writing [WRITING or 'not done'], taken on [DATE].
Weakest areas the score report shows (or my own miss notes): [WEAK AREAS, or "not sure"]
Target: [TARGET]. Test date: [TEST DATE]. Study time: [HOURS PER WEEK] hours a week.

Facts to respect: The GRE General Test has Analytical Writing (one 30-minute Issue essay, scored 0–6), Verbal Reasoning (27 questions in two sections: 12 in 18 minutes, then 15 in 23 minutes) and Quantitative Reasoning (27 questions in two sections: 12 in 21 minutes, then 15 in 26 minutes). Verbal and Quant are each scored 130–170, and the second section of each adapts to your first.

Give me:
1. My gap to the target and which part of the test to prioritise, and why (3 bullets).
2. My top 3 things to fix. For each, one concrete way to practise it with free official material (the two free POWERPREP Online tests and the free ETS GRE practice materials).
3. A day-by-day plan for 14 days that fits my hours, with one official practice checkpoint near the end.
4. Three habits I should stop.

If any of my numbers are missing, ask me for them before you plan. Do not invent scores or score predictions.

Long prompts are copied fully; if a chat link is too long, we copy the prompt and open a short paste instruction.

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