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GRE General Test Reasoning — practice by topic

Browse 3 questions across 1 Reasoning topics. Choose what you want to revise, then open a question to check its answer and worked solution.

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Reasoning topics

Verbal Reasoning (3)

Try a Reasoning question

Per ETS's Sentence Equivalence format, how many of the six answer choices must you select?Read the answer and worked solution →Many GRE Verbal questions hinge on the second or less-common meaning of a word. Which pair illustrates this?Read the answer and worked solution →How many distinct word combinations does a three-blank TC item present before any logic is applied?Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

Per ETS's Sentence Equivalence format, how many of the six answer choices must you select?

  1. Any one
  2. Any three (a 'top three' ranking)
  3. Exactly two, with no partial credit
  4. Up to four if multiple pairs work
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Correct answer: C. Exactly two, with no partial credit

**ETS's SE structure:** 'one blank, six answer choices', and 'Each question of this type requires you to select two of the answer choices there is no credit for partially correct answers.' Two and only two. Pick one, pick three, pick four; all score zero.

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Many GRE Verbal questions hinge on the second or less-common meaning of a word. Which pair illustrates this?

  1. 'cat' as in feline OR as in feline
  2. 'qualify' = meet a standard OR modify
  3. 'green' as in colour OR as in colour
  4. 'big' as in large OR as in large
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Correct answer: B. 'qualify' = meet a standard OR modify

GRE rewards knowing that 'qualify' has a secondary meaning ('to modify or limit a statement') beyond the common 'meet a standard'. A sentence like 'her praise was qualified' uses the secondary meaning. Picking on the first meaning that comes to mind leads to wrong answers. The other options are not multi-sense words.

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How many distinct word combinations does a three-blank TC item present before any logic is applied?

  1. 9
  2. 27
  3. 15
  4. 12
Show answer and solution

Correct answer: B. 27

ETS three-blank items present three blanks with three choices each, giving 3 by 3 by 3 = 27 combinations. The 9-combination grid belongs to two-blank items. Only one of the 27 combinations is correct, and ETS awards no credit for partially correct answers.

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How to practise

  1. Choose a Reasoning question and try to work out your answer.
  2. Open the question to check the correct answer and read its worked solution.
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