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You might think you know how to memorize GRE vocabulary. However, a lot of what we learned in school about memorization\u2014and about learning\u2014has turned out to be inefficient or outright incorrect. There are faster and easier ways to learn GRE vocabulary than just staring at flashcards or repeating the words over and over, and they aren\u2019t all obvious! Here are our best science-based GRE vocabulary tips for speeding up your vocabulary acquisition.<\/span><\/p>\n The testing effect<\/span><\/a> is a phenomenon studied by education researchers. You can also use it to boost your GRE vocabulary!<\/span><\/p>\n Suppose that there are two classes of students and both classes will take the same final exam. Both classes learn the same material, from the same teacher, for an entire semester. However, one of the two classes also takes a five-minute quiz at the end of each class session. The students in the other class get five minutes of extra time to study, instead.<\/span><\/p>\n It turns out that the students who took the quizzes end up doing a better job on the final exam. Your brain loves making mistakes, even if it doesn\u2019t feel that way sometimes. When you get a question wrong and then correct yourself, you\u2019re much more likely to remember that question. You\u2019re also more likely to retain information that you were forced to think hard about\u2014say, when you were trying to remember the answer to a quiz question.<\/span><\/p>\n Start each GRE vocabulary study session by choosing five random vocabulary words and quizzing yourself. (The Manhattan Prep GRE app is an easy way to do this.) End each session the same way. Over time, you\u2019ll be more likely to remember those words than if you simply spent more time reading over them. <\/span>And for more on the testing effect and how you can use it on the GRE, check out this article<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Take a moment to think back to a vivid childhood memory, good or bad. Picture it as clearly as you can in your mind\u2019s eye. What makes that memory so vivid? Your brain loves four things more than anything else, and most of your strongest memories probably have one or more of these features.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re struggling with a GRE vocabulary word, associate it with a mental image that includes some of those four characteristics. To really connect the image to the word, make sure to somehow include the sound of that word as well. Here\u2019s an example.<\/span><\/p>\n The word <\/span>dissipation<\/span><\/i> sounds a little bit like <\/span>diss<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>pay<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>shun<\/span><\/i>. The word itself refers to a drunken, debauched, over-the-top lifestyle\u2014like something that might be fun in your youth, but quickly catch up with you. And here\u2019s a mental image to go along with it: <\/span><\/p>\n A medical patient is waiting in the doctor\u2019s office\u2026 he\u2019s bloated and sickly because he lives a\u00a0<\/span><\/i>dissipated<\/i><\/b>\u00a0lifestyle\u2014he drinks too much alcohol and eats too much fried food. The doctor tells him to stop his\u00a0<\/span><\/i>dissipation<\/i><\/b>, but the patient becomes furious! He screams at the doctor, telling him not to\u00a0<\/span><\/i>diss\u00a0<\/i><\/b>or\u00a0<\/span><\/i>shun<\/i><\/b>\u00a0him for his lifestyle. He refuses to\u00a0<\/span><\/i>pay<\/i><\/b>\u00a0for the visit because he didn\u2019t get the advice he wanted.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n That\u2019s a lot more memorable than a boring and dry definition! If you\u2019re struggling to remember the definition of a GRE vocabulary word, take advantage of the fact that your brain prefers to remember certain things.<\/span><\/p>\n What do these words have in common? <\/span><\/p>\n They all sound like they mean something they don\u2019t! This makes them GRE vocabulary favorites. You\u2019ll run into words like these as you study: words that logically should mean one thing, but actually mean something different.<\/span><\/p>\n Keep a special set of flashcards for words like these\u2014and any words that always seem to trick your ear. And if you\u2019re having trouble learning one of these words and keep making the same mistake over and over, check out the next of our GRE vocabulary tips…<\/p>\n Have you ever had a vocabulary word that you just couldn\u2019t seem to remember? Somewhere along the line, your brain decided that \u2018disinterested\u2019 meant \u2018bored,\u2019 and now that\u2019s always the first thing that pops into your head when you see it, even though you know it means something else. These situations can be incredibly frustrating, but you can overcome them with this simple GRE vocabulary tip.<\/span><\/p>\n You can\u2019t choose to \u2018forget\u2019 an incorrect definition that\u2019s gotten stuck in your head. Instead, use that incorrect definition as a starting point. \u2018Disinterested\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean \u2018bored;\u2019 it actually means \u2018impartial.\u2019 Use the tip from earlier and come up with a wacky mental image that links the two together.<\/span><\/p>\n For instance, imagine somebody being arrested and put on trial for being too boring! They\u2019re brought to court, and the judge is so bored that she almost falls asleep right there at the bench. But she has to stay awake, because she needs to judge the case fairly and remain <\/span>disinterested<\/span><\/i>. That\u2019s a memorable visualization\u2014if you can bring it up when you need to remember the word <\/span>disinterested<\/span><\/i>, you\u2019ll recall that it means <\/span>not biased<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Try looking up the words you\u2019re learning to see how people are actually using them. The results might surprise you. You can type the word into Google, but an even better resource is COCA\u2014the <\/span>Corpus of Contemporary American English<\/span><\/a>. Type in a GRE vocabulary word, such as <\/span>dispassionate<\/span><\/i>, and check out the results:<\/span><\/p>\n COCA uses text from news articles, television shows, and other sources of American English to show how words are actually used. It can be more reliable than a search engine if you\u2019re specifically looking for example sentences. And having example sentences can really help you deeply understand a word! Which leads to our next tip\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n In this article, GRE instructor Tom Anderson asks a million-dollar question: <\/span>is it better to <\/span>really<\/span><\/i> know 500 words or to <\/span>sort of <\/span><\/i>know 1,000 words<\/span><\/a>? He concludes that you\u2019re better off <\/span>really<\/span><\/i> knowing a smaller number of words and gives some great examples of how weak vocab knowledge can be dangerous on the GRE. Check out the article now!<\/span><\/p>\n Consider the GRE vocabulary word \u2018flag.\u2019 It seems weird that I even called it a GRE vocabulary word, right? \u2018Flag\u2019 is a simple word that\u2019s easy to define: it\u2019s that colorful piece of fabric, flapping in the wind, that represents a nation or a group. But there\u2019s an infamous GRE vocabulary problem that tests the word \u2018flag,\u2019 and a lot of people get it wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s because \u2018flag\u2019 has multiple definitions. One definition is common and very widely known. It\u2019s the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word. The other<\/span> definition is used much more rarely. \u2018Flag\u2019 can also mean \u2018lose energy\u2019 or \u2018wear out\u2019: \u2018the runner started to flag during the last mile of the marathon.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n The GRE, of course, loves testing these second definitions. If you see something strange while solving a vocabulary problem\u2014like a word that seems too common to be a GRE vocabulary word\u2014think about second definitions. And make sure you\u2019re writing down these definitions when you make flashcards!<\/span><\/p>\n Check out <\/span>this article on spaced repetition for GRE vocabulary learning<\/span><\/a>. Here\u2019s the short version: when you partially forget something, then re-learn it again later, you create a stronger memory than you did initially. When you first learn a vocabulary word, you should review it frequently. Then, let longer and longer periods of time go by before you review it again. This will strengthen your memory of that definition by training your brain to recall it under difficult circumstances. The article linked above has an outline of how to use this method in your GRE vocabulary learning: it\u2019s easier than it sounds, and has great results!<\/span><\/p>\n An old myth says that you should always study in the same place at the same time. Here\u2019s the truth: <\/span>you\u2019ll form stronger memories if you study in different places at different times<\/span><\/a>. When you change it up, you train your brain to practice retrieving memories under various conditions. By the time you take the real GRE, you\u2019ll be ready for anything, and you\u2019ll be able to recall definitions even in the testing center. Study at different times of day and in different places! Change up the way that you study, too: have somebody else quiz you, or quiz yourself. Look at the back of the flashcard or the front. Write down the definitions, or say them out loud. Your brain loves variety, so give it as much as you can!<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s a strange thing to write on a list of GRE vocabulary tips. Here\u2019s the thing: the GRE doesn\u2019t have any problem types where you <\/span>only <\/span><\/i>have to recite definitions. Both of the GRE vocabulary problem types\u2014Sentence Equivalence and Text Completion\u2014require you to put vocabulary words into context sentences. In some ways, this makes your job easier, but it also adds a level of complexity that you need to prepare for!<\/span><\/p>\n There are multiple reasons you might miss a Text Completion or Sentence Equivalence problem. It\u2019s possible to miss a problem because you didn\u2019t know some or all of the vocabulary words. However, you can also miss a problem by misreading the sentence, or by misunderstanding the relationship between the blank and the rest of the text. Spend plenty of time doing practice problems instead of just memorizing definitions. (<\/span>The 5lb. Book of GRE Practice problems has hundreds of GRE vocabulary problems<\/span><\/a>!) When you miss a problem, don\u2019t assume that it\u2019s always a vocabulary knowledge issue. Pay careful attention to situations in which you misunderstood the structure of the sentence, as well. Learning more vocabulary isn\u2019t always the answer\u2014you can also gain points by becoming an expert at <\/span>predicting what answer the GRE wants<\/span><\/a>. ?<\/span><\/p>\n See that \u201cSUBSCRIBE\u201d button in the top right corner? Click on it to receive all our GRE blog updates straight to your inbox!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Chelsey Cooley<\/a> You might think you know how to memorize GRE vocabulary. However, a lot of what we learned in school about memorization\u2014and about learning\u2014has turned out to be inefficient or outright incorrect. There are faster and easier ways to learn GRE vocabulary than just staring at flashcards or repeating the words over and over, and they […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[474284,1362503,921840,6,7,449765,449766,733445,12,13],"tags":[1363335,338],"yst_prominent_words":[1363330,1363327,1362627,1363319,1363323,1363326,1363322,1363320,1363324,1363332,1363325,1363328,1362707,1362797,1363333,1363329,1363321,1363331,1362949,1362692],"class_list":["post-12375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-studiers","category-gre-101","category-gre-prep-2","category-gre-strategies","category-how-to-study","category-learning-science","category-spaced-repetition","category-study-tips-2","category-verbal","category-vocabulary","tag-gre-vocabulary-tips","tag-vocab"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12375"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12381,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12375\/revisions\/12381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12375"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=12375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Tap into the \u201ctesting effect.\u201d<\/b><\/h4>\n
2. Give your brain a gift.<\/b><\/h4>\n
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3. Keep a file of tricky words for your GRE vocabulary.<\/b><\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n4. You can\u2019t delete a GRE vocabulary memory, but you can create new ones.<\/b><\/h4>\n
5. Definitions aren\u2019t everything.<\/b><\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n6. You can know just enough to be dangerous.<\/b><\/h4>\n
7. Beware of second definitions.<\/b><\/h4>\n
8. Step up your GRE vocabulary learning with science.<\/b><\/h4>\n
9. Change it up.<\/b><\/h4>\n
10. Vocabulary isn\u2019t everything.<\/b><\/h4>\n
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\n![\"Chelsey](\"https:\/\/cdn2.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2015\/11\/chelsey-cooley-150x150.jpg\" "\\"Chelsey")
<\/a>\u00a0is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Seattle, Washington.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/i><\/b>Chelsey always followed her heart when it came to her education. Luckily, her heart led her straight to the perfect background for GMAT and GRE teaching: she has undergraduate degrees in mathematics and history, a master\u2019s degree in linguistics, a 790 on the GMAT, and a perfect 170Q\/170V on the GRE.\u00a0<\/em><\/i>Check out Chelsey\u2019s upcoming GRE prep offerings here<\/a>.<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"