GRE Text Completion — Strategy Guide & Tips

Overview

Text Completion questions test your ability to interpret and evaluate what you read. Each passage has 1-3 blanks, and you must select the best word or phrase for each blank.

How It Works

You'll see a short passage (1-5 sentences) with blanks. For single-blank questions, choose from 5 options. For 2-3 blank questions, choose from 3 options per blank. There is no partial credit — you must get ALL blanks correct.

Words you'll learn

• strategy — A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term aim
• context — The circumstances that form the setting for an event or idea
• essential — Absolutely necessary; extremely important
• structure — The arrangement of and relations between the parts of something
• interpret — To explain the meaning of something
• evaluate — To form an idea of the amount, number, or value of something
• partial — prejudiced or biased toward one side
• overall — Taking everything into account; in general
• moreover — As a further matter; besides
• despite — Without being affected by; in spite of
• indicate — To point out or show
• eliminate — To completely remove or get rid of
• sound — based on reason, sense, or judgment
• sophisticated — experienced, worldly, or cultured
• compelling — Evoking interest or attention in a powerfully irresistible way
• theory — A system of ideas intended to explain something
• subsequent — Coming after something in time; following
• evidence — The available facts or information indicating whether something is true
• ambiguous — Open to more than one interpretation; not clear
• inconclusive — Not leading to a firm conclusion or result