Q: How does the GRE attempt to gauge my vocabulary level?

Of the 30 questions on the GRE Verbal-Ability section, more than half test your vocabulary head-on:

• 9 Analogy questions (you determine the relationship between words in pairs)
• 7 Antonym questions (you choose which word among five choices is most contrary, or opposite, in meaning to a particular word)

NOTE: The GRE's 6 Sentence Completion questions also gauge your vocabulary level, but not as directly as Analogies and Antonyms.

The test-makers seek to determine whether you possess a well-rounded, "educated" vocabulary—the kind of vocabulary you need to read, write, and speak effectively in graduate school and beyond. Testworthy words include those that any educated person might use in speaking or writing, as well as those that are quite specific to particular academic fields.

NOTE: During the GRE there's a good chance you'll encounter at least one word from each of the 33 academic fields included in Chapter 5 of my book Words for Smart Test-Takers.

Here are the types of words you're unlikely to find in GRE Analogy and Antonym questions — and that you won't find in my book Words for Smart Test-Takers — because they're not worthy (testworthy, that is):

• relatively common words that most college students already know
• highly technical words understood only by specialists or experts in certain academic fields and professions
• non-English words that are not widely used among English speakers, and non-English words with accent marks or other symbols
• informal jargon, slang, and colloquialisms
• archaic English words, which are no longer in common use

Sure. Consider, for example, these three words:

bib
bibliophile
bibelot

The test-makers would not be interested in bib (a cloth hung around the neck) for the purpose of gauging your vocabulary, since it is a common word with which most people, even those without an educated vocabulary, are familiar.

The word bibliophile (a person who collects and/or appreciates books) is more testworthy. You may have heard it, but you might be unsure of its precise meaning. A person with a highly developed vocabulary will probably know the word's meaning. If not, he or she may be able to take an "educated guess" as to its meaning, since it is derived from the Greek words biblio (which means "book") and philo (which means "love").

The word bibelot (a small relic or artifact) is a good example of a testworthy word from a specific academic field: anthropology. Only a small minority of test-takers would be familiar with this word; nevertheless, its meaning is readily understood by any educated person. So it's a good candidate for a more challenging GRE Analogy question or Antonym question.

Q: Why not save time and just study a short list of words appearing "most frequently" on the GRE?

This strategy would be a big mistake! Do you really think these words will continue to appear "most frequently" on future exams? If so, I've got swampland I'd like to sell to you. Sure, words from "top 100" or "hit parade" vocabulary lists will show up from time to time on future exams, so by all means learn them. (In fact, Chapter 3 of Words for Smart Test-Takers includes three such lists.) Be assured, however, that these words are not more likely than a host of other testworthy words (such as those in Chapters 4-7 of my book) to appear on your actual exam.

Q: Can't I learn the words I need to know by taking practice tests?

No. You'll learn a few new words this way, but not nearly enough. Simulated testing is more useful for learning test-taking "skills"—analyzing questions and developing strategies for responding to them—than for improving vocabulary.

Q: Is it possible for me to be prepared for any word that might appear in a GRE Analogy or Antonym question?

Of course not. The English language includes many thousands of testworthy words. Be forewarned: you will encounter new and unfamiliar words on the GRE, no matter how thoroughly you've prepared. If you believe otherwise, either you're kidding yourself or you've committed to memory Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (in which case you certainly don't need my book).

Q: How many of the words in your book Words for Smart Test-Takers are likely to appear on my exam?

Some of the words in the book will appear on your exam. How many? Maybe two; maybe twenty; but probably somewhere between two and twenty. It's impossible to predict, since the test-makers continually change exam questions. If you don't think these odds make it worth your effort to learn new words for your exam, think again. GRE testing is a "game of inches" in which just one additional correct answer can significantly enhance your scaled score and percentile ranking. So even if the book helps you get two or three questions correct that you otherwise would have missed, it's well worth the effort.