Antonyms are one of four basic formats covered in the GRE Verbal section–and worth a quarter of your mark on the verbal section of the GRE. You should aim to be answering these questions in 30 seconds. Not that fast yet? Read on for tips to help you reach that 30 second goal.
- Memorize as much as possible. The faster you can recall a word’s definition, the more time you have save for the harder questions.
- Don’t know the word? Brainstorm. If you come across vocabulary you don’t know, take a moment to see if you can remember any words close to it. Do those words have the same root? If so, they likely have related meaning as well.
- Work backwards. Look at the answer list and see you can recall the antonym of those words. [Bonus tip: If you cannot express the antonym in a single word (as opposed to a phrase), it’s most likely the wrong answer.]
- Always pick the best fit. Test writers love to try and trick you by provided multiple answers that look fine, or multiple answers that aren’t quiet perfect. Be aware of this trap and don’t waste time trying to find the exact fit.
- Change the context. What would this word look like as a noun? As a verb? By substituting different forms of the word you may find you now recognize it.
- Remember: opposites attract. Don’t get confused under pressure and start looking for synonyms. Make sure you double check your answer before moving on.
Ready to put these tips to the test? Try this GRE Antonyms Practice Test. It has 10 questions… try to do it in under 3 minutes.