Written ByRituparna Nath Content Writer at Study Abroad Exams
GMAT Vocabulary is an important essential part of GMAT Verbal Reasoning. The entire GMAT verbal section is based on grammar. During the GMAT Verbal preparation, you have to deal with the questions of Sentence correction, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Reasoning. To solve all these you need to have good knowledge about English grammar and familiarity with English words. GMAT Vocabulary strategies are essential to ace GMAT. In this article we talk about GMAT vocabulary in detail.
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GMAT Vocabulary Strategies
While preparing for GMAT vocabulary, you will need to understand both the content of the passages and how to answer the related questions. For the ones who needs help in GMAT vocabulary, here are four steps to prepare vocab for the GMAT exam:
- Read magazines and newspapers with similar language to GMAT vocabulary
The GMAT Reading Comprehension passages involves a variety of topics, including:
| Biology | Astronomy | American History | European History |
| Economics | Environment Science | Physics | Human Resource Management |
In addition to working through actual GMAT passages, test-takers can also read publications like Scientific American, Financial Times, The Economist, and Bloomberg Businessweek to get comfortable with the writing styles that appear on the GMAT. These magazines often contain composition and language found in certain texts and case studies that you may encounter in your MBA program. So, understanding this GMAT vocabulary can help not only on the GMAT exam, but also in business school.
Get your hands on few GMAT vocabulary books like:
- Make a GMAT vocabulary list
Try to write down every word that you are unfamiliar with in a separate list. Then, write down the definition of each word on the list. As you go through the exam, you will notice these words appearing in multiple places on the GMAT. For Instance, the word “species” is often included in both Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions. The words “prime,” “median,” “mean,” and “reciprocal” are found in many Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency questions. Words like “consumption,” “dramatically,” “proliferation,” and “yield” are common words in the Analytical Writing Assessment topics. Making a list of unfamiliar vocabulary words can help you better understand what areas you can work to improve on. Once you know what these words mean, studying for the GMAT becomes much easier.
- Make GMAT vocabulary flashcards
From your list of unfamiliar words, write one word on one side of an index card. On the other side of the GMAT vocabulary flashcard, write the definition in your own words. Test yourself on 5-10 words per day, eliminating words once you are confident that you know them. Continue using GMAT vocabulary flashcards pdf practice as you study from official GMAT material and encounter more words you don’t know. This will keep the words in your head and help you process GMAT passages and questions more efficiently.
- Practice, practice & practice!!!
While GMAT preparation, take a full-length GMAT mock-test. Then, review your results. Go through each section of the exam, and look at the questions you answered correctly or incorrectly. This will help you learn the language of the GMAT. Familiarize yourself with the types of words used in each of the sections, including Quantitative and Integrated Reasoning, and identify the words that you did not understand.
GMAT vocabulary list 2021
Here is a list of words that you come across while preparing for GMAT.
| Analyze: To examine something (usually a passage or argument, in the context of the GMAT) and break it down into its constituent parts; to inspect in detail. The Analytical Writing Assessment asks you to analyze and critique a given argument. | Assertion: A statement, usually backed up by some kind of solid proof or reasoning. Synonyms include ‘claim’ and ‘contention.’ |
| Assumption: The underlying reasoning of an argument. ‘Premise’ is a synonym. You’ll be asked about the assumptions of various arguments frequently in Critical Reasoning questions in the Verbal section. | Cite: To refer back to your source or reasoning. |
| Claim: An assertion, argument, or statement. | Contention: Can mean a conflict or clash. In the context of the GMAT, it usually refers to an argument or assertion, especially a controversial one. The verb form is ‘to contend.’ |
| Corroborate: To support or validate an existing opinion, belief, or argument. Other synonyms include ‘verify’ and ‘confirm.’ Often used in the phrase ‘corroborating evidence.’ | Faulty: Some Critical Reasoning questions may ask you if or how an argument is faulty. Faulty is a synonym for ‘flawed’ or ‘invalid.’ An argument is faulty if there’s a gap in its logic, or if the conclusion doesn't flow logically from its premise. |
| Imply: To imply is to suggest based on evidence (but not state explicitly). The adjective form is ‘implicit,’ which is the opposite of ‘explicit’ (overt or clear). Many students get confused between ‘imply’ and ‘infer.’ They are similar, but not exactly alike. An inference is a conclusion we can reasonably draw based on given evidence. An implication is a strong suggestion that is not directly stated. | Infer/Inference: To infer is to conclude based on given evidence/information. When a Critical Reasoning question asks you to draw a conclusion based on a passage, it is asking you to make an inference. |
| Maintain: In the context of the GMAT, ‘maintain’ means to argue, assert, or contend, particularly repeatedly or after opposition. | Mitigate: To lessen, diminish, or render less extreme or severe. Often used in the phrase ‘mitigating circumstances,’ which refers to circumstances that make a crime more understandable but don’t entirely exonerate someone of his/her crime. |
| Paradox: This is common in Critical Reasoning questions on the Verbal section. A paradox is something that is seemingly contradictory or doesn’t make sense, or two facts that don’t seem to coexist logically. Clues that a GMAT question may be asking you to identify a paradox are words like ‘discrepancy’ and ‘contradiction.’ | Posit: To posit is to present an argument or hypothesis about something that is currently unknown or uncertain. |
| Premise: A premise is a statement upon which an argument or theory is based. | Redundancy: ‘Redundancy’ refers to something (a word, phrase, or piece of information) that’s repetitive and thus meaningless or unnecessary. It comes up most commonly in Sentence Correction questions, which ask you to eliminate redundancy in the answer choice you choose. |
| Sufficient: Data Sufficiency questions, on the Quant section, ask you if a given piece of information is ‘sufficient’ to solve a problem or complete an equation. ‘Sufficient,’ in the context of the GMAT, means ‘enough on its own.’ In other words, could you answer this question or solve this problem or equation with only that numerical value or piece of information? | Undermine: To weaken or invalidate (usually an argument, in the context of the GMAT). |
| Validate: Often used interchangeably with ‘corroborate.’ | Warranted: ‘Warranted’ means justified, deserved, or necessary. |
GMAT vocabulary App
GMAT vocabulary apps are very essential for vocabulary preparation GMAT. Here is a list of apps that you must follow to ace your vocab for GMAT Verbal Section:
- Manhattan Prep GMAT
- Ready4 GMAT (Prep 4 GMAT)
- GMAT Exam Prep (Pocket Prep, Inc.)
- Economist GMAT Tutor
- GMAT Prep Course (Veritas Prep)
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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