Graduate Record Examinations

The Ultimate GRE Analytical Writing Prep: How to Ace the Essays!

March 1, 2024
The Ultimate GRE Analytical Writing Prep: How to Ace the Essays!

Planning to take Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)? One of the sections you need to ace to get through this exam is the GRE Analytical Writing. The GRE Analytical Writing measure assesses your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Through the analytical writing for GRE, examiners look at how well you can articulate complex ideas, construct arguments, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. The GRE Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) has two essays, which you need to finish in 30 minutes or less. We will now take you through the format, scoring, and essential elements of the GRE Analytical essay that will help you win the GRE race and get closer to your dreams. Let’s begin, shall we?

This Article includes

Why is GRE Analytical Writing Important?

The GRE Analytical essay is essential as it increases your chances of getting a good score and getting through the admissions committee. It also boosts your profile a lot. So, any university that looks at your profile will know that you possess critical thinking capabilities and logical reasoning. Giving universities an idea about your capabilities definitely increases your chances of getting accepted.

Format of GRE Analytical Writing

The GRE Analytical essay is the first section you need to take. For this section, you are given one ‘analyse the issue’ task and one ‘analyse an argument’ task for which the time is 30 minutes. For the ‘analyse the issue’ task, you will be given a statement (it may be a sentence or short paragraph) followed by a prompt. You will be then asked to explain whether you agree or disagree with the statement and why. You will also be given six different sets of instructions, so pay careful attention. 

Timing of GRE Analytical Writing

Students get 30 minutes to complete the GRE analytical. This 30-minute time frame includes any time that you spend on brainstorming, outlining, and revising the essay. Given the time crunch, it is essential for students to have a good understanding of the tasks and practice well to write their essays within the given time.  

Scoring on GRE Analytical Writing

The AWA in GRE exam is measured on a 6-point holistic scale, with 6 being the highest score and 1 being the lowest. This includes getting a score from the e-rater scoring engine and a computerised program developed by ETS that can identify essay features related to analytical writing proficiency. So, if we look at the scoring parameters, 6 is outstanding, 5 is strong, 4 is adequate, 3 is limited, 2 is seriously flawed, and 1 is fundamentally deficient. Do keep in mind that the scoring is done on the basis of the overall quality of your essay in response to the assigned task. 

Elements Graders Look for in GRE Analytical Essay  

There are certain elements that test takers look at while assessing your GRE writing. If you implement these key elements in your GRE Analytical essay, you’re sure to get good scores on it. We’ve laid down the elements that graders look for in the GRE essay. If you follow these analytical writing GRE tips, you are good to go.

1. Clarity: Make sure that your essay is clearly presenting your ideas and is easily understandable.
2. Structure: Your essay must read like a story, with smooth transitions and flow to the whole idea.
3. Sentence Variety: Avoid writing repetitive sentences. You can keep switching between long and short sentences.
4. Vocabulary: You don’t necessarily need to use heavy vocabulary. Keep your sentences simple because the point is to deduce information logically.
5. Language and Grammar: Make sure to use good language and avoid any grammatical errors.
6. Reasoning: Whatever you write, make sure to back it up with logically compelling reasons.

Categorisation of GRE Analytical Writing

The topic you get in your analytical writing assessment GRE is grouped into five categories. So, you might get a question from one of these categories. These include education, arts, government/politics, philosophy, and science and technology. To prepare well, go through some of the GRE analytical writing sample questions and ensure to practice. 

How to Choose a GRE Analytical Essay Topic?

Most of the students have this question on how to choose a GRE analytical essay topic. In your GRE test analytical writing, you might get a question from anywhere. But now that you know the five categories that the questions might pop up from, you can prepare accordingly.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write an analytical essay for the GRE?

What is the AWA GRE pattern?

What is the minimum GRE Analytical score required?

How can I score well on GRE Analytical Writing?

What happens if my GRE writing score is low?

Simplify Post-Exam Moves with Amber. Book now!

Your ideal student accommodation is a few steps away! Please fill in your details below so we can find you a new home!

We have got
your response

Thanks
Name
We have received your accommodation request! Now, just sit back and relax.
Our team will get in touch with you on
+919999999999
and
name@example.com

Your ideal student accommodation is a few steps away! Please fill in your details below so we can find you a new home!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Related Articles

amber © 2024. All rights reserved.