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Your Guide to Commonly Confused GRE Test Prep Vocabulary: From Flashcards to Success

Eddie Powell

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Published in GRE Test Prep Words Commonly Confused Vocabulary Review Flashcards GRE Study Guide 4 (Exambusters GRE Study Guide)

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The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a standardized test required for admission to graduate programs worldwide. It comprises three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. Vocabulary plays a crucial role in the Verbal Reasoning section, and it's essential to master the usage of frequently confused words. This article delves into a comprehensive review of those commonly confused words, providing flashcards for easy recall and in-depth explanations to enhance your GRE test preparation.

Part 1: Flashcards for Commonly Confused GRE Words

1. Accept vs. Except

Accept: to receive or agree to something offered
Except: to exclude or leave out

2. Advice vs. Advise

Advice: a suggestion or opinion
Advise: to give advice

3. Affect vs. Effect

Affect: to influence or have an impact on
Effect: a consequence or result

4. Allusion vs. Illusion

Allusion: a brief reference to something else
Illusion: a deceptive appearance or impression

5. Antecedent vs. Precedent

Antecedent: something that comes before
Precedent: a previous example or case that serves as a rule

6. Ascend vs. Descend

Ascend: to move upwards
Descend: to move downwards

7. Censure vs. Censor

Censure: to criticize or reprimand
Censor: to remove or block objectionable material

8. Comprise vs. Compose

Comprise: to make up or include
Compose: to create or write

9. Continual vs. Continuous

Continual: happening repeatedly
Continuous: happening without interruption

10. Discreet vs. Discrete

Discreet: showing good judgment and restraint
Discrete: separate or distinct

Part 2: In-depth Explanations of Commonly Confused GRE Words

11. Emigrate vs. Immigrate

Emigrate: to leave one country to live in another
Immigrate: to enter a country to live there

12. Ensure vs. Insure

Ensure: to make certain or guarantee
Insure: to provide financial protection against risk

13. Fewer vs. Less

Fewer: used for countable nouns
Less: used for uncountable nouns

14. Further vs. Farther

Further: used for figurative or abstract distance
Farther: used for physical distance

15. Impact vs. Affect

Impact: a significant or noticeable effect
Affect: to have an influence on

16. Ingenious vs. Ingenuous

Ingenious: clever or inventive
Ingenuous: naive or innocent

17. Lay vs. Lie

Lay: to put or place something down
Lie: to rest or stretch out

18. Loose vs. Lose

Loose: not attached or fastened
Lose: to no longer have or be unable to find something

19. Naïve vs. Naive

Naïve: an American spelling of "naive"
Naive: lacking experience or judgment

20. Principal vs. Principle

Principal: a head or director
Principle: a basic belief or guideline

Part 3: Practice and Review

To reinforce your understanding of these commonly confused words, engage in the following practice activities:

Flashcard Review: Regularly review the flashcards presented in Part 1 to strengthen your recall.
Example Sentences: Create example sentences for each word pair, illustrating the correct usage.
Practice Questions: Solve sample GRE verbal reasoning questions that feature commonly confused words.
Discussions: Engage in online or offline discussions with fellow test-takers, sharing strategies and insights.

Mastering the usage of commonly confused words is crucial for enhancing your GRE test performance. This article has provided a comprehensive review of such words, accompanied by flashcards and in-depth explanations. By practicing consistently and utilizing the resources discussed, you can significantly improve your vocabulary and achieve a competitive score in the GRE Verbal Reasoning section. Remember, every word you learn is a step closer to success.