How to Master the GRE Analytical Writing Section | AWA 2024 📚🕯
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Sible shares her top strategies for excelling in the GRE Analytical Writing section, focusing on time management, essay structure, and study tips. She breaks down her approach, emphasizing the importance of brainstorming, creating a familiar essay template, and addressing both sides of an argument through a concession paragraph. Sible highlights key techniques like practicing under timed conditions, reviewing written work, and expanding knowledge through reading. She also introduces an AI-powered essay grader tool, Myou, to help test takers improve their scores. Sible wraps up by encouraging viewers to stay informed and confident while preparing for the GRE.
Takeaways
- 📚 Sible scored a 324 on the GRE, with a 4.5 on the analytical writing section and shares tips to excel in this area.
- ⏲️ Effective time management is crucial: 3 minutes for brainstorming, 25 minutes for writing, and 2 minutes for proofreading.
- 📝 Always start with brainstorming and outlining to structure the essay and choose a standpoint with the strongest arguments.
- 🏗️ A well-structured essay includes an introduction, two body paragraphs, a concession paragraph, and a conclusion.
- 📜 The introduction should have a hook, a bridge (providing context), and a clear, impactful thesis statement.
- 💪 Use strong, clear examples in body paragraphs, explaining how they support your thesis and placing the strongest point first.
- 🤝 The concession paragraph acknowledges opposing viewpoints but refutes them with stronger arguments in the rebuttal.
- 📝 The conclusion is optional but can summarize key points and restate the thesis if there’s enough time.
- ⏱️ Practice consistently under timed conditions to improve both time management and writing quality.
- 🧠 Expand knowledge by reading news, novels, and sample essays to improve vocabulary and find writing inspiration.
Q & A
What is the speaker's GRE score and writing section score?
-The speaker scored 324 on the GRE and 4.5 on the analytical writing section.
What is the suggested time management strategy for the GRE analytical writing section?
-The speaker suggests spending 3 minutes on brainstorming and outlining, 25 minutes on writing, and 2 minutes on reviewing and proofreading.
Why is brainstorming and outlining important in the GRE analytical writing section?
-Brainstorming and outlining help define the foundation of the essay, ensuring that the argument is coherent and organized from the start.
How should the essay structure be organized according to the speaker?
-The speaker recommends an essay structure with an introduction, two body paragraphs, one concession paragraph, and a conclusion.
What is a concession paragraph, and why is it important?
-A concession paragraph acknowledges opposing viewpoints and then refutes them, showing that the writer can approach the issue from multiple perspectives.
What should the introduction of the GRE essay include?
-The introduction should follow a 'hook, bridge, thesis' structure, starting with a hook to introduce the topic, a bridge to provide context, and a thesis that states the writer's position and supporting reasons.
What advice does the speaker give for handling examples in body paragraphs?
-The speaker advises using examples from various sources, including history, current events, or personal experiences, and always following them with an explanation that connects them to the main argument.
How does the speaker suggest writing the conclusion if time is short?
-If time is short, the speaker suggests cutting the conclusion or writing a simple one-sentence conclusion to save time.
What are the speaker’s three tips for preparing for the GRE writing section?
-The speaker's tips are: 1) Practice consistently under timed conditions, 2) Always review and revise writing practice, and 3) Expand knowledge by reading more news, novels, and sample essays.
What tool does the speaker recommend for improving GRE writing skills, and why?
-The speaker recommends using 'mou,' an AI-powered essay grader that provides accurate scores, insightful feedback, and edits to help improve writing performance by at least one point.
Outlines
💡 Introduction and Time Management Strategies
In this section, Sible introduces herself and shares her GRE Analytical Writing score. She outlines her approach to time management during the exam, emphasizing the importance of brainstorming and outlining before writing. Sible advises students to allocate time for different tasks, recommending 3 minutes for planning, 25 minutes for writing, and 2 minutes for proofreading. She highlights the significance of sticking to a clear structure and choosing a standpoint that the test-taker feels most confident about. Finally, she stresses not skipping the planning stage to ensure a coherent essay.
📝 Essay Structure and Introduction Formula
Sible explains her preferred essay structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs, a concession paragraph, and a conclusion. She elaborates on crafting an effective introduction using the 'hook-bridge-thesis' method. The hook introduces the topic, the bridge provides context, and the thesis presents the writer's stance and key reasons. She illustrates this using a GRE prompt about political leadership, giving a sample hook and thesis. Sible advises against making major edits during the final 2 minutes, emphasizing the importance of having a solid structure from the beginning.
🔍 Body Paragraphs and Concession Strategy
This section focuses on developing strong body paragraphs and addressing opposing viewpoints. Sible advises starting each body paragraph with a topic sentence and providing clear examples, whether from history, current events, or personal experience. She suggests placing the strongest argument in the first body paragraph. For the concession paragraph, she explains the need to introduce and acknowledge opposing viewpoints, provide examples supporting them, and then refute these viewpoints in a rebuttal, reinforcing the original stance.
⏳ The Importance of Practicing Under Timed Conditions
Sible emphasizes the importance of practicing GRE writing under timed conditions to develop strong time management skills. She reflects on her own experiences, admitting the temptation to write without a timer but stressing that the ability to write within the 30-minute limit is crucial for success. She also advises students to review and revise their essays after practice tests to continuously improve their writing skills.
🤖 AI Tools and Knowledge Expansion
Sible introduces an AI-powered tool called 'Mou' that can help students improve their GRE essays by providing real-time feedback and scoring predictions. She encourages students to use resources like Mou for practice and improvement. Additionally, she stresses the importance of expanding knowledge by reading news, novels, and sample essays. Staying informed about current events and human interest topics can serve as valuable material for the GRE writing section.
🏡 Conclusion and Farewell
In the final section, Sible concludes her video by offering encouragement to GRE test-takers, reminding them to relax and trust their preparation. She mentions that this is her last video filmed in her current apartment as she is moving to London. Sible wraps up by reminding viewers to check the description box for resources, including links to her other GRE videos and the free Mou GRE practice test.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Time Management
💡Brainstorming
💡Essay Structure
💡Supporting Body Paragraphs
💡Concession Paragraph
💡Rebuttal
💡Thesis
💡Review and Proofread
💡Examples
💡Practice Under Timed Conditions
Highlights
Sible scored a 324 on the GRE and a 4.5 on the Analytical Writing section on her first try.
Time management is crucial: Spend 3 minutes on brainstorming, 25 minutes on writing, and 2 minutes on proofreading.
Brainstorming and outlining your essay before writing is essential for creating a coherent structure.
Choose the standpoint that you have the most to write about, as there is no single correct answer for GRE prompts.
Familiarize yourself with a clear essay structure: Introduction, two body paragraphs, concession paragraph, and conclusion.
In the introduction, use a hook, bridge, and thesis to set up the essay and grab the reader’s attention.
Body paragraphs should include a topic sentence, a strong example, and an explanation connecting the example to your thesis.
Place your strongest argument in the first body paragraph to establish credibility early in the essay.
The concession paragraph should acknowledge the opposing viewpoint with an example, then refute it in the rebuttal.
If pressed for time, prioritize the body paragraphs over the conclusion, which can be kept short or omitted.
Consistently practice writing essays under the GRE's 30-minute time limit to improve time management skills.
Review and revise your writing practice to identify areas for improvement rather than discarding completed practice essays.
Mou’s AI-powered essay grader offers feedback and accurate scoring to improve writing performance for the GRE.
Expanding your knowledge by reading news, novels, or sample essays can enhance vocabulary and provide material for the GRE writing section.
Stay observant and informed about current events, as GRE prompts often revolve around human values and beliefs.
Transcripts
hi my name is sible and a few months
back I scored a 324 on my first try of
the gr exam and I got a 4.5 on the
analytical writing section so today I'm
going to be sharing with you guys my
best tips to acing the analytical
writing section so that hopefully you
guys can achieve your dream scores as
well we're going to be diving in to my
time management strategies my essay
structure as well as some best practices
when you're studying for the GRE exam so
let's get into it so the first thing
we're going to talk about is time
management because I think we can both
agree that beating the 30 minute time
limit is one of the greatest challenges
of the analytical writing section so how
I like to distribute my time is I'll
spend 3 minutes on just brainstorming
and outlining roughly 25 minutes on the
actual writing and I'll leave 2 minutes
to just review and proofread so here I
want to highlight two things the first
is never skip out on brainstorming and
outlining because it really does Define
the foundation of your essay after you
finish reading the question take a
moment to just organize your thoughts
think about the standpoint you want to
take why you're taking this standpoint
as well as your supporting examples I
also encourage you guys guys to pick
your standpoint According to which side
you think you have more to write about
remember that these gr promps are super
complicated and super intricate there is
no one correct answer that they're
looking for so make sure that you are
writing the narrative you are the most
confident in it's also super important
to have an essay structure that you're
highly familiar with so that you can
easily just plug in your ideas and have
a very organized and compelling essay so
how I like to structure my essays is I
will start off with an introduction then
I'll follow up with two supporting body
paragraphs one concession paragraph and
one conclusion so I'm going to be
elaborating a bit more on this template
later in the video something else I want
to highlight is the 2 to 3 minutes you
allocate to reviewing and proofreading
your work should be reserved for minor
changes only
so this includes spelling mistakes or
maybe some grammar errors but definitely
don't use this time to make any huge
alterations to your essays because there
simply isn't enough time this connects
back to my first point which is always
leave yourself sufficient time to really
brainstorm and outline your essay really
think about your standpoint and really
think about your reasons and your
supporting evidence that way you have a
coherent essay from the start that you
won't regret later on moving along we
have my essay structure so starting off
with the introduction I always like to
follow the Simple and Clean hook Bridge
thesis let me elaborate the first
component of an introduction is the hook
which basically introduces the reader to
the topic of for discussion let's take a
prompt for example the perceived
greatness of any political leader has
more to do with the challenges faced by
that leader than with any of his or her
inherent skills and abilities so an
effective hook for this question could
be history often remembers political
leaders not just for their Charisma or
intelligence but also how they navigated
the turbulent Waters of their times
consider Winston churel during World War
II or JN of Kennedy during the Cuban
Missile Crisis so here I'm really just
restating the question and opening up
the entire essay next up we have the
bridge which is where you provide the
reader with more context about the topic
personally I like to do this by lightly
touching on the opposing argument so it
could sound a little something like this
while some argue that inherent skills
such as strategic thinking communication
and innate leadership qualities are the
key determinants of a Leader's
Excellence these skills are often
prerequisites for any individual ual to
become a political figure moving on we
have the thesis which is where you
inform the reader your standpoint on the
topic and your main supporting reasons
this is by far the most important
element of your entire essay so you want
to make sure it's strong clear and
impactful a good thesis that could go
with our prompt could be something like
therefore I firmly believe that the
perceived greatness of any political
leader is largely shaped by the unique
challenges they face difficulties
present golden opportunities to
highlight leadership qualities and
Achieve transformative impacts which
ultimately Define their legacy and
Elevate their place in history after you
wrap up your introduction move on to
your two body paragraphs now this is
where you really elaborate on why you
selected your position and why it's
valid always start off your body par
paragraphs with a topic sentence which
is where you introduce your reason for
taking your standpoint following that
you want to give a very strong example
so this is where you provide evidence
that supports your reason I know that
some test takers get quite stumped here
because they have a hard time thinking
of a good example that really backs up
their claim but the sky is truly the
limit here draw ideas from in incidents
you see on the news or maybe fragments
of history or even your own real life
incidents and situations that are
relevant to the topic at hand after you
put down your example immediately follow
through with an explanation so this is
where you explain how your example
connects back to your reason and your
thesis a pro tip for when you're
crafting your body paragraphs is to
always put your strongest Point your
strongest free in the first body
paragraph this really helps you capture
the reader's attention and establish
credibility going forward once you
finish your two body paragraphs move on
to your concession paragraph now it
sounds like a very fancy word but in
simple terms it's just the paragraph
where you address the opposing
viewpoints like I mentioned earlier the
gr loves to give these very
multi-layered and complex issues for
test takers to write about so they want
to see that you are able to see the
problem and approach it from another
Viewpoint so that is what this
concession paragraph is for the
structure of your concession paragraph
will be super similar to your body
paragraph So same thing we start off
with a topic sentence so this is where
you introduce a reason why the opposing
Viewpoint is also valid and again again
you're going to give an example that
really supports the opposing party and
then an explanation to show how this
example or this piece of information
really backs up the opposing sides claim
after that's done we go into the
rebuttal which is the most unique
section to a concession paragraph So a
rebuttal is where you acknowledge then
refute the opposing Viewpoint so what
we're looking for in a rebuttal is
something like while ABC the opposing
standpoint is valid to a certain extent
I still firmly believe that XYZ your
original Viewpoint stands firm and then
you go on to explain why that is so you
want to make sure you're acknowledging
the opposing party's viewpoint but then
refute it and show how that your
original standpoint is still the
stronger one so after you're done with
that all that is left is the conclusion
so while a conclusion can really
complete and tie together your entire
essay it's definitely not as necessary
or vital as the other components in your
writing so if you're someone who
struggles to finish your essay in the
allotted time frame the first thing you
want to cut from your essay if it's
necessary is the conclusion or you can
just you know have a one- sentence
conclusion and call it a day it's defin
definitely not as crucial as the other
elements of your essay but of course I'm
still going to be sharing my conclusion
structure with you guys so that if you
do have time you can really wrap up your
essay nicely first you want to restate
your thesis very clearly then you want
to summarize the main points in your two
body paragraphs and lastly you want to
finish it up with a closing statement so
this is where you can mention the
complexity of the issue given by gr or
maybe quickly acknowledge the opposing
side but then wrap it up by informing
the reader your Viewpoint for one last
time now for the last section of today's
video I'm going to be sharing with you
guys my three best tips for when you're
studying for the GRE writing section my
first tip here is always practice
consistently under timed conditions when
I was studying for the gr sometimes I'd
wake up in the morning and think to
myself you know what today I'm I'm going
to do the writing section without the
timer it's annoying and I could write
such a compelling and coherent essay
without all that pressure but the truth
is when it comes to the GRE exam your
time management skills are just as
important as your writing skills so make
sure you're always practicing with that
30 minute time limit for the best
results and over time it will get easier
and easier easier and it will be worth
it in the end my next tip is to always
review and revise when you finish your
Writing Practice Test don't just close
the tab don't delete your work always
make sure you're going back reading your
work and reviewing it so that you can
improve your response next time or else
all of these practice tests that you do
will just be going to waste but I do
understand how frustrating it is when
you're staring at your computer computer
screen and you want to improve your
writing responses but you don't know
where to start which is why I've
partnered up with myou to share with you
guys a fantastic tool that can help you
guys level up your writing game mou is
also providing you guys with a free
fulllength practice test so listen up
moua's AI powered essay grader can
accurately score your essays while
providing insightful feedback and edits
that can improve your test score by at
at least one whole point it's been
rigorously tested with ETS samples so
that you know it's accurate so go on to
your mou account press practice then
select custom practice and press start
the session to begin writing after you
submit your practice test select view
score report and mou will instantly
generate your writing score so try this
out now with the free mou gr practice
test which I've Linked In My description
box on top of the the AI writing tool
you'll also get score predictions and a
subject by subject performance breakdown
so make sure you're taking advantage of
this free resource some of you guys may
already know that I personally used mou
when I was studying for my GRE exam so I
definitely stand by they're fantastic
tools and a big thank you to mou for
working with me on today's video so my
last tip for you guys today is to
constantly expand your knowledge this
means to read more to read more news to
read more novels to really expand on
that vocabulary or read more sample
essays to understand how other people
are structuring their essays and learn
from that this also means to be
observant and to stay informed so pay
attention to what's happening on social
media on the news or in your day-to-day
life because all of this could become
your writing material ETS tends to
select writing topics that are very
complex but in the end of the day very
human so they revolve around your values
your beliefs and other General topics of
Interest so being present can also be
super helpful to finding that writing
inspiration so that concludes today's
video and like always I hope you guys
found it helpful if you're looking for
any other resources please check my
description box because I will put my
resources down there for you guys and
I'll also link my other GRE videos up in
the cards in the description box so you
guys can check it out after this so
before I end this video I just wanted to
say that this is the very last video
I'll be filming in this corner in this
apartment because I'm going to be moving
to lynon very very soon so take a good
look around I want to wish you guys the
best of luck on your exam just relax
trust yourself you can do this and I
hope you guys achieve your dream score
with that said I'll see you guys in the
next one
[Music]
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