GRE Verbal: GRE Verbal: Sentence Equivalence Practice Questions
Test yourself on GRE Verbal: Sentence Equivalence with 10 original GRE practice questions. Pick an answer to see instant feedback and a full explanation.
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1. Despite the firm's public claims of transparency, internal documents revealed a pattern of __________ that left shareholders feeling deeply betrayed. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. The contrast with 'transparency' and the betrayal of shareholders requires words meaning dishonesty. 'Duplicity' and 'deception' are synonyms that fit and yield equivalent meanings. 'Candor' (honesty) contradicts the betrayal; 'prudence,' 'largesse,' and 'austerity' are unrelated. Note: in Sentence Equivalence you must pick the TWO words that create matching sentences, so 'duplicity' and 'deception' form the correct pair.
2. The critic praised the novel's prose as remarkably __________, noting that not a single word seemed wasted. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'Not a single word seemed wasted' signals concise, efficient writing. 'Economical' and 'spare' both convey this and are synonyms here. 'Verbose,' 'ornate,' and 'grandiloquent' suggest excess; 'tedious' is merely negative. Correct pair: economical and spare.
3. Although the senator was known for her __________ remarks, on this occasion she chose her words with surprising care. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'Although' contrasts with 'chose her words with surprising care,' so the blank needs words meaning provocative or reckless. 'Incendiary' and 'inflammatory' are synonyms meaning likely to arouse anger. 'Measured,' 'temperate,' and 'cautious' mean careful (the opposite); 'laconic' means terse. Correct pair: incendiary and inflammatory.
4. The professor's lectures, far from being dull, were so __________ that students often lost track of time entirely. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'Far from being dull' and students losing track of time require words meaning fascinating. 'Captivating' and 'engrossing' are synonyms that fit. 'Soporific' (sleep-inducing) and 'monotonous' are the opposite; 'perfunctory' and 'desultory' suggest carelessness or aimlessness. Correct pair: captivating and engrossing.
5. The diplomat's __________ approach to negotiations, refusing to commit to any firm position, frustrated both sides at the table. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'Refusing to commit to any firm position' defines the blank as evasive or ambiguous. 'Equivocal' and 'noncommittal' both capture this and are synonyms in context. 'Resolute,' 'decisive,' 'forthright,' and 'candid' all imply directness or firmness—the opposite. Correct pair: equivocal and noncommittal.
6. Far from advancing the field, the study's __________ conclusions merely restated what researchers had long taken for granted. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. Conclusions that 'merely restated' familiar ideas are unoriginal. 'Trite' and 'banal' both mean overused and unoriginal and are synonyms. 'Seminal' and 'innovative' mean original (opposite); 'abstruse' means hard to understand; 'controversial' is unrelated. Correct pair: trite and banal.
7. The biographer was careful to present a __________ portrait, neither idolizing her subject nor condemning him. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'Neither idolizing nor condemning' signals fairness. 'Balanced' and 'evenhanded' are synonyms meaning impartial. 'Partisan' and 'tendentious' imply bias; 'laudatory' means praising; 'censorious' means harshly critical. Correct pair: balanced and evenhanded.
8. Critics found the memoir's relentless self-praise so __________ that they questioned whether the author possessed any genuine humility. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'Relentless self-praise' that makes critics doubt the author's humility is irritating or excessively sweet. 'Grating' (irritating) and 'cloying' (sickeningly excessive) both work and produce equivalent disapproving sentences. 'Self-effacing,' 'modest,' 'reticent,' and 'understated' describe humility—the opposite. Correct pair: grating and cloying.
9. The committee's report was deliberately __________, avoiding specific recommendations so that no faction could claim it had been ignored. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'Avoiding specific recommendations' indicates a lack of clarity. 'Nebulous' and 'vague' are synonyms meaning ill-defined. 'Pointed,' 'incisive,' 'trenchant,' and 'emphatic' all imply sharpness or force—the opposite of deliberately unclear. Correct pair: nebulous and vague.
10. Once a figure of considerable influence, the former minister now lives in __________ obscurity, his name all but forgotten. Select the TWO answer choices that best complete the sentence and produce equivalent sentences.
Explanation. 'His name all but forgotten' intensifies the obscurity, so the blank means total. 'Utter' and 'complete' are synonyms meaning absolute and yield equivalent sentences. 'Conspicuous,' 'celebrated,' and 'prominent' contradict obscurity; 'fleeting' (brief) doesn't fit the lasting forgetting. Correct pair: utter and complete.
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FAQ
How is Sentence Equivalence different from Text Completion?
Sentence Equivalence gives you a single-blank sentence with SIX options, and you must choose TWO words that both fit AND produce sentences with the same overall meaning. Text Completion can have one to three blanks but requires only one correct word per blank. In SE, getting partial credit is impossible—you need both correct answers.
What's the most reliable strategy for these questions?
First, predict the meaning of the blank from sentence clues (contrast words like 'although,' 'despite,' or continuation cues) BEFORE looking at the choices. Then find two answer words that are synonyms and match your prediction. Beware of pairs that fit grammatically but create different meanings, and beware of an isolated word that fits but has no synonym partner—it's likely a trap.
How should I build vocabulary for Sentence Equivalence?
Focus on learning words in synonym groups, since SE rewards recognizing pairs of equivalent words. Study common GRE word clusters (e.g., words meaning 'wordy,' 'praise,' 'criticize,' 'unclear'). Reading challenging nonfiction and noting nuance—connotation and degree—also helps, because correct SE pairs must match in both meaning and tone.