This book is organized to assist those preparing to take the GRE exam. Of note, the publisher also has several books in this series which breaks down the necessary components of the GRE. Success on the Verbal Reading section of the GRE relies heavily on the test takers working knowledge of vocabulary and its contextual use. It’s vital to understand the nuances of words so that you can accurately express your thoughts. This takes more than just using a thesaurus!

The word lists are alphabetical separated into three sections, one being a challenging word list. Each word identified by its part of speech is then defined including up to five sentences in which the word is used. Also helpful is the inclusion of the phonetic spelling of the word to ensure proper enunciation and understanding.

I find that this book used in conjunction with the other books in the series will aid the anxious test taker feel confident when preparing for the GRE exam.

Thank you to Vibrant Publishing and Library Thing for digital access to this book. My review is voluntary and unbiased. ( )

One conundrum here is how the authors define 'in context'. From the very first word and at distracting intervals throughout the text, some of the 'usage' examples are strangely stilted, the various usages seem to overlap in ways that might confuse a student, and more widely-used contexts seem to be overlooked. (in the case below, ie., the medical context figures more prominently in current English that the restaurant context)
“ABERRATION (n) [ab-uh-REY-shuh n]
Meaning: abnormality; the act of departing from the normal
Usage 1: Her willingness to work in a group is an aberration; she is usually a loner.
Usage 2: There appears to be an aberration in the data that no one can explain.
Usage 3: His course was determined and he would tolerate no aberration.
Usage 4: You must order straight from the menu, with no aberration or modification.
Usage 5: Can you find the aberration in that homogeneous group?”

Excerpt From: “GRE® Words In Context: The Complete List Fourth Edition.”

I was so puzzled by the decision to include multiple yet sometimes incomplete usages that I went looking at other prep manuals, and at sample GRE materials, and found that this particular approach is peculiar to Vibrant. I would worry that a student preparing for the exam might be overwhelmed by it, and might miss the more crucial contexts.
Despite those misgivings, I can see ways that I might use this guide as part of the test prep process, and it could certainly be useful in the less-stressful setting of ongoing advanced ESL classes, which I've been teaching for fifty years now.

Thank you to Vibrant Publishing and Library Thing for digital access to this book. My review is voluntary and unbiased. ( )

This book is written and organized to help any individual who will be taking the GRE test. This book provides strategies, extensive list of vocabulary words, and multiple definition of each vocabulary word in context.
The words are listed alphabetical and separated into three sections. Each vocabulary word lists its part of speech, phonetic pronunciation, definition, and is used in context including up to five sentences.
This book proves that it takes more than a thesaurus to prep for this test. When taking the GRE exam you will find other books in this series very helpful. ( )

This book is organized to assist those preparing to take the GRE exam. Of note, the publisher also has several books in this series which breaks down the necessary components of the GRE. Success on the Verbal Reading section of the GRE relies heavily on the test takers working knowledge of vocabulary and its contextual use. It’s vital to understand the nuances of words so that you can accurately express your thoughts. This takes more than just using a thesaurus!

The word lists are alphabetical separated into three sections, one being a challenging word list. Each word identified by its part of speech is then defined including up to five sentences in which the word is used. Also helpful is the inclusion of the phonetic spelling of the word to ensure proper enunciation and understanding.

I find that this book used in conjunction with the other books in the series will aid the anxious test taker feel confident when preparing for the GRE exam.

Thank you to Vibrant Publishing and Library Thing for digital access to this book. My review is voluntary and unbiased. ( )

An indispensable study guide for those planning on taking the GRE. My motivation was to just test myself…to thumb through it for fun. And, it is an entertaining thing to do instead of a crossword puzzle. ( )