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GRE Analytical Writing Sample


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The GRE® essay section is also referred to as the AWA or the GRE® Analytical Writing
1 p m to 2 p m
Assessment which experts believe is one of the most neglected sections of the GRE®
Mon d a y
test. Most test-takers believe that they can master the section in a few days at the
most. A couple of GRE® sample essays should be sufficient. The outcome is not
C a ll me b a ck
desirable with an average global score of 4.0 with the Indian score even lower.

GRE® Essay Sections GRE Quant Quiz

This Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) portion is made up of two parts:


Challenge

1. Issue essays
2. Argument essays

It is aimed at measuring the following:

1. Communicate intricate thoughts distinctly and effectually


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2. Back notions with appropriate explanations and illustrations
3. Scrutinize claims and supplementary proof
Niranjana Prasa
4. Maintain a well-focused, articulate argument
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5. Command the components of standard written English GRE Score : 338
Indian Institute of
Technology,Madras
The structure of the GRE® essay has been designed to test your ability to write a
cogent thesis statement that you must defend over the course of several
paragraphs.

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1. You are allocated a time limit of 30 minutes to complete each section. The is
the first section and the structure of the test does not allow you to skip it and MS in US: GRE waived
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2. The GRE® Essay expects you to analyze your critical thinking abilities. 20:00

3. This allocated topic is usually a statement that is rather broad in nature. Register
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4. You will be evaluated for your capabilities to reason analytically and to debate
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the given topic from your perspective. prepare for IELTS within 30
days, Study Plan and
5. You will need to support your viewpoint with appropriate instances and Preparation techniques to
Overview Topics andPoint-wise
substantiation scoring
structure your answerTemplates
according toSample Essays
the precise Tips
guidelines Common Mistakesscore 7+
Practice Questions

that will be associated with the task. Load more


6. It is difficult to understand the requirements of this task without first going
through relevant GRE® sample essays.
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1. There are two ways by which you can make use of this guide not just to
improve your essay but also to master essay grading. GRE Analytical Writing - Practice Questions G
A
2. Begin by taking a look at some of these perfectly scored sample essays.
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3. Remember that these samples that you go through will help you understand –
sentence structures, body paragraphs, etc. You should never ever think of P
Q
copy-pasting direct sentences when you are writing your test as that will be
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considered as plagiarism.
4. Use the guide in a manner that helps to incorporate features that help to
highlight your position on the issue.
5. The secondary objective of using this guide is to overcome your writing
weaknesses in conjunction with essay grading.
6. To ensure that you score high, begin the process with the rubrics for the Issue
and Argument Tasks and subsequently zero in on the section that you find
most difficult to meet.

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7. The idea is for you to identify the areas that you have trouble with the most. By
taking adequate GRE® prep, and going through samples and essay responses
from experts, you will be able to overcome these difficulties.

What’s new?
Knowing how to get that perfect score is important. Find out more about GRE®
Score and the grading system.

How does the GRE® essay work?


1. With two parts to the GRE® Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), you are
allotted 30 minutes for each essay.
2. This is aimed to test your ability to write a thesis statement that is cogent,
which you should be able to support with adequate evidence over the course
of the essay.

What is the difference between the Issue and


Argument essays?
Issue Task
1. A sample topic reads like – “It could be argued that the most important
technological breakthroughs have happened by chance and through
surprise discoveries. However, others argue that deliberate, well-planned
research with specific goals is the only way to ensure technological
advancement.
2. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or
disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position
you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should
consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and
explain how these considerations shape your position.”
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3. You are expected to respond by analyzing this general statement by
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taking a stance over a matter that is understandably complex.
4. You may get similar topics encompassing several different areas such
Overview as Topics Point-wiseorscoring
politics, education, culture. Templates Sample Essays Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

Argument Task
1. A sample topic reads – “SuperCorp recently moved its headquarters to
Corporateville. The recent surge in the number of homeowners in
Corporateville proves that Corporateville is a superior place to live then
Middleburg, the home of SuperCorp’s current headquarters. Moreover,
Middleburg is a predominantly urban area and according to an employee
survey, SuperCorp has determined that its workers prefer to live in an
area that is not urban. Finally, Corporateville has lower taxes than
Middleburg, making it not only a safer place to work but also a cheaper
one. Therefore, Supercorp clearly made the best decision.
2. Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated
assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument
depends on the assumptions and what the implications are if the
assumptions prove unwarranted.”
3. In contrast to the Issue essay, the Argument essay will ask the author to
dissect the logic behind the stance or position taken by him or her.

Where can I find sample topics?


1. You can log on to the ETS website where they publish pools of Issue and
Argument essay topics.
2. These topics have been taken from previous tests.

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How are the essays scored?
1. There is an initial human grader of the essay who has received rigorous
training to qualify to be a grader.
2. He or she is typically a university literature/writing professor.
3. Additionally, there is an ‘E-rater’ which is an automated essay grader.
4. This system ensures that the human grader has justifiably scored the essays
without bias or prejudice.
5. The final score is an average of the two scores and the result rounded off to
fit the half point scale.

How does the GRE® AWA scoring range work?


1. Take a look at the scoring guidelines that will help you understand where you
stand with the score that you have received.Compare the essays that you
have written with sample essays in order for you to get a sense of what score
you might receive for them.
2. Compare the essays that you have written with sample essays in order for
you to get a sense of what score you might receive for them.

Is there anywhere I can get my essays


graded?
1. You can have someone that you trust give you their honest feedback.
2. Alternatively, ETS offers a service to grade your sample GRE® AWA essays
but that does not give you any feedback, only the score.
3. You can also access forums where you can upload your sample essays to
get insights and analysis.

What do the graders look for?


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1. When your essays are graded, the three key pillars that graders look for that
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determine your score are clarity, coherency, and cogency.
2. You must communicate your ideas as clearly as you can which should be
Overview
logically Topics
connectedPoint-wise scoring
to one another Templates
as you Samplesentences
transition between Essays Tips
and Common Mistakes Practice Questions

paragraphs.
3. Whatever be your claims, it should be supported by sufficient evidence and
examples that are sustainable.
4. Style of writing is important which means you should avoid essay with choppy
sentences, bad grammar, misspellings and unsophisticated vocabulary.
5. A typical grader takes 30 seconds to score your essay if he or she is satisfied
with clear organization of your information, check if your paragraphs start
with a topic sentence and flow into specific examples that support your
analysis.

How long does my essay have to be?


1. The substance in your essay is of paramount importance as long as it has
been clearly bifurcated into a five-paragraph format including an introduction,
three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
2. Keep a lookout for your paragraph lengths as long paragraphs minus logical
matter will not grab you better scores.

How do I practice for GRE® Analytical


Writing?
1. Practice makes it perfect and it is no different for the GRE® Analytical Writing

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Assessment.
2. Get a better command and facility on the language by writing more.
Create an outline and brainstorm on your position and think of a relevant
example to support your claim.
Set aside time to edit your practice essays.
Look through tons of approved sample essays and correlate it with the
grades that they have received.
While grammar is not of top priority as clarity of thought, it still holds
weight and must be given its due importance in the scheme of things.

How do I improve my grammar and style?


1. You can improve your grammar by going through books such as William
Zinsser’s On Writing Well.
2. To improve on your writing style, a book that comes highly recommended is
Strunk and White’s Elements of Style.
3. You may consult other resources to complement these books and help in an
overall improvement of grammar and style.

Are there any sample essays I can read?


1. You can read sample essays from the following resources:
Sample Issue Essays from ETS
Sample Argument Essays from ETS
2. The essays on the ETS website have been written by students.
3. You can use these essays as benchmarks to assess your own levels of
writing.

GRE® Sample Essays for the Issue Task


ETS provides brief information about an issue of common interest and tells the test
taker to evaluate and analyze it. The candidate is required to essentially develop a
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sound argument for the issue and support it with examples.
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ETS Essay
Overview TopicsPool for scoring
Point-wise Issue Templates
Essays (1 toEssays
Sample 10): Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

The GRE® Issue essay is similar in structure to the classic 5-paragraph short
essay. You can go through the following links for familiarizing yourself with GRE®
sample essays pertaining to the Issue task.

1. GRE® Issue Essay-1: "We learn through direct experience; to accept a theory
without experiencing it is to learn nothing at all."
2. GRE® Issue Essay-2: "Laws should not be rigid or fixed. Instead, they should
be flexible enough to take account of various circumstances, times, and
places."
3. GRE® Issue Essay-3: "People are too quick to take action; instead, they
should stop to think of the possible consequences of what they might do."
4. GRE® Issue Essay-4: "It is possible to pass laws that control or place limits
on people's behavior, but legislation cannot reform human nature. Laws
cannot change what is in people's hearts and minds."
5. GRE® Issue Essay-5: "Success in any realm of life comes more often from
taking chances or risks than from careful and cautious planning."
6. GRE® Issue Essay-6: "Originality does not mean thinking something that was
never thought before; it means putting old ideas together in new ways."
7. GRE® Issue Essay-7: "It is always an individual who is the impetus for
innovation; the details may be worked out by a team, but true innovation
results from the enterprise and unique perception of an individual."
8. GRE® Issue Essay-8: "The study of an academic discipline alters the way we

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perceive the world. After studying the discipline, we see the same world as
before, but with different eyes."
9. GRE® Issue Essay-9: "If people disregard the great works of the past, it is
because these works no longer answer the needs of the present."
10. GRE® Issue Essay-10: "As we acquire more knowledge, things do not
become more comprehensible, but more complex and more mysterious."

GRE® Sample Essays for the Argument Task


The GRE® Argument Essay asks you to change perspective from the one you had
for the Issue Essay. Your essay should be about 5-6 paragraphs in which you will
criticize an argument, describe how it could be improved, and reiterate that it is
overall weak and unconvincing.

ETS Essay Pool for Argument Essays (1 to


10):
Take a look at the following sample argument essay topics:

1. GRE® Argument Essay-1: "Seven years ago, homeowners in nearby


Brookville community adopted a set of restrictions on how the community's
yards should be landscaped and what colors the exteriors of homes should
be painted. Since then, average property values have tripled in Brookville. In
order to raise property values in Deerhaven Acres, we should adopt our own
set of restrictions on landscaping and house painting."
2. GRE® Argument Essay-2: "Of the two leading real estate firms in our town,
Adams Realty, and Fitch Realty, Adams is clearly superior. Adams has 40 real
estate agents. In contrast, Fitch has 25, many of whom work only part-time.
Moreover, Adams' revenue last year was twice as high as that of Fitch and
included home sales that averaged $168,000, compared to Fitch's $144,000.
Homes listed with Adams sell faster as well: ten years ago, I listed my home
with Fitch and it took more than four months to sell; last year when I sold
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another home, I listed it with Adams, and it took only one month. Thus, if you
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want to sell your home quickly and at a good price, you should use Adams."
3. GRE® Argument Essay-3: "A jazz music club in Monroe would be a
Overview Topicsprofitable
tremendously Point-wise scoringCurrently,
enterprise. Templates Sample
the nearest Essays
jazz club Tips
is 65 miles Common Mistakes Practice Questions

away; thus, our proposed club, the C Note, would have the local market all to
itself. Plus, jazz is extremely popular in Monroe: over 100,000 people attended
Monroe's jazz festival last summer, several well-known jazz musicians live in
Monroe, and the highest-rated radio program in Monroe is 'Jazz Nightly,' which
airs every weeknight. Finally, a nationwide study indicates that the typical jazz
fan spends close to $1,000 per year on jazz entertainment. It is clear that the C
Note cannot help but make money."
4. GRE® Argument Essay-4: "Mesa Foods, a manufacturer of snack foods that
currently markets its products within a relatively small region of the country,
has strong growth potential. Mesa enjoyed a 20 percent increase in profits
last year, and its best-selling product, Diabolique Salsa, has had increased
sales over each of the past three years. Since Omni Inc. is interested in
reaching 14-to-25-year-olds, the age group that consumes the most snack
food, we should buy Mesa Foods, and concentrate in particular on marketing
Diabolique Salsa throughout the country."
5. GRE® Argument Essay-5: "During the past year, Alta Manufacturing had thirty
percent more on-the-job accidents than nearby Panoply Industries, where the
work shifts are one hour shorter than ours. Experts believe that a significant
contributing factor in many on-the-job accidents is fatigue and sleep
deprivation among workers. Therefore, to reduce the number of on-the-job
accidents at Alta and thereby increase productivity, we should shorten each of
our three work shifts by one hour so that our employees will get adequate

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amounts of sleep."
6. GRE® Argument Essay-6: "Previous experience has shown that our stores
are most profitable in areas where residents are highly concerned with
leading healthy lives. We should, therefore, build our next new store in
Plainsville, which has many such residents. Plainsville merchants report that
sales of running shoes and exercise clothing are at all-time highs. The local
health club, which nearly closed five years ago due to lack of business, has
more members than ever, and the weight training and aerobics classes are
always full. We can even anticipate a new generation of customers:
Plainsville's schoolchildren are required to participate in a 'fitness for life'
program, which emphasizes the benefits of regular exercise at an early age."
7. GRE® Argument Essay-7: “In Megalopolis, the number of law school
graduates who went to work for large, corporate firms declined by 15 percent
over the last three years, whereas an increasing number of graduates took
jobs at small, general practice firms. Even though large firms usually offer
much higher salaries, law school graduates are choosing to work for smaller
firms most likely because they experience greater job satisfaction at smaller
firms. In a survey of first-year students at a leading law school, most agreed
with the statement that earning a high salary was less important to them than
job satisfaction. This finding suggests that the large, corporate firms of
Megalopolis will need to offer graduates more benefits and incentives and
reduce the number of hours they must work.”
8. GRE® Argument Essay-8: "Given that the number of people in our country
with some form of arthritis is expected to rise from 40 million to 60 million
over the next twenty years, pharmaceutical companies that produce drugs for
the treatment of arthritis should be very profitable. Many analysts believe that
in ten years Becton Pharmaceuticals, which makes Xenon, the best-selling
drug treatment for arthritis, will be the most profitable pharmaceutical
company. But the patent on Xenon expires in three years, and other
companies will then be able to produce a cheaper version of the drug. Thus, it
is more likely that in ten years the most profitable pharmaceutical company
will be Perkins Pharmaceuticals, the maker of a new drug called Xylan, which
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clinical studies show is preferred over Xenon by seven out of ten patients
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suffering from the most extreme cases of arthritis."
9. GRE® Argument Essay-9: "In the next mayoral election, residents of
Overview Topics
Clearview Point-wise
should vote for Annscoring Templates
Green, who is a memberSample EssaysEarthTips
of the Good Common Mistakes Practice Questions

Coalition, rather than for Frank Braun, a member of the Clearview town
council, because the current members are not protecting our environment.
For example, during the past year, the number of factories in Clearview has
doubled, air pollution levels have increased, and the local hospital has treated
25 percent more patients with respiratory illnesses. If we elect Ann Green, the
environmental problems in Clearview will certainly be solved."
10. GRE® Argument Essay-10: "Two years ago, our consultants predicted that
West Egg's landfill, which is used for garbage disposal, would be completely
filled within five years. During the past two years, however, town residents
have been recycling twice as much aluminum and paper as they did in
previous years. Next month the amount of material recycled should further
increase since charges for garbage pickup will double. Furthermore, over
ninety percent of the respondents to a recent survey said that they would do
more recycling in the future. Because of our residents' strong commitment to
recycling, the available space in our landfill should last for considerably longer
than predicted."

Issue Essay 1: Technology and Human


Ingenuity
The topic assigned here is: “As people rely more and more on technology to solve

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problems, the ability of humans to think for themselves will surely deteriorate.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain
your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your
position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold
true and explain how these considerations shape your position.”

1. The essay on this specific issue prompts the author to take a position instead
of deterring their ability to reason about how technology will stimulate the
human race to reach greater goals in life.
2. The sample essay looks at a number of possible avenues by which it strikes
the right chord with the GRE® essay rubric criteria to attain that perfect score.
3. The primary rubric criteria are the way in which the author adopts an insightful
and clear stance on the given issue in the essay.
4. Over the entire course of the essay, the author articulates his or her position
about the possibilities of embracing new technology as opposed to being
fearful of it.
5. This thought culminates as the conclusion for the piece.
Paragraph 1: The author recognizes the fact that “technology has
revolutionized the world.”
Paragraph 2: The author elucidates the thinking behind the declaration in
the prompt - “The assumption is that an increased reliance on
technology negates the need for people to think creatively to solve
previous quandaries”.
Paragraph 3: The author refutes the rationale that was deliberated in
paragraph 2, writing that “reliance on technology does not necessarily
preclude the creativity that marks the human species.”
Paragraph 4: The author progresses with her counterclaim one step
further, stating that “technology frees the human imagination.”
Paragraph 5: The author additionally cultivates the notion from
Paragraph 4, stating “By increasing our reliance on technology,
impossible goals can now be achieved.”
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Paragraph 6: This final paragraph successfully ends the essay with a
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fully expressed thesis that also computes to what went before: “There is
no need to retreat to a Luddite attitude to new things, but rather embrace
Overview a hopeful
Topics posture
Point-wise
to thescoring Templates
possibilities Sample
that technology Essays
provides Tips
for new Common Mistakes Practice Questions

avenues of human imagination.”


The author’s clear-cut rationalizations of her opinion and logic augment
the lucidity of her position, while the nuanced content of the position
itself establishes perception into the issue.

Issue Essay 2: Cooperation Vs. Competition


The topic assigned here is: “The best way for a society to prepare its young people
for leadership in government, industry, or other fields is by instilling in them a sense
of cooperation, not competition.”

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree
with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the
most compelling reasons or examples that could be used to challenge your
position.

1. The author of this sample Issue essay has decided on a position on the issue
by siding with the cooperation and not competition which is the preferred
value to inculcate in young adults in preparation for government
2. The last line of the first paragraph “I would have to agree that the best way to
prepare young people for leadership roles is to instill in them a sense of
cooperation,” makes a clear declaration that absolutely fulfills the first part of

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the criteria.
3. The conclusion, particularly the last two sentences reiterates this stance.
4. Just being clear on your stance alone will not help you achieve that perfect
score as you need to complement it with demonstrable insights into the core
issue.
5. In the second part, the author takes on a two-pronged approach in order to
answer the essay question as opposed to just clarifying how cooperativeness
spearheads optimistic results in government, industry, and other fields and
competitiveness results in negative consequences.
6. In the opening and closing paragraphs, the author makes this position even
more categorical.
7. The following rubric criteria deal with how successfully the author fosters his
standpoint with examples and reasoning, for example, by reviewing the
downsides of competition.
8. Opening with general perceptions of human behaviors at school and the office
to present his argument, the author then deftly segues into precise instances
of competitiveness gone bad.
9. Each illustration is used by the author to drive his point down deeper with a
final round off that competitiveness can help people only up to a certain point,
but the price is that it is also “damaging and in due course quite disparaging.”
10. The logical interlinking of notions through paragraphs is the third parameter
that makes this a perfectly scoring essay.
11. The manner in which the paragraphs are connected, the core focus still
remains on the issue.
12. The author’s skill of using accurate language to communicate precise
meaning epitomizes the author’s grasp of the language.

Argument Essay 1: Mason City Riverside


Recreation
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The topic assigned here is: “In surveys, Mason City residents rank water sports
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(swimming, boating, and fishing) among their favorite recreational activities. The
Mason River flowing through the city is rarely used for these pursuits, however, and
Overview
the Topics
city park departmentPoint-wise scoring
devotes little Templates
of its budget Sample
to maintaining Essays
riverside Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

recreational facilities. For years there have been complaints from residents about
the quality of the river’s water and the river’s smell. In response, the state has
recently announced plans to clean up Mason River. The use of the river for water
sports is therefore sure to increase. The city government should for that reason
devote more money in this year’s budget to riverside recreational facilities.

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of
the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on the assumptions
and what the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.”

1. The outcome of the survey is binding and demonstrative.


The explanation of why Mason River is not being used is by reason of its
smell and contamination.
Getting rid of the contamination in the river will help free you from the
smell thus leading to more residents using it.
2. The author recognizes the supposition that complaints point to countless
people wanting to use the river and scrutinizes it by interpretation across
potential situations other than the one exhibited in the prompt.
3. The understanding comes from the information that the exact opportunities
deliberated by the author are exceedingly believable alternative clarifications
for the facts that would transform the validity of the prompt’s assumption.
4. The outcome of her assessment concludes that there are unsatisfactory data

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to back the theory that Mason River is not used due to its smell and
contamination.
5. The author of this sample GRE® essay accomplishes the prerequisites of a
textbook scoring Argument essay is by delivering wide-ranging support for
each of her key points.
6. All through the essay, the author is able to illuminate accurately why every
single assumption made is challenging by sourcing instances that exactly
validate her argument.
7. What makes this sample Argument essay achieve a perfect score is how it
has been organized logically, with clear transitions between ideas.
8. The author of this GRE® essay sample is able to meet the first part of this
requirement with a simple five-paragraph organizational structure: an
introduction, one paragraph for each assumption discussed, and a
conclusion.
9. Additionally, an Argument essay must be detailed and actual in its argument of
notions, with minimum errors that the author successfully met with using
purposeful language to efficiently and clearly get her point across.

Argument Essay 2: Super Screen Movie


Advertising
The topic assigned here is: “According to a recent report from our marketing
department, during the past year, fewer people attended Super Screen-produced
movies than in any other year. And yet the percentage of positive reviews by movie
reviewers about specific Super Screen movies actually increased during the past
year. Clearly, the contents of these reviews are not reaching enough of our
prospective viewers. Thus, the problem lies not with the quality of our movies but
with the public’s lack of awareness that movies of good quality are available. Super
Screen should, therefore, allocate a greater share of its budget next year to
reaching the public through advertising.”
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Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered
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in order to decide whether the recommendation and the argument on which it is
based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions
Overview
would help to Topics Point-wise
evaluate the scoring
recommendation.” Templates Sample Essays Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

1. The first aspect of the essay examines how it successfully the content
recognizes and assesses the portions of the argument that bears a close
resemblance to the demands of the task.
2. As part of the conclusion, there are many queries that Super Screen is
answerable to prior to making use of this advertising director’s plan.
3. There is a need to closely look into the actual numbers for viewership and
positive reviews and ascertain the relationship that their target audience has
with movie reviewers and establish how their target audience feels about their
movies.
4. The author strikes on the three key points that should be taking into
consideration prior to reaching an agreement with the advertising director’s
plan: viewer and review numbers, audience reactions to reviews, and whether
or not reviews are a useful metric by which to measure movie success.
5. An example that the author puts forward in relation to a particular argument
can be found in the third paragraph of this GRE® essay sample.
6. The paragraph begins by asserting the question that requires an answer –
“What the number of positive reviews was and how it compared to pass
reviews?”
7. Subsequently, post this preliminary recognition of the question, the author
also justifies how responding this question would have an influence on the
effectiveness of the recommendation: “If the increase in positive reviews was

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from 1% to 2%, allocating more money to advertising to emphasize this fact is
likely to have less impact than if the money were instead budgeted towards
improving film quality.”
8. The author of the GRE® essay sample fulfills the requirement of sustaining
every question she elevates the argument in the prompt by presenting how its
reaction would shape the recommendation.
9. The author has also developed and connected notions in a clear and logical
fashion.
10. The organization of this GRE® argument essay sample facilitates in
accomplishing this by steering the author’s views into an introduction, four
body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
11. A perfect-scoring Argument essay must make use of complex and precise
language, with few errors that the author of this essay has achieved.

Introduction – GRE® Analytical Writing


Sample Essays
Just like your verbal and Quant sections, you need tons of practice to master the
essay section too. Go through these GRE® sample AWA and response essays that
will help test your ability.

Essay Response Score 6


The statement linking technology negatively with free thinking plays on the recent
human experience over the past century. Surely there has been no time in history
where the lived lives of people have changed more dramatically. A quick reflection
on a typical day reveals how technology has revolutionized the world. Most people
commute to work in an automobile that runs on an internal combustion engine.
During the workday, chances are high that the employee will interact with a
computer that processes the information on silicon bridges that are .09 microns
wide. Upon leaving home, family members will be reached through wireless
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networks that utilize satellites orbiting the earth. Each of these common
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occurrences could have been inconceivable at the turn of the 19th century.

Overview
The statementTopics
attemptsPoint-wise scoring
to bridge these Templates
dramatic changes toSample Essays
a reduction in the Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

ability for humans to think for themselves. The assumption is that increased
reliance on technology negates the need for people to think creatively to solve
previous quandaries. Looking back at the introduction, one could argue that without a
car, computer, or mobile phone, the hypothetical worker would need to find alternate
methods of transport, information processing, and communication. Technology
short circuits this thinking by making the problems obsolete.

However, this reliance on technology does not necessarily preclude the creativity
that marks the human species. The prior examples reveal that technology allows for
convenience. The car, computer, and phone all release additional time for people to
live more efficiently. This efficiency does not preclude the need for humans to think
for themselves. In fact, technology frees humanity to not only tackle new problems
but may itself create new issues that did not exist without technology. For example,
the proliferation of automobiles has introduced a need for fuel conservation on a
global scale. With increasing energy demands from emerging markets, global
warming becomes a concern inconceivable to the horse-and-buggy generation.
Likewise, dependence on oil has created nation-states that are not dependent on
taxation, allowing ruling parties to oppress minority groups such as women.
Solutions to these complex problems require the unfettered imaginations of
maverick scientists and politicians.

In contrast to the statement, we can even see how technology frees the human

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imagination. Consider how the digital revolution and the advent of the internet have
allowed for an unprecedented exchange of ideas. WebMD, a popular internet portal
for medical information, permits patients to self-research symptoms for a more
informed doctor visit. This exercise opens pathways of thinking that were previously
closed off to the medical layman. With increased interdisciplinary interactions,
inspiration can arrive from the most surprising corners. Jeffrey Sachs, one of the
architects of the UN Millenium Development Goals, based his ideas on emergency
care triage techniques. The unlikely marriage of economics and medicine has
healed tense, hyperinflation environments from South America to Eastern Europe.

This last example provides the most hope in how technology actually provides hope
for the future of humanity. By increasing our reliance on technology, impossible
goals can now be achieved. Consider how the late 20th century witnessed the
complete elimination of smallpox. This disease had ravaged the human race since
prehistorical days, and yet with the technology of vaccines, free-thinking humans
dared to imagine a world free of smallpox. Using technology, battle plans were
drawn out, and smallpox was systematically targeted and eradicated.

Technology will always mark the human experience, from the discovery of fire to the
implementation of nanotechnology. Given the history of the human race, there will be
no limit to the number of problems, both new and old, for us to tackle. There is no
need to retreat to a Luddite attitude to new things, but rather embrace a hopeful
posture to the possibilities that technology provides for new avenues of human
imagination.

Rater Commentary for Essay Response — Score 6


The instances are convincing, have been developed with careful thought are
logically aligned and well supported.
The transitions within ideas and paragraphs are smooth.
With a complex and varied sentence structure, the essay adheres to all
standard norms of written English, i.e., grammar, usage, and mechanics.
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Even though there are periodic errors visible, the essay still meets all the
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requirements thus attaining 6 which is the top GRE® score for analytical
writing.
Overview Topics Point-wise scoring Templates Sample Essays Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

Essay response score 5


Surely many of us have expressed the following sentiment, or some variation on it,
during our daily commutes to work: "People are getting so stupid these days!"
Surrounded as we are by striding and strident automatons with cell phones glued to
their ears, PDA's gripped in their palms, and omniscient, omnipresent CNN gleaming
in their eyeballs, it's tempting to believe that technology has isolated and infantilized
us, essentially transforming us into dependent, conformist morons best equipped to
sideswipe one another in our SUV's.

Furthermore, hanging around with the younger, pre-commute generation, whom


tech-savviness seems to have rendered lethal, is even less reassuring. With "Teen
People" style trends shooting through the air from tiger-striped PDA to zebra-striped
PDA, and with the latest starlet gossip zipping from juicy Blackberry to teeny, turbo-
charged cell phone, technology seems to support young people's worst tendencies
to follow the crowd. Indeed, they have seemingly evolved into intergalactic
conformity police. After all, today's tech-aided teens are, courtesy of authentic,
hands-on video games, literally trained to kill; courtesy of chat and instant text
messaging, they have their own language; they even have tiny cameras to efficiently
photo-document your fashion blunders! Is this adolescence, or paparazzi terrorist
training camp?

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With all this evidence, it's easy to believe that tech trends and the incorporation of
technological wizardry into our everyday lives have served mostly to enforce
conformity, promote dependence, heighten consumerism and materialism, and
generally create a culture that values self-absorption and personal entitlement over
cooperation and collaboration. However, I argue that we are merely in the inchoate
stages of learning to live with technology while still loving one another. After all, even
given the examples provided earlier in this essay, it seems clear that technology
hasn't impaired our thinking and problem-solving capacities. Certainly it has
incapacitated our behavior and manners; certainly, our values have taken a severe
blow. However, we are inarguably more efficient in our badness these days. We're
effective worker bees of ineffectiveness!

If technology has so increased our sense of self-efficacy that we can become


veritable agents of the awful, virtual CEO's of selfishness, certainly it can be
beneficial. Harnessed correctly, technology can improve our ability to think and act
for ourselves. The first challenge is to figure out how to provide technology users
with some direly-needed direction.

Rater Commentary for Essay Response — Score 5


The strengths and weaknesses of this essay are clearly evident in the
language used.
While some of the flowery representations do have a powerful impact, at
times the descriptions are awkwardly placed, with the comparisons often
being stressed.
The author has used complex vocabulary and syntax consistently –
“Surrounded as we are by striding and strident automatons with cell phones
glued to their ears, PDA's gripped in their palms, and omniscient, omnipresent
CNN gleaming in their eyeballs, it's tempting to believe..."
Too much reliance on abstractions in the essay has not borne the desired
effect as it lacks appropriate reasoning.
On the whole, the essay demonstrates credible ideas with examples with
thoughtful analysis, taking an overall complex approach to the issue, thus
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earning a score 5.
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Essay
Overview Response
Topics Score
Point-wise scoring 4 Templates Sample Essays Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

In all actuality, I think it is more probable that our bodies will surely deteriorate long
before our minds do in any significant amount. Who can't say that technology has
made us lazier, but that's the keyword, lazy, not stupid? The ever-increasing amount
of technology that we incorporate into our daily lives makes people think and learn
every day, possibly more than ever before. Our abilities to think, learn, philosophize,
etc. may even reach limits never dreamed of before by average people. Using
technology to solve problems will continue to help us realize our potential as a
human race.

If you think about it, using technology to solve more complicating problems gives
humans a chance to expand their thinking and learning, opening up whole new
worlds for many people. Many of these people are glad for the chance to expand
their horizons by learning more, going to new places, and trying new things. If it
wasn't for the invention of new technological devices, I wouldn't be sitting at this
computer trying to philosophize about technology. It would be extremely hard for
children in many poorer countries to learn and think for themselves without the
invention of the internet. Think what an impact the printing press, a technologically
superior machines at the time, had on the ability of the human race to learn and
think.

Right now we are seeing a golden age of technology, using it all the time during our
everyday lives. When we get up there's instant coffee and the microwave and all

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these great things that help us get ready for our day. But we aren't allowing our
minds to deteriorate by using them, we are only making things easier for ourselves
and saving time for other important things in our days. Going off to school or work in
our cars instead of a horse and buggy. Think of the brainpower and genius that was
used to come up with that single invention that has changed the way we move
across this globe.Using technology to solve our continually more complicated
problems as a human race is definitely a good thing. Our ability to think for ourselves
isn't deteriorating, it's continuing to grow, moving on to higher though functions and
more ingenious ideas. The ability to use what technology we have is an example.

Rater Commentary for Essay Response — Score 4


Developing a clear position, the author presents appropriate reasons to hold
true and explain in support of the issue.
The point on technology usage is supported with relevant concepts that show
how it enables users to access data and information and their potential that
users would not normally have access to.
The ‘golden age’ point has also been appropriately supported by the basic
description of our technologically saturated social condition.
Paragraph 3 on coffee pots to the benefits of technology to cars does
showcase that the overall development and organization of this essay does
live through the rare bouts of misdirection.
The essay seamless flows from one idea to another but often only scratching
the surface level of the core issue rather than probing in-depth.
Taking the analysis further, the author creates a marked distinction between
the essay and the level 3 response that supports the idea of technology
advancing to help progress human thinking abilities, drawing an intelligent
parallel between the promise of the modern sophisticated technology
(computer) and the actual "impact" of equally "promising" and pervasive
technologies of the past (printing press).
The reason why this essay has received a score of 4 as the language meets
the expectations and the author has demonstrated a satisfactory control over
it.
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Overall, the mistakes are minor in nature and do not really hinder with the
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clarity of the notions being presented.

Overview Topics Point-wise scoring Templates Sample Essays Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions
Essay Response Score 3
There is no current proof that advancing technology will deteriorate the ability of
humans to think. On the contrary, advancements in technology had advanced our
vast knowledge in many fields, opening opportunities for further understanding and
achievement. For example, the problem of debilitating illnesses and diseases such
as Alzheimer's disease is slowing being solved by the technological advancements
in stem cell research. The future ability to grow new brain cells and the possibility to
reverse the onset of Alzheimer's is now becoming a reality. This shows our initiative
as humans to better our health demonstrates the greater ability of humans to think.

One aspect where the ability of humans may initially be seen as an example of
deteriorating minds is the use of the internet and cell phones. In the past humans
had to seek out information in many different environments and aspects of life. Now
humans can sit in a chair and type anything into a computer and get an answer. Our
reliance on this type of technology can be detrimental if not regulated and regularly
substituted for other information sources such as human interactions and hands-on
learning. I think if humans understand that we should not have such a reliance on
computer technology, that we as a species will advance further by utilizing the
opportunity of computer technology as well as the other sources of information
outside of a computer. Supplementing our knowledge with internet access is surely
a way for technology to solve problems while continually advancing the human race.

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Rater Commentary for Essay Response — Score 3
The author has been able to transcend beyond the superficial strata of the
core issue.
Two core points are visibly evident in the writing:
How technology has advanced overall human know-how in multiple
domains and the way forward is to supplement the usage to “surely a
way for technology to solve problems while continually advancing the
human race."
However, the author has failed to offer sufficient evidence to support
this point.
Point two is where the author has created an outline by citing the need
for regulation/supplementation and cautions of the flipside of depending
on technology heavily which is vague and restrictive - "Our reliance ...
can be detrimental. If humans understand that we should not have such
a reliance ... we will advance further."
Much of the second paragraph is filled with loosely connected generalizations
which need more groundwork.
Some minor language errors are also present in this essay. However, the
author’s meaning and implications are clear, thus earning this essay a score
of 3.

Essay Response Score 2


In recent centuries, humans have developed the technology very rapidly, and you
may accept some merit of it, and you may see a distortion in society that occurred
by it. To be lazy for humans in some meaning is one of the fashion issues in these
days. There are many symptoms and reasons for it. However, I can not agree with
the statement that technology makes humans be reluctant to think thoroughly.

Of course, you can see the phenomena of human laziness along with developed
technology in some places. However, they would happen in specific conditions, not
general. What makes human to be laze of thinking is not merely technology, but the
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tendency of humans that they treat them as a magic stick and a black box. Not
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understanding the aims and theory of them courses the disapproval problems.

Overview
The Topics thing
most important Point-wise scoring
to use thechnology, Templates of the
regardless Sample Essays
new or old, is to Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

comprehend the fundamental idea of them and to adapt suit tech to tasks in need.
Even if you recognize a method as an all-mighty and it is extremely over-spec to
your needs, you can not see the result you want. In this procedure, humans have to
consider as long as possible to acquire adequate functions. Therefore, humans can
not escape from using their brains.

In addition, the technology as it does not vain automatically is created by humans.


Thus, the more developed tech and the more you want a convenient life, the more
you think and emit your creativity to breakthrough some banal method sarcastically.

Consequently, if you are not passive to the new tech, but offensive to it, you would
not lose your ability to think deeply. Furthermore, you may improve your ability by
adopting it.

Rater Commentary for Essay Response — Score 2


This essay is no better than a score 2 simply because of the language used.
Serious errors in grammar, only specific moments of clarity, sentence
mechanics and usage of terms minus meanings contribute to this.
If one were to overlook the obvious flaws, the author has made an effort to
respond to the prompt - "I can not agree with the statement that the
technology makes humans be reluctant to thinking thoroughly."
However, the author has not been successful in his assertion of - "Not

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understanding the aims and theory of them [technology] courses the
disapproval problems" and "The most important thing to use the technology ...
is to comprehend the fundamental idea of them."
Overall, the essay presents a badly inconsistent but not essentially lacking in
an endeavor to produce and sustain its statements.

Essay Response Score 1


Humans have invented machines but they have forgotten it and have started
everything technically so clearly their thinking process is deteriorating.

Rater Commentary for Essay Response — Score 1


The author’s manner of using significant terms from the prompt "technically"
(technologically), "humans," "thinking" (think) and "deteriorating" (deteriorate)
clearly demonstrates that the essay is topic and offers evidence of
understanding.
It also shows the author’s inability to create an appropriate response that is in
adherence to the instructions and guidelines provided - ("Discuss the extent to
which you agree or disagree with the statement above and explain your
reasoning for the position you take."
The language used also demonstrates that the essay is no better than a level
1 as the sentences formed are not coherent.

6 Tips for a Perfect-Scoring GRE® Essay


Go over these fundamental pointers that should help you get that perfect score on
your four GRE® essays.

1. Go over these fundamental pointers that should help you get that perfect
score on your four GRE® essays.
The common factor in all perfect-scoring GRE® sample essays is an
introduction and a conclusion.
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Ideally, you need to introduce the core ideas in the first few lines, not
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necessarily a paragraph and ensure that you wrap them up at the end of
the essay.
Overview Topics
2. State Your Point-wise
Position Clearly scoring Templates Sample Essays Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions

It is imperative that the author states their position on the issue clearly.
While you may scrape through a vague standpoint in an Argument essay
and still score a 4.0, the same approach will not work in an Issue essay
where you may just get a 3.0.
Regardless of the essay type or prompt, in order to get that perfect
score, you will need to include a statement that clarifies your position
and the extent to which you agree or disagree with it.
3. Be Specific in Your Support
From the sample essays and their analysis, one aspect that is clearly
identifiable is the need for the author to concentrate on relevant support
for any claims or statements being made.
It is always more persuasive if the essay demonstrates claims that have
been backed up by sufficient evidence than just making general points.
Therefore, going backward, if you are unable to find sufficient support for
your arguments, then in all probability, that is a sign that you need to
rethink your position or draw inspiration from another part of the
argument that will withstand critique.
4. Explain Your Support Clearly
The communication of your notions and ideas and the support that you
provide transcends polished writing, perfectly worded or spelt essays.
Issues that have been clearly-explained with compelling examples,
evaluations and assessments by cutting through the heart of the

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argument is bound to get a higher score in comparison to imprecise
essays that have been skillfully crafted.
5. Use Transitions
A key factor in any of the essays getting a high score is a seamless and
smooth transition of ideas between paragraphs that have been linked at
multiple levels.
Even ideas within paragraphs should have linguistic transition levels.
6. Stay Organized
All of the GRE® essay samples adhere to the basic standard five
paragraph routine that includes an introduction, body paragraphs and a
conclusion.
The ETS website states, “You are free to organize and develop your
response in any way you think will enable you to effectively
communicate your ideas about the issue.”
But having your essay organized across these five paragraph formats it
will save you the time of having to figure out a new organizational
strategy for every essay you write.
And the more consistently you stick to a simple (but clear)
organizational structure, the faster you’ll get at it until organizing your
thoughts logically comes as second-nature.

Download Your FREE EBook On AWA Essay Writing, Now!

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to any other books apart from the material provided


and verbal guides and the official guide. They give u
Overview Topics Point-wise scoring Templates Sample Essays Tips Common Mistakes Practice Questions
after every test and tell us our where we need to imp
Aditya Kardile
GRE Score : 330 ( V : 160 | Q : 170)

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