Sentence Equivalence Cheat Sheet

Key Definitions

• Sentence Equivalence: A GRE question type requiring two answer choices that create a sentence with similar meanings.

• Context Clue: Words or phrases in a sentence that hint at the meaning of a word.

Important Concepts

Identifying Synonyms

• Focus on the context to determine the meaning of the sentence.

• Look for two answer choices that can replace the blank and maintain the sentence's meaning.

Answer Choices

• Choices may include exact synonyms or words with similar meanings but different connotations.

• Eliminate choices that do not fit the context or change the meaning.

Key Formulas

• Sentence Structure: Sentence = Context + Blank + Synonyms

• Synonym Identification:

• Read sentence carefully.

• Identify keywords.

• Match synonyms.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Common Mistake: Choosing words that are similar but do not fit the context of the sentence.

Common Mistake: Overlooking subtle differences in connotation between synonyms.

Memory Tricks

Tip: "C-S-S" — Context, Synonyms, Similar meaning.

Key Diagrams

+---------------------+
|   Sentence Equiv.   |
|                     |
|  Context Clue ----> |
|        |            |
|   Answer Choices    |
|        |            |
|   Similar Meaning   |
+---------------------+