GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS®
Practice General Test # 3
Analytical Writing Sample Essays
and Commentaries
Large Print (18 point) Edition
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GRE General
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The Graduate Record Examinations
®
Practice General Test #3
Analytical Writing Sample Essays with Reader Commentaries
The Analytical Writing portion of the GRE
®
General Test consists
of two writing topics, an Issue topic and an Argument topic. This
document contains the writing topics for Practice Test #3, the
scoring guides for each section, and sample responses with
commentaries for each topic.
Note: Sample responses are reproduced exactly as written,
including misspellings, wrong choice of words, typographical
and grammatical errors, etc., if any.
Analyze an Issue
Sample Issue Topic Directions
You will be given a brief quotation that states or implies an issue of
general interest and specific instructions on how to respond to that
issue. Plan and compose a response in which you develop a position
on the issue according to the specific instructions. A response to
any other issue will receive a score of zero. Standard timing for an
issue topic is 30 minutes.
GRE General
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Make sure that you respond to the specific instructions and support
your position on the issue with reasons and examples drawn from
such areas as your reading, experience, observations, and/or
academic studies.
Trained GRE readers will read your response and evaluate its
overall quality according to how well you do each of the following:
● Respond to the specific instructions on the issue
● Consider the complexities of the issue
● Organize, develop, and express your ideas
● Support your position with relevant reasons and/or examples
● Control the elements of standard written English
Before you begin writing, you may want to think for a few minutes
about the issue and the instructions and then plan your response. Be
sure to develop your position fully and organize it coherently, but
leave time to reread what you have written and make any revisions
you think are necessary.
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Sample Issue Topic:
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.
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.
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GRE
®
Scoring Guide: Analyze an Issue
Score 6
In addressing the specific task directions, a 6 response presents a
cogent, well-articulated analysis of the issue and conveys meaning
skillfully.
A typical response in this category exhibits the following
characteristics:
1. It articulates a clear and insightful position on the issue
in accordance with the assigned task.
2. It develops the position fully, with compelling reasons
and/or persuasive examples.
3. It sustains a well-focused, well-organized analysis,
connecting ideas logically.
4. It conveys ideas fluently and precisely, using effective
vocabulary and sentence variety.
5. It demonstrates superior facility with the conventions
of standard written English (i.e., grammar, usage, and
mechanics) but may have minor errors.
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Score 5
In addressing the specific task directions, a 5 response presents a
generally thoughtful, well-developed analysis of the issue and
conveys meaning clearly.
A typical response in this category exhibits the following
characteristics:
1. It presents a clear and well-considered position on the issue
in accordance with the assigned task.
2. It develops the position with logically sound reasons and/or
well-chosen examples.
3. It is focused and generally well organized, connecting ideas
appropriately.
4. It conveys ideas clearly and well, using appropriate
vocabulary and sentence variety.
5. It demonstrates facility with the conventions of standard
written English but may have minor errors.
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Score 4
In addressing the specific task directions, a 4 response presents
a competent analysis of the issue and conveys meaning with
acceptable clarity.
A typical response in this category exhibits the following
characteristics:
1. It presents a clear position on the issue in accordance with
the assigned task.
2. It develops the position with relevant reasons and/or
examples.
3. It is adequately focused and organized.
4. It demonstrates sufficient control of language to express
ideas with acceptable clarity.
5. It generally demonstrates control of the conventions of
standard written English but may have some errors.
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Score 3
A 3 response demonstrates some competence in addressing the
specific task directions, in analyzing the issue, and in conveying
meaning but is obviously flawed.
A typical response in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the
following characteristics:
1. It is vague or limited in addressing the specific task
directions and/or in presenting or developing a position on
the issue.
2. It is weak in the use of relevant reasons or examples, or
relies largely on unsupported claims.
3. It is limited in focus and/or organization.
4. It has problems in language and sentence structure that
result in a lack of clarity.
5. It contains occasional major errors or frequent minor errors
in grammar, usage, or mechanics that can interfere with
meaning.
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Score 2
A 2 response largely disregards the specific task directions and/or
demonstrates serious weaknesses in analytical writing.
A typical response in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the
following characteristics:
1. It is unclear or seriously limited in addressing the specific
task directions and/or in presenting or developing a position
on the issue.
2. It provides few, if any, relevant reasons or examples in
support of its claims.
3. It is poorly focused and/or poorly organized.
4. It has serious problems in language and sentence structure
that frequently interfere with meaning.
5. It contains serious errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics
that frequently obscure meaning.
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Score 1
A 1 response demonstrates fundamental deficiencies in analytical
writing.
A typical response in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the
following characteristics:
1. It provides little or no evidence of understanding the issue.
2. It provides little or no evidence of the ability to develop an
organized response (e.g., is disorganized and/or extremely
brief).
3. It has severe problems in language and sentence structure
that persistently interfere with meaning.
4. It contains pervasive errors in grammar, usage, or
mechanics that result in incoherence.
Score 0
A 0 response is off topic (i.e., provides no evidence of an attempt to
respond to the assigned topic), written in a foreign language, merely
copies the topic, consists of only keystroke characters, or is illegible
or nonverbal.
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Sample Responses to the Issue Topic, with Reader
Commentaries
The following are sample responses and commentary on those
responses, which explain how each response was scored. There are
responses and scoring comments for essays with scores of 6, 5, 4,
3, 2, and 1.
Reminder: Sample responses are reproduced exactly as written,
including misspellings, wrong choice of words, typographical and
grammatical errors, etc., if any.
GRE General
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The following sample issue response received a score of 6:
Whenever people argue that history is a worthless subject or that
there is nothing to be gained by just “memorizing a bunch of stupid
names and dates,” I simply hold my tongue and smile to myself.
What I’m thinking is that, as cliche as it sounds, you do learn a
great deal from history (and woe to those who fail to learn those
lessons). It is remarkable to think of the number of circumstances
and situations in which even the most rudimentary knowledge of
history will turn out to be invaluable. Take, for example, the issue
at hand here. Is it better for society to instill in future leaders a
sense of competition or cooperation? Those who have not examined
leaders throughout time and across a number of fields might not