There are two essays that you will need to type in your GRE General test: one is called “Analysis of an Issue” and the other “Analysis of an Argument”. The Issue essay should be around 450 to 700 words long while the Argument essay should have 350 to 450 words.
In the first essay you will be given a statement and you need to take a position either in favor or against the statement. Before you make up your mind regarding which side you should take, use the rough sheet to quickly jot down some examples supporting both sides. The side for which you have more examples should be the one that you decide to write about. You should start your Analysis of an Issue essay with a statement in the first paragraph that tells the readers which side you are going to take. Do not repeat the given statement verbatim. In the next few paragraphs, strengthen your position by giving solid examples that support the side you are taking. In one of the paragraphs don’t forget to give the view of the opposite side with an example as this tells ETS that you understand the topic well. However, come back to your original position and write a conclusion that is in agreement to the position that you took.
The second essay is the Argument essay. For this GRE essay you need to understand what an argument is made up of. An argument consists of a conclusion, premises and assumptions. Conclusion is the opinion that the author takes. Premises are the evidence that the author uses to strengthen his position. Assumptions are the unstated premises that must be true for the conclusion to be valid. Always think about the loopholes between the conclusion and the premises by thinking about the assumptions. Your job is to cast a doubt on the validity of the conclusion by stating the assumptions that bring forward the missing link between the conclusion and the premises. End your Argument essay with a conclusion that states why you think the conclusion may not be valid due to the unstated premises.
