While most GRE applicants are good at verbal and quantitative reasoning, only some have expertise in the argument essay writing section. However, to obtain an advantage over other candidates by scoring perfect marks in the analytical writing section, students need to know how to write an argumentative essay.
There are many types of essays that aim at influencing the reader to trust a specific point of view. But in argumentative essay writing, you need to use the factual mark and logical support to persuade the reader of a certain way of thinking. Argumentative essays don’t have to be violent or combative. Rather, it gets its name from the way of arguing, whereby the writer presents enough research to support their claim and overturn opposing perspectives. So, to know how to structure an argument essay, we have aligned below all the needed details to study an argumentative essay.
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Importance of GRE Argumentative Essay
The argument essay of the GRE evaluates how well you understand, analyse and write an argument changing the perspectives from the issue essay. This has to be completed within 30 minutes. You can incorporate some particular writing strategies learned in the English compositions or write an intensive program.
In this essay, you have to analyse an argument and go through assumptions and flaws, giving you references to a specific direction. Also, knowing how to write a good argument essay assesses the validation of your critical thinking, reasoning and your perspectives about the argument. Besides, it is a great predictor, and many universities use it as a significant factor.
Suggested: GRE Analytical Writing Sample Essays
Now we know the important tips to write argumentative essay, let's check out how to write an argument.
How to Structure an Argument Essay?
For starting an argumentative essay, you should know the purpose and how well you can represent your case. To make arguments inferior, the format of argumentative essays is a little more complicated than those of other essay types because you need to address other points of view too. The simple five on how to start an argumentative essay are:\
- Your first paragraph of the argumentative essay should be the introduction part, which presents your thesis, sets up the rest of the essay, and you can even add on a little conspiracy.
- In your 2nd, 3rd and 4th paragraph, you must present your arguments and evidence with examples. Each body paragraph should focus on either displaying detailed information of supporting evidence or disapproving the contradictory opinion.
- And then comes your 5th and conclusion paragraph, where you revisit your thesis in the context of all previous evidence and concisely wrap up everything.
Suggested: GRE Issue Preparation Tips
Now you know some steps of how to write GRE argument essay. Let's explore a few tips that will surely help you in scoring 6.0 in the argument essay:
How to Write an Argumentative Essay?
An argumentative essay uses fact-based indication and unquestionable logic to make its thesis accurate. The thesis should be a takeaway key you want your readers to consent to. What are you trying to influence them of, or what do you want them to remember after reading? And many other things. To know how to write an argument, below are some mentioned tips to consider:
1. Prepare for your Argumentative Essay
It is one of the initial steps in preparing for an argumentative essay. You need to gather all the supporting evidence for an essay and then outline the Structure, like what is to be there and other opposing viewpoints. It is important for argumentative essays because proof is a key that can help you score well in this section of GRE.
2. Make Introduction Short & Crisp
The introduction of the essay should be short, crisp and to the point. Do not even try to craft persuasive and attention-seeking sentences. Use some powerful words to showcase your confidence in the argument essay.
3. Identify Illogical Conceptions
The GRE argument essay prompt contains some unstated assumptions made by the author called logical fallacies. Hence, it is your task to use the essay's body paragraphs to explain how your arguments will rely on the fallacies and fail to achieve their goal.
4. Be Proactive about Language
In an argumentative essay, tone and style are more significant than you may think, particularly if you're criticizing another person's viewpoint. Be humble when choosing your words and phrasing. Using a violent tone reflects the writer's inferiority more than the target, even if denying a dreadful point of view.
5. Adjust the Faults
While finding the arguments' faults, pick only a few, not even one. You must try to find evidence of 3 distinct faults in the given author's essay. The best way is to pick one of the glaring assumptions and write a long paragraph describing why an assumption is unwarranted and the way to make the argument stronger.
6. Follow the Structure
The most important tip for GRE writing is to make a good structure for the essay to score well on the test. The best one is to begin the essay with an eloquent introduction that states and mentions issues before elaborating in the body paragraphs.
Suggested: GRE General Test vs Subject Test
With GRE argument essay tips, let's go on through some do's and don'ts in the preparation:
Do’s and Don'ts During GRE Argument Essay Preparation
Before knowing how to start an argumentative in the GRE test, it is crucial for you to know about the dos and don'ts of the test. The following can be a guide to tackle your GRE argument essay:
Do’s for GRE Argument Essay |
Don'ts for GRE Argument Essay |
Check out some previous year GRE tests to get acquainted with the type of topics asked in argument essays. |
Do not try to write any pros of both sides of the arguments |
Carefully read the instructions and topics thoroughly. |
Don't forget to relate the given examples with the thesis. |
Manage the given time wisely and focus more on writing the essay. |
Don't forget how to identify the assumptions of the topic and find some logical fallacies. |
Evaluate the argument. |
Don't try to state your own views and opinions in the argument essay. |
Suggested: GRE Preparation Apps
The GRE essay is one of the important and scoring parts of the test. Thorough practice and ahead-of-the-time preparation can even help you to hit a sixer. To know more about your weakness and strengths in the argument task, you can opt for our Yocket’s GRE Prep and can take a quick GRE test. This will also help you to gather some important insights and GRE argument essay tips for the exam.