GRE essay topics | 4 most valuable tips with examples!

The GRE essay topics, including those on the issue task, are so diverse that there appears to be no particular pattern in the GRE we’ve seen. There are debates about fixed terms for leaders, moralizing about job training, philosophical musings regarding work and motivation, and rumors that scandals can benefit society. Despite such a diverse range, the issue essays fall into several buckets or categories of GRE essay topics.

The GRE analytical writing segment contains two types of questions-

• Analytical writing evaluation.
• Examine an argument.

Candidates have 30 minutes to respond to each question.

Points to consider while writing a GRE essay 

A perfect score of 6 on the GRE’s issue essay can ‌improve your chances of admission to graduate school! Here are 4 pointers to help you get that perfect 6 on your issue essay.

Write practice essays

You can prepare for the GRE by researching AWA prompts and practicing writing a handful of them within the 30-minute time limit. Setting up test-like situations and getting to work is the only way to become comfortable with time constraints.

Pick actual selective instances

Don’t be too broad! Theoretical arguments are easily debunked. The simple counter to any “what if” argument is to question whether the hypothetical scenario ever would occur. You can select from a broad range of topics, such as personal experience, pop culture, background, sports, publications, current events, politics, etc.

Prevent using individual references 

Overall, you must stop writing the issue essay in the first person. Using phrases like “I believe” or “in my opinion” adds unnecessary words because the reader knows the problem essay is marked from your point of view.

Make firm assertions while concluding

Being direct eliminates the possibility of misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Make strong, declarative statements to avoid confusion on the GRE issue essay. Many GRE students are unsure what to write in their conclusion. Introduce the opposing viewpoint, demonstrating that you are aware that some individuals do not agree with you.

List of GRE analytical writing assessment topics

The GRE essay comprises GRE Analyze an Issue task and Assess an Argument topic.  Candidates must write an essay in which they must respond to a short statement on a topic of general interest. This task assesses candidates’ capability to think critically about a topic of personal interest and convey their thoughts in writing.

Candidates taking the exam would be given a conceptual approach that can be viewed from a variety of perspectives. They would be instructed to take a stand on the subject and to develop and promote that stand. The GRE analytical writing examples are provided with each GRE AWA topic to help test takers understand the essay format. You can also refer to certain books to improve your vocabulary.

GRE essay topic | Analyze an Issue task

GRE-Analyze an Issue task comes with a scenario that may contain a statement/ a claim/ a claim + reason/ 2 or more sides/views of an issue. Each of these will be followed by an instruction. Make sure you create a proper plan before attempting this task. 

There are different topics for this task according to the instruction types, as shown in the table.

Instruction types	Topics
Agree/Disagree with a Statement	Workplace, Politics, Society, Government
Agree/Disagree with a Recommendation	Workplace, Government, Education System, Science
Agree/Disagree with a Claim	Education, Profession, State, Nation, Law
Which view aligns with your perception?	Politics, Arts, Science
Agree/Disagree with a Claim and Its Basis	Current events, Education
Explain Your Views on a Policy	Government, Education, Politics, Business

Follow the outline below to make the 30-minute AWA writing task easy:

• 1 minute: Begin by reading the prompt carefully at least twice to understand the given context. 
• 3 minutes: The next few minutes should be on brainstorming ideas for your essay. Think in terms of a four-paragraph structure: a thesis/introduction, two main body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• 24 minutes: In these 24 minutes, focus on writing a 400-500 word essay with the points you brainstormed. The essay can be written in four paragraphs.
• 2 minutes: The last 2 minutes should be se aside to check and edit your task. Here, you should focus on final editing and proofreading and try not to add any new content to your essay. Make sure to read your essay at least twice, and correct any grammar and spelling mistakes as you read.

Analyze an issue task | Sample 

As people rely more and more on technology to solve 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 and explain how these considerations shape your position.

Template for the GRE Issue task

The below template will help you structure your content better and score well on the task.

Paragraph 1 | Introduction

You can start the first paragraph with a relevant quote or proverb. Then paraphrase the given statement and give a response to the statement. Also, provide a preview of your reasons in 1 sentence.

Paragraph 2 | Main body paragraph 1

Write the primary reason in the first line. Explain the reason in a sentence or two. You can use an example from your knowledge or experience and explain it by including as many vivid details as possible. 

Paragraph 3 | Main body paragraph 2

Write your second reason in this paragraph and explain the reason in a sentence or two. You can write an example here too, while including proper details about the same. 

Paragraph 4 | Conclusion

To conclude, restate the thesis and the two reasons mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 3.

GRE essay topic | Analyze an Argument task

The second section of the GRE analytical writing or essay topic is Analyze an Argument. Candidates must write about one of the provided GRE essay topics in which they must analyze a paragraph-length argument from a pool of concerned topics. They are not, however, necessary to display their perspectives on the topic of the debate.

This task tests students’ ability to comprehend, analyze, and think critically about a variety of issue topics. The assertions will be introduced in a short paragraph that expresses the author’s point of view or case. Candidates must determine and evaluate whether it is logically sound.

You can follow the below outline for the 30- minute task:

• 1 minute: Start the question by reading the passage carefully. Analyze the reading passage to separate the main conclusion from the supporting premises.
• 4 minutes: Spend these 4 minutes brainstorming and generating ideas for your task. 
• 23 minutes: Write your task in these 23 minutes.
• 2 minutes: As mentioned above, set this time aside for final editing and proofreading.

Analyze an Argument | Sample

The following appeared in a memorandum written by the chairperson of the West Egg Town Council.

“Two years ago, consultants predicted that West Egg’s landfill, which is used for garbage disposal, would be filled within five years. During the past two years, however, the town’s residents have been recycling twice as much material as they did in previous years. Next month the amount of recycled material — which includes paper, plastic, and metal — should further increase since charges for pickup of other household garbage will double. Furthermore, over 90 percent of the respondents to a recent survey said that they would do more recycling in the future. Because of our town’s strong commitment to recycling, the available space in our landfill should last for considerably longer than predicted.”

Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

Template for GRE Argument task

Here’s a template for you to plan your writing better and ace this section.

Paragraph 1 | Introduction

Start by restating the author’s conclusion, i.e., his opinion. Then, summarize the facts or proposals the author provided that led him to his conclusion–and identify them, especially as evidence. In the last sentence, state clearly that the argument is flawed. (There is no need to list the specifics of your three examples in your thesis.)

Paragraph 2 | Main body paragraph 1

You need to write 4-6 sentences in this paragraph. Start by identifying a primary assumption and giving examples of evidence that would be unlikely to be true, weakening the conclusion.

Paragraph 3 | Main body paragraph 2

Main Body Paragraph 2: In this paragraph, write another assumption or flaw in the author’s reasoning and show how more evidence could undermine the argument. Make sure you are writing at least 4-6 sentences. 

Paragraph 4 | Main body paragraph 3

Here, focus on explaining the terminology used by the author and explain it in 4-6 sentences. 

Paragraph 5 | Conclusion

To conclude, restate the original thesis. State that the argument has too many flaws and that the author has more work to do. Remember, you do not have to fix it but just state it.

Key takeaways

• The GRE essay section is an important aspect of the test that students must focus on. It is always good to prepare by appearing for some mock essay tests and analyzing your strengths and weaknesses.
• The GRE Analytical Writing essay topics, including those for the issue task, come from such a diverse range of fields that no discernible pattern can be found in the GRE writing prompts.
• Candidates must compose an essay in which they have to interact with a short statement on a topic of common concern.

We hope you found this blog on “GRE essay topics” informative. Reach out to us if you have any doubts, and don’t forget to comment below and share your thoughts!

Liked this blog? Read next: GRE analytical writing | Here’s all you need to know!

FAQs

Q1. What kinds of essays appear on the GRE?

Answer- When taking the GRE, you will be required to write two essays: an issue essay and an argument essay.

Q2. How many GRE essay subjects are there?

Answer- There are 152 potential GRE essay topics in the GRE problem pool and 176 possible GRE essay topics, mostly in the GRE argument pool, so you won’t run out of formal prompts to practice with.

Q3. Do GRE AWA topics come up again and again?

Answer- Yes! They ‌ask a question from their huge question bank again and again. If any of your friends decided to take their GRE a few days before you, you might see some of their questions repeated on your exam.