Writing Skills for the GRE/GMAT

 (11 customer reviews)

This book was my bible for writing the Issue and Argument essays on the GRE. I scored 5.0 (out of 6.0) on the analytical writing section and you can decide for yourself whether that score is a worthy result from using this book. Considering that I struggle with standardized tests, I commend the author for writing a useful and comprehensive book for GRE essay composition--I can't speak for the GMAT. The book provided valuable pointers for planning, outlining, and writing my essays. I used the book in conjunction with a printout of the essay topic pools from the ETS website. As the author states, these current essay topics for both the Issue and Argument essays are vital tools for practicing both essays. The author (I say "author" because I couldn't find an author other than the Thompson/Peterson publishers) gives a structure for timing each stage of the essay process. Planning the Issue Essay, for example, included: five minutes for brainstorming and outlining; 30 minutes...Read more

This book helped me score a 5.5 out of 6 on the writing portion. When I first began studying fot the GRE, I was intimidated by all the elements of the writing section: a vast pool of vague topics, impossible time limits, and my own cluttered opinions. I found Peterson's guide to be a practical refresher on rhetoric, fine tuned for maximum performance on the 45 minute and 30 minute essays.

My first few practice essays were rushed and unclear. On the day of the exam, I found myself with EXTRA time to edit and even add an extra paragraph. This could not have happened without Peterson.

I located this book at the public library a few days before the GRE- one of the best preparation decisions I made. It prompted me how to use supporting examples without letting them become cumbersome, develop a nuanced but clear line of reasoning, and skillfully deconstruct the arguments given in the argument-analysis portion.

This book might be a few years old, but...Read more

This is the best GMAT AWA prep book around. It is even more helpful to the non-native speakers who have not been trained in writting essays in English. I, a non-native speaker, used this book to prepare for AWA and scored 5.5 (90 percentile). Moreover, this book not only teaches you how to write for the AWA, but also teaches you real writing techniques that can be used in your everyday job and life.A job well done, Mark Alan Stewart (the author)! Kudos to you!