👋 Hello, my friends at GRE Prep Club!

When we answer a multiple-choice GRE Verbal question, losing track of which answer choices we’ve eliminated can slow us down. After all, if we fail to keep track of which choices we’ve eliminated, we might be forced to review choices we’ve already decided are incorrect.

One way test-takers address this issue is by keeping track of eliminated choices on the notepad. However, doing so requires looking away from the screen the GRE test is on and taking time to write on the pad. So, having a way to keep track of choices while looking at the screen and without having to write on the pad would be ideal. Fortunately there is such a way: the five-finger method. Here’s how it works.

When answering a multiple-choice question, simply hold one of your hands near the screen on which the test appears and use the fingers on that hand to represent the answer choices. Your thumb represents choice (A), and each of your other four fingers represents one of the choices (B) through (E). You start off with all five fingers extended, and as you eliminate a choice, you fold in the finger that represents that choice. If you change your mind and decide that a choice is a contender after all, you can unfold the finger that represents that choice.

The five-finger method may sound simple, but it’s remarkably effective. It allows you to make fast, visual decisions without losing your place or wasting time revisiting choices that are no longer under consideration. Over the course of the Verbal section, those small time savings can really add up. What’s more, the physical action of folding and unfolding your fingers creates a kind of muscle memory that helps you stay mentally organized, especially when fatigue starts to set in during the later stages of the test.

You can see that this method is a super-easy and efficient way to keep track of answer choices. Using this method will help you complete the Verbal section of the GRE in the allotted time.

Reach out to me with any questions about your GRE prep. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep