Some test-takers find that taking notes helps them stay focused while answering Verbal questions on the GRE. For example, jotting down a few keywords while reading a Reading Comprehension passage might help you engage more actively with the text or keep track of major ideas. But like with most things, moderation is key. What might be helpful in small amounts can actually hurt your score when overdone.

You see, the GRE is not generous with time, especially on the Verbal section. If you fall into the habit of taking extensive notes—writing down every little detail from a passage or summarizing every sentence—you may quickly find yourself running out of time. You may also end up reading passively, focusing more on copying down words than on understanding what you're reading.

If you’ve been taking a lot of notes while answering Verbal questions, a simple way to improve your pacing might be to dial back your note-taking. The reality is that most GRE Verbal questions—whether Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, or Sentence Equivalence—are relatively short. So, there’s often not a great deal to track. Plus, the GRE allows you to refer back to the passage when answering RC questions, so there’s usually no need to memorize or write down every fact or argument.

Interestingly, many high scorers take little to no notes at all while working through GRE Verbal. Others take a bunch of notes but rarely use them. So it’s worth asking yourself: Is my note-taking actually helping me answer the questions better—or is it just slowing me down?

You might find that skipping notes altogether lets you read more naturally and focus more directly on answering questions. Or maybe just jotting down a single keyword per paragraph is all you need. Either way, the goal isn’t to eliminate note-taking completely—it’s to make it purposeful and efficient. The key is to strike the right balance: just enough to support your comprehension, but not so much that it eats into your time or becomes a crutch.

Experiment during your practice sessions. Try different levels of note-taking and pay attention to how they affect both your pacing and accuracy. You may be surprised to find that a “less is more” approach leads to better results.

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

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep