Some students find that taking notes can help them stay focused while answering GRE Verbal questions. For example, note-taking might help with staying engaged while reading a dense passage in the Reading Comprehension section. However, it is important to recognize that while a little note-taking can be helpful, taking too many notes can actually hurt your performance.

Note-taking, like any test-taking habit, should serve a clear purpose. If you are writing down lots of details or creating outlines while reading, you may be using more time than the question allows. Remember, the GRE is a timed exam, and any extra time spent writing is time taken away from reading, thinking, and answering. So, if your Verbal performance has been slower than you'd like, take a moment to reflect on how much you're writing during the test. Reducing the amount of note-taking may be a quick way to gain back some valuable time.

The truth is, most GRE Verbal questions are relatively short and manageable. There usually is not so much information that you need to keep it all in writing. In the case of Reading Comprehension, the passages are always available for you to refer back to, so there is rarely a need to transcribe their contents. Even with tricky or abstract passages, what matters most is your ability to understand structure, tone, and argument—things that are better grasped through active reading than excessive note-taking.

In fact, many test-takers who score in the top percentiles on GRE Verbal report taking few or no notes at all. Others take pages of notes during practice but never actually use them to answer questions. If you find that your notes go unused, they may be more of a distraction than a help.

This does not mean that note-taking has no value. If a small amount of writing helps you stay engaged, especially during a long study session, that is perfectly valid. The key is to be mindful and strategic. Take brief, high-value notes only when they genuinely help you organize your thoughts or clarify a confusing point. For instance, jotting down a brief summary after reading each paragraph in a Reading Comprehension passage might help you stay focused. But copying down every detail probably will not.

The bottom line is that note-taking should support your thinking, not slow it down. So, experiment with different approaches. Try answering questions with no notes, minimal notes, and more extensive notes, and then compare your accuracy and timing. You may discover that less really is more.

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

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep