GRE SE: Similarity Based Questions

GRE Sentence Equivalence questions reward you for building a clear meaning from the sentence and keeping that meaning steady as you move toward the blank. In similarity-based Sentence Equivalence questions, the blank strengthens or echoes what the sentence already suggests, so the correct pair aligns tightly in meaning and supports the same direction. Similarity shows up through continuation cues, restatement cues, and reinforcing tone, sometimes in a straightforward form and sometimes through layered phrasing. When you notice these similarity signals and stay aligned with the sentence direction, you choose answer pairs that fit naturally and precisely. For this reason, thoughtful coverage of similarity and its common patterns belongs in any well-designed GRE prep course.

The set of videos below handles similarity-based Sentence Equivalence scenarios with focus and care. Each video shares a clear method for spotting the similarity cues, confirming the sentence direction, and selecting the correct pair based on the exact meaning the sentence builds, then applies the same method to GRE-style Sentence Equivalence questions with realistic answer choices designed to test these patterns directly. The theory that follows the videos reinforces the same ideas. Absorb the concepts and the approach fully, then apply them consistently in GRE drills and full-length GRE practice tests to lift your Sentence Equivalence performance.

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What are “Similarity” Sentences | GRE SE

On the GRE, a “Similarity” sentence is one where the logic flows in the same direction. The idea in the first part of the sentence is mirrored or echoed in the second part. Identifying this relationship is your golden key to finding the right answer.

Some sentences express similarity in meaning, where different parts communicate closely aligned ideas that point in the same direction. About ten percent of GRE Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions use this pattern. Identifying the shared meaning across the sentence helps you complete the blank accurately.

Common “Similarity Triggers”

as, just as, like…
similar to, similarly…
just as… so too…

When you see these words, your brain should immediately think: “The second part of this sentence is going to match the first part!”

Sentences involving similar meaning on GRE SE

Step-by-Step Practice

Let’s look at two examples from the slide and solve them using our new strategy.

For a detailed explanation for examples on the slide, please refer to the video featured earlier on this page. Following is step-by-step written explanation.

Example 1

Just as cardiovascular exercise is a great way to burn calories, strength training is a great way to ________ muscles.

Step 1: Identify the Trigger. The sentence starts with “Just as.” This is our similarity trigger! It tells us that what happens in the first half is similar to what happens in the second half.
Step 2: Analyze the first part. “Cardiovascular exercise is a great way to burn calories.” The goal here is a positive result of exercise (burning/achieving a goal).
Step 3: Apply the similarity to the blank. Since cardiovascular work “burns” calories, strength training must “do” something positive to muscles. What do we do to muscles in strength training? We gain or build them.
Answer: ~ gain

Example 2

Sweltering one day and frigid the next, the weather in this city is as ________ as it is extreme.

Step 1: Identify the Trigger. We see the phrase “as ________ as it is…” This indicates a direct similarity between the two descriptions of the weather.
Step 2: Analyze the clues. The sentence starts by saying the weather is “Sweltering one day and frigid the next.” This means it changes quickly and is unpredictable. The end of the sentence also uses the word “extreme.”
Step 3: Apply the similarity to the blank. We need a word that is similar in meaning to “changing from one extreme to another.” A perfect word to describe this type of unpredictable behavior is erratic.
Answer: ~ erratic

GRE-style Question: Similarity in Meaning

A GRE SE-like example: Similarity in meaning

Correct answers: copious, abundant

For a detailed explanation of this question, please refer the last ~2 minutes of the video featured earlier on this page. Following is a step-by-step written solution:

Solution

Silver is the most widely circulated precious metal, and gold, which is a much rarer element but more heavily mined, is almost as ______ in circulation.

copious
essential
abundant
minuscule
lilliputian
noteworthy

Core Meaning

The sentence compares silver and gold. Silver is “widely circulated.” Gold is rarer, but because it is “more heavily mined,” it is nearly as plentiful as silver in terms of its presence in circulation.

Broad Expectation

I expect a word meaning “plentiful,” “large in quantity,” or “common” to match the idea of being widely circulated.

Eliminate

copious: Abundant in supply or quantity. Keep.
essential: Absolutely necessary. Does not fit the context of quantity. Incorrect.
abundant: Existing in large amounts. Keep.
minuscule: Extremely small. Opposite of the required meaning. Incorrect.
lilliputian: Trivial or very small. Opposite of the required meaning. Incorrect.
noteworthy: Interesting or significant. Does not specifically describe quantity. Incorrect.

Cross-check

Copious and abundant are synonyms that describe a large supply. They both logically complete the comparison showing that gold’s circulation levels approach those of silver.

Correct answers: copious, abundant