If you have recently started studying for your GRE, you would know how daunting it can be to memorize 1000’s of words. Over the years, tutors and experts have come up with different methodologies to help students commit challenging words to their memories. One of these methodologies is the use of flashcards to learn new words.

Flashcards have proved time and again that they are the best way to go about expanding your vocabulary.

What are flashcards? Well, there isn’t much to it. As the name suggests, Flashcards have the word written on one side and its corresponding meaning on the other. They have been around for decades and offer a simple way to memorize arcane words.

They are more convenient than a book as they don’t take much space; you can stash a handful into your pocket as you go about your day and take them out whenever you have spare time.

I recently did an article on the Top 5 GRE flashcards and while every flashcard product on that list is a great choice, what I have today offers a different level of ease and practicality. Most of all, it’s completely free!

I am talking about the Magoosh GRE flashcards app for Android and iOS.

You can even view them on your desktop or laptop PC.

What makes Magoosh GRE flashcards different?

Unlike physical flashcards, Magoosh is a digital app available on smartphones as well as PC. Since practically everyone carries a smartphone these days, it is more convenient to view them in an easy to use interface. The digital nature of the flashcards saves you from having to carry physical flashcards. Moreover, the app won’t cost you a dime.

What does the Magoosh flashcard app offer?

Magoosh GRE flashcards app is essentially the same across all three platforms. You can download the app on Android/IOS or view their webpage on a computer.

The user interface is straightforward and intuitive. When you open the app, you will see a screen that lists different “decks” of varying difficulty levels.

The first cluster has six decks named “Common words I” to “Common words VI.”

Each deck contains 51 words. The app will track your progress for each deck, and a bar underneath will show you the progress.

The second cluster of decks that you will find is named “Basic I” to “Basic VI.” Like the previous decks, these are also 6 in number, each containing 50 words instead of 51. As suggested by the name, these are the entry-level decks.

The third and final cluster of decks is named “Advanced I” to “Advanced VII.” Unlike the previous difficulty levels, this one has seven decks instead of 6. Each deck contains either 50 or 51 words.

Moreover, the app will also test your memory. There are three “fill in the blank” exercises in the first “common words” section. However, for some reason, these exercises don’t exist in the later decks.

How to Use the Magoosh Vocabulary App Effectively?

Select the deck you want to learn, and it will show you a random word that corresponds to that deck’s difficulty level. When the word is displayed, you can choose to view the meaning by tapping the Flashcard.

Along with the meaning, Magoosh will also provide the part of speech and an example sentence. The example sentence is an excellent feature since it allows you to see how GRE contextually uses a word within a sentence. Most of these sentences focus on the GRE way of using and testing these words.

Another great feature is that you can tap the little speaker symbol next to the word and hear the word’s pronunciation. Although GRE does not test pronunciation, it is a great little feature to learn word pronunciation, especially if you are a non-native speaker.

Once you have read the meaning, there will be two options underneath. “I knew this word” and “I didn’t know this word.”

When you tap the former, the app will save it as “mastered,” and the progress bar will move further. When you tap the later, the app will know that you are learning this word, and a corresponding bar will fill up.

Words that you have successfully learned will never reappear. However, words that you are still learning will come up frequently in the rotation.

According to Magoosh developers, academic research has found that memories form due to repeated exposure to new information, so Magoosh’s flashcard app uses a spaced repetition system.

Pros of using Magoosh GRE flashcards

An exhaustive list of 1000+ words

Magoosh app offers a total of 1000 words, which is an all-encompassing list of all the possible words that can show up on the GRE. If you can finish these words with diligence, then the likelihood of not knowing a word on the exam day is next to none.

If you cannot do all words, I would strongly suggest that you carefully focus on only the common terms. Common words are enough to help you secure a decent verbal score, which is around 152.

Includes parts of speech, audible pronunciation, and example sentence

Although GRE does not test parts of speech or word pronunciations, GRE does lay a lot of emphasis on correct word usage. Only knowing the literal meaning of words will not be enough. Therefore, Magoosh has done an excellent job of including contextual use of these words, which is all that you would need on the exam day.

Words are chosen by top GRE experts 

You want your GRE prep material to be designed by those who have relevant experience in the field. In this regard, Magoosh has an experienced team of content creators who have selected the most appropriate words for you to do well on the exam day. Many words on the GRE have multiple meanings, and the experts at Magoosh have done a great job in identifying all the variations that the GRE uses to test students. Rest assured, the Magoosh app does not miss out on any words or their contextual usage.

Contains words of all difficulty levels

Magoosh flashcards app is suited for everyone, whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner. The three difficulty levels; Basic, Common, and Advanced, cover the entire range of important words. If you have limited prep time, you can focus on the essential and common words and still do well on the exam. If you are a beginner and have a hard time learning words, then Magoosh is still an excellent resource for you since it will start with the most straightforward words and gradually take you to the most challenging level.

Tracks your progress

A sense of where you stand is vital when studying for your GRE. You need to be able to keep track of your progress and identify where more work is required. The progress bar in the Magoosh vocabulary app helps you track the words that you have mastered and the ones that you haven’t.

Provides drills to test your Knowledge

Remember, GRE is all about practice. You can learn all the words there are, but if you don’t know the usage and the context behind them, your arsenal of crafty words is no good. Therefore, Magoosh offers fill-in-the-blank exercises where you can apply your newly acquired knowledge of words. This activity helps you a long way in retaining difficult words and understanding the subtle ways that the GRE tests them.

Smart algorithm for the best learning

Thanks to the smart spaced-repetition algorithm, the app keeps track of your learning pattern as you learn new words. It won’t repeat words that you have already learned. This makes sure that you don’t waste time on unnecessary repetitions. Instead, words you are having difficulty with will often reappear so that you can successfully memorize them.

Easy to use interface

Although a good user-interface doesn’t have any bearing on your GRE prep, it is still important as you don’t want yourself wasting time dealing with a cluttered interface. The Magoosh app offers an easy-to-use and friendly interface.

Free of cost

We know that the accumulated fees of GRE and the preparation material can be expensive for some students. Therefore, having something handy that is totally free is a blessing. Whereas other flashcards can cost you a few dollars, the Magoosh app is free to use.

Cons of using Magoosh GRE Flashcards

Includes only one example sentence per word 

Context plays a vital role in GRE’s verbal section, and knowing which word goes where makes a huge difference. Some other flashcards that I have seen in the past offer 2-3 example sentences. In my opinion, the more examples you have, the better chances you have of grasping the meaning. In this regard, Magoosh falls a little short.

Doesn’t include additional info such as roots, origin, mnemonics of the words

The GRE will never test you on your understanding of a root or the origin of a word. However, that is not why this functionality is essential.

Learning the origin or a fun mnemonic about a word can significantly help you retain the meaning – especially when you learn 100s of new words. Some words can be boring to learn, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t retain them. In such cases, any nuance about a word might help you make a connection with its usage or meaning. Magoosh, unlike Manhattan GRE flashcards, misses this functionality.

Doesn’t include synonyms or antonyms

GRE verbal section, especially sentence equivalence questions, rely heavily on knowing synonyms. Antonyms are also helpful in eliminating certain answer choices.

Hence, it would have been a massive help if Magoosh had included synonyms and antonyms for the words. Again, Manhattan GRE flashcards do that.

Doesn’t have practice drills for all decks

The app only offers three “fill in the blanks” exercises for the Common words. Practice exercises are essential for learning new words, but no such activities can be found for “basic” and “advanced” level words in the app.

Pronunciation available only if connected to the internet

Although the app will work just fine when not connected to the internet, pronunciation can only be heard when you have an internet connection. It would have been better if the app downloaded the database for pronunciations so you could use it anywhere regardless of an internet connection.

Bonus tip

There is a Magoosh Chrome extension that highlights high-frequency GRE words that appear on any website. This is undoubtedly a great resource that will help you identify these words from actual written work. Use this in your daily reading as a bonus.

The bottom line

Magoosh GRE flashcards are a great free resource for expanding your vocabulary. They offer tons of great features and fall short in very few areas.

It would have been amazing if Magoosh had added synonyms, antonyms, multiple sentence examples, roots and origin of the words. Then this product would have been 10/10. Still, Magoosh vocabulary flashcards are an exceptional free resource that you must use for your GRE prep.

There is no reason why you shouldn’t add Magoosh flashcards to your GRE prep arsenal.

Word of caution: Be wary that learning these words is not the end of the story. You could be a walking dictionary, but if you don’t have critical reading and comprehension skills, you will find yourself utterly confused on the GRE.

GRE sentence structure is complicated and requires lots of prior reading practice. If you are uninitiated in the world of academic reading, then you will find yourself overwhelmed by the text in front of you.

I advise that you supplement your vocabulary learning with reading for at least 1 hour a day. If you are reading a high-quality text, then you will come across many new words. You can look them up as you read and try to incorporate them into your daily routine.

Moreover, I can’t stress this enough – practice and practice! There are several free GRE practice tests available that you can take. You need to know how the actual GRE works, how the passages are structured, the time duration, etc.

Best of luck!