Avoiding Careless Mistakes on the GRE
The purpose of the GRE is to show graduate schools what you know (within the limitations of the Analytical Writing, Verbal, and Quantitative sections), so the last thing you want is to make careless mistakes on problems that you know how to do.
What you need to remember: Just because a GRE question is easy (or seems easy), does NOT mean you need to concentrate less!
How Careless Mistakes Hurt Your GRE Score
Obviously, if you make a careless mistake you're going to lose points. However, remember that the GRE is a computer adaptive test. If you miss an easy question, then the next question the computer throws at you won't be a higher difficulty question. You want to be answering only high difficulty questions by the end of a section. Too many careless mistakes = no high difficulty questions.
Pay Attention to Details on the GRE
A common cause of careless mistakes on the GRE is that nervous test-takers mistakenly gloss over key words. After you read a GRE problem, ask yourself what exactly you are trying to find. Does the question ask what the author agrees or disagrees with? Are you being asked the radius or the diameter? You get the idea.
Check Before You Click
Once you confirm your answer, you won't be able to go back and change it. Make sure you checked the answer choice you intended, and then forget about it, and move on.
Bottom Line
Don't lose points on questions you know how to do. Just say no to careless mistakes on the GRE.