GRE Exam Pattern: Section-Wise Format
Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a popular admission test that is conducted by ETS. It is a graduate exam for candidates who want to pursue graduation from different colleges abroad. Three sections in the GRE are analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning, making it lengthy with a duration of more than 3 hours. The exam also has one section of analytical writing that contains two tasks. Questions in the GRE exam can be proven to be tricky, so candidates who are planning to take the exam should prepare well for it. Here, we will discuss the GRE Exam Pattern 2025 along with other details.
Key Highlights:
The GRE exam pattern consists of 54 questions across three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.
The Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections contain 27 questions each, while the Analytical Writing section consists of one task.
The revised GRE format simplifies the test by reducing its overall duration to 1 hour and 58 minutes, with a total score range of 260 to 340.
Select from the adaptive computer-based test, the standard paper-based test, or the flexible GRE at Home option, all of which are crafted to rigorously test your abilities under secure conditions.
GRE Exam Pattern
GRE exam pattern consists of 3 sections: Analytical Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning.
The GRE General Test is primarily computer-based. You have a total of 55 questions (27 for verbal reasoning, 27 for quantitative reasoning, and 1 for analytical writing), and you get a total of 118 minutes to answer them.
There is no negative marking for GRE, so you don't need to worry about answering a question wrong.
The GRE is a section-adaptive test, which means that the difficulty of the section of verbal and quantitative reasoning depends on how you perform in the first section.
Here's a simplified version of the GRE exam structure for your reference:
Computer-based | Sections | Total duration | No. of questions |
|---|---|---|---|
Verbal Reasoning | 2 sections | 41 minutes | 27 (Section 1: 12 Questions Section 2: 15 Questions) |
Quantitative Reasoning | 2 sections | 47 minutes | 27 (Section 1: 12 Questions Section 2: 15 Questions) |
Analytical Writing | 1 essay (Analyze an Issue) | 30 minutes | 1 |
Total | 5 Sections | 1 hour 58 minutes | 55 Questions |
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Type of Questions GRE Exam
The different kinds of questions are there in the GRE that vary from each section. Paper-based and computer-based have the same type of questions in each section. However, there are no reading comprehension select-in passage questions in the paper-based test. Let’s check the types of questions in different sections of the GRE exam.
Verbal Reasoning
The verbal Reasoning section consists of three main topics that are sentence equivalence, Reading Comprehension, and Text Completion in the GRE exam. The reading comprehension includes multiple choices in which you have to choose one correct answer out of five options. RC also includes MCQ in which all the correct answers are to be selected and the select-in passage question where a sentence in the passage is chosen that matches a specific description. However, the questions of sentence equivalence include six options with one blank in a single sentence. Finally, the text completion sub-section includes a passage with three blanks along with three options to choose from.
Quantitative Reasoning
There are four types of questions in the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE exam pattern which are given below:
MCQ with one choice of answer
MCQ with more than one choice of answer.
Numeric entry-type questions where you have to solve the question and write the final answer.
Quantitative Comparison questions
The question can be in the form of data interpretation in a set form or can occur independently. DI questions can vary in the form of data given in tables, graphs, or other forms.
Analytical Writing
The Analytical Writing section mainly includes two kinds of tasks that are
Analyze an Issue Task: It checks your ability to think critically on a topic and then express your thoughts in writing. In this task, a set of instructions is given with a statement based on which you have to answer.
Analyze an Argument: In this task, you have to analyze the argument given in the passage inspecting the structure and logic that the author uses to give their argument.
GRE Subject Test Pattern
The GRE subject test enables you to demonstrate your advanced expertise in fields like Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. Test duration is 2 hours and 50 minutes for the Mathematics Test and 2 hours for the Physics and Psychology Tests. Available only in paper form, they offer a concentrated test of your subject knowledge, allowing graduate programs to assess your depth of knowledge beyond overall aptitude.
Following is a brief summary of the format and major content areas for each GRE Subject Test, allowing you to tailor your study plan and prepare well for your area of interest:
Subject | No. of Questions | Test Duration | Content Focus and Question Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
Mathematics | 66 | 2 hr 50 mins |
|
Physics | 70 | 2 hours |
|
Psychology | 144 | 2 hours |
|
These tests, lasting approximately 3 hours, allow you to demonstrate proficiency in your chosen subject area.
