The Verbal Reasoning section assesses your ability to:

• Analyze and draw conclusions from written material
• Identify author assumptions and perspectives
• Understand multiple levels of meaning
• Summarize text and understand its structure
• Recognize relationships among words and concepts

Major Question Types

1.Reading Comprehension

1. • Multiple-choice — Select One Answer Choice: Choose one correct answer from five options.

1. • • Tips: Read all choices before selecting. Ensure the answer fully addresses the question and matches the context.

1. • Multiple-choice — Select One or More Answer Choices: Select all correct answers from three options.

1. • • Tips: Evaluate each option independently. Up to three answers may be correct.

1. • Select-in-Passage: Click on the sentence in the passage that meets the given description.

• • • Tips: Evaluate relevant sentences only. Ensure the selected sentence matches the description accurately.

2.Text Completion

1. • Question Structure: Fill in blanks in passages using context clues.

1. • • Passages have one to five sentences with one to three blanks each.
     • One blank: five answer choices; Multiple blanks: three choices per blank.
     • Tips: Read the passage for overall understanding. Identify significant words. Fill in the blanks logically and check for coherence.

3.Sentence Equivalence

1. • Question Structure: Fill in one blank in a sentence using two of six answer choices.

1. • • Tips: Don’t just match word pairs. Ensure selected words create coherent sentences with similar meanings.

Summary

The Verbal Reasoning section includes Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence questions. Focus on understanding context, evaluating answer choices independently, and ensuring coherence and completeness in your answers.

The Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE General Test assesses:

• Basic mathematical skills
• Understanding of elementary mathematical concepts
• Ability to reason quantitatively and solve problems using quantitative methods

Content Areas

Quantitative Reasoning questions are either real-life scenarios or purely mathematical settings, often in the form of word problems. The four main content areas are:

1.Arithmetic

1. • Properties and types of integers (divisibility, factorization, prime numbers, remainders, odd/even integers)
   • Arithmetic operations, exponents, and roots
   • Estimation, percent, ratio, rate, absolute value, number line, decimal representation, and sequences of numbers

2.Algebra

1. • Operations with exponents
   • Factoring and simplifying algebraic expressions
   • Relations, functions, equations, and inequalities
   • Solving linear and quadratic equations/inequalities
   • Solving simultaneous equations/inequalities
   • Setting up equations for word problems
   • Coordinate geometry (graphs of functions, intercepts, slopes of lines)

3.Geometry

1. • Parallel/perpendicular lines, circles, triangles, quadrilaterals, other polygons
   • Congruent/similar figures, 3D figures
   • Area, perimeter, volume, Pythagorean theorem, angle measurement in degrees

4.Data Analysis

1. • Basic descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, interquartile range, quartiles, percentiles)
   • Interpretation of data in tables/graphs (line graphs, bar graphs, circle graphs, boxplots, scatterplots, frequency distributions)
   • Elementary probability (compound events, independent events, conditional probability)
   • Random variables, probability distributions, normal distributions
   • Counting methods (combinations, permutations, Venn diagrams)

Question Types

1.Quantitative Comparison Questions

1. • Compare two quantities (A and B) to determine which is greater, if they are equal, or if the relationship cannot be determined.
   • Tips:

1. • • Familiarize yourself with answer choices.
     • Avoid unnecessary computations; simplify where possible.
     • Recognize that geometric figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
     • Use substitution with numbers for algebraic expressions.
     • Simplify comparisons step-by-step.

2.Multiple-choice Questions — Select One Answer Choice

1. • Choose one correct answer from five options.
   • Tips:

1. • • Recheck your answer if it doesn’t match any choices.
     • Examine all choices and use elimination or substitution when necessary.
     • Determine the level of precision needed for approximation questions.

3.Multiple-choice Questions — Select One or More Answer Choices

1. • Select one or more correct answers from a list of choices.
   • Tips:

1. • • Note whether to indicate a specific number of choices or all that apply.
     • Identify the least/greatest possible values when necessary.
     • Recognize numerical patterns to avoid lengthy calculations.

4.Numeric Entry Questions

1. • Enter the answer as an integer, decimal, or fraction.
   • Tips:

1. • • Ensure you provide the type of answer required.
     • Pay attention to units and orders of magnitude.
     • Round answers correctly if specified, otherwise provide exact answers.
     • Check the reasonableness of your answer.

5.Data Interpretation Sets

1. • Answer multiple questions based on the same data presented in tables, graphs, or charts.
   • Tips:

1. • • Scan data briefly to understand its scope.
     • Focus on necessary data aspects (axes, scales, units).
     • Answer based on provided data and basic mathematical knowledge only.

Calculator Use

A basic on-screen calculator is provided, but it’s important to:

• Use it for time-consuming or complex calculations.
• Avoid it for simple computations or when estimation is quicker.
• Estimate answers beforehand to verify the calculator’s results.
• Use it to supplement, not replace, your mathematical reasoning.

Analytical Writing Measure (from September 22, 2023)

The Analytical Writing measure of the GRE General Test, starting September 22, 2023, assesses critical thinking and analytical writing skills, focusing on your ability to:

• Articulate and support complex ideas
• Construct arguments
• Maintain a focused and coherent discussion

It does not test specific content knowledge.

This measure includes a 30-minute “Analyze an Issue” task, where you evaluate an issue, consider its complexities, and develop an argument with reasons and examples. The test uses a basic ETS word processor with functionalities for inserting, deleting, cutting, pasting, and undoing text, but lacks spellcheck and grammar check.

Analytical Writing Measure (before September 22, 2023)

Before September 22, 2023, the Analytical Writing measure included two separately timed tasks:

1. Analyze an Issue: Evaluate an issue, consider its complexities, and develop an argument.
2. Analyze an Argument: Evaluate the logical soundness of an argument according to specific instructions.

Each task was 30 minutes, and the word processor had the same basic functionalities without spellcheck or grammar check.

Preparing for the Analytical Writing Measure

Regardless of writing proficiency, preparation is crucial. Understanding the skills measured, scoring guides, sample topics, and scored sample essays with rater commentary is essential. The tasks cover a wide range of subjects but do not require specific content knowledge.

Published Topic Pools

To aid preparation, the GRE Program provides the complete pool of potential tasks:

• Issue Topic Pool (PDF)
• Argument Topic Pool (PDF) (Note: The Argument task was removed starting September 22, 2023.)

Test-taking Strategies

• Review strategies, sample topics, sample essays with rater commentary, and the scoring guide before the test.
• Budget your time to consider the issue, plan your response, and compose your essay within the 30-minute limit.
• Reserve a few minutes at the end to check for errors. Occasional minor errors won’t affect your score significantly, but frequent or serious errors will.