Test Content and Structure

Introduced in August 2011, the GRE® revised General Test features new types of questions that more closely reflect the kind of thinking you’ll do — and the skills you need to succeed — in today's demanding graduate and business school programs. It is designed to provide a friendlier, more flexible test-taking experience. Get a look at the structure of the computer-based or paper-based GRE revised General Test.

The GRE revised General Test measures your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills — skills that have been developed over a long period of time and are not related to a specific field of study but are important for all. Here's a look at content covered in the three test sections — Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing.

Verbal Reasoning

The Verbal Reasoning section measures your ability to:

• analyze and draw conclusions from discourse; reason from incomplete data; identify author's assumptions and/or perspective; understand multiple levels of meaning, such as literal, figurative and author's intent
• select important points; distinguish major from minor or relevant points; summarize text; understand the structure of a text
• understand the meanings of words, sentences and entire texts; understand relationships among words and among concepts

Featuring new types of questions, the Verbal Reasoning section measures your ability to understand what you read and how you apply your reasoning skills.

Get a quick view of the Verbal Reasoning Question Types.

Take a closer look at the Verbal Reasoning section.

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning section measures your ability to:

• understand quantitative information
• interpret and analyze quantitative information
• solve problems using mathematical models
• apply basic mathematical skills and elementary mathematical concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, probability and statistics

With increased emphasis on data interpretation and real-life scenarios, this section has new types of questions that require you to show your quantitative reasoning ability. To reduce the emphasis on computation, the computer-based test includes an on-screen calculator. And, if you are taking the paper-based test, a calculator will be provided at the test center.

Get a quick view of the Quantitative Reasoning Question Types.

Take a closer look at the Quantitative Reasoning section.

Analytical Writing

The Analytical Writing section measures your ability to:

• articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
• support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
• examine claims and accompanying evidence
• sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
• control the elements of standard written English

The Analytical Writing section requires you to provide focused responses based on the tasks presented, so you can accurately demonstrate your skill in directly responding to a task.

Get a quick view of the Analytical Writing Question Types.

Take a closer look at the Analytical Writing section.

Modified Versions of Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning Questions

The test you take may include questions that are modified versions of published questions or of questions you have already seen on the test. Some modifications are substantial; others are less apparent.

Even if a question appears to be similar to a question you have already seen, it may in fact be different and have a different answer. Pay careful attention to the wording of each question.

See also:

• Test Content and Structure of the Computer-based GRE revised General Test
• Test Content and Structure of the Paper-based GRE revised General Test