GRE verbal reasoning syllabus
Verbal Reasoning is 27 scored questions across two sections, the first of 12 questions in 18 minutes and the second of 15 in 23 minutes. The second is chosen on the strength of the first, which makes the opening section the one that sets your range.
About half the questions are based on passages. The rest are text completion and sentence equivalence, both of which test vocabulary in context rather than vocabulary in isolation. The GRE General Test syllabus hub page covers the other measures.
Pattern
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Section 1 | 12 questions in 18 minutes |
| Section 2 | 15 questions in 23 minutes |
| Total scored questions | 27 |
| Adaptivity | Section level. The second section is chosen on performance in the first |
| Scale | 130 to 170 in one point increments |
| Negative marking | None |
| Within a section | Skip, mark for review, return and change answers while time remains |
The full five section structure is below. Analytical Writing always comes first, and the two measures may then appear in either order.
| Section | Questions or tasks | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing, one Analyze an Issue task | 1 task | 30 minutes |
| Verbal Reasoning, section 1 | 12 | 18 minutes |
| Verbal Reasoning, section 2 | 15 | 23 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning, section 1 | 12 | 21 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning, section 2 | 15 | 26 minutes |
| Total | 54 scored questions plus 1 task | About 1 hour 58 minutes |
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Question types
Reading Comprehension
About half the questions on the test are based on passages, with one to six questions per passage.
- Multiple choice, select one answer choice
- Multiple choice, select one or more answer choices
- Select in passage, where you click the sentence that meets a description
- Questions on the main point, inference, the function of a sentence, author tone and the meaning of words in context
Text Completion
- Short passages of one to five sentences
- One to three blanks to fill
- Each blank has its own set of options, with no credit for a partially correct answer
Sentence Equivalence
- A single sentence with one blank
- Six answer choices, from which you select two
- The two correct choices must produce sentences alike in meaning
ETS does not publish how the 27 questions divide between the three types beyond the statement that about half are passage based, so any precise per type count found elsewhere is an estimate.
What is not in this section
- No grammar questions asked by name
- No sentence correction
- No published split between text completion and sentence equivalence
- No penalty for a wrong answer
- No question level adaptivity within a section
How to spend the time
Give the first section the steadier pace. It decides which second section you receive, so the 18 minutes there buy more than the 23 minutes that follow.
Use skip and return. Within a section nothing stops you leaving a long passage until the end, and on a section adaptive test that costs you nothing.
For Text Completion with three blanks, fill the blank you are surest of first and let it constrain the others. There is no partial credit, so all blanks must be right.
For Sentence Equivalence, find the meaning the sentence needs before looking at the options, then look for the pair that both produce it. Pairs of synonyms that do not fit the sentence are the standard trap. Browse the available GRE General practice papers.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the first section, which determines the second
- Reading a long passage in full before looking at its questions
- Taking partial credit on a multi blank Text Completion, which does not exist
- Choosing two synonyms in Sentence Equivalence without checking both fit the sentence
- Leaving questions blank in a measure with no penalty
- Learning vocabulary from lists rather than in context, when every type tests words in a sentence
Verbal Reasoning against Quantitative Reasoning
| Feature | Verbal Reasoning | Quantitative Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Scored questions | 27 | 27 |
| Section 1 | 12 questions, 18 minutes | 12 questions, 21 minutes |
| Section 2 | 15 questions, 23 minutes | 15 questions, 26 minutes |
| Measure time | 41 minutes | 47 minutes |
| Calculator | Not applicable | Basic on-screen calculator |
| Scale | 130 to 170 | 130 to 170 |
Frequently asked questions
How many Verbal questions are on the GRE?
Twenty seven scored questions, across sections of 12 and 15.
How long is the Verbal measure?
Forty one minutes in total, being 18 minutes and 23 minutes.
What are the three question types?
Reading Comprehension, Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence.
How many questions are passage based?
About half of the questions on the test, with one to six questions per passage.
How many answers do I select in Sentence Equivalence?
Two, from six options, and both must produce sentences alike in meaning.
Is there partial credit on Text Completion?
No. Every blank must be correct.
Is the Verbal measure adaptive?
At section level. Your performance on the first section determines the second.
Can I skip and come back?
Yes, within a section, while time remains.
Is there negative marking?
No. The raw score is the number of correct answers.
Does ETS publish how many of each question type appear?
No, beyond stating that about half the questions are passage based.