Knowing the format cold before test day is not optional. Pacing decisions, section strategy, and energy management all depend on understanding exactly what is coming and when. This guide breaks down every section of the GRE with precise question counts, timing, and question types.
What Changed in September 2023
ETS significantly revised the GRE in September 2023. If you are looking at older prep resources, some of the numbers will be wrong. The key changes:
- Test duration dropped from approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes to under 2 hours
- The AWA section went from two essays (Issue + Argument) to one (Issue only)
- The unscored experimental section was removed entirely
- The total number of scored questions decreased
The format described below reflects the current test as of 2026.
The 5-Section Structure
The GRE has five sections, always in this order:
| Section | Questions | Time | |---|---|---| | Analytical Writing (AWA) | 1 Issue essay | 30 min | | Verbal Reasoning 1 | 12 questions | 18 min | | Verbal Reasoning 2 | 15 questions | 23 min | | Quantitative Reasoning 1 | 12 questions | 21 min | | Quantitative Reasoning 2 | 15 questions | 26 min |
Total: 54 scored questions plus one essay. Total time: approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes.
There are no scheduled breaks. There is no unscored research section. What you see above is the complete test.
Analytical Writing: 30 Minutes, 1 Essay
The AWA section always comes first. You get one Issue task: a brief prompt presenting a claim or recommendation, and you are asked to write a response presenting your own position with supporting reasoning.
You are not being tested on whether your position is correct. You are being tested on the quality of your reasoning, the clarity of your structure, and your ability to handle complexity and counterarguments.
The essay is scored on a 0 to 6 scale in half-point increments. The average score across all test takers is 3.56. For most graduate programs, the AWA carries less weight than your Verbal and Quant scores. That said, a very low AWA (below 3.0) can raise questions, and some PhD programs in writing-intensive fields take it more seriously.
30 minutes is tight. A strong response typically runs 4 to 5 paragraphs: a clear thesis, two or three developed supporting points, acknowledgment of a counterargument, and a brief conclusion. Spend the first 3 to 4 minutes outlining before you type anything.
Verbal Reasoning: Two Sections
Verbal Section 1 has 12 questions and 18 minutes. Verbal Section 2 has 15 questions and 23 minutes.
That works out to roughly 90 seconds per question in Section 1 and about 92 seconds per question in Section 2. Reading Comprehension passages eat into that budget, so effective pacing means moving quickly on Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions to protect time for RC.
Text Completion (TC)
TC questions present a short passage with one, two, or three blanks. Your job is to select the word or phrase that best fits each blank to complete the passage logically.
With one blank, you choose from 5 options. With two or three blanks, each blank has its own set of 3 choices. Scoring is all-or-nothing: with multi-blank TCs, you must get every blank correct to receive any credit.
Expect roughly 7 to 8 TC questions across both verbal sections combined.
The trap on TC is treating the blanks as independent vocabulary questions. They are not. The logic of the whole passage determines what each blank must do. Harder TC questions use vocabulary as a secondary hurdle after the logic is solved.
Sentence Equivalence (SE)
SE questions present a single sentence with one blank. You are given 6 answer choices and must select exactly 2 that each produce a sentence with the same overall meaning.
Like TC, scoring is all-or-nothing. Partial credit is not available.
Expect roughly 8 SE questions across both verbal sections.
The common mistake on SE is finding one word that fits and then choosing its synonym from the remaining choices without checking whether the resulting sentences actually produce the same meaning. Two words can be synonyms in general usage but have meaningfully different connotations in context.
Reading Comprehension (RC)
RC makes up the largest share of the Verbal section, approximately 12 to 13 questions across both sections.
Passages range from one paragraph to several paragraphs. Question types within RC include:
- Multiple choice (select one answer)
- Multiple choice (select all that apply, which is again all-or-nothing)
- Select-in-passage (click on the sentence that best performs a stated function)
RC topics pull from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and business. The subject matter is intentionally unfamiliar in many cases. You are being tested on your ability to work with what the passage actually says, not on your background knowledge of the topic.
The most common RC errors are: bringing in outside knowledge, choosing answers that are true but not supported by the passage, and misidentifying the author's tone or purpose.
Quantitative Reasoning: Two Sections
Quant Section 1 has 12 questions and 21 minutes. Quant Section 2 has 15 questions and 26 minutes.
You have access to an on-screen calculator for every Quant question. It is a basic 4-function calculator with a square root key. There is no exponent key, no logarithm function, and no trigonometry. Heavy reliance on the calculator is usually a signal that you are solving a problem the hard way.
The content covers four areas: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. No calculus. No trig. No formula sheet is provided, which means you need to memorize the basic formulas for area, perimeter, volume, and the Pythagorean theorem before test day.
Quantitative Comparison (QC)
QC questions present two quantities, Quantity A and Quantity B. You choose one of four answers: A is greater, B is greater, they are equal, or the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
Expect roughly 9 QC questions across both Quant sections.
QC is not about calculating both quantities. It is about reasoning about the relationship between them. Smart test takers use estimation, substitution of easy numbers, and logic to avoid calculation where possible.
The trap is answer choice D. "Cannot be determined" is the right answer when the relationship changes depending on the values you plug in, but many test takers over-apply it or avoid it when it is actually correct.
Multiple Choice: Single Answer
Standard multiple choice with 5 options, select one. Expect roughly 12 of these across both sections.
Multiple Choice: Multiple Answers
You are presented with a set of options and told to select all that apply. Scoring is all-or-nothing. Expect roughly 3 of these.
These questions are not guessable. You have to actually evaluate every option.
Numeric Entry
You type in your own answer, either an integer, a decimal, or a fraction. No answer choices are provided. Expect roughly 3 of these.
These reward calculation accuracy and force you to set up problems correctly from the start.
Data Interpretation (DI)
DI questions come in sets, typically 3 to 4 questions sharing one or more data displays like tables, bar charts, line graphs, or scatterplots. Expect approximately 6 DI questions total across both Quant sections.
The data displays are denser than what most test takers expect. The questions test whether you can read the data accurately, make correct comparisons, and avoid common misreads (like confusing absolute numbers with percentages, or misreading axis scales).
How the Adaptive Routing Works
The GRE adapts at the section level, not the question level. After you complete Verbal Section 1, the test routes you to either a harder or easier Verbal Section 2 based on your performance. The same happens with Quant.
If you are routed to a harder Section 2, you can reach a higher score. If you are routed to an easier Section 2, your score ceiling is lower regardless of how well you perform on those questions.
This creates a clear strategic priority: treat Section 1 as the highest-stakes portion of each subject area. The 12 questions in Verbal Section 1 and the 12 questions in Quant Section 1 collectively determine your routing for the rest of the test.
Performing well on the harder Section 2 is what separates 160+ scores from 155 scores. The questions that appear on the harder path are substantively more difficult, not just slightly more nuanced.
Practicing the Real Format
Reading about the format is not the same as experiencing it. Time pressure, question-level pacing, and adaptive routing all feel different under test conditions than they do in a relaxed study session.
The most efficient way to internalize the format is to practice under real conditions. The Deferred MBA practice builder lets you work through questions by section, type, and difficulty, so you can isolate the areas where your pacing breaks down before it costs you on the actual test. Adaptive mock exams simulate the real routing logic so you know what the harder Section 2 actually feels like.
Section-Level Summary
AWA: 30 minutes, 1 essay. Scored 0-6. Comes first, always. Argument structure matters more than vocabulary.
Verbal: 27 questions total across 2 sections. Three question types: Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence, and Reading Comprehension. All-or-nothing scoring on multi-answer questions. About 90 seconds per question on average.
Quant: 27 questions total across 2 sections. Four question types: Quantitative Comparison, single MC, multiple MC, and Numeric Entry. DI sets (~6 questions) require careful data reading. On-screen 4-function calculator available throughout.
Adaptive routing: Section 1 performance determines Section 2 difficulty in both Verbal and Quant. Strong Section 1 performance is necessary but not sufficient for a high score. You still have to execute on the harder Section 2.
Total time: Under 2 hours. No scheduled breaks. No unscored section.