GRE Verbal Reasoning Basics

The Verbal Reasoning sections of the GRE are designed to test the student’s ability to evaluate written material, synthesize obtained information, analyze connections among component parts of a sentence, and recognize relationships between words and concepts. The GRE presumes fluency in English, and the Verbal Reasoning sections are designed to test the ability to analyze language in sophisticated ways. 

Verbal Reasoning comprises two of the four scored sections of the GRE. The GRE is adaptive on a section-level basis, so the composition of your second Verbal Reasoning section will be dependent on your performance in the first section. The first section will be composed of a mixture of easy and difficult questions; the difficulty level of the second section is adjusted based on your performance. Proficient test takers will “level up” the test and face more difficult questions in their second section. The difficulty level of the second section is taken into account when the final score is calculated, which means that more difficult tests have the potential to result in a higher final score.

The format of the Verbal Reasoning sections is as follows:

Verbal Reasoning Section	Number of Questions	Time Given
#1	12	18 minutes
#2	15	23 minutes

Test-takers are given 18 minutes to complete 12 questions in the first Verbal Reasoning section and 23 minutes to complete 15 questions in the second Verbal Reasoning section. On the GRE, there are a total of 27 Verbal Reasoning questions, and test-takers have a total of 41 minutes to complete these sections. The format of the Verbal Reasoning sections is the same regardless of whether you take the GRE at a test center or remotely from home.

The Verbal Reasoning sections of the GRE can be further divided into three categories of questions: Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence. About half the Verbal Reasoning questions are Reading Comprehension, and the other half are a mixture of Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence.

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension questions present a passage of text, varying in length from one paragraph to four or five paragraphs, followed by a series of questions related to the content, structure, and intent of the passage. Passages are drawn from the arts and humanities, everyday topics of interest, as well as physical, biological, and social sciences. These passages are based on material found in academic texts, nonacademic books, and periodicals, journals, and newspapers. One of the central challenges for students facing Reading Comprehension questions is that the passages are likely to be much more difficult and less engaging than what you usually read for entertainment. In order to maintain focus and correctly answer the questions, you must develop the ability to read and analyze efficiently even when you are not interested in the material.

Reading Comprehension questions come in three distinct types: 

1. Multiple choice (one correct answer from five options)
2. Multiple answers (more than one answer is correct)
3. “Select a sentence in the passage”

Make sure that you are familiar with these different question formats so that on test day you can focus on answering the questions rather than wasting time figuring out what they are asking. 

The most crucial difference between question types is the distinction between the two types of multiple choice questions—if you neglect to mark each correct answer for a “multiple answers” question, you will get the entire question wrong as there is no partial credit given on the GRE. The easiest way to establish that a question is “multiple answers” rather than “multiple choice” is to look at the formatting: on a “multiple answers” question, the answers will be formatted as check boxes rather than selection bubbles that only allow one answer selection. The best way to become familiar with this difference is to take numerous computer-based practice tests, so that you can easily and accurately identify and solve the questions appropriately on test day.

Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence

Sentence Equivalence and Text completion questions are similar in terms of content, and these are the main methods that the GRE uses to test vocabulary comprehension. Both types of questions require students to conclude how a passage should be completed based on partial information.

Text completion questions feature a passage of 1-5 sentences with 1-3 crucial words omitted. Answers must be chosen from a selection of words for each blank, with only one correct answer allowed per blank. There will be three answer options per blank, or five options if there is only a single blank. Selecting an answer for one blank does not limit your selection options for the remaining blanks. There is a single correct answer consisting of one correct choice for each blank; no credit is awarded for partially correct answers.

Sentence Equivalence Questions consist of a single sentence, one blank, and six answer choices. These questions require students to select two correct answers that are equivalent and complete the sentence in the same way. The two words may not be exactly synonymous, but this is fine; all that matters is that the completed sentences mean the same thing.

Conclusion

The Verbal Reasoning sections of the GRE are notoriously difficult and challenge test-takers to maintain concentration for an extended period of time while evaluating and synthesizing written matieral, analyzing connections among various parts of a sentence, and recognizing relationships between words and concepts. It is easy to become bored and lose focus while reading text that is more informative than entertaining, but this skill can be strengthened through targeted and consistent preparation.

The best way to become proficient in answering Verbal Reasoning questions is by taking practice exams and learning how to quickly identify the type of question you are being asked. The more you practice, the faster and more accurate you will be on the day of your exam, increasing your chances of obtaining an impressively high score and attending the graduate, law, or business program of your dreams.