GRE exam: what is on the GRE test, cost, scores and practice
The GRE exam (Graduate Record Examinations General Test) is the ETS admissions test for graduate, business and other professional programs, such as law. It takes about 1 hour and 58 minutes and has five sections: one Analytical Writing task, two Verbal Reasoning sections and two Quantitative Reasoning sections. Verbal and Quant are scored 130 to 170, the fee is US$249 in all areas except China, and scores are reportable for five years.
- Test
- GRE General Test, made and run by ETSETS GRE General Test at a Glance, checked 19 October 2026
- Test time
- About 1 hour 58 minutes, five sectionsETS GRE General Test Structure, checked 19 October 2026
- Sections
- Analytical Writing (1 task), Verbal Reasoning (12 + 15 questions), Quantitative Reasoning (12 + 15 questions)ETS GRE General Test Structure, checked 19 October 2026
- Score scales
- Verbal and Quant 130–170 in 1-point steps; Analytical Writing 0–6 in half-point stepsETS GRE Scoring & Reporting, checked 19 October 2026
- Passing score
- No passing score published by ETS on the pages checkedETS scoring pages and score interpretation guide, checked 19 October 2026
- Test fee
- US$249 (China: US$237.86); India: see ETS IndiaETS GRE General Test Fees, effective 1 August 2026, checked 19 October 2026
- Where
- At home, or at more than 1,000 test centers in more than 160 countriesETS GRE Registration, checked 19 October 2026
- Retakes
- Once every 21 days, up to five times in any rolling 12 monthsETS GRE Registration, checked 19 October 2026
- Score validity
- Reportable for 5 years after the test dateETS GRE Scoring & Reporting, checked 19 October 2026
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Why you can trust these GRE questions
What is the GRE exam?
The GRE General Test, often searched as the graduate record exam GRE, is the admissions test ETS offers for graduate school. ETS says it is taken for admission to graduate, business and other professional programs, such as law. ETS publishes guidelines that encourage institutions to use the scores appropriately.
Who runs the GRE test? ETS designs it, sets the fees, delivers it at test centers and at home, and reports the scores. ETS also offers separate GRE Subject Tests; this page covers the General Test, which is what most people mean by the GRE test.
Source: ETS — GRE General Test at a Glance. Checked 19 October 2026.
What is on the GRE exam?
The overall test time is about 1 hour and 58 minutes across five sections. Analytical Writing always comes first; the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections may follow in any order. Verbal and Quant are section-level adaptive: the first section of each measure is of average difficulty, and the second depends on how you did in the first.
An unidentified unscored section may also be included after Analytical Writing, so treat every section as if it counts.
- Analytical Writing: one "Analyze an Issue" task, 30 minutes
- Verbal Reasoning section 1: 12 questions, 18 minutes
- Verbal Reasoning section 2: 15 questions, 23 minutes
- Quantitative Reasoning section 1: 12 questions, 21 minutes
- Quantitative Reasoning section 2: 15 questions, 26 minutes
Source: ETS — GRE General Test Structure. Checked 19 October 2026.
Verbal Reasoning and GRE vocabulary questions
Verbal Reasoning has three question types: Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, which omits crucial words from short passages, and Sentence Equivalence, a single sentence with one blank where you pick two answers that give the same meaning.
GRE vocabulary questions therefore test words in context, not definitions in isolation. ETS points out that many words have different meanings in different contexts, and the answer has to fit how the word is used in the passage. GRE test vocabulary is best learned from reading, then checked with GRE verbal practice questions and verbal practice for GRE passages under time pressure.
Good GRE verbal sample questions show all three formats. ETS offers a free Mini Quiz and sells a book of 150 real Verbal Reasoning questions with complete explanations.
Source: ETS — GRE Verbal Reasoning. Checked 19 October 2026.
Quantitative Reasoning, GRE probability questions and the GRE test calculator
Quantitative Reasoning covers arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis at a level ETS describes as generally no higher than a second course in algebra. Data analysis includes elementary probability (compound and independent events), conditional probability and probability distributions, so GRE probability questions are a regular part of the measure.
Question types are Quantitative Comparison, multiple choice with one answer, multiple choice with one or more answers, and Numeric Entry. The GRE test calculator is a basic on-screen calculator in the Quantitative Reasoning measure. Practise with a basic on-screen GRE exam calculator rather than a scientific one, so you know what it can and cannot do on test day.
GRE practice problems are most useful when they mix all four question types, because Quantitative Comparison and Numeric Entry work differently from ordinary multiple choice.
Source: ETS — GRE Quantitative Reasoning Overview. Checked 19 October 2026.
How to take the GRE test: registration, cost and retakes
You register through your ETS account and choose a test center or testing at home. ETS offers the GRE General Test 24 hours a day at home and most days of the week at test centers, with more than 1,000 centers in more than 160 countries.
The fee is US$249 in all areas of the world except China (US$237.86), effective 1 August 2026; test takers in India are referred to the ETS India website. You can take the test once every 21 days, up to five times in any continuous rolling 12-month period, even if you canceled scores from an earlier attempt.
Source: ETS — GRE General Test Registration. Checked 19 October 2026.
GRE scores and GRE exam percentiles
Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning are scored from 130 to 170 in 1-point steps, Analytical Writing from 0 to 6 in half-point steps. Scores are available approximately 8 to 10 days after the test and are reportable for 5 years.
Your score report shows a percentile rank for each measure: the percentage of test takers who scored below you. For 2026–27, ETS bases these GRE exam percentiles on everyone who tested between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2025. In that group the mean scores were 151.39 in Verbal, 157.62 in Quant and 3.46 in Analytical Writing.
Source: ETS — Interpreting Your GRE Scores 2026–27. Checked 19 October 2026.
How hard is the GRE test?
ETS publishes no pass mark on the pages checked. A GRE score requirement, where one exists, is set by the program you apply to, so the useful question is how your scores compare with what your programs expect. How hard is GRE test math? ETS keeps Quant at high school mathematics and statistics, but the time limits are tight. The first Quant section gives you 21 minutes for 12 questions.
Is the GRE test hard in Verbal? It rewards careful reading and vocabulary in context more than memorised word lists. Because the second section of each measure adapts to your first, accuracy early on matters. The ETS mean scores above are the most honest reference point for what typical test takers achieve.
Source: ETS — GRE General Test Structure. Checked 19 October 2026.
GRE test vs GMAT
Both are accepted for business school. ETS reports that 92% of business schools accept the GRE alongside the GMAT, and that the GRE is also accepted by law schools, PhD programs and public policy programs. That breadth is the main argument for the GRE if you are applying to more than one kind of program.
In ETS’s comparison, the GMAT has Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights sections and no writing task, while the GRE keeps Analytical Writing. For current GMAT fees and rules, check the GMAT’s own official pages; this page only reports what ETS states.
Source: ETS — GRE vs GMAT. Checked 19 October 2026.
Free GRE practice test online from ETS
ETS offers two free POWERPREP Online practice tests. POWERPREP 1 is an untimed, full-length practice test; POWERPREP 2 is a timed, full-length test. Both include correct answers for Verbal and Quant and scored Analytical Writing sample essays with rater commentary. So yes, there is a GRE practice test free from the test maker, and ETS says these tests familiarize you with the question types, test features and help tools of the actual test.
Use the untimed test as a GRE sample test early on, and the timed one as a GRE sample practice test close to test day. ETS also sells POWERPREP PLUS tests at US$44.95 each with instant scoring. Official practice tests for the GRE are the most direct way to check your pacing: a full-length ETS GRE practice test under timed conditions shows where time runs out.
Source: ETS — POWERPREP practice tests. Checked 19 October 2026.
GRE prep materials and preparation resources
ETS says many people have prepared successfully using only free materials. Free GRE preparation resources from ETS include the two POWERPREP tests, a free 2-hour prep session and a Mini Quiz; ETS also offers a 100-page Math Review and a Math Conventions guide as PDF downloads. For GRE prep beyond that, ETS sells official GRE test prep materials: The Official Guide to the GRE General Test (US$45) and two books with 150 real Verbal or Quant questions each (US$25 each).
Official GRE preparation materials are the safest source of example GRE test questions, because ETS writes the real test. The two practice books contain ETS GRE practice questions with complete explanations, hints and tips.
Source: ETS — Prepare for the GRE General Test. Checked 19 October 2026.
GRE practice questions
Certsqill’s GRE practice questions are expert-developed and mapped to the three measures: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning, including GRE test questions on vocabulary in context, data analysis and probability.
Every question comes with an explanation for each answer option, and your results build a readiness score per measure, so you can see whether Verbal or Quant needs more GRE practice before you book a date. A 7-day money-back guarantee applies.
GRE questions people ask
What is on a GRE test?
One Analytical Writing task (30 minutes), two Verbal Reasoning sections (12 and 15 questions) and two Quantitative Reasoning sections (12 and 15 questions), about 1 hour 58 minutes in total. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
How much is the GRE test?
US$249 in all areas of the world except China, where it is US$237.86, effective 1 August 2026. Test takers in India are referred to ETS India. Source: ETS fees page, checked 19 October 2026.
Is there a calculator for GRE test day?
Yes. ETS provides a basic on-screen calculator in the Quantitative Reasoning measure. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
Is the GRE exam hard?
ETS publishes no passing score and no pass rate on the pages checked. For context, the 2022–2025 mean scores were 151.39 Verbal, 157.62 Quant and 3.46 Analytical Writing. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
Where can I find GRE exam example questions?
In ETS’s free POWERPREP tests and Mini Quiz, and in ETS’s official books, which include 150 real Verbal and 150 real Quant questions. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
Is there a free GRE practice test online?
Yes. ETS offers two free POWERPREP Online practice tests, one untimed and one timed. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
How often can I take the GRE?
Once every 21 days, up to five times in any continuous rolling 12-month period. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
How long are GRE scores valid?
GRE scores are reportable for 5 years after your test date. Source: ETS, checked 19 October 2026.
