What's on the GRE? Format, sections, and timing

The short answer

The current GRE General Test is short and predictable. It runs about 1 hour and 58 minutes across five sections and three measures (accessed 2026-08-07). Knowing the shape of the test up front helps you pace yourself and avoid surprises on test day.

The three measures

The five sections cover three measures with fixed question counts. There is one Analytical Writing task, Analyze an Issue, with 30 minutes (accessed 2026-08-07). Then come two Verbal Reasoning sections and two Quantitative Reasoning sections, broken down as follows.

• Two Verbal Reasoning sections totaling 27 questions
• Two Quantitative Reasoning sections totaling 27 questions

How it is scored

Each measure has its own scale. Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning are each reported from 130 to 170 in 1-point increments (accessed 2026-08-07). Analytical Writing is reported from 0 to 6 in half-point increments. That gives you two scaled scores and one writing score on your report.

Navigating within a section

The GRE lets you manage your own time inside each section. You can move forward and back and change answers within a section (accessed 2026-08-07). Use that to skip a hard question, bank the easy points, and return before the section ends. This flexibility only applies within the section you are working on, so spend the time you are given wisely.

Test center or at home

The format is the same wherever you sit it. ETS states the at-home GRE General Test is identical to the test-center version (accessed 2026-08-07), so the sections, timing, and scoring above apply either way.

Sources

Every source below was accessed on the listed date. Pages — especially department admissions pages — change without notice; the links go to the live versions.

1. GRE General Test Structure — ETS. Accessed 2026-08-07.
2. Getting Your GRE General Test Scores — ETS. Accessed 2026-08-07.
3. Taking the GRE General Test at Home — ETS. Accessed 2026-08-07.