GRE is one of the most standardized international exams taken by thousands of students for pursuing higher courses abroad. While there are two types of GRE Tests: GRE General Test & GRE Subject Test, each requires different exam pattern and syllabus.
For candidates who are attempting for GRE exams, time management and consistency are important to crack this test. Students can either self-study or join some coaching institutes for preparing the exam. Coaching institutes for this kind of foreign entrance examination help and train students with some important tips and tricks to crack the exam successfully with a good score. Getting to know the exact pattern of GRE exam is the first and foremost step before one starts the preparation. So, get to know more about the GRE exam pattern here and be familiar with those before you take up the exam.
While the GRE tests can be taken through two different modes: computer & paper-delivered test, it is of utmost importance to understand the different patterns of exam.
GRE Computer- Delivered Test Pattern
The GRE question paper consists of three main sections and the duration of the GRE exam is 3 hours 30 minutes for a computer-delivered test.
- Analytical Writing
- Verbal Reasoning
- Quantitative Reasoning
Each of the sections in computer based pattern is further divided into two sub-sections with a total of 40 questions in Verbal & Quantitative Reasoning. Analytical Writing of the computer-delivered test contains two tasks with 1 hour time duration. Also, there are two other variable sections in the computer based GRE test pattern. There is a ten-minute break in this section after the end of the Quantitative Reasoning part.
GRE Paper-Delivered Test Pattern
The paper based exam has different pattern of which includes two sub-sections of the three main categories-Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning & Quantitative Reasoning.
For the paper-delivered test, the total time given for candidates to complete the exam is 3 hours 40 minutes.
| GRE Section | Duration | Tasks/Sub-sections |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing | 60 mins | 2 |
| Verbal Reasoning | 60 mins | 2 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 70 min | 2(50 questions) |
Pay attention to the test format and manage your time accordingly. Since there are certain variable sections in the exams, the exam might seem a bit longer than expected. However, don’t be stressed and stay calm during the whole exam.
