1.2 Test Format & Structure (Shortened Post-September 2023 Format)

Test Format & Structure (Shortened Post-September 2023 Format)

Quick Answer: The current GRE runs 1 hour 58 minutes total with no breaks. You will write one 30-minute Analytical Writing essay, complete two Verbal Reasoning sections (12 questions/18 min, then 15 questions/23 min), and complete two Quantitative Reasoning sections (12 questions/21 min, then 15 questions/26 min). The Verbal and Quant measures are each section-level adaptive: your performance on Section 1 sets the difficulty of Section 2.

Why the Format Changed

In 2022 ETS announced a shortened GRE, which went live September 22, 2023. ETS cited test-taker experience and the move toward a leaner graduate admissions process. The shortened format preserves the same constructs, the same 130-170 / 0-6 score scales, the same percentile tables, and the same section-level adaptive algorithm. Old scores remain valid and comparable to new scores. The change is structural, not psychometric: less time, fewer questions, no Argument essay, no unscored/research section, no breaks.

Section Order

The test always opens with Analytical Writing. After AW, the order of the two Verbal sections and the two Quantitative sections is randomized for each test taker. You may see V-V-Q-Q, Q-Q-V-V, V-Q-V-Q, or Q-V-Q-V. Because section-level adaptivity is per-measure (V and Q are independent), the order in which you see V and Q does not affect scoring—you are simply alternating between two independent adaptive engines.

The Analytical Writing Section

You will see one Issue prompt drawn from the published ETS Issue Topic pool. You write a 4-6 paragraph argumentative essay taking a position on the issue and defending it with reasons and evidence. The Argument task was removed when the format shortened.

Verbal Reasoning Sections

The Verbal measure is split across two sections that are section-level adaptive:

How Section 1 goes determines the difficulty of Section 2. If you answer most Section 1 items correctly, the testing engine routes you to a harder Section 2, whose items carry more weight under the adaptive scoring model. If you struggle on Section 1, you receive an easier Section 2 with lower-weight items. There is no partial credit and no penalty for guessing—the GRE has no blank-answer penalty, so you should answer every question.

The 27 Verbal questions draw from three formats:

• Reading Comprehension — Passages (50-500+ words) with multiple-choice single-answer, multiple-choice multiple-answer, and select-in-passage questions.
• Text Completion — One to three blanks per item; one-blank items have five answer choices, two- and three-blank items have three choices per blank. All blanks must be correct for credit.
• Sentence Equivalence — One sentence, one blank, six answer choices. You select exactly two choices that produce sentences with equivalent meaning. No partial credit.

Quantitative Reasoning Sections

The Quant measure is also split across two section-level adaptive sections:

Quant items cover four content areas: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. No trigonometry, no calculus, no inferential statistics, no proofs. An on-screen four-function calculator (with square root) is available throughout the Quant sections. The calculator does not respect order of operations—it evaluates each operation as you enter it, so 2 + 3 × 4 returns 20, not 14. Use parentheses or compute step-by-step.

Quant items use five formats:

• Quantitative Comparison — Compare two quantities (Quantity A vs. Quantity B) and choose from four fixed answer choices (A is greater; B is greater; the two are equal; the relationship cannot be determined).
• Multiple-Choice — Select One — Five choices, one correct.
• Multiple-Choice — Select One or More — Three choices, one to three correct. No partial credit.
• Numeric Entry — Type an integer, decimal, or fraction.
• Data Interpretation Sets — Groups of 2-3 questions sharing a common table, graph, or chart.

Total Test Length and Scored Item Count

The whole test runs 1 hour 58 minutes with no breaks. Total scored items: 1 essay + 27 Verbal + 27 Quantitative = 55 scored responses. There is no optional research section and no unscored experimental section—every question you answer counts.

The 1:58 total is split as 30 + 18 + 23 + 21 + 26 = 118 minutes. Because there are no scheduled breaks, you should plan to use the brief transition time between sections (a few seconds each) as your only mental reset. Test center administrators will not pause the clock for restroom visits except in genuine emergencies, and At Home proctors enforce the same no-break rule.

Figure Conventions and the Calculator

Two test-day tools deserve emphasis because they shape how you approach Quant items. Geometric figures are not drawn to scale unless explicitly noted, so do not infer angle measures or relative lengths from a picture—use only the labeled measurements and the rules of geometry. Coordinate systems and graphical data, by contrast, are drawn to scale: you can read approximate values directly off axes and you can estimate slopes from plotted lines. The on-screen calculator is a basic four-function model with a square root key. It does not respect order of operations (entering 2 + 3 × 4 returns 20), it cannot store variables, and its transfer-display button copies the current display into a Numeric Entry box. Most Quant items are faster to solve with mental math, estimation, or scratch-paper arithmetic than with the calculator—reserve it for tedious multi-digit arithmetic and for checking work.

Section-Level Adaptivity in Practice

Because adaptivity is per-measure, you cannot "blow" your Quant score by a bad Verbal section or vice versa. The two measures are scored independently. The practical implication for pacing: a strong Section 1 of either measure unlocks a higher-scoring Section 2, so the first section of each measure is disproportionately important. Plan to invest slightly more attention per item in Section 1 than in Section 2 of each measure. If Section 2 of either measure feels noticeably harder than Section 1, treat that as confirmation that your Section 1 went well and stay aggressive—each correct item on a hard Section 2 is worth more scaled-score points than the same item on an easier Section 2.