GRE Syllabus 2026: Complete Verbal, Quant & Analytical Writing Guide

The GRE General Test syllabus is built around three skills:

• Verbal Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Analytical Writing

The current GRE is much shorter than the pre-September 2023 exam. Its standard scored structure takes about 1 hour 58 minutes and contains:

• one 30-minute Analytical Writing task;
• two Verbal Reasoning sections;
• two Quantitative Reasoning sections.

The most important thing to understand about the GRE syllabus is that ETS does not publish a school-style chapter list that guarantees a fixed number of questions from every topic.

Instead, ETS defines:

• the skills each measure tests;
• the content areas;
• the question formats;
• the timing;
• the adaptive structure.

A good GRE study plan should therefore be built around skills + question types + content domains, not simply a long list of formulas and vocabulary words.

This guide focuses primarily on the GRE General Test, which is the exam most graduate, business, and law-school applicants mean when they refer to the GRE. GRE Subject Tests are covered separately later in the article.

GRE General Test Syllabus at a Glance

The standard scored test therefore contains:

• 1 writing task
• 27 Verbal questions
• 27 Quant questions

ETS's current GRE test structure lists the total testing time as approximately 1 hour 58 minutes.

There is no scheduled break in the current standard GRE General Test.

ETS also notes that an unidentified unscored section or identified research section may be included in some administrations.

GRE General Test vs GRE Subject Tests

Before studying the syllabus, make sure you know which GRE your target program requires.

GRE General Test

The GRE General Test measures broad graduate-level reasoning skills rather than knowledge from one academic major.

It tests:

• verbal reasoning;
• quantitative reasoning;
• analytical writing.

This is the GRE used across a wide range of graduate, business, and law-school applications.

GRE Subject Tests

GRE Subject Tests assess undergraduate-level knowledge in a particular discipline.

ETS currently offers Subject Tests in:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Psychology

They are separate exams from the GRE General Test.

A program may:

• require a Subject Test;
• recommend one;
• consider it optional;
• not use it at all.

Always check the exact admissions requirements for your target department.

GRE Analytical Writing Syllabus

The Analytical Writing measure contains one 30-minute Analyze an Issue task.

The old Analyze an Argument essay was removed from the GRE General Test beginning September 22, 2023.

ETS's current Analytical Writing guidance says the measure evaluates your ability to:

• articulate and support complex ideas;
• construct an argument;
• sustain a focused and coherent discussion.

It does not require specialized subject knowledge.

What Is the Analyze an Issue Task?

You receive:

• an issue or claim;
• specific instructions telling you how to respond.

Your job is to develop a reasoned position.

A strong response typically requires you to:

1. understand the exact claim;
2. follow the task instructions;
3. take a defensible position;
4. support it with reasons;
5. develop relevant examples;
6. consider complexity or alternative perspectives;
7. organize the essay coherently;
8. communicate clearly.

The task is not simply:

"Do you agree or disagree?"

The wording of the instructions matters.

Two prompts about similar subjects can require different responses.

What Skills Should You Prepare for Analytical Writing?

Thesis development

You should be able to state a clear position that directly answers the task.

Reasoning

Your claims need logical support.

Avoid simply listing opinions.

Evidence and examples

Examples should advance the argument rather than fill space.

They may come from:

• history;
• public policy;
• science;
• business;
• literature;
• personal observation;
• hypothetical reasoning.

Specific outside knowledge is not required, but your examples must make the reasoning clearer.

Organization

Your response should have a logical progression.

A common structure is:

• introduction and position;
• reason 1;
• reason 2;
• qualification or counterpoint;
• conclusion.

That is a framework, not a mandatory template.

Language control

ETS evaluates your ability to communicate effectively in standard written English.

The test interface provides a basic word processor but does not provide a spellchecker or grammar checker.

What Should You Not Study for GRE Analytical Writing?

You do not need to memorize:

• academic quotations;
• philosophical theories;
• statistics for specific topics;
• subject-specific facts.

The task measures reasoning and writing rather than factual recall.

ETS publishes the full Issue Topic Pool, making official prompts especially useful for practice.

GRE Verbal Reasoning Syllabus

GRE Verbal Reasoning contains 27 questions across two sections:

• Section 1: 12 questions in 18 minutes
• Section 2: 15 questions in 23 minutes

ETS identifies three main Verbal question types:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Text Completion
3. Sentence Equivalence

About half of the Verbal measure involves reading passages and answering questions about them. The other half focuses on interpreting and completing sentences, groups of sentences, or short passages.

What Does GRE Verbal Test?

ETS says Verbal Reasoning measures your ability to:

• analyze written material;
• evaluate written material;
• synthesize information;
• understand relationships among parts of sentences;
• understand relationships among words and concepts;
• reason from incomplete information;
• identify assumptions and perspectives;
• distinguish important from less important information.

So GRE Verbal is not simply a vocabulary test.

Vocabulary matters because Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence require precise understanding of word meaning.

But strong performance also requires:

• context;
• logic;
• passage structure;
• inference;
• argument evaluation.

GRE Reading Comprehension Syllabus

Reading Comprehension questions are based on passages drawn from a variety of subjects.

ETS notes that passages can come from:

• physical sciences;
• biological sciences;
• social sciences;
• business;
• arts and humanities;
• everyday topics.

You are not expected to have specialized knowledge of those subjects.

Reading Comprehension Skills

Prepare to identify:

• main idea;
• major vs minor points;
• author's purpose;
• author's assumptions;
• author's perspective;
• passage structure;
• explicit details;
• logical implications;
• conclusions;
• strengths or weaknesses in a position;
• possible alternative explanations.

Reading Comprehension Question Formats

ETS uses several response formats, including questions that ask you to:

• select one answer;
• select multiple correct answers;
• select a sentence from the passage.

Read the directions carefully because a multiple-answer question is not scored like a single-answer question.

GRE Text Completion Syllabus

Text Completion questions remove one or more important words from a short passage.

You use:

• grammar;
• logic;
• transition words;
• sentence structure;
• vocabulary;
• overall meaning

to determine which answer choices make the passage coherent.

A Text Completion passage can contain:

• one blank;
• two blanks;
• three blanks.

When there are multiple blanks, each blank must be answered correctly for the question to receive credit.

What Makes Text Completion Difficult?

The most common mistake is treating each blank as an isolated vocabulary question.

Instead, look for structural clues such as:

• contrast;
• continuation;
• cause and effect;
• concession;
• emphasis.

Words such as although, despite, therefore, however, and moreover can reveal the relationship the missing word must satisfy.

GRE Sentence Equivalence Syllabus

Sentence Equivalence gives you:

• one sentence;
• one blank;
• six answer choices.

You select two answers.

Both choices must:

1. make the completed sentence logically coherent;
2. create sentences with equivalent meanings.

This means simply choosing two synonyms is not enough.

The words must work in the context of the sentence.

What Vocabulary Should You Study for the GRE?

ETS does not publish a fixed official GRE vocabulary list.

So there is no finite "GRE syllabus of 1,000 words" that guarantees coverage.

Build vocabulary around:

• meaning;
• nuance;
• positive/negative connotation;
• contrast;
• context;
• word relationships.

For every new word, learn:

• definition;
• common usage;
• synonyms;
• antonyms;
• an example sentence.

Contextual knowledge is more useful than memorizing definitions in isolation.

GRE Quantitative Reasoning Syllabus

GRE Quantitative Reasoning contains 27 questions across two sections:

• Section 1: 12 questions in 21 minutes
• Section 2: 15 questions in 26 minutes

ETS organizes GRE Quant into four official content areas:

1. Arithmetic
2. Algebra
3. Geometry
4. Data Analysis

This is important: geometry is still part of the current GRE Quant syllabus.

The test does not include:

• trigonometry;
• calculus;
• other higher-level mathematics.

ETS describes the mathematics as generally no higher than a second course in algebra, along with high-school-level geometry and introductory statistics.

GRE Arithmetic Syllabus

Arithmetic topics include:

• properties of integers;
• divisibility;
• factorization;
• prime numbers;
• remainders;
• odd and even integers;
• arithmetic operations;
• exponents;
• roots;
• estimation;
• percentages;
• ratios;
• rates;
• absolute value;
• number line;
• decimal representation;
• sequences.

Arithmetic frequently appears inside word problems rather than as isolated computation.

GRE Algebra Syllabus

Algebra topics include:

• operations with exponents;
• factoring expressions;
• simplifying expressions;
• relations;
• functions;
• equations;
• inequalities;
• linear equations;
• quadratic equations;
• simultaneous equations;
• simultaneous inequalities;
• algebraic word problems;
• coordinate geometry;
• slopes and intercepts;
• graphs of functions, equations, and inequalities.

You should be comfortable translating verbal conditions into algebraic relationships.

GRE Geometry Syllabus

ETS explicitly includes geometry in the current Quantitative Reasoning content.

Topics include:

• parallel lines;
• perpendicular lines;
• circles;
• triangles;
• isosceles triangles;
• equilateral triangles;
• 30°-60°-90° triangles;
• quadrilaterals;
• polygons;
• congruent figures;
• similar figures;
• three-dimensional figures;
• area;
• perimeter;
• volume;
• Pythagorean theorem;
• angle measurement.

You are not required to construct formal geometric proofs.

GRE Geometry Figures Are Not Always Drawn to Scale

ETS makes an important distinction.

Ordinary geometric figures such as triangles and circles are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Do not estimate an angle or side length simply from the appearance of the diagram.

However, coordinate systems and graphical data displays are generally drawn to scale for interpretation.

GRE Data Analysis Syllabus

Data Analysis includes:

• mean;
• median;
• mode;
• range;
• standard deviation;
• interquartile range;
• quartiles;
• percentiles;
• tables;
• line graphs;
• bar graphs;
• circle graphs;
• boxplots;
• scatterplots;
• frequency distributions;
• elementary probability;
• compound events;
• independent events;
• conditional probability;
• random variables;
• probability distributions;
• normal distributions;
• combinations;
• permutations;
• Venn diagrams.

ETS does not test inferential statistics.

What Data Analysis Really Tests

The challenge is not only knowing formulas.

You need to:

• identify relevant information;
• interpret displays correctly;
• compare quantities;
• understand distributions;
• reason from data;
• avoid confusing correlation with what the data actually establish.

GRE Quant Question Types

ETS uses four main Quantitative Reasoning question formats.

1. Quantitative Comparison

You compare:

• Quantity A
• Quantity B

and determine whether:

• A is greater;
• B is greater;
• they are equal;
• the relationship cannot be determined.

This format rewards reasoning and testing possibilities rather than always solving for one exact number.

2. Multiple Choice — One Answer

You select one correct answer.

3. Multiple Choice — One or More Answers

You may need to select multiple correct choices.

Read the directions carefully.

4. Numeric Entry

You enter the numerical answer yourself rather than selecting from answer choices.

Data Interpretation Sets

Some Quant questions appear in sets based on the same:

• table;
• graph;
• chart;
• data display.

These are not a separate score section. They are part of Quantitative Reasoning.

Is a Calculator Allowed on GRE Quant?

Yes.

ETS provides a basic on-screen calculator for Quantitative Reasoning.

But calculator availability does not mean every question should be solved with it.

ETS recommends using it when calculations are tedious and relying on mental calculation or estimation when those approaches are faster.

You still need to know:

• what calculation to perform;
• which quantities matter;
• whether the result is reasonable.

How GRE Section-Level Adaptive Testing Works

GRE Verbal and Quant are section-level adaptive.

That is different from a question-adaptive exam.

For each measure:

• the first section has an average level of difficulty;
• the difficulty of the second section depends on your overall performance in the first.

If you perform very strongly in Verbal Section 1, Verbal Section 2 can be more difficult.

The same principle applies to Quant.

Your Verbal and Quant scores consider:

• the number of questions answered correctly across both sections;
• the difficulty level of the sections.

Can You Skip and Return to GRE Questions?

Yes.

Within a section, the GRE allows you to:

• skip questions;
• mark questions for review;
• move backward and forward;
• change answers;
• choose the order in which you work through questions.

This is an important preparation difference from question-adaptive exams.

However, once a timed section ends, you cannot return to it later.

GRE Score Ranges

The GRE General Test reports three separate scores:

Verbal and Quant are reported in 1-point increments.

Analytical Writing is reported in half-point increments.

There is no single combined GRE General Test score officially reported by ETS.

A program can therefore care differently about:

• Verbal;
• Quant;
• Analytical Writing.

Your target should reflect the expectations of the program you are applying to.

How to Turn the GRE Syllabus Into a Study Plan

The syllabus is useful only if it changes how you prepare.

A productive study plan follows five steps.

Step 1: Learn the Question Types

Before trying to improve speed, understand how each format works.

Verbal

Know the mechanics of:

• Reading Comprehension;
• Text Completion;
• Sentence Equivalence.

Quant

Know the mechanics of:

• Quantitative Comparison;
• single-answer multiple choice;
• multiple-answer questions;
• Numeric Entry;
• Data Interpretation sets.

Analytical Writing

Know the Analyze an Issue instructions and scoring criteria.

Step 2: Take an Official Diagnostic

Use an official POWERPREP practice test.

ETS currently provides free POWERPREP options designed to simulate the test experience and help candidates understand:

• question types;
• timing;
• calculator use;
• navigation;
• section-level performance.

Record more than your headline score.

Track:

• Verbal question type;
• Quant content area;
• timing;
• skipped questions;
• careless errors;
• vocabulary gaps;
• essay weaknesses.

Step 3: Map Weaknesses to the Syllabus

Suppose your diagnostic shows weak Quant performance.

"Study Quant" is too broad.

Identify whether the problem is:

• arithmetic;
• algebra;
• geometry;
• data analysis;
• Quantitative Comparison strategy;
• calculator dependence;
• timing.

The same applies to Verbal.

A low Verbal score may come from:

• vocabulary;
• passage comprehension;
• inference;
• Text Completion logic;
• Sentence Equivalence precision;
• pacing.

Study the cause, not merely the section name.

Step 4: Build Accuracy Before Speed

When learning a weak topic:

1. review the underlying concept;
2. solve questions without aggressive timing;
3. explain why each answer is right or wrong;
4. record recurring mistakes;
5. add timed sets once accuracy becomes stable.

Trying to solve everything quickly before understanding it can reinforce poor habits.

Step 5: Practice the Adaptive Structure

Full-length practice matters because GRE scoring depends partly on the difficulty of your second Verbal and Quant sections.

You need experience with:

• the 12-question first sections;
• the longer 15-question second sections;
• section-level adaptation;
• sustained performance after Analytical Writing.

Practice also helps you learn how aggressively to skip and return to questions within a section.

A Practical GRE Syllabus Checklist

Use this checklist before declaring the syllabus covered.

Analytical Writing

• Understand Analyze an Issue
• Practice forming a clear position
• Build reasons and examples
• Address nuance or counterarguments
• Practice organizing within 30 minutes
• Review ETS scoring criteria
• Practice without spellcheck

Verbal Reasoning

• Reading Comprehension
• Main idea
• Detail
• Inference
• Passage structure
• Author perspective
• Text Completion
• One-, two-, and three-blank questions
• Sentence Equivalence
• Vocabulary in context
• Multiple-answer formats

Quantitative Reasoning

• Arithmetic
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Data Analysis
• Quantitative Comparison
• Single-answer multiple choice
• Multiple-answer multiple choice
• Numeric Entry
• Data Interpretation sets
• Calculator strategy
• GRE mathematical conventions

Common GRE Syllabus Mistakes

Treating GRE Verbal as only a vocabulary test

Vocabulary matters, but the section also tests:

• comprehension;
• inference;
• argument evaluation;
• sentence logic.

Ignoring geometry

Geometry remains an official GRE Quant content area.

Studying calculus or trigonometry

ETS says GRE Quant does not include trigonometry, calculus, or other higher-level mathematics.

Preparing the old Analyze an Argument essay

The current GRE General Test contains only Analyze an Issue.

Assuming GRE is question-adaptive

Verbal and Quant are section-level adaptive.

Thinking you cannot revisit questions

You can move around freely within the active section and change answers before time expires.

Memorizing an unofficial fixed vocabulary list as the entire Verbal syllabus

There is no official finite GRE word list.

Vocabulary should be prepared in context.

GRE Subject Test Syllabus 2026–27

GRE Subject Tests are separate from the GRE General Test.

ETS currently offers:

1. Mathematics
2. Physics
3. Psychology

The Subject Tests are now computer-delivered.

For the 2026–27 testing year, ETS lists testing windows in:

• September 2026;
• October 2026;
• April–May 2027.

Check the current GRE Subject Test schedule before planning around an application deadline.

GRE Mathematics Subject Test Syllabus

The GRE Mathematics Subject Test contains approximately 66 multiple-choice questions and lasts 2 hours 50 minutes.

ETS divides the syllabus into:

Calculus

Approximately half of the test covers calculus and its applications.

Algebra

The Algebra component includes areas such as:

• elementary algebra;
• linear algebra;
• abstract algebra;
• number theory.

Additional Topics

The remaining questions draw from other areas commonly studied in undergraduate mathematics.

Use the official GRE Mathematics Subject Test content guide and practice book for the detailed scope.

GRE Physics Subject Test Syllabus

The GRE Physics Subject Test contains approximately 70 five-choice questions and lasts 2 hours.

ETS says most questions can be answered using material from the first three years of undergraduate physics.

Current content weights are:

The test can use:

• diagrams;
• graphs;
• experimental data;
• descriptions of physical situations.

ETS also expects familiarity with mathematical methods used in physics.

GRE Psychology Subject Test Syllabus

The GRE Psychology Subject Test contains approximately 144 multiple-choice questions and lasts 2 hours.

ETS organizes the test into six content areas:

Questions can require you to:

• recall factual information;
• analyze relationships;
• apply principles;
• interpret data;
• evaluate research design.

ETS states that the current Psychology Subject Test uses terminology, criteria, and classifications aligned with DSM-5-TR.

GRE Subject Test Timing and Delivery

Current GRE Subject Tests are computer-delivered.

Testing time is:

• Mathematics: 2 hours 50 minutes
• Physics: 2 hours
• Psychology: 2 hours

There are no separately timed sections within the Subject Tests.

This differs from older GRE Subject Test information that described all three tests as paper-delivered 2-hour-50-minute exams.

Should You Prepare for a GRE Subject Test?

Only if it is useful for your actual target programs.

Before preparing, check whether the program:

• requires the Subject Test;
• recommends it;
• considers it optional;
• does not consider it.

A strong Subject Test score cannot replace a required General Test if the program asks for both.

Likewise, taking a Subject Test that your program does not use may add preparation work without improving your application.

Frequently Asked Questions About the GRE Syllabus

What are the sections of the GRE General Test?

The GRE General Test has Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. Verbal and Quant each contain two scored sections.

How long is the GRE?

The standard GRE General Test takes approximately 1 hour 58 minutes.

How many Verbal questions are on the GRE?

There are 27 Verbal questions: 12 in the first section and 15 in the second.

How many Quant questions are on the GRE?

There are 27 Quant questions: 12 in the first section and 15 in the second.

How many essays are on the current GRE?

One. The current GRE contains a 30-minute Analyze an Issue task.

Is Analyze an Argument still on the GRE?

No. ETS removed the Analyze an Argument task from the GRE General Test beginning September 22, 2023.

What are the GRE Verbal question types?

Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence.

What math is on the GRE?

ETS lists four Quant content areas: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis.

Is geometry on the GRE?

Yes. Geometry remains part of the current GRE Quant syllabus.

Is calculus on the GRE General Test?

No. ETS says the General Test does not include calculus, trigonometry, or other higher-level mathematics.

Is there Data Sufficiency on the GRE?

No. Data Sufficiency is not a GRE Quant question type.

Is there a calculator on the GRE?

Yes. ETS provides an on-screen calculator for Quantitative Reasoning.

Is the GRE adaptive?

Verbal and Quant are section-level adaptive. Performance in the first section influences the difficulty of the second section of that measure.

Can you skip GRE questions?

Yes. Within an active section, you can skip questions and return to them if time remains.

Can you change GRE answers?

Yes. You can change answers within the current section before its timer expires.

Does GRE have a fixed vocabulary syllabus?

No. ETS does not publish a finite official vocabulary list. Vocabulary is tested through Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence, and comprehension in context.

What is the GRE Verbal score range?

130–170.

What is the GRE Quant score range?

130–170.

What is the Analytical Writing score range?

0–6 in half-point increments.

What GRE Subject Tests are available?

Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology.

Are GRE Subject Tests paper-based?

No. Current GRE Subject Tests are computer-delivered.

How long are GRE Subject Tests?

Mathematics lasts 2 hours 50 minutes. Physics and Psychology each last 2 hours.

Where should I start GRE preparation?

Start with the current ETS test structure and an official POWERPREP diagnostic. Then map your weaknesses to the syllabus areas in this guide.

For a full preparation plan, see our GRE preparation guide.

Final Takeaway

The GRE syllabus is easier to use when you stop thinking of it as one giant topic list.

The current GRE General Test has three distinct preparation jobs:

Analytical Writing

Learn to develop and support a clear argument in one 30-minute Analyze an Issue response.

Verbal Reasoning

Prepare for:

• Reading Comprehension;
• Text Completion;
• Sentence Equivalence;
• vocabulary in context;
• inference and argument analysis.

Quantitative Reasoning

Prepare for:

• arithmetic;
• algebra;
• geometry;
• data analysis;
• four official question formats;
• calculator use;
• GRE-specific mathematical conventions.

Then practice the test's section-level adaptive structure, including the ability to skip, mark, revisit, and change answers within a section.

If your program also uses a GRE Subject Test, treat that as a separate syllabus with separate content and timing.

The most effective preparation sequence is:

Understand the syllabus → diagnose your weaknesses → learn the underlying skills → practice the question types → add timed section practice → validate with official POWERPREP tests.

That turns the GRE syllabus from a checklist into a practical preparation plan.