GRE Reading Comprehension questions test how well you can read and understand written passages. The topics are usually at the graduate school level. About half of the verbal section questions are based on passages, and each passage can have 1 to 6 questions.
The verbal section of the GRE is scored from 130 to 170, and reading comprehension is a major part of it. Practicing GRE reading comprehension questions helps you understand the test format and common topics.
There are 3 main types of reading comprehension questions:
- Choose one correct answer
- Choose one or more correct answers
- Select a sentence from the passage
Regular practice with GRE reading comprehension examples can help you score higher on the verbal section.
GRE Reading Comprehension Syllabus
The GRE reading comprehension passages can be both academic and non-academic. For each passage, you will be asked 1-6 questions. The total number of reading comprehension questions in the GRE verbal reasoning section is 10-13. Each GRE RC passage is constructed of 4 sections, as mentioned in the table below:
| Building Blocks | Description |
|---|---|
| The Point | Carries the information that the author is trying to address. |
| The Background | Highlights the information to develop an understanding of the passage. |
| Support | Additional information is provided in the passage as evidence or examples. |
| Implications | The concluding part might comprise a solution or an effective statement to end the passage. |
GRE Reading Comprehension Question Types
There are 3 types of questions asked under the Reading Comprehension category of the Verbal section of GRE. The table below gives a brief explanation for each of the questions types.
| Question Types | Description |
|---|---|
| Multiple Choice Questions | To choose one appropriate option as an answer from five choices. |
| Multiple Choice Questions | To choose single or multiple answers from three given options. |
| Select-in-Passage | To select the appropriate sentence from reference to the passage. |
Multiple Choice Questions (Choose 1 Answer)
In this question type, candidates are to select one option as a response to the answer.
For example:
Multiple Choice Questions (Choose 1 or Multiple Answer)
Candidates can choose single or multiple options as their answers.
For example:
Select-in-Passage
Candidates are required to select the appropriate sentence from reference to the passage.
For Example:
GRE Reading Comprehension Concepts
The GRE RC question types are based upon certain ideas as portrayed in the GRE passages. These ideas have been explained below:
- Main-idea questions: Most common question type where the candidates are required to find the main purpose or primary idea of the passage.
- Author’s tone question: Quite a tricky question type, here candidates need to recognize the tone of the author.
- Specific fact question: Candidates are required to pinpoint the particular information required.
- Implied question: Here one has to detect the implied/suggested idea.
- Structural question: this question type asks to identify the structure or writing style.
- Extrapolation questions: The most complex of all, this requires the candidate to extrapolate or compare the author’s statements with other situations.
- Negative/Exception question: Requires the candidate to identify the negative or false answer from the choices.
- Contextual questions: This requires the candidate to guess the meaning of an unknown word by reading the passage.
GRE Reading Comprehension: Skills Assessed
GRE reading comprehension questions are designed to assess you on a wide range of abilities and scores are credited accordingly. GRE reading materials prepare candidates to read and understand forms of prose that occur in graduate school. The assessment areas GRE RC passages includes:
- Understanding the significance of words and sentences.
- Understanding the significance of long passages and texts.
- Ability to differentiate between major and minor texts.
- Summarising a passage.
- Concluding the major points from the passage.
- Interpreting incomplete sentences and inferring missing facts.
- Understanding the interconnections of the texts.
- Understanding the author’s assumptions.
- Evaluating and concluding a text.
- Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of a passage.
- Evolving alternative responses.
GRE Reading Comprehension Strategies
GRE reading passages require you to understand the piece of text with respect to words and sentences. GRE RC strategies and GRE RC tips prepare candidates for ensuring active engagement with the text provided, formulation and evaluation of hypotheses, and understanding relationships. GRE RC tips include the following:
- Avoid taking notes in full sentences.
- Prepare a simple passage map.
- Keep a track of single-line words.
- Understand and highlight the first paragraph, the beginning and concluding sentences.
- Remember to recap your understanding.
- Practice from GRE practice papers with timing.
- Identify the relationship between distinctive ideas. For instance:
- Are they contradictory or persistent?
- Does one stand for the other?
- Does one indicate the other in greater detail?
- Does one cover the other in a particular sequence?
- Concentrate on every word in the sentence and answer exactly what is being asked.
GRE Reading Comprehension Books
To do well in the GRE Reading Comprehension questions, you should practice regularly using good study materials. There are many GRE prep books and reading resources available online. To improve logical thinking and reading skills, it’s helpful to read quality publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Scientific American, and The London Review of Books. Below are some of the best GRE reading comprehension practice book PDFs for preparation:
- GRE Verbal Workbook – Kaplan: Check PDF
- Manhattan GRE Reading Comprehension & Essays: Check PDF
- Manhattan Prep Reading Comprehension & Essays: Check PDF
- GRE Prep by Magoosh: Check PDF
- The Official Guide to GRE by ETS: Check PDF
GRE Reading Comprehension Practice Papers
You can practice GRE Reading Comprehension using sample papers available on various websites. Below are some practice papers that can help you improve your skills and understand the question pattern:
Mastering GRE Reading Comprehension requires consistent practice, strong analytical reading, and familiarity with question patterns. On average, this section contributes to about 50% of the verbal reasoning score (130–170 scale), making it crucial for achieving a competitive overall GRE score. Regular practice using official GRE materials and reputed prep books can significantly improve accuracy, reading speed, and comprehension efficiency.
FAQs
Ques: How do I practice Reading Comprehension for the GRE?
Ans: You can practice GRE reading comprehension by focusing on the opening and the closing paragraph of longer passages, saving unfamiliar passages for last, and understand the question properly then answer.
Ques: What is a good reading speed for GRE?
Ans: Reading a question on average of 1.5 minutes is considered a good reading speed. You need to practice regularly to increase your reading speed.
Ques: How much time should be given to Reading Comprehension in GRE?
Ans: You must have a good understanding and ability to read long passages in 3 minutes and for the short passages you must allocate 1 minute to 30 seconds for reading.
Ques: What is the structure of the GRE reading?
Ans: Each RE reading comprehension passages will be between 1 and 5 paragraphs in length, and will have between 1 and 6 questions each.
Ques: How can I improve my GRE score fast?
Ans: You can improve your GRE score fast by taking a coaching class, reading comprehensive books, and y solving sample papers regularly.
Ques: Where is the best place to practice Reading Comprehension for GRE?
Ans: You can effectively practice RE reading comprehension by reading academic text books, and the best available GRE verbal books.
Ques: How many comprehension questions are on the GRE?
Ans: Reading comprehension is a part of GRE verbal reasoning, and there are approximately 14 questions on the exam, and you should spend 1 to 3 minutes to read a passage and 1 minute to answer.
Ques: What is the highest GRE score?
Ans: The highest GRE score is 170 each for both verbal and quant section, and 6 for the analytical writing section. Achieving a score of 320 is accepted by all of the top-ranked universities worldwide.
Ques: Does the GRE repeat questions?
Ans: GRE do not repeat questions, you can get the topic idea, and can understand the exam pattern by regularly practicing GRE sample papers and previous year question papers.
Ques: How is a GRE score of 311?
Ans: GRE total score is ranges on a scale of 260 to 340, and you need to achieve a score of 311 is considered as a very good score and accepted by some of the best universities worldwide.
Ques: How much GRE score is required for Harvard?
Ans: GRE score requirements for Harvard, depends on the courses you are opted for. You need to achieve a minimum score of 162 in quant, 158 in verbal, and 4.5 in GRE AWA for Harvard.
Ques: How much GRE score is required for scholarship in USA?
Ans: Candidates need to achieve a minimum GRE score of 300, to apply to any scholarship. Achieving a higher score increases the candidate's chances of getting scholarship.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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