looking for gre practice questions? you’ve come to the right place! the gre asks a lot of different types of questions in both its math and verbal sections. we’ll break down the major categories, and you’ll have an opportunity to try out every kind of problem.
each sample gre practice question comes with a detailed explanation in both video and text format so, be sure to check your answers at the end to see where you did well and where you need improvement.
lastly, we’ll take a look at some other free resources available to you that allow for even more opportunities to practice. let’s get started!
table of contents
- gre practice questions for quantitative reasoning
- gre practice questions for verbal reasoning
- example gre practice question for analytical writing
- answers and explanations
- where can i find more gre practice questions?
gre practice questions for quantitative reasoning
first, for more information about the gre quantitative reasoning section as a whole, please see our gre math review article. in there, we discuss the structure of the math sections as well as various strategies for studying and answering questions.
now, let’s dive into the sample questions! there are four main types of math questions on the gre, along with a special fifth case.
1) quantitative comparison
you’ll be given two values: column a and column b. your goal is to determine the relationship between the two.
when car s covered a distance of d on a track, it covered 25% more distance than car t had covered on the same track.
| column a | column b |
|---|---|
| the distance covered by car t | 0.80d |
2) multiple-choice
the standard multiple-choice format with five answer choices.
the price of a pair of sneakers was $80 for the last six months of last year. on january first, the price increased 20%. after the price increase, an employee bought these sneakers with a 10% employee discount. what price did the employee pay?
3) multiple-answer
similar to multiple choice except that you can select one or more answers.
both p and q are positive numbers, and s is a negative number. which of the following fractions could be undefined?
4) numeric entry
instead of five answer choices to guide you, you’ll type your answer into a box.
if \(\left(\dfrac{2^{-n}}{3}\right)\left(\dfrac{3^{-n}}{2}\right) = \dfrac{1}{36}\), what is the value of n?
5) data interpretation
some of the gre math questions appear on their own, independent of other information. others appear as a set of questions called a “data interpretation” set. data interpretation questions are all based on the same set of data presented in tables, graphs, or some other sort of display. and though they’re frequently multiple choice questions, you’ll also sometimes encounter numeric entry or multiple answer in a di set.
here’s an example of how data interpretation can show up on gre math:
gre practice questions for verbal reasoning
first, for details about the structure of the verbal sections, as well as study advice, check out our gre verbal review article.
now, let’s practice! as for verbal, there are also four main types of questions on the gre.
1) text completion
in a sentence or a paragraph, there will be 1 to 3 blanks. based on the surrounding context, your goal is to select the appropriate vocabulary words (or phrases) to fill in each blank.
the gossip columnist’s (i) ____________ was (ii) ____________ the number of her published columns–the more articles she wrote, the more untruths she spread.
blank (i):
blank (ii):
2) sentence equivalence
for a single blank, select two vocabulary words (or phrases) such that they both create sentences with similar meanings.
as the job fair neared to an end, the recent college graduate became ever more ______, desperately trying to befriend prospective employers he had earlier not even deigned to give so much as a cursory glance.
3) reading comprehension
based on the passage—anywhere from ~100 (short) to ~500 (long) words—you’ll need to answer around 1 to 4 questions. the questions themselves can be multiple choice (select 1 of 5 choices), multiple answer (select 1 or more of 3 choices), or select the sentence.
for much of the 20th century, paleontologists theorized that dinosaurs, like reptiles, were ectothermic, their body temperature regulated externally. these scientists, however, based their conclusions on faulty reasoning, claiming that scaly skin was common to all ectotherms (birds, which are ectothermic, do not have scaly skin) and that the dinosaur’s size could account for ectothermy (some adult dinosaurs weighed as little as ten pounds). supplanting this theory is an entirely new line of thought: dinosaurs were actually mesothermic, neither warm- nor cold-blooded. by taking this middle ground, some paleontologists maintain that dinosaurs were faster than a similar-sized reptile yet did not require as much food as a similar-sized mammal. to substantiate this theory, paleontologists intend to study how birds, the dinosaur’s closest extant relative, might have at one time been mesothermic.
question 1 – multiple choice
the two parts in parentheses serve to do which of the following?
question 2 – multiple answer
which of the following does the passage imply regarding birds? select all that apply.
bonus question – a long passage’s select the sentence question
the above set was an example of a short passage with pretty standard question formats. if you’re curious what a long passage looks like, as well as the select the sentence question type, you can view that here along with an explanation.
4) critical reasoning (also called paragraph argument)
given a short argument, you’ll need to answer a multiple choice question that generally asks you to strengthen/weaken the argument or identify a key assumption.
the malbec grape, originally grown in france, has become the main varietal in argentina. this is surprising because most malbec grown in argentina is grown at high altitudes, whereas the malbec grape once was grown at low altitudes. therefore, argentinian winegrowers should grow the malbec grape at low elevations.
which of the following, if true, would most weaken the conclusion of the argument?
example gre practice question for analytical writing
the analytical writing assessment (also referred to as awa) consists of a single question called the issue essay. presented with a short prompt, you’ll need to stake a position and argue for it, all while providing ample support. here’s one such example question:
prompt: universities should require students to take courses only within those fields they are interested in studying.
instructions: write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. in developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.
for more details about the issue essay, along with sample essays and commentary, see our article on awa issue essay strategies.
answers and explanations
quantitative comparison
answer: c. the two quantities are equal
watch the video explanation here!
multiple choice
answer: $86.40
watch the video explanation here!
multiple answer
answer:
watch the video explanation here!
numeric entry
answer: 1
watch the video explanation here!
text completion
answer:
blank i: a. calumny
blank ii: d. commensurate with
watch the video explanation here!
sentence equivalence
answer:
a. ingratiating
and
b. fawning
watch the video explanation here!
reading comprehension – question 1 – multiple choice
answer:
c. provide rebuttals to commonly held views regarding physical aspects of dinosaurs.
watch the video explanation here!
reading comprehension – question 2 – multiple answer
answer:
a. they possess certain traits that are not common to all ectotherms.
and
c. over time they might have undergone a change in how they regulate body temperature.
watch the video explanation here!
critical reasoning
answer:
d. the malbec vine is susceptible to phylloxera, a plant louse that only grows at low altitudes.
watch the video explanation here!
where can i find more gre practice questions?
the ets—the makers of the gre—website is a good place to explore. they have a short quiz that you can take, as well as a pdf of sample questions for both math and verbal.
there are also more practice opportunities here on the magoosh blog:
- 15 gre math practice questions with explanations
- 22 gre verbal practice questions with explanations
- take a 20-minute diagnostic quiz to assess how you’re currently doing
- or take a full-length practice test to receive an estimated score. (that’s 55 gre practice questions right there!)
and for over 1600 gre practice questions along with comprehensive lessons covering all the content and strategies you need to know for the exam, take a look at a magoosh gre premium plan. go from practice to success!
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