How to Improve Reading Comprehension for the GRE
I. Introduction to GRE Reading Comprehension
GRE reading comprehension evaluates how well you are able to understand and evaluate graduate-level texts. Reading comprehension questions are a crucial part of the verbal reasoning section of the GRE because these questions and answer choices gauge your ability to isolate specific details in a text, understand its main idea and structure, make inferences, and analyze an author’s tone and intent to arrive at the correct answer. The GRE contains two verbal reasoning sections, each with 10 reading comprehension GRE questions. There will be 5 or 6 reading comprehension passages split between each of the two verbal reasoning sections of the GRE. To learn more about the GRE as a whole, click here: What Is the GRE and Why It Matters for Grad School.
II. Types of GRE Reading Comprehension Passages
GRE reading comprehension passages have different lengths and will be either a short GRE reading (up to 150 words), a medium GRE reading (up to 300 words), or a long GRE reading (450 words and above). Short GRE passages will test your ability to use inference, isolate details, and quickly grasp the main idea of a GRE reading to find the correct answer on the test. Reading comprehension passages of medium length will ask test takers to analyze an author’s tone and purpose, as well as to examine a text’s main argument and identify supporting evidence within a GRE reading to find the correct answer on the test. The longest GRE reading comprehension passages will evaluate test takers’ ability to understand the connections between ideas, integrate multiple viewpoints, and identify indirect nuances made in arguments. Comparative GRE passages will consist of two brief passages and will ask you to compare the viewpoints of each, analyze how the two authors respond to one another, and identify the points at which the texts agree or disagree.
III. Common Question Types in GRE Reading Comprehension
There are several question types that may be paired with the reading comprehension passages in the GRE.
Main idea questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to grasp the primary purpose of a text to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “What is the primary purpose of the passage?”
Fact-based questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to recollect specific pieces of information from a text to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “What does the author state in regard to X?”
Inference questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to read between the lines of a text to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “What can you conclude from X?”
Tone & attitude questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to pick up on an author’s tone or opinion to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “What is the author’s opinion regarding X?”
Function and purpose questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to understand the overall structure of a text to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “What is the purpose of paragraph X?”
Strengthen/weaken questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to assess the logic of a text’s argument to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “Which of the following would strengthen/weaken the text’s argument?”
Assumption questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to pick up on implicit assumptions made in a text to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “What must be true in order for X to also be true?”
Application-style questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to apply ideas in contexts outside of the text to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “What would the author state in regard to X situation?”
Multiple choice questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to select all the answer choices that are correct using the information provided in a text. Example: “Which of the following statements are supported by the text?”
Passage selection questions
- These reading comprehension questions measure test takers’ ability to isolate supporting information in a text to arrive at the correct answer. Example: “Where can evidence in the text supporting X be found?”
IV. Challenges Students Face in GRE Reading Comprehension
Students often face many of the same challenges when tackling GRE passages for reading comprehension. One challenge is time management, which can be difficult, especially when faced with long reading comprehension passages. In order to answer questions correctly, students often pay close attention to each GRE reading, and this can take time. Another issue that many students encounter is challenging vocabulary words in a GRE reading that make the entire passage difficult to understand. Similarly, dense reading comprehension passages centered on unfamiliar topics also pose a common challenge when it comes to selecting correct answer choices. Finally, many students tend to overthink questions or fall for “trap answers,” which are answer choices that are meant to appear correct but are actually the wrong answers.
V. Key Strategies to Improve GRE Reading Comprehension
There are several GRE reading comprehension tips that can be used to help with reading comprehension. When it comes to dense reading comprehension passages, it helps to approach the GRE reading actively rather than passively. When you finish each paragraph in a GRE reading, ask yourself questions such as, “What is this paragraph’s primary purpose, how does it support the text’s main argument, and why is it included in the text?” Break down reading comprehension passages by asking yourself, “What is the text’s main idea, what is the author’s argument, and what conclusion does the text make?” If you are having difficulty with challenging vocabulary words in a piece of GRE reading, context is key. Take note of any surrounding key words, or in other words, the vocabulary you are already familiar with in the GRE reading and pay attention to the sentence within which the difficult word or words are situated to get a better idea of what the word in question might mean. Finally, avoid trap answers by sidestepping answer choices that use extreme language such as “always” or never” as these are rarely the correct answer; avoid answer choices that are too broad or narrow in nature or answer choices that suggest that a minor facet of a GRE reading is of central importance. Furthermore, any answer choices that are even partially unsupported by a piece of GRE reading will be wrong answers.
VI. Time Management Tips for the GRE Verbal Section
Time management is important in the verbal reasoning section of the GRE because reading comprehension passages take up time on the exam. Proper time management is crucial among the many GRE reading comprehension tips you will hear. For reading comprehension passages (no more than a paragraph and with 1 – 2 accompanying questions), dedicate one minute of time to reading the passage and a max of 1.5 minutes to answer each question. For medium and long reading comprehension passages (2-4 paragraphs with 3-4 questions), spend 2-4 minutes reading each passage and a max of 1.5 minutes answering each question. To pace appropriately across the entirety of the verbal reasoning section of the GRE, note that you will have 30 minutes to answer 20 questions in each of the two verbal reasoning sections of the exam: 4 – 6 text completion per section, 4 – 6 sentence equivalence questions per section, and 10 reading comprehension questions per section. Ideally, spend a maximum of 7 minutes on text completion (1 – 1.5 minutes per question), 3-5 minutes on the sentence equivalence section (45 – 60 seconds per each of the sentence equivalence questions), and follow the time limits specified for reading comprehension as mentioned previously. It is important to know when to skip and return to a reading comprehension question you are struggling with. If a reading comprehension question takes you more than 90 seconds, select any answer - you won’t lose points for guessing (revisit the question if time allows). Do this if you’re stuck between similar answer choices on a reading comprehension question – returning after focusing on other questions and answer choices can refresh your mind. Return to a question you’re unsure about if you’ve already answered most or all of the reading comprehension questions related to a GRE reading (don’t spend all your time on one question when you’ve already gained value from answering the other questions). To find the best date to book your GRE, click here: GRE Test Dates 2025.
VII. GRE Reading Comprehension Practice Methods
There are many GRE reading comprehension tips to be found. Continual and consistent reading comprehension practice develops numerous skills that are crucial for success in this portion of the GRE on test day, including accuracy related to answer choices and speed. GRE reading comprehension passages have recurring patterns and question types; repeated exposure to reading comprehension passages and questions during GRE prep can help you to develop accuracy with your answer choices by spotting wrong answers, answer traps, and isolating the correctanswer. For instance, you will become familiar with wrong answer choices, such as those answer choices that use extreme language or are off topic. Regular practice will also improve your ability to understand the main idea of reading comprehension passages, to grasp their logical flow and build your vocabulary by seeing certain words in context repeatedly. You will also build better time-management skills, because repeated reading comprehension practice will help you to develop an innate sense of timing appropriate for each passage and set of question/answer choices, ultimately improving your speed on the exam. A free resource that is useful for studying reading comprehension is the no-cost resources offered by ETS on their official website (two free tests and a selection of free practice questions with answer choices). Your local library may also have books geared toward studying for the GRE. Paid resources for studying reading comprehension include those offered by PrepScholar GRE, Booster Prep, and Manhattan Prep, as well as the paid resources provided by ETS. If you feel ready to take the GRE, click here: How to Register for GRE in 2025.
VIII. Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes
There are several approaches to follow and avoid when preventing score loss in relation to reading comprehension questions on the GRE. In terms of what you should do, always read passages for structure, not to memorize them. Focus on the main idea of a reading comprehension passage, the author’s tone, and the argument being built. Always seek evidence from the text to back up your answer choices. Familiarize yourself with each of the reading comprehension question types you will encounter on the exam, as this will help you to know where to look in the passage for specific answer choices (for instance, are you looking for an inference in the text or a specific detail?). Always eliminate wrong answer choices (for example, those with extreme language) and remember to pace the time you spend on reading comprehension passages and questions appropriately. Practice active reading (summarize each paragraph in your own words and ask what the purpose and role of this paragraph is and what is the author’s outlook?). In terms of what you should not do, don’t leave questions blank. Even if you aren’t confident with your answer, there is no penalty for guessing on the GRE, so always select an option from the answer choices. Next, do not rely on information external to the passage. Don’t make assumptions based on your own outside knowledge, and answer questions based on what the reading comprehension passage states or otherwise implies.
IX. Advanced GRE Reading Comprehension Strategies
If you are an advanced scorer aiming for maximum points gained from reading comprehension questions, the following strategies may prove useful.
- First, focus on mapping out reading comprehension passages; this means comprehending the structure, argument, and purpose of each paragraph and paying attention to how an author builds their case, shifts their tone, and introduces contrasting viewpoints.
- Familiarize yourself with all forms of answer traps that ETS (the Educational Testing Service) uses, including those answer choices that adopt language from the passage but alter its meaning.
- When it comes to inference questions, decide what must be logically true based on the text, even before you review the answer choices.
- Skim the text strategically: read the introductory and closing sentences of a paragraph to gain an understanding of its overall meaning. Identify the premise, conclusion, and assumptions present in each paragraph. This can help to reveal the deeper logic hidden in each and may assist you with reason-based questions.
- Compare similar answer choices to one another to isolate key differences. When you encounter challenging reading comprehension passages, answer the simplest questions with the easiest answer choices first and flag difficult questions to return to later.
X. Building a Study Plan for GRE Reading Comprehension
To incorporate reading comprehension practice within the context of an overall GRE study plan, the following provides a schedule based on 8-12 weeks of practice.
| Section | Time spent per week | Percentage of study time |
| Reading Comprehension | 6 – 8 hours | 25 – 30 % |
| Sentence Equivelnce and Text Completion | 3 – 4 hours | 10 – 15 % |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 10 – 12 hours | 40 – 50 % |
| Analytical reasoning | 1 – 2 hours | 5 – 10 % |
| Practice tests & review | 3 – 5 hours |
XI. How Reading Comprehension Affects Your GRE Score
Since reading comprehension makes up about 50 percent of the verbal reasoning section of the GRE, it has an important role to play in deciding your verbal reasoning scores. These scores will impact your total GRE percentile ranking. High verbal scores make your application more competitive, especially when entering humanities, social sciences, and business streams. The GRE consists of standardized tests meant to measure your preparedness for graduate-level work. High marks in reading comprehension show your readiness to understand and analyze high-level texts, an important facet of many graduate programs.
XII. Tracking Your Progress and Score Results
Monitoring your reading comprehension progress requires the continual use of practice tests, followed by score analysis to determine patterns that emerge with your timing, accuracy, and comprehension. Once you have taken some full-length and timed practice exams, review the breakdown of your scores, specifically relating to reading comprehension. Review the number of reading comprehension questions you were correct on and the types of passages these questions accompanied. Do the same for the questions/answer choices you did not get correct. Many GRE practice tests and platforms designed for GRE prep provide scaled scores for the verbal reasoning section, in addition to feedback. Over time, track your results; keep an eye out for upward trends in your reading comprehension accuracy, as well as improvements in your ability to answer questions more easily and quickly. Evaluate wrong answers to isolate periodic mistakes and detect gaps in GRE reading comprehension. Evaluating your accuracy and pacing, as well as flagging question types you find challenging, will assist you to build realistic goals when it comes to target scores, to plan the time needed to study reading comprehension and help you to home in on areas of difficulty when studying GRE reading comprehension. Come test day, the strides you’ve made toward reaching your target scores will be reflected in the GRE scores you receive immediately after the exam. Unofficial verbal and quantitative GRE scores will be available upon finishing the GRE, and official scores can be accessed within 10-15 days.
XIII. FAQ
Q: How many reading comprehension questions are on the GRE?
A: There are 20 reading comprehension questions in the entirety of the GRE, with ten in each of the two verbal reasoning sections of the exam.
Q: Is comprehension harder than practice tests?
A: This answer depends on the practice materials that you use during GRE prep for GRE reading comprehension, but many test takers do report that the reading comprehension questions and answer choices encountered on test day are more difficult as these GRE reading comprehension questions may require more inference and rely on texts that are more difficult than those in practice materials. However, reading comprehension questions on test day may simply feel more difficult because of the mental fatigue from also having to complete the rest of the GRE on the same day and the pressure to perform well on test day at the test center.
Q: How can I improve my reading speed for the GRE?
A: There are many ways to improve your reading speed for the GRE while still comprehending the complex academic texts you will encounter when faced with reading comprehension passages. One such method involves skim reading - rather than reading every word of a reading comprehension passage, skim the GRE reading comprehension passage to ascertain its structure and to understand the main idea of each paragraph. It is also helpful to preview accompanying questions before a reading comprehension passage to know what information to look for in the text. One crucial way you can improve your reading speed is through timed drills during GRE prep, reducing your time as you improve until you are spending 4 minutes per lengthy passage at max and 1.5 minutes per accompanying question.
Q: What is the best way to practice GRE reading comprehension?
A: Practicing effectively for GRE reading comprehension means taking advantage of GRE prep strategies that improve your comprehension and timing. Always rely on official GRE prep materials when studying and use timers to build stamina and simulate the conditions of test day. Read actively rather than passively – with each reading comprehension passage, ask yourself what is the topic of each paragraph and its purpose, what is the author’s outlook or attitude, and what role does this paragraph play in the passage as a whole? Understand and familiarize yourself with each of the question types you will encounter on test day. Build a GRE prep routine that includes vocabulary flashcards, timed practice, and a review of all answers to determine why certain answer choices are correct and others are the wrong answers.
Q: How much time should I spend on each passage?
A: This depends on the length of each of the reading comprehension passages. If the reading comprehension passage is brief (a single paragraph), dedicate one minute of time to reading the passage and a max of 1.5 minutes to answer each question (short passages will have 1 – 2 questions). For medium-length and longer-length reading comprehension passages (2-4 paragraphs each), spend 2-4 minutes reading each passage and a max of 1.5 minutes answering each question (3-4 questions will accompany medium and longer passages).