This free GRE Verbal Reasoning practice test covers all three ETS question types: Text Completion (one, two, and three blanks), Sentence Equivalence (choose exactly two synonyms), and Reading Comprehension passages. All 41 questions include full explanations — with definitions of any advanced vocabulary used — so you build both skill and word knowledge at the same time. Sessions draw 20 random questions from the full bank, giving you varied GRE verbal practice with answers and explanations every time.
What is the GRE?
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a standardized test administered by ETS (Educational Testing Service) and accepted by thousands of graduate and professional schools worldwide. It measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing — skills developed over years of academic study and essential for success in graduate coursework.
The GRE is a computer-adaptive test at the section level: your performance in the first module of each section determines the difficulty of the second module you receive. A harder second module is a sign of strong performance and opens access to higher score ranges. Scores are valid for five years.
Most graduate programs in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences require the GRE. Some professional programs (MBA, law) have traditionally preferred the GMAT, but an increasing number now accept both. Many top programs report median Verbal scores of 160 or above for admitted students.
GRE Test Format
Section
Structure
Questions
Time
Score Scale
Verbal Reasoning
2 adaptive modules
27 questions each (54 total)
41 minutes each
130–170
Quantitative Reasoning
2 adaptive modules
27 questions each (54 total)
47 minutes each
130–170
Analytical Writing
1 essay: Analyze an Issue
1 task
30 minutes
0–6 (half-point increments)
Total
5 sections
~109 questions + 1 essay
~3 hours 45 min
Combined 260–340
Verbal Question Types
Text Completion — 1 Blank A sentence or short passage with one blank. Select the single best word from five options (A–E). Focus on the overall meaning and tone of the sentence — the correct word must fit precisely, not just approximately.
Text Completion — 2 or 3 Blanks A passage with two or three blanks, each with three options. You must select the correct word for ALL blanks — there is no partial credit. Eliminate combinations where one choice creates a logical contradiction.
Sentence Equivalence A sentence with one blank and SIX word choices. Select exactly TWO words that: (a) both complete the sentence grammatically, AND (b) produce sentences similar in meaning. Both must be correct — selecting only one earns no credit.
Reading Comprehension Questions based on passages of 1–5 paragraphs (50–450 words). Tests main idea, author's purpose, inference, logical structure, and vocabulary in context. Some questions ask you to identify which statement the passage supports or undermines.
GRE Verbal Score Scale & Programme Benchmarks
Verbal Score
Percentile (approx.)
Typical Programme Benchmark
165–170
Top 5%
Top humanities/social science PhD programmes (Harvard, Yale, Princeton)
160–164
Top 15%
Competitive PhD programmes in English, History, Philosophy, Psychology
155–159
Top 30%
Strong for master's programmes; competitive for many PhD programmes
150–154
Top 45%
Average range; meets minimum requirements for most graduate programmes
145–149
Top 60%
Below average; may require other strong application components to compensate
Below 145
Bottom 40%
Likely to limit options; strong retake recommendation
GRE vs. GMAT: Which Do You Need?
The GRE and GMAT test different skills and are accepted by different (though increasingly overlapping) sets of programmes.
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) was historically the standard for MBA programmes and focuses heavily on integrated reasoning and data analysis alongside verbal and quantitative sections. The GRE places greater emphasis on vocabulary, reading comprehension, and analytical writing, making it the standard for most non-business graduate programmes.
However, the distinction has blurred considerably: over 90% of MBA programmes worldwide now accept both tests, including Harvard Business School, Wharton, and Booth. If you are applying to a mix of business and non-business programmes, the GRE is often the more practical choice as a single test.
Key practical differences: the GRE is generally considered to have harder vocabulary requirements; the GMAT is considered harder on data sufficiency and integrated reasoning. The GRE also allows you to skip questions and return within a section, which the GMAT does not.
High-Frequency GRE Vocabulary by Category
Praise & Approval laud (to praise highly), encomium (a speech of praise), approbation (official approval or praise), extol (to praise enthusiastically), lionize (to treat as a celebrity)
Flexibility & Rigidity malleable (easily shaped or influenced), tractable (easily managed), intractable (difficult to control), recalcitrant (obstinately resistant), obdurate (stubbornly refusing to change)
Dishonesty & Deception mendacious (lying, untruthful), dissemble (to conceal true motives), prevaricate (to evade the truth), equivocate (to use ambiguous language intentionally), duplicitous (deceitful)
Brevity & Verbosity laconic (using few words), terse (brief and to the point), pithy (brief but full of meaning), prolix (using too many words), loquacious (very talkative)
Caution & Recklessness circumspect (wary, carefully considering all circumstances), prudent (acting with care and thought), precipitous (excessively hasty), temerity (excessive confidence or boldness), rash (acting without careful consideration)
New & Traditional iconoclast (someone who attacks established beliefs), heterodox (departing from accepted norms), orthodox (conforming to established doctrine), conventional (following accepted standards), novel (new and original)
The GRE has been administered since 1936 The Graduate Record Examination was first introduced in 1936 as a cooperative effort between four Ivy League universities and the Carnegie Foundation. ETS took over administration in 1948 and it has been the standard graduate admissions test ever since.
You can skip questions and return — a key strategic advantage Unlike the GMAT, the GRE allows you to skip questions within a section and return to them before time is up. Use this strategically: answer all questions you know confidently, then use remaining time on harder questions.
The GRE is taken in over 160 countries ETS administers the GRE at more than 1,000 test centers worldwide. International applicants often take it in their home countries, and scores are reported directly to institutions in any country.
ScoreSelect lets you choose which scores to send ETS's ScoreSelect policy lets you decide which test scores to send to schools — you can send your best performance only, across up to five years of GRE attempts. Schools receive only the scores you choose.
Average Verbal score is around 151 — but field matters enormously The average GRE Verbal score is approximately 151 (50th percentile). However, applicants to English or humanities PhD programmes average significantly higher — often 160+ — making the test extremely competitive in those fields.
Tips for Success
GRE Verbal rewards precision over speed. The difference between a correct and incorrect answer often comes down to a single word's connotation. Build vocabulary systematically, and practise reading dense academic prose.
Strategies
Text Completion
Cover the answer choices first and predict the type of word that belongs in the blank before looking at options — this prevents attractive distractors from hijacking your thinking
Look for structural clues: contrast signals (although, despite, however) mean the blank will oppose the rest of the sentence; continuation signals (moreover, in addition) mean it will align
For multi-blank questions, tackle the easiest blank first — eliminating wrong answer combinations narrows your options for the harder blanks
Watch for tone — if the sentence is clearly negative or positive in register, the correct word must match that tone
Sentence Equivalence
The two correct words must be near-synonyms AND both must fit the sentence — a word can fit grammatically but still be wrong if it changes the meaning
Eliminate words that are clearly wrong first, then find the synonymous pair among what remains
Beware of 'trap' pairs that seem similar but carry different connotations in context (e.g., 'frugal' and 'miserly' are close but not always interchangeable)
If you find a pair that seems to work, verify: re-read the sentence with each word individually to confirm both produce the same overall meaning
Reading Comprehension
For long passages, read the first and last sentence of each paragraph first to map the structure before reading the full passage
Note the author's attitude: is the tone positive, negative, cautious, or neutral? This is often directly tested
For 'which of the following would WEAKEN the argument' questions, identify the core assumption first — the correct answer attacks that assumption
Eliminate extreme language: answer choices with 'always', 'never', 'all', or 'completely' are usually wrong unless the passage explicitly uses that language
Vocabulary Building
Learn words in semantic clusters — learning 'laud, encomium, approbation' together as a 'praise' cluster is more efficient than learning words in isolation
Focus on connotation as well as definition — 'frugal', 'thrifty', 'parsimonious', and 'miserly' all relate to money-saving but carry very different connotations
Use vocabulary in context: read GRE-level passages (The Economist, Atlantic, academic abstracts) and note unfamiliar words in their natural setting
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Text Completion Errors
Choosing a word that fits the blank in isolation but contradicts the logic of the full sentence — always re-read the complete sentence with your chosen word
Stopping at the first word that 'sounds right' without checking all five options — the GRE frequently includes attractive near-miss distractors
For multi-blank questions, choosing words that each work individually but conflict with each other — check that the complete combination makes logical sense
Sentence Equivalence Errors
Selecting only one word (the most obvious fit) and forgetting to find the second — the GRE awards no credit for a single correct selection
Choosing two words that both fit the blank but produce sentences with different meanings — both selected words must create sentences that are alike in meaning
Relying on partial definitions: knowing a word means 'bad' is not enough — you need to know whether it means 'dishonest', 'incompetent', 'reckless', or 'immoral'
Reading Comprehension Errors
Bringing in outside knowledge rather than relying strictly on what the passage says — always answer based on the passage, not what you know to be true in general
Misreading the scope of the question: 'according to the author' requires textual evidence; 'which would the author most likely agree with' requires inference
Running out of time by reading entire passages before looking at questions — on long RC passages, read the questions first to know what to look for