GRE 2024 Syllabus Section-wise – Download Free PDF

GRE 2024 syllabus is designed to evaluate a wide range of skills necessary for admission in graduate school across the world. GRE General Test is designed to closely mirror the type of thinking required in today’s rigorous graduate school programs, including those in business and law.

A downloadable pdf of GRE 2024 syllabus for general test and subject test is given below.

a stack of books with text overlay

This test your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing abilities. These skills have been honed over a significant period of time and are not specific to any particular field of study, but rather are essential for success in all areas.

GRE syllabus for general test consists of three main sections: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning.

Verbal Reasoning: The Verbal Reasoning section evaluates your capacity to:

  • Analyze and draw conclusions from written passages
  • Reason with incomplete information
  • Identify the assumptions and perspectives of authors
  • Understand various levels of meaning, such as literal, figurative, and the author’s intent
  • Select important points and differentiate between major and minor or irrelevant details
  • Summarize texts and comprehend their structure
  • Comprehend the meaning of individual words, sentences, and entire texts
  • Recognize relationships among words and concepts

Quantitative Reasoning: The Quantitative Reasoning section assesses your ability to:

  • Understand, interpret, and analyze quantitative information
  • Solve problems using mathematical models
  • Apply fundamental skills and elementary concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis

Analytical Writing: The Analytical Writing section measures your proficiency in:

  • Articulating complex ideas clearly and effectively
  • Supporting ideas with relevant reasons and examples
  • Maintaining a focused and coherent discussion
  • Demonstrating control over the elements of standard written English
  • Providing targeted responses based on the given tasks to showcase your ability to directly address a prompt.

The Quantitative and Verbal sections have a scoring range of 130-170 marks, with a 1 mark for each correct answer. Analytical Writing is scored on a scale of 0-6, with intervals of 0.5 marks.

The total duration of the test is 3 hours and 45 minutes. The Analytical Writing segment is always the first section and consists of two questions, with a time limit of 30 minutes for each question. The Verbal Reasoning segment is divided into two sections, each containing 20 questions, and 30 minutes are allocated for each section. The Quantitative Reasoning segment follows a similar structure to the Verbal section but provides 35 minutes per section.

Here, you will get detailed syllabus of GRE exam for General Test and Subject Test 2024.

GRE 2024 Syllabus for General Test

GRE Exam PatternNumber of QuestionsAllotted Time
GRE Analytical Writing Section
Question type: Analyze an Issue task and Analyze an Argument task.
1 + 1
(One “Analyze an Issue” task and one “Analyze an Argument” task)
60 mins
(30 minutes per task)
GRE Verbal Reasoning Section
Question type: Reading Comprehension, Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence.
20 + 20
(Two sections with 20 questions per section)
60 mins
(30 minutes per section) 
GRE Quantitative Reasoning
Question type: Quantitative Comparison Questions, Multiple-choice Questions and Numeric Entry Questions
20 + 20
(Two sections with 20 questions per section)
70 mins
(35 minutes per section)

1) Analytical Writing: This section has two types of questions viz, Analyze an Issue and Analyze an Argument. This section is designed to test the candidate’s ability to think critically and articulate the points to support their ideas in a clear and structured manner.

  1. Analyze an Issue: In this question, the candidate is asked to take a view on the issue given, and elaborate on why they’ve taken that position. This tests the critical thinking ability of the candidate.
  2. Analyze an Argument: While the candidate is asked to take a side in Analyze an Issue, here they’re presented with one. The candidate’s job is to evaluate the position taken by the author. This tests the logical thinking ability of the candidate.

2) Verbal Reasoning: This section has three types of questions. It measures the candidate’s ability to draw assumption from incomplete data, understand the meanings of words and understand the structure of a text. This section requires the candidate to have a healthy
vocabulary.

  1. Reading Comprehension: The passages for this part is taken from everyday academic topics. The length of the paragraph can range from one to five. The candidate has to read, understand and answer the questions either in multiple-choice format of selecting in-sentence.
  2. Text Completion: This involves a paragraph of the length of 5 sentences, where there can be one to three blanks. The candidate has to pick the correct option and there is no marks for partially correct answers.
  3. Sentence Equivalence: There will be one sentence given with one blank. The candidate has to choose two options out of the six, such that the meaning of the sentence is similar for both the options.

3) Quantitative Reasoning: This section tests the high school math aptitude of the candidate. There are no tough problem solving topics like calculus or trigonometry. The candidates can make use of the on-screen calculator available.

The topics involved are:

  1. Arithmetic: Percent, Ratio, Rate, Sequence, Factorization, Decimal Representations.
  2. Algebra: Exponents, Algebraic Expressions, Relations And Functions, Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Coordinate Geometry, Graphs, Intercept, Slopes.
  3. Geometry: Circles, Triangles, Types Of Triangles, Cylinder, Quadrilateral, Polygons, Concurrent And Similar Figures, Area, Perimeter, Volume, Pythagoras Theorem.
  4. Data Analysis: Mean, Median, Mode, Standard Deviation, Quartiles And Percentiles, Line, Bar, Pie Graphs, Probability, Conditional Probability, Random Variables, Permutations And Combinations.
Section GRE Syllabus
Verbal ReasoningBasic sentence structure, verb tense, idioms and idiomatic expression, pronoun agreement, subject
verb agreement, modifiers, parallelism, great vocabulary
Quantitative ReasoningNumber, percentage, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, simple and compound interest, speed
distance and time, permutation and combination, linear equation, quadratic equation, set theory,
statistics, powers and roots, probability, work and time, geometry, co-ordinate geometry, mensuration
AWABasic sentence structure

GRE 2024 Syllabus for Subject Test

GRE 2024 syllabus for Chemistry Subject test

The test consists of approximately 130 multiple-choice questions related to the four fields of Chemistry. These include:

  • Analytical Chemistry (15%)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (25%)
  • Organic Chemistry (30%)
  • Physical Chemistry(30%) 

GRE 2024 syllabus for Math Subject test

The test consists of approximately 66 multiple-choice questions drawn from courses commonly offered at the undergraduate level.

  • Algebra (25%)
  • Calculus (50%)
  • Additional Topics (25%)

GRE 2024 syllabus for Physics Subject test

The test consists of approximately 100 five-choice questions, some of which are grouped in sets and based on such materials as diagrams, graphs, experimental data, and descriptions of physical situations.

  • Classical Mechanics (20%)
  • Electromagnetism (18%)
  • Optics and Wave Phenomena (9%)
  • Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (10%)
  • Quantum Mechanics (12%)
  • Atomic Physics (10%)
  • Special Relativity (6%)
  • Laboratory Methods (6%)
  • Specialized Topics(9%)

GRE 2024 syllabus for Psychology Subject test

The test consists of approximately 205 multiple-choice questions. Each question in the test has five options from which the examinee is to select the one option that is the correct or best answer to the question.

  • Biological (17-21%)
  • Cognitive (17-24%)
  • Developmental (12-14%)
  • Social (12-14%)
  • Clinical (15-19%)
  • Measurement/Methodology/Other (15-19%)

GRE 2024 syllabus for Biology Subject test

The test consists of approximately 190 five-choice questions related to Biology. The topics include:

  • Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Organismal Biology
  • Ecology and Evolution 

GRE 2024 syllabus for English Literature Subject test

Each edition of the test consists of approximately 230 questions on poetry, drama, biography, essay, short story, novel, criticism, literary theory, and the history of the language.

  • Literary Analysis
  • Identification
  • Cultural and Historical Contexts
  • History and Theory of Literary Criticism 

Note: Biology and English Literature subject test are discontinued now.

GRE 2024 Syllabus for General Test and Subject Test

Preparation Tips for GRE 2024 exam with syllabus

To prepare for the GRE 2024 exam, it’s important to have a strategic approach. Here are some concise tips to help you get ready:

  1. Understand the exam pattern: Familiarize yourself with the updated GRE format, which now takes 1 hour and 58 minutes to complete.
  2. Review the syllabus: Thoroughly go through the GRE syllabus to understand the content areas covered in Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.
  3. Create a study schedule: Allocate specific times for each section of the exam and stick to your plan consistently.
  4. Use official resources: Make use of official GRE practice tests and prep books that are tailored to the structure and content of the actual exam.
  5. Focus on weak areas: Identify your weak points early on and dedicate extra time to improving those areas.
  6. Practice regularly: Regular practice will help you become familiar with the question types and improve your speed and accuracy.
  7. Enhance your vocabulary: A strong vocabulary is crucial for the Verbal Reasoning section. Read widely and use tools to build your vocabulary.
  8. Learn time management: Practice under timed conditions to get used to the pace of the actual exam and improve your time management skills.
  9. Review and reflect: After practice sessions, review your answers, especially the incorrect ones. Keep an error log to track your mistakes and learn from them.
  10. Stay updated: Keep an eye out for any further updates to the GRE syllabus or format and adjust your preparation accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main sections of the GRE General Test 2024?

The GRE General Test comprises three sections: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning.

How is the Analytical Writing section structured in GRE exam 2024?

The Analytical Writing section in GRE exam 2024 includes two tasks: “Analyze an Issue” and “Analyze an Argument,” each with a time limit of 30 minutes.

What types of questions are included in the Verbal Reasoning section?

The Verbal Reasoning section consists of Reading Comprehension, Sentence Equivalence, and Text Completion questions.

What topics are covered in the Quantitative Reasoning section of GRE exam 2024?

The Quantitative Reasoning section of GRE exam 2024 covers Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis topics. For details, see syllabus above.

Has there been any change to the GRE syllabus for 2024?

 Yes, from September 2023, the GRE exam syllabus has been updated, with the General test being shorter and allocated 1 hour 58 minutes to complete.

What is the scoring range for the GRE sections?

In GRE exam, both the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections have a scoring range of 130 to 170, with 1 mark for each correct answer. The Analytical Writing section is scored from 0 to 6, with half-point increments.

Are there any specific preparation tips for the GRE 2024 syllabus?

For GRE 2024 syllabus, it is recommended to practice with sample papers and refer to the latest preparation books that align with the updated syllabus.

Where can I find sample papers and books for the GRE syllabus?

Sample papers and recommended books for the GRE syllabus can be found on our websites and through official GRE resources.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top