The GRE® Verbal Reasoning section evaluates your reading comprehension, text completion, and sentence equivalence skills. To help you prepare for this section of the GRE, this page contains everything you need to know, including what topics are covered, how many questions there are, and how you can study effectively.
Click “Start Test” above to take a free GRE Verbal Reasoning practice test!
There are three types of verbal reasoning questions.
Text Completion (TC): You must fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word; however, some sentences may have multiple blanks, and some questions may ask you to fill in blanks spread out over an entire paragraph.
Sentence Equivalence (SE): You must choose two words that would both logically complete the sentence (no partial credit, unfortunately).
Reading Comprehension (RC): These questions deal with specific reading passages, which can be fewer than 100 words or as long as 450 words. The passages cover topics from multiple fields, such as science, literary critique, and social sciences. You should at least be familiar enough with these subjects to understand the questions being asked.
GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions
One of the best ways to test your knowledge is by taking a practice test. Evaluate your verbal reasoning skills by trying your hand at the three practice questions below!
Answer each question and read through the answer explanation, whether you got the answer right or wrong. This will help you ensure you’ve got the topic mastered.
Whether you struggled with these questions or aced them on your first try, be sure to take the full practice test to get a better idea of how prepared you really are!
1. Choose the word that best completes the sentence below.
The disarray was _________; the office had to be closed for the day so all the furniture could be placed where it belonged, papers could be re-filed, and a general cleaning done.
Answers A and E are incorrect because they suggest the disarray was minor; the opposite of the meaning suggested by the rest of the sentence. Answers B and D are incorrect because they offer information about the disarray that is not relevant to the rest of the sentence.
2. Read the passage below before answering the question:
The divide between the Christian churches of the East and those of the West went beyond a mere theological break and had broad social, political, and cultural effects. The event known as the Great Schism occurred in 1054, although some historians argue that it had been building for many years before this date, and the final straw proved to be the addition of one word–Filioque–to the Nicene Creed. The expression was added to the Creed in the Western churches under the authority of the pope, but it was widely rebuked by the Eastern churches as lacking theological foundation. Additionally, the Roman Catholic Church in the West demanded that the Eastern Orthodox Church acknowledge the superior authority of Rome and the pope’s infallibility. The Eastern leaders refused, and the schism was in effect.
It might seem that theological disputes have their place only in the church, but it is essential to consider the wide influence of the Christian church in medieval Europe. The church was the center of life and governed most aspects of it. Kings and emperors turned to the church for guidance. They ruled with the support of the church, and the church had only to remove that support to create a foundational weakness in the ruler’s power. In the West, the pope was recognized as the infallible head of the church. The pope operated essentially as the mouthpiece of God for those under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church, which operated under a recognizably fallible patriarch and a more regional system of bishops, rejected this outright. In breaking communion with the West, the East also broke the sense of accountability that each church had traditionally held toward the other. Broken communion also meant less cultural influence upon one another. Thus, the East and the West developed largely in isolation, and the divide between them spanned far more than geography and continues even to the modern day.
Based on the information in the passage, why did the church in the East object to the inclusion of the word Filioque?
The first paragraph states that the addition of Filioque “was widely rebuked by the Eastern churches as lacking theological foundation.” This statement corresponds with choice D: the Eastern Church believed that the word altered the acknowledged understanding of scripture.
The passage does not mention liturgical languages (A), nor does it say that the Eastern rejection of Filioque was based on rejection of papal authority (B). It is unclear from the passage whether the change to the Creed reflected the general theological understanding of that time (C). Choice E is a true statement but does not answer the question.
3. Read the passage below before answering the question:
In the tide of emigration which impetuously rolled from the confines of China to those of Germany, the most powerful and populous tribes may commonly be found on the verge of the Roman provinces. The accumulated weight was sustained for a while by artificial barriers; and the easy condescension of the emperors invited, without satisfying, the insolent demands of the Barbarians, who had acquired an eager appetite for the luxuries of civilized life. The Hungarians, who ambitiously insert the name of Attila among their native kings, may affirm with truth that the hordes, which were subject to his uncle Roas, or Rugilas, had formed their encampments within the limits of modern Hungary, in a fertile country, which liberally supplied the wants of a nation of hunters and shepherds. In this advantageous situation, Rugilas, and his valiant brothers, who continually added to their power and reputation, commanded the alternative of peace or war with the two empires. His alliance with the Romans of the West was cemented by his personal friendship for the great Ætius; who was always secure of finding, in the Barbarian camp, a hospitable reception and a powerful support. At his solicitation, and in the name of John the usurper, sixty thousand Huns advanced to the confines of Italy; their march and their retreat were alike expensive to the state; and the grateful policy of Ætius abandoned the possession of Pannonia to his faithful confederates. The Romans of the East were not less apprehensive of the arms of Rugilas, which threatened the provinces, or even the capital. Some ecclesiastical historians have destroyed the Barbarians with lightning and pestilence; but Theodosius was reduced to the more humble expedient of stipulating an annual payment of three hundred and fifty pounds of gold, and of disguising this dishonorable tribute by the title of general, which the king of the Huns condescended to accept.
Adapted from History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon, revised by Henry Hart Milman, 1845.
What does the author mean by writing that Rugilas “condescended to accept” the title of general?
The expression “condescended to accept” means that he accepted an inferior position in addition to his true rank. Because Rugilas was a king in his own right and had recently secured a major victory against the Romans, the title of general in his former enemy’s army constituted a lesser rank. Thus, choice E is the correct answer.
Choice A is incorrect because Rugilas received tribute rather than giving it. Choice B is incorrect because nothing suggests Rugilas wanted to enter Rome’s high society. Choice C is incorrect because the Romans, not Rugilas, were hoping to avoid further violence. Choice D is incorrect because Rugilas’s ambitions did not depend on his new title.
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How many questions are on the Verbal Reasoning test?
A
There are 27 questions on the Verbal Reasoning test.
Q
How long is the Verbal Reasoning test?
A
The test is timed at 41 minutes.
Q
What is a passing score for the Verbal Reasoning test?
A
There is no set passing score for the test.
By Peter Rench
Peter Rench joined Mometrix in 2009 and serves as Vice President of Product Development, responsible for overseeing all new product development and quality improvements. Mr. Rench, a National Merit Scholar, graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in mathematics from Texas A&M University.
Edited by Aaron Lanni
Aaron is the content manager and lead editor for Mometrix Academy. He regularly produces, updates, proofreads, and edits content to ensure it meets Mometrix’s quality and accessibility standards.
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