The GRE test is subdivided into three main parts. We have the Analytical Writing section which is always presented first. The remaining two parts are the Verbal and Quantitative sections and they may appear in any order and may consist of an unscored and research sections with questions that would be considered for use in future tests. Your answers on these would not or affect your final score, but since you won’t know which questions are the real ones and which aren’t, then you should handle every portion of the test with high priority.

You can take the GRE test on paper or computer-based. GRE testing time will be different depending on which version of the test you take and the presence of the unscored research sections but you should plan to set aside three hours at least.

If you end up taking the paper-based test version of the GRE, you would be spending more time at the test centre. The paper-based test has two verbal and two quantitative reasoning sections and similar to the CBT version, the paper-based GRE examination may also contain an unscored section.

Most GRE takers take the computer-based version of the test, meaning that for the verbal and quantitative portions, the test increases the difficulty level of its questions each time you submit an answer. The GRE exam starts out with questions of average difficulty. Each time you enter an answer, the computer records it immediately, compares it with your previous responses and then presents a question suited to your level. If your answers are correct then the questions become more difficult. An incorrect answer results in the next question being less difficult.