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Looking for GRE Reading Comprehension tips that actually work? You’re not alone — many consider RC questions to be the toughest question types on the GRE Verbal Reasoning sections.
To boost your performance on GRE RC questions:
- Read actively: Summarize each paragraph’s main idea as you go.
- Identify structure and tone: Understand how the passage is organized and what the author’s attitude is.
- Know the question types: Be prepared for inference, detail, main idea, and vocabulary-in-context questions.
- Use the process of elimination: Narrow down answer choices logically.
- Manage your time: Don’t get stuck on any one passage — aim to keep a steady pace.
- Avoid rereading the whole passage: Go back only to specific lines when needed.
Keep reading for detailed strategies, common traps to avoid, and expert advice to sharpen your GRE reading skills.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- How Many Reading Comprehension Questions Are on the GRE?
- The Types of GRE Reading Comprehension Questions
- Tip 1: Comprehension Is Key
- Tip 2: Master the Art of Distinguishing Trap Choices from Correct Ones
- Tip 3: Have a Strategy for Each Type of RC Question
- Tip 4: Always Refer Back to the Passage
- Tip 5: Precision Is a Major Aspect of RC Success
- Tip 6: Work From the Worst Choice to the Best
- Tip 7: Practice Untimed at First
- Summary: How to Crack Reading Comprehension in GRE Verbal
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s Next?
Let’s get started by discussing how many Reading Comprehension questions you’ll face on your exam.
How Many Reading Comprehension Questions Are on the GRE?
As you may be aware, the GRE includes 2 Verbal sections. The first section contains 12 questions in 18 minutes, and the second section contains 15 questions in 23 minutes. Those questions are a mix of Text Completion (TC), Sentence Equivalence (SE), and Reading Comprehension (RC) questions.
Typically, roughly half of the Verbal questions on the GRE are Reading Comprehension questions. So, between the 2 Verbal sections, you can expect to see about 13 RC questions. Each of those RC questions is associated with a passage, and there are approximately 5 passages on a given GRE. Most GRE Reading Comprehension passages are 1 paragraph long, but some passages consist of multiple paragraphs.
KEY FACT:
You’ll see roughly 13 RC questions on the GRE.
Now that we know how many RC questions are on the GRE, let’s review the different types.
The Types of GRE Reading Comprehension Questions
There are 2 main categories of GRE Reading Comprehension questions. Those 2 categories are conventional Reading Comprehension (RC) questions and Critical Reasoning (CR) questions. CR questions are logic-focused questions about arguments or scenarios.
KEY FACT:
There are 2 main categories of GRE Reading Comprehension questions: conventional Reading Comprehension questions and Critical Reasoning questions.
Let’s first consider conventional Reading Comprehension questions.
Conventional Reading Comprehension Questions
The following are the 7 types of conventional Reading Comprehension questions you may encounter on the GRE:
Main Idea
Main idea questions ask you to summarize the main point or purpose of a passage. For some multi-paragraph passages, you’ll be asked to identify the main point of a paragraph. These questions may also ask you to choose an appropriate passage title.
Author’s Tone
Author’s Tone questions ask you to identify the author’s overall tone or general attitude toward the subject matter.
Function
Function questions ask you what function a specific sentence performs. Questions might also ask why a particular detail is mentioned or which sentence performs a particular function in a passage.
Passage Organization
Passage Organization questions ask how a passage is structured overall. In the case of some multi-paragraph passages, you might be asked how a paragraph of a passage is structured. These questions may also ask about the relationship between 2 paragraphs.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary questions ask you the meaning of a highlighted word in the passage. They call on your skill in understanding the meanings of words in context and how particular words relate to other parts of a passage.
Info-Based
Info-based questions ask you to identify and interpret details presented in a passage. They might ask you to draw a logical conclusion based on statements made or evidence presented in the passage.
Extended Reasoning
Extended Reasoning questions ask you to apply information from the passage to a context outside of what the passage discusses. They test your ability to identify analogous relationships or scenarios.
KEY FACT:
The GRE features 7 different types of conventional Reading Comprehension questions.
Let’s now consider the types of GRE Critical Reasoning questions.
Critical Reasoning Questions
The following are the 7 different types of Critical Reasoning questions you may encounter on the GRE.
Assumption
Assumption questions ask you to identify an assumption upon which the conclusion of an argument depends.
Weaken
Weaken questions ask you to determine which of the new pieces of evidence given in the answer choices would most seriously weaken an argument or cast doubt on a conclusion presented in the passage.
Strengthen
The opposite of Weaken questions, Strengthen questions ask you to determine which of the new pieces of evidence given in the answer choices would most strengthen an argument or provide the strongest support for a conclusion presented in the passage.
Paradox
Paradox questions ask you to determine which answer choice provides the new information necessary to resolve a contradictory situation or reconcile a discrepancy that is apparent in the passage.
Complete the Passage
Complete the Passage questions ask you to fill in a blank at the end of a 1-paragraph passage. Your job is to select the statement among the answer choices that logically completes the passage.
Inference
Inference questions ask you to find an unwritten conclusion that must be true, given what a passage says.
Boldface
Boldface questions ask you to identify the roles that parts of a passage marked in boldface play in an argument.
KEY FACT:
There are 7 main types of GRE Critical Reasoning questions.
Now, let’s move on to the 7 key Reading Comprehension tips for the GRE.
Tip 1: Comprehension Is Key
The foundation of preparing effectively for GRE Reading Comprehension is understanding that it does indeed test comprehension.
It doesn’t matter what knowledge of RC question types we have or what GRE Reading Comprehension strategies we use. We have to understand what we’re reading to answer RC questions correctly. In other words, while GRE RC tips and tricks may help us to answer RC questions, ultimately, we’ll need to understand what a passage says to answer each RC question we see.
For instance, keywords may help us find the information we need to answer a question. But simply finding that information in the passage generally won’t be sufficient to correctly answer the question. We’ll have to understand the information and use that understanding to answer the question.
If we try to answer RC questions without understanding what we’re reading, we’ll consistently have trouble answering the questions correctly. On the other hand, if we base our approach to GRE RC on the fact that it tests comprehension, we’ll attack the passages effectively and use the information in the passages to arrive at the correct answers.
TTP PRO TIP:
Base your approach to RC questions on the idea that GRE RC tests comprehension.
Let’s discuss a key characteristic of GRE RC that we need to be aware of to perform at a high level.
Tip 2: Master the Art of Distinguishing Trap Choices from Correct Ones
If we had to identify the one thing that makes GRE Reading Comprehension challenging, it would probably be the way the answer choices are designed. They aren’t designed to be straightforward. Instead, RC answer choices are designed so that incorrect choices seem correct, and correct answers seem incorrect.
For example, some incorrect choices are written to be half-correct. So, to avoid selecting these trap choices, we have to be careful to read choices in their entirety. Other incorrect choices use wording that closely matches the wording of the passage. To guard against these, we have to go beyond matching words. We have to carefully consider the meaning conveyed by those words.
Meanwhile, correct answers can be worded quite differently from the passage. For example, a correct answer can reverse the wording of the passage to convey an equivalent meaning. So, we have to learn to recognize when a choice is supported by the passage, even when at first glance the choice seems different from the passage.
In general, both incorrect choices and correct answers in GRE Reading Comprehension will play on our cognitive biases. Any tendencies we have to gloss over what we read or to miss details will work against us. This means that to perform at a high level on RC, we must master the art of distinguishing between trap choices and correct answers.
TTP PRO TIP:
To perform at a high level on GRE Reading Comprehension, we must master the art of distinguishing between trap choices and correct answers.
Let’s now discuss why it’s helpful to learn a reliable strategy for answering each type of GRE RC question.
Tip 3: Have a Strategy for Each Type of RC Question
Having a clear strategy for answering each type of GRE Reading Comprehension question can be super helpful for several reasons.
Different types of RC questions require different skills. So, by having a specific strategy for answering each type of GRE RC question, we’re more likely to arrive at correct answers. There’s a big difference between muddling through answering a question and knowing exactly how to answer that type of question.
Furthermore, having a complete set of GRE Reading Comprehension strategies can help us answer RC questions efficiently. It allows us to complete the GRE Verbal section within the allotted time. We won’t have to spend time figuring out how to answer the questions — we’ll know exactly what to do and just do it.
Finally, learning strategies for answering GRE Reading Comprehension questions gives us a major advantage: if we experience anxiety, distraction, or fatigue on test day, we’ll be able to rely on familiar strategies to get us through. Imagine you’re taking the GRE and start to feel a little anxious. Then, a tricky RC question comes up. The anxiety may affect you a little, but you’ll know exactly what to do. You can engage your autopilot, follow your strategy, and answer correctly. You can see how valuable it is to have a reliable strategy!
TTP PRO TIP:
To maximize your GRE RC performance, learn a reliable strategy for answering each type of RC question.
Let’s now discuss an indispensable part of your GRE RC approach: going back to the passage.
Tip 4: Always Refer Back to the Passage
Unless you can quickly memorize an entire RC passage (I don’t recommend trying to), a key part of your approach to GRE RC will be going back to the passage each time you answer a question. After all, RC is a test of comprehension, not memorization. And the information you need for answering the questions is right there in the passage. So, using that information is the path to success.
One reason for going back to the passage is that doing so allows you to read the passage faster. Since you know that you’re going to go back to the passage when you answer the questions, you don’t have to memorize or even fully process every detail as you read. Rather, to prepare to answer the questions, you can read to understand the overall message of the passage and note where the details lie. Of course, by reading the passage in this way, you’ll get through it more quickly than you would if you were to painstakingly read it to fully capture every detail.
Another major reason for going back to the passage is that, as we have discussed, RC questions include trap choices that appear to fit the passage but don’t. So, it’s easy to mistake an incorrect choice for a correct one if you rely only on your impressions or memory of the passage. The beautiful thing is that you can avoid making this mistake by referring back to the passage to determine whether a choice is supported.
TTP PRO TIP:
The information you need to answer GRE RC questions is always in the passage — refer back to the passage and use that info!
Next, let’s discuss the importance of precision in Reading Comprehension.
Tip 5: Precision Is a Major Aspect of RC Success
Imagine I told you that by making one simple move, you could increase your GRE Verbal score by 5 points in a matter of days. Well, you don’t have to imagine it, because I’m going to! That move is to be more precise in how you go about answering GRE Verbal questions. This includes Reading Comprehension questions. Here’s why being precise is integral to RC success.
What makes a Reading Comprehension answer choice incorrect or correct can hinge on just 1 or 2 words, a subtle difference in meaning, or another inconspicuous detail. So, unless you’re being precise in your work, you can easily miss the differences between choices that enable you to eliminate trap choices and arrive at correct answers.
For example, a passage might say that someone failed to understand a theory, and an answer choice might say that the person was not aware of that theory. Notice how similar “failed to understand” and “was not aware of” can seem. If we were not being precise in evaluating that incorrect choice, we could easily mistake it for a match with what the passage says. So, you can see why precision is essential in RC.
To be precise in answering GRE Reading Comprehension questions, we must read the entire answer choice. We can’t decide whether a choice is correct or incorrect after reading only part of it. Also, we must pay careful attention to the exact words used in choices. In general, don’t go with a vibe or a vague impression. Rather, be exact and complete in your work.
TTP PRO TIP:
To maximize your GRE RC performance, be careful and precise in your work.
Let’s now discuss an approach we can use for solving GRE Reading Comprehension questions.
Tip 6: Work From the Worst Choice to the Best
Sometimes, when we first go through the answer choices in a difficult GRE Reading Comprehension multiple-choice question, most or all of the choices seem correct. Our first reaction might be dismay, along with wondering whether there even is a choice that’s truly better than the others!
However, since the Educational Testing Service uses a rigorous process in creating GRE RC questions, we can be confident that there is only 1 correct answer to the question (unless it is a multiple-answer question). So, we have to find a way to that 1 correct answer. A great approach is to work from the worst answer choice to the best.
How the Worst-to-Best Approach Works
To work from the worst answer choice to the best one, we start comparing the choices with the passage. We look for anything we can use to eliminate 1 choice. Eventually, we’ll see something that will prompt us to eliminate 1 choice. For example, perhaps a choice actually says the opposite of what the passage says. Great! Now, we’ve whittled the question down from a 5-choice question to a 4-choice question. Even if the remaining choices all still appear to be correct, we now have fewer to deal with.
Then, we keep following the same process, continuing to find ways to eliminate 1 choice at a time. Eventually, we’ll get the choices down to the 2 that seem the most correct. At that point, we have to be very careful. In all likelihood, 1 of those choices is a cleverly written trap. However, the good thing is that we’re now faced with a 2-choice question. By carefully comparing those last 2 with the passage, we should be able to determine which choice is correct.
The beauty of this approach is that it allows us to find the correct answer using an incremental process, even if initially we had no clue which choice was correct. This process works well regardless of whether all 5 choices seem correct at first or just 3 or 4.
TTP PRO TIP:
If most or all of the answer choices in an RC question seem to be correct, work from the worst choice to the best.
Let’s now discuss a key aspect of how to study for GRE Reading Comprehension.
Tip 7: Practice Untimed at First
When taking the GRE, we have on average 1.5 minutes to answer each question in the Verbal section. Thus, many GRE students practice Reading Comprehension by setting a timer and allotting around 1.5 minutes for each question. However, that strategy is not great for maximizing the results of your GRE Reading Comprehension practice. In fact, the use of that strategy often keeps GRE students from mastering RC, and here’s why.
During your GRE prep, you aren’t taking the GRE. Rather, you’re training for it. So, 1.5 minutes per question simply isn’t enough time to learn how to answer RC questions correctly.
So if you’re wondering how to practice for GRE Reading Comprehension, the goal is to learn to:
- read the passages optimally
- find information in the passages
- analyze the questions choice by choice
- avoid traps
- arrive at correct answers
Sure, once you’ve prepared, you’ll be able to do all these things in a minute or 2 per question. However, when you’re studying for the GRE, they will be new to you. So, doing them well will take much more time per question.
Learning to do these things well is essential for your GRE RC success. So, when practicing, you should give yourself enough time to do these things well and arrive at correct answers. Don’t worry if it takes 10 minutes or more for 1 question. In other words, start off doing GRE Reading Comprehension practice problems untimed, focusing on accuracy and skill development. Speed will come with skill.
TTP PRO TIP:
The best way to master GRE Reading Comprehension is to practice untimed at first.
Let’s review what we’ve discussed.
Summary: How to Crack Reading Comprehension in GRE Verbal
When thinking about how to ace GRE Reading Comprehension, we have to keep at the forefront of our minds the fact that RC does indeed test comprehension. So, we must be careful readers who aim to understand what passages are saying.
Also, it’s important to be aware that answering GRE RC questions is, to a large degree, about telling the difference between trap choices and correct answers.
Finally, to prepare effectively, we must learn a reliable strategy for each question type. We must develop our skills by doing untimed practice at first.
By preparing in this manner and using great GRE preparation resources, we can master Reading Comprehension and score high on GRE Verbal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many reading comprehension questions are on the GRE?
The GRE Verbal Reasoning section comprises 2 parts with a total of 27 questions. Approximately half of these — about 12 to 13 questions — are Reading Comprehension (RC) questions. These RC questions are based on passages that can range from 1 to several paragraphs in length, with each passage followed by 1 to 6 questions.
How can I improve my GRE reading comprehension skills?
One great way to improve your GRE RC skills is to focus on getting the correct answers to questions, taking as much time as you need to see key details and understand the logic of what you are reading.
If you don’t understand something, return to the passage and read it 1 sentence at a time, even 1 word at a time. Don’t move on until you understand what you have just read. There is no way around this work. Your goal should be to take all the time you need to understand exactly what is being said and arrive at the correct answer.
If you can learn to get answers by taking your time, you can learn to speed up. Answering questions is like any task: The more times you do it carefully and successfully, the faster you become at doing it carefully and successfully.
How do you answer reading comprehension questions?
To answer reading comprehension questions effectively on exams like the GRE, follow this strategy:
- Read the passage actively. Don’t skim. Focus on the structure, main idea, tone, and how the author builds their argument or presents information.
- Identify the purpose and scope. Ask yourself: Why was this written? What is the main point? Is the author arguing, explaining, or describing?
- Understand the question type. Is it asking for the main idea, specific detail, inference, tone, or function of a line? Tailor your approach accordingly.
- Go back to the passage. Don’t rely on memory. Return to the relevant part of the passage to verify your answer.
- Eliminate wrong answers. Most wrong choices are either too extreme, out of scope, or distort what the passage actually says.
- Don’t overthink. Trust the passage. Don’t bring in outside knowledge or assumptions.
What’s Next?
To continue on your way to GRE success, here’s a comprehensive guide to earning a 330+ GRE score.
Not sure what kind of GRE Verbal score will impress graduate schools? Check out this guide to what a good GRE score is.
Then, take your GRE prep to the next level with a free, 5-day, all-access trial of the TTP GRE Course. With personalized study plans and live expert support, we’ve got your back!
