GRE Practice Timer
Since September 2023 the GRE General Test is about 1 h 58 min long: one 30 minute Issue essay, then two Verbal Reasoning and two Quantitative Reasoning sections of different lengths. There is no scheduled break.
The essay always comes first. After that, the order of Verbal and Quant varies from test to test; the timer's buttons are each part at its exact length, so you can run them in any order.
The shorter GRE, part by part
| Part | Time | Questions | Time per question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing: Issue task | 30 min | 1 | 30 min |
| Verbal Reasoning, section 1 | 18 min | 12 | 1 min 30 s |
| Verbal Reasoning, section 2 | 23 min | 15 | 1 min 32 s |
| Quantitative Reasoning, section 1 | 21 min | 12 | 1 min 45 s |
| Quantitative Reasoning, section 2 | 26 min | 15 | 1 min 44 s |
Timings follow the official structure published by ETS, GRE General Test structure, checked in October 2026. Test makers change formats, so check the official page before test day.
Two sections, two different clocks
The second section of each measure is longer and has more questions than the first, and it is adaptive: your first section decides its difficulty. The pace stays close, about 90 seconds per question in Verbal and 105 in Quant, but the second section is where stamina starts to matter.
In Verbal, sentence equivalence and text completion questions should take well under a minute. That is how you bank time for reading passages. In Quant, the on-screen calculator is slow; use it for ugly arithmetic, not for anything you can do in your head.
Writing the Issue essay in 30 minutes
- 5 minutes: take a clear position and pick two examples that support it.
- 20 minutes: write an introduction, two body paragraphs and a short conclusion.
- 5 minutes: reread for typos and one or two sentences that need tightening.
For law school applicants comparing tests, the LSAT practice timer runs that exam the same way.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the GRE now?
About 1 hour 58 minutes: a 30 minute essay, two Verbal sections (18 and 23 minutes) and two Quant sections (21 and 26 minutes).
Is there a break on the GRE?
The shorter GRE has no scheduled break.
Related
- exam timer every practice timer.
- LSAT practice timer four 35 minute sections.
- 30 minute timer for the essay on its own.
- 50/10 timer daily prep sessions.