GRE Reading Comprehension: A Repeatable Process for Any Passage

The shorter GRE puts your Verbal timing under real pressure. You’ll face two Verbal sections—one with 12 questions in 18 minutes, the other with 15 questions in 23 minutes—and about half of those questions come from Reading Comprehension. Because question formats and difficulty haven’t changed, success comes from executing a clear, repeatable workflow that works on any passage, not from memorizing topics. The process below is built to fit the new time limits while maximizing accuracy.

Reading Comprehension measures how well you understand structure and reasoning in graduate-level prose, not your prior knowledge. Passages range from one paragraph to several paragraphs and can carry one to six questions. You’ll see three question formats: single-correct multiple choice, multiple-correct (select all that apply), and select-in-passage (click the sentence that fits a description). You can move within a section, change answers, and mark questions to revisit—use those features strategically.

Use this the same way every time. With practice, the steps compress into a quick rhythm.

1. Frame the passage (30–90 seconds). Read with intent, not detail. Ask: What is the topic (general area), scope (the slice of that area), and purpose (to argue, explain, compare, propose, or evaluate)?
2. Label the structure. For each paragraph, give a 1–2 word role tag: BG (background), Q (question/problem), C (claim), EV (evidence/example), CO (counterpoint), R (resolution/implication). Circle or note signpost words: however, although, by contrast, therefore, for example.
3. Say the one-sentence gist. In your own words: “The author argues/explains that X because Y, despite Z.” This single sentence is your anchor for main idea, purpose, and tone questions.
4. Triage the questions. Do global questions (main idea, primary purpose, author’s attitude) first while your structure map is fresh. Then handle detail/inference questions by targeted lookup.
5. Targeted lookup for details. Before scanning, define 2–4 anchor words or names (proper nouns, terms, dates). Re-read only the minimal span around those anchors.
6. Predict, then check choices. Articulate your own answer briefly, then eliminate choices that are extreme, out-of-scope, partially true, or reverse the logic.
7. If stuck at ~75 seconds, mark and move. Make your best elimination-based guess, flag the question, and keep momentum. Return only if time allows.

Main Idea / Primary Purpose: Use your one-sentence gist. Prefer answers that describe what the passage mostly does (argues, explains, evaluates) rather than what one paragraph mentions. Beware answers that are too narrow, too broad, or focus on a detail. Author’s Attitude / Tone: Translate adjectives to neutral, moderately positive/negative, or strongly evaluative. The GRE favors calibrated tone. Extremes like “revolutionary” or “utterly” are red flags unless the passage’s language is truly strong. Detail (according to the passage): Go back to the exact lines via anchor words. The correct choice paraphrases the text closely without adding or subtracting meaning. Inference: Think “just beyond the line,” not speculation. Combine what’s stated with one small logical step. If you can’t justify the leap with words from the passage, it’s likely out-of-scope. Function / Role: Ask why the author included a sentence or paragraph: introduce a claim, provide evidence, counter an objection, or define a term. Multiple-correct: Evaluate each option independently as True/False based on the passage. There’s no partial credit—only select choices you can defend with text. Select-in-passage: If the question restricts you to specific paragraphs, ignore the rest. Skim candidate sentences and match the description exactly (definition, concession, conclusion, criticism, etc.).

Use flexible but firm budgets. Short passages (1–2 questions): 30–60 seconds to frame; ~45–60 seconds per question. Medium passages (3 questions): 45–75 seconds to frame; ~50–70 seconds per question. Long passages (4–6 questions): 90–120 seconds to frame; ~50–70 seconds per question. Section pacing: In the 18-minute section, aim to reach question 12 with 1–2 minutes left for review; in the 23-minute section, try to bank 2–3 minutes. If RC is your strength, front-load those sets; if SE/TC are faster for you, secure those first and then invest in RC. Whatever you choose, keep the same order every time to minimize cognitive switching costs.

Use the test’s mark-and-review tools. Your thresholds:

• Immediate skip: Dense long passage with 5+ questions that opens the section—do two quicker items first to build rhythm.
• 30-second rule: If an anchor for a detail isn’t obvious, pivot to a different question and come back.
• 75-second rule: If you’re still debating between two choices, eliminate the most extreme or out-of-scope one, guess, mark, and move.
• Endgame: In the last 90 seconds, convert all marks into best guesses. A finished section beats a half-finished one.

Most score gains happen in review, not during timed sets. Use this 6-step loop:

1. Rebuild the skeleton: Without looking, write your one-sentence gist and paragraph role tags. Then reopen the passage—what did you misread or overemphasize?
2. Classify the miss: Map error (structure/purpose wrong), Search error (looked in the wrong place), Logic error (inference or role), Language error (misread a qualifier), or Time error.
3. Tag the trap you fell for: Extreme language, Out-of-scope, Half-right/half-wrong, Opposite/reversal, Causal mix-up, Comparison mix-up, or Definition drift.
4. Write a fix-it rule: “For inference Qs with contrast language, re-check the sentence after however.” Keep each rule one line and actionable.
5. Build a micro-drill: Create two fresh questions that mirror the trap you missed. Solve untimed, then timed.
6. Retest after 48–72 hours: Re-do the original passage quickly to verify the fix stuck. Space helps consolidate the correction.

• 5 minutes: Read a dense paragraph from a high-quality source. Practice labeling paragraph roles and summarizing in one sentence.
• 20 minutes: Timed RC set that includes at least one long passage. Apply the workflow exactly.
• 5 minutes: Focused review. Classify misses and write one fix-it rule. Add the passage to a spaced review queue for a mid-week revisit.

Exambank acts like an always-on tutor that molds this process to you. Start with the diagnostic to establish your Verbal baseline. In the Learn → Solve Together → Test Yourself flow, you’ll first study the structure-first method with short lessons, then walk through real GRE-style passages with guided prompts that force you to tag paragraph roles, state the gist, and choose anchors before answering. Adaptive practice serves you more of what you need—long passages if you rush structure, or select-in-passage if you miss sentence-function cues. Analytics break down accuracy and time by passage length and question type, and the platform can auto-generate personalized review sets built around the trap tags you miss most. Streak tracking nudges you to keep the 30-minute RC workout going day after day.

Run these filters on every choice before you commit:

• Extreme: Words like always, entirely, revolutionary are rarely correct unless the passage is equally strong.
• Out-of-scope: True in the world, not supported by the passage.
• Half-right: Starts accurately then adds an unsupported twist.
• Opposite: Describes the view the author rejects or the contrast paragraph.
• Comparative swap: Reverses which group/variable is larger, earlier, or more effective.
• Causal leap: Assumes cause from correlation when the passage only suggests association.

Stay loyal to the process: structure first, then details; global questions before lookup; predict before you read choices; skip and return when the clock says so. Keep your notes minimal and consistent. If a passage feels unfamiliar, that’s normal—your job is to map it, not to know it. With a steady review loop, your accuracy will rise even as the clock ticks faster.