The analytical writing section of the GRE is designed to assess the candidate's ability to express her ideas clearly in a written essay. Candidates are judged on whether they can support their ideas with valid examples, how clearly and succinctly they can express their thoughts, and how well they are able to use elements of the English language.
Test takers must write two essays to complete the analytical writing section of the GRE. The essays are written in a word processing program provided by ETS, the company that produces the GRE exam. The word processing program does not have a spell checker. The analytical portion of the GRE is scored on a 6-point scale; 6 is the best score a test taker can receive, 0 the lowest.
The first essay is called the "Issue Task." The test taker will be prompted to choose between two different topics on which to write an essay. The essay must be written within 45 minutes. Once the allotted time is up, the computer will automatically move to the next section of the test, regardless of whether the test taker has finished writing the essay.
In the next section, the test taker will be presented with an argument. He will be asked to write an essay that explains which side of the argument he supports, and why. The essay will be scored on how well the test taker can critique the central elements of the argument and give examples to back up claims. Thirty minutes is given to write the argument essay portion of the analytical writing section.
Practice the analytical writing section of the GRE by accessing the PowerPrep software provided by ETS when you register for the test. The software has two practice tests that contain essay topics that were once used in the GRE analytical writing section. Although the essay topics used in the practice test are no longer used on the actual test, the testing format of the practice test is similar to the real thing. Simulate the testing environment by setting a timer and completing the test in the allotted amount of time.