GRE Analytical Writing Section
Master the two essay tasks that measure your ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and support them with logical reasoning.
Understanding the GRE Writing Section
The GRE Analytical Writing section measures your ability to think critically about complex topics, articulate your ideas clearly and effectively, support your positions with relevant reasons and examples, and sustain a coherent, well-organized discussion. It is the first section of the GRE and consists of two separately timed 30-minute writing tasks.
Unlike the Verbal and Quantitative sections, which are scored on 130–170 scales, the Analytical Writing section is scored on a scale of 0 to 6 in half-point increments. Each essay is independently evaluated by a trained human rater and an automated scoring engine. If the two scores agree, their average becomes your final score for that task. If they disagree, a second human rater evaluates the essay, and the final score is the average of the two human scores.
The average Analytical Writing score is approximately 3.5. While many graduate programs place less emphasis on the AWA than on the Verbal and Quantitative scores, a low writing score can raise concerns — particularly for programs in the humanities, social sciences, law, and any field where written communication is central to academic success.
The Two Analytical Writing Tasks
Each task tests a different analytical skill. Understanding precisely what each task requires is essential for earning a strong score.
Analyze an Issue (30 minutes)
The Issue task presents a claim, recommendation, or policy statement on a topic of general interest and asks you to evaluate the statement, consider its complexities, and develop a position with reasons and examples. You are not simply agreeing or disagreeing — you must demonstrate nuanced thinking by considering multiple perspectives, acknowledging counterarguments, and explaining the conditions under which the statement might or might not hold true.
The specific instructions vary by prompt. You may be asked to discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement, write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered to evaluate the recommendation, or discuss the circumstances under which the statement would or would not hold true. Reading the instructions carefully is critical because they determine the lens through which your essay should be written.
Strong Issue essays demonstrate clear, insightful analysis; well-chosen, specific examples that support your reasoning; logical organization with smooth transitions between ideas; and command of standard written English.
Analyze an Argument (30 minutes)
The Argument task presents a brief passage in which an author makes a case for a particular conclusion based on stated evidence and reasoning. Your job is not to present your own views on the subject but to critically evaluate the logical soundness of the argument as presented. You must identify and analyze the specific flaws in the author's reasoning, unsupported assumptions, and gaps between the evidence cited and the conclusion drawn.
As with the Issue task, the specific instructions vary. You may be asked to examine the stated or unstated assumptions and discuss how well they support the argument, identify evidence that would strengthen or weaken the argument, or explain what questions would need to be answered to evaluate the argument's effectiveness. Your essay must address the specific task described in the instructions.
Strong Argument essays identify the most significant logical flaws, explain clearly why each flaw undermines the argument, suggest what additional evidence or information would be needed to properly evaluate the conclusion, and maintain a clear organizational structure throughout.
How the Analytical Writing Section Is Scored
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 6.0 | Outstanding: Presents an insightful, well-articulated analysis with compelling support. Demonstrates superior facility with the elements of effective writing. |
| 5.0 | Strong: Presents a thoughtful, well-developed analysis with logically sound support. Demonstrates clear control of the elements of effective writing. |
| 4.0 | Adequate: Presents a competent analysis with adequate support. Demonstrates sufficient control of the elements of writing, with some flaws. |
| 3.0 | Limited: Demonstrates some competence in analytical writing but with notable weaknesses in analysis, development, organization, or language use. |
| 2.0 | Seriously Flawed: Demonstrates serious weaknesses in analytical writing. The response is unclear, disorganized, or provides little relevant analysis. |
| 1.0 | Fundamentally Deficient: Provides little or no evidence of the ability to develop an organized response or analyze the given topic. |
| 0 | No Score: Off-topic, written in a language other than English, merely copies the prompt, or consists only of random keystrokes. |
Your final Analytical Writing score is the average of your Issue and Argument task scores, rounded to the nearest half-point. A score of 4.0 or above is generally considered competitive for most graduate programs, while programs that emphasize writing may expect 4.5 or higher.
What the Analytical Writing Section Measures
Critical Thinking
Both tasks require you to analyze complex ideas at a level that goes beyond surface-level reading. The Issue task tests your ability to evaluate a claim from multiple perspectives, while the Argument task tests your ability to identify logical flaws, unwarranted assumptions, and insufficient evidence in someone else's reasoning.
Organized Communication
Strong essays follow a clear structure with a focused thesis, well-developed body paragraphs, logical transitions, and a concluding statement. Raters specifically look for your ability to present your ideas in a sequence that makes your analysis easy to follow and your conclusions persuasive.
Evidence and Support
High-scoring essays use specific, relevant examples to support their analysis. For the Issue task, this means drawing on concrete examples from experience, reading, or observation. For the Argument task, this means precisely identifying the evidence gaps and explaining what specific information would address them.
Standard Written English
While occasional minor errors will not lower your score, the ability to write clearly using correct grammar, varied sentence structure, precise vocabulary, and appropriate tone is essential. Persistent errors in mechanics or syntax will lower your score, as they interfere with the clarity and effectiveness of your communication.
Proven Strategies for GRE Analytical Writing
Issue Essay Strategy
Spend the first 3–4 minutes planning. Read the prompt and instructions carefully, decide on your position, and outline 2–3 body paragraphs with specific examples. A clear plan prevents the rambling, unfocused writing that drags scores down. In your introduction, state your position clearly. Each body paragraph should present one main reason supported by a specific example. Acknowledge the opposing view to demonstrate nuanced thinking. Reserve the final 3–4 minutes for proofreading.
Argument Essay Strategy
Read the argument passage carefully and identify 3–4 logical flaws before you begin writing. Common flaws include unsupported assumptions, false cause-and-effect claims, overgeneralization from limited evidence, failure to consider alternative explanations, and vague or ambiguous terms. Structure your essay so that each body paragraph addresses one specific flaw, explains why it weakens the argument, and describes what evidence or information would be needed to evaluate the claim properly.
Time Management
With only 30 minutes per essay, time management is crucial. Allocate approximately 3–4 minutes for planning, 22–24 minutes for writing, and 3–4 minutes for reviewing and correcting errors. Aim for 4–5 well-developed paragraphs totaling 400–600 words. Longer essays that maintain quality tend to score higher, but a focused 450-word essay will outscore a rambling 700-word essay every time.
How to Prepare for the Analytical Writing Section
Even the most confident writers should dedicate specific preparation time to the GRE Analytical Writing section. The tasks require a particular kind of analytical writing that differs from typical academic essays, and understanding the scoring criteria and task requirements can make a significant difference in your score.
ETS publishes the complete pool of Issue topics and Argument topics from which your actual test prompts will be selected. Reviewing these pools and practicing with timed essay responses is one of the most effective preparation strategies. Focus on developing a repeatable essay structure that you can adapt to any prompt, rather than trying to prepare specific content for each possible topic.
Dr. Stuart Donnelly provides personalized feedback on practice essays, helping students identify patterns in their writing that may be limiting their scores. His approach focuses on developing clear analytical frameworks for each task type, improving the specificity and relevance of supporting examples, and strengthening the logical structure of your arguments. Private sessions are available online via Zoom or in person at our offices in New York City and San Diego.