从1999年10月开始的这项GRE作文评估考试并不是强制考试项目，您可以根据自己的需要以及所报学校的要求决定是否参与此项考试。不过随着这项考试的普及以及它所能反映的考生写作的能力，应该会有越来越多的学校要求申请入学的学生提供此项成绩。

　　下面是考试内容简介：

　　The GRE Writing Assessment consists of two analytical writing tasks:

　　1. a 45-minute "Present Your Perspective on an Issue" task

　　2. a 30-minute "Analyze an Argument" task

　　The "Issue" task states an opinion on an issue of broad interest and asks test takers to address the issue from any perspective(s) they wish, so long as they provide relevant reasons and examples to explain and support their views.

　　The "Argument" task presents a different challenge: it requires test takers to critique an argument by discussing how well reasoned they find it. Test takers are asked to consider the logical soundness of the argument rather than agree or disagree with the position it presents.

　　Thus the two tasks are complementary in that one requires test takers to construct their own argument by making claims and providing evidence supporting their position on the issue, whereas the other requires them to critique someone else's argument by assessing its claims and evaluating the evidence it provides.