GRE AWA - have doubts!

[karish10]

I have a couple of questions about the writing section of the GRE:

1. Does it have to be in either American or British English? Does it matter whether I say programme or program, colour or color? 

2. What is the average / expected length of the Issue and Argument tasks?

[PaoloC]

On 1/5/2019 at 2:13 AM, karish10 said:

I have a couple of questions about the writing section of the GRE:

1. Does it have to be in either American or British English? Does it matter whether I say programme or program, colour or color? 

 2. What is the average / expected length of the Issue and Argument tasks?

Singe it will be reviewed by American readers, I'd say better drop the extra "u" !

On length, ETS doesn't provide any specific guidance but I'm pretty sure more is generally better. If anything, a longer essay gives you a chance to develop the argument more. I was targeting the 650-750 range during practice tests. 

[Potemkin]

I remember reading – I think somewhere in the Manhattan Prep material –that spelling isn't really that important in the AWA section, as long as it is clear what you meant to write. They are more interested in the actual substance and form of the text. So I think either spelling convention should be fine. (And also, length is supposed to positively correlate with score, but correlation doesn't equal causation etc.)