Wasn’t GMAT Verbal the only section that felt manageable when you first started your test prep? It’s not until you take a couple of practice tests that you realize it is SO NOT THE CASE. If you are getting your GMAT Verbal answers wrong and have no clue why or can’t figure out what needs to change to ace the section, this blog is for you! In this blog, we will go over some tried, tested, and perfected GMAT Verbal tips that will change how you approach the section for good. Let’s go!
IN THIS BLOG:
1. Start Your GMAT Verbal Test Prep Without Timer
2. Tackling GMAT Verbal through Critical Reasoning
3. How-to read GMAT Verbal Answer choices
Start Your GMAT Verbal Test Prep without Timer
Ditching the timer during your GMAT Verbal test prep doesn’t seem like good advice, does it? But hear us out! When you start your test prep, you are still learning about the test pattern, question types, etc. During this time, if you push yourself to replicate the test pace, it will only take away from the real-time learning or understanding that students typically achieve without a ticking timer by their side.
While practicing GMAT Verbal questions without a timer, you get a better insight into what the test expects of you and how to approach Reading Comprehension questions and others, for that matter.
Secondly, the GMAT gives you 65 minutes to answer 36 questions, that’s about 1 minute and 48 seconds on average for each question. You can’t expect to replicate this pace with accuracy when you are just starting out. The good news is, that you will eventually achieve the test pace, and then you can use a timer.
PRO TIP: When starting your test prep, take the time to thoroughly analyze a question and notice key details while carefully using logic to arrive at a correct answer.
BOTTOM LINE – The idea is to first work on perfecting your accuracy and then optimizing your performance.
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Tackling GMAT Verbal through Critical Reasoning
Are the reading comprehension questions giving you a hard time? If only there was a quick fix for getting better at it, and there is! It’s called Critical Reasoning. That’s right, practicing more critical reasoning questions can actually help you score better on RCs as well. This is because CR questions test you on the exact skill set required to ace the reading comprehension questions. Just like CR questions, GMAT reading comprehension questions expect you to analyze an argument and find the logical solution to the question stem.
Practicing more critical reasoning questions conditions your mind to approach the GMAT verbal section in the right way. GMAT already tests you on critical reasoning skills with around 10-13 questions on the test, so you don’t need to go to any lengths to find extra reading material than you already own.
PRO TIP: When solving Critical Reasoning questions, always stick to the facts. The correct answer is an inference derived from the facts presented in the argument and not outside of it.
BOTTOM LINE – If you need to tell a story to get to the answer, it’s very likely incorrect!
How-to Read GMAT Verbal Answer Choices
How do you look at the answer choices? Do you read them hoping it’s the correct answer? Well, if yes, that needs to change. Since there will be more wrong answer choices than the correct ones, it makes sense to be more skeptical about the answer choices. Read through the answer choices to find information that could prove it wrong. This also works naturally for times when you arrive at the correct answer through the method of elimination.
PRO TIP: While going through the passage, be mindful of the tone and intensity with which arguments are made in the passage. Steer clear of extremes and strong words appearing on the test. Avoid Verbal answer choices including must, always, only, etc., if it isn’t consistent with your understanding of the passage.
BOTTOM LINE – Do NOT go for answer choices that overstate or understate arguments mentioned in the passage.
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