The following section offers specific tips and strategies to use on the Verbal section during the exam. Prac-
tice these strategies as you complete the practice exercises in the next chapter.
Remember that the different types of questions will be interspersed throughout the Verbal section. For
example, you may start with a set of reading comprehension questions based on a passage, then have a sen-
tence correction question, then have two critical reasoning questions, and then have another reading com-
prehension passage. Try not to let this distract you. Be prepared to shift gears frequently throughout the exam.
To help you focus on each type of question, jot a few notes about key things to remember for each type of
question on a piece of scrap paper.
It is important to keep moving, but at the same time, don’t sacrifice too much for the sake of speed. If
you need to reread a reading comprehension passage in order to answer the questions about it correctly, do
so. The extra minute you spend rereading will increase your chance of answering those questions correctly
and, therefore, of setting the level of difficulty of your exam at a higher level. Even if you answer fewer ques-
tions in the end, the questions that you did answer correctly will carry more weight.
CHAPTER
Tips and
Strategies for
the Verbal
Section
8
137
The First Five Questions
Remember that on this CAT your answers to the first five questions in each category will largely determine the
level of difficulty of your exam. Take some extra time to make sure you answer these questions correctly.
138

Reading Comprehension Questions
Smart Approach
Remember that active reading is your best strategy for comprehension. On the exam, read each passage three
times:
1. First, preview. Scan the passage quickly to get a general sense of the argument and context. This
should take less than a minute. Use your finger to guide you down the screen so your eyes keep mov-

guess so you can move on to the next passage or question. Remember, the more correct answers you
provide at the beginning of the test, the higher the level the CAT will establish for you and the better
your potential for a higher score.
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Context clues can help you determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. At a minimum, try to deter-
mine whether the unfamiliar word is something positive or negative.
■
In a long text, the main idea (if stated) is often located in the first paragraph. Within one paragraph,
the main idea (if stated in a topic sentence) is often the first sentence in that paragraph.
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Remember that the main idea must be general enough to encompass (hold together) all of the ideas in
the passage.
■
Remember to distinguish between facts (things known to be true) and opinions (things believed to
be true).
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Use key words and the structure of the passage to locate specific facts and details.
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Remember that a writer’s purpose drives every decision a writer makes, including how to organize the
text. The overall organizing principle of a passage will reflect the writer’s purpose.
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Watch for transitions that suggest the organizational pattern and show the relationships between ideas.
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Make sure your inferences are logical and based only on the evidence in the text. If you cannot point to
evidence in the text itself, your inference may not be valid.
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Look carefully at word choice for clues to the writer’s feelings.

Critical Reasoning Questions
Smart Approach

Conclusions must be based on the evidence in the passage. If an answer choice does not have relevant
evidence, it cannot be the correct answer.
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Do not let your opinion on the matter influence your answer selection. Stick to the statements and
claims in the argument that has been presented.
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Pay extra attention to the question stem. Make sure you are looking for the right kind of answer.
Remember, many questions will ask you for the exception.
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You do not need to name the fallacy
—
you just need to be able to recognize that something is wrong
with the argument. Do not worry about classifying the flaw; just identify the problem with the argu-
ment’s logic.
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Remember that qualifiers strengthen arguments by limiting their scope. For example, stating that “most
students would benefit from more individualized instruction” is a more accurate (and therefore
stronger) statement than “all students would benefit from more individualized instruction.”
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Keep in mind the four characteristics of good evidence: sufficient, relevant, unbiased, and logical.
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Whenever an argument makes a comparison, check to see if it is an apples-to-oranges comparison.
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Whenever an argument asks you to reject a claim, check to see if it is an ad hominem argument (reject-
ing a claim because of who makes the claim, not because of the merits of the claim).
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Watch for arguments that bring in irrelevant issues (red herrings). Premises must be directly related to
their conclusions to be logical.
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Whenever a passage offers an explanation, make sure it is a good one: testable, noncircular, precise, reli-

These kinds of errors are not tested on the exam. If you think that a sentence has one of these errors,
ignore it and look for another mistake in the sentence.
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Don’t bother reading choice a on sentence correction questions. It repeats the original version, giving
you a correct as is choice.
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Remember that some of the original sentences will be correct as is. If you read the sentence and it
sounds correct, a might be the right answer. If you suspect this is the case, quickly scan choices b
through e to see if any other version expresses the idea more effectively.
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TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE VERBAL SECTION
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141
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Focus only on the underlined portion because that’s where the error lies. Don’t get caught up trying to
understand the whole sentence, especially if it is long, if only a portion of that sentence is underlined.
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Be wary of long versions. The longer versions are often (but not always) ineffective; they may be redun-
dant, wordy, or poorly constructed.
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Look for words that signal relationships and make connections: subordinating conjunctions, coordi-
nating conjunctions, and conjunctive adverbs. These words help describe the relationship between
ideas and determine sentence boundaries and punctuation.
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Incorrect idioms are among the most common errors on the GMAT exam. Be sure not to skip over
small words such as prepositions (to,for,in,of...) as you read.Prepositions are particularly important
in idioms, and if you read too quickly, you might not pick up an idiomatic error.
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TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE VERBAL SECTION
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