VERBAL SECTION
Critical reasoning
GMAT presents about 10 critical reasoning questions on the Verbal Section.
Over 70% of critical reasoning questions are based on arguments. It means any piece
of text in which the author puts forth a set of ideas or a point of view and attempts
to support it. The objective turns to catch the assumption that the authors does.
Structure
Every GMAT argument is made up for two basic parts:
- The conclusion: The point that the author is trying to make.
- The evidence: The support that the author offers for the conclusion.
- The assumptions: Every idea that the author is assuming between the
evidence and the conclusion. They are implicitly.
Timing
You should answer every question in 2 minutes each. At the end, if you can not
select an answer, you must choose randomly.
Potential problems
- Shift of scope: The arguments suddenly introduces a new term or idea that
was not mentioned before.
- Mistaking correlation and causation: Just because two things happen at the
same time, does not mean that one caused the other.
- Plans and predictions: Could the be something inherently self-defeating about
proposed course of action?
Try to predict the answer
You must approach the answer choices with at least a faint idea of what
answer should look like. That is, predict the answer in your own mind before looking
the choices.
,Keywords
To succeed in Critical Reasoning, you will have to be able to determine the
precise function of every sentence in the stimulus. The easy way to do this is to use
structural signals, or keywords, to identify the conclusion and evidence.
Keyword categories Examples
Contrast Nevertheless (Sin embargo), Despite (A pesar de),
Although (A pesar de/aunque), But (Pero), Yet (Todavía),
On the other hand (Por otra parte),
even though (aunque)
Continuation Furthermore (Además), Moreover (Además), Additionally
(Adicionalmente), Also (También), and (Y)
Logic Therefore (Por lo tanto), Thus (Así), Consequently (En
consecuencia), it follows that (Resulta que), because
(porque), Since (Ya que), Hence (Por lo tanto),
Clearly (Claramente), For this reason (Por esta razón), so
(Entonces)
Illustration For example (Por ejemplo), we can see this by (Lo
podemos ver por), This shows (Esto muestra), to illustrate
(Para ilustrar)
Sequence/Timing First (Primero), Second (Segundo), Finally (Finalmente),
several steps (Varios puntos), Later (Más tarde)
Emphasis/Opinion Unfortunately (Desafortunadamente), Happily (Felizmente),
Crucial, Very important (Muy importante), unsuccessful
(Fracaso), even (Incluso)
Tips
Keep the scope and the stimulus in mind. Most of wrong choices for CR
questions are wrong because they are irrelevant or unsupported. Some, are too
narrow or too broad or they have nothing to do with the author’s scope. Others are too
extreme to match the scope (always, never, none, and so on). Correct answers are
more qualified and contain such words as usually, sometimes, and provably.
,The Kaplan Method for Critical Reasoning
1. Identify the question type: Determine the question type, and you will know
exactly what you are looking for.
2. Untangle the stimulus: Identify the evidence and conclusion. Define the
arguments based on the shift of scope.
(C: _____ , E: _____, A: _____)
3. Predict the answer: Form an idea of what the right answer choice should say
or do. It is useful for time management.
4. Evaluate the choices: Keep your prediction in mind and see whether the
answer choices match it. At the end of 2 mins, you have more chances to
answer well.
Question types
There are 7 types of critical reasoning questions. Four of them are argument
based (AB): Assumption, Weaken & Strengthen, Evaluation and Flaw. The others are
considered non argument based (NAB): Explain, Inference and Bolded statements.
Over 70% of critical reasoning questions are based on arguments.
A. Assumption questions
Ask you for a piece of support that is not explicitly stated but is necessary for
the arguments to remain valid. You should need to untangle the stimulus.
Evidence + Assumptions = Conclusion
1. Conclusion: Is always a reflection of the author’s opinion. Could be plan,
proposal, prediction, or value judgement or simply her interpretation. Often are
some keywords to identify it (thus, therefore, so, hence, consequently, in
conclusion, clearly, for this reason).
2. Evidence: Can take the form of data, such as statistics, surveys, polls, or
historical facts. Is usually (but not always) factual in nature.
3. Assumption: It is the most essential step here. Is the unstated evidence
necessary to make the arguments work.
Sample questions
● Which one of the following is assumed by the author?
● Upon which one of the following assumptions does the author rely?
● The argument depends on the assumption that…
● Which one of the following, if added to the passage, would make the
conclusion logical?
● The validity of the argument depends on which one of the following?
● The argument presupposes which one of the following.
, B. Strengthen and weaken questions
The right answer to a Weaken question will always weaken the connection
between the evidence and the conclusion -in other words- the assumption.
Conversely, the answer to many strengthen questions provides additional
support for the argument by affirming the truth of an assumption.
Sample questions
1. Weaken
● Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument?
● Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously damage the argument
above?
● Which one of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the argument?
● Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously call into question the
plan outlined above?
2. Strengthen
● Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument?
● Which one of the following, if true, would provide the most support for the
conclusion in the argument above?
● The argument above would be more persuasive if which one of the following
were found to be true?
C. Evaluation questions
Is a rare CR question type. Ask you to identify information that would help you
assess an argument’s strength. The right answer will specify the kind of evidence
that would help you judge the validity of the author’s argument.
Sample questions
● Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the
argument?
● The answer to which of the following questions would be most important to in
evaluating the proposal?
● To assess the likelihood that the plan will achieve its objective, it would be
most useful to determine which of the following?
● To evaluate the author’s reasoning, it would be most useful to compare…
● Which of the following must be studied in order to evaluate the argument
presented above?
