How to Crack the GMAT Critical Reasoning

Your GMAT Prep, through honing your analytical skills, should not only help you score brilliantly on the GMAT and gain admittance into a world-class B-school but also groom you for a career in business.

Focus on developing the ability to grasp and analyze arguments during your GMAT Prep. This is essential for cracking Critical Reasoning from the Verbal Ability section.

Start with understanding the terminology and knowing the question types for CR. Reputed trainers for GMAT Prep can provide clarity here and give tips on tackling this sub-section. Practicing well each question type should be an essential part of your GMAT Prep.

Since GMAT is not an exam you can cram for, you need to bend your thought process and develop thinking patterns such that you can handle CR questions. A good place to begin is to understand, with the help of trainers for GMAT Prep, some methods of reasoning that can be employed. This will help identify the argument’s structure and meaning. Practice enhances understanding. This ability to understand the method of reasoning will aid in questions that require you to identify flaws in the logic.

Develop the habit of reading any given argument with the question in mind. Phrase the argument in your own words and try to get to its gist. Analyze the argument’s structure and form some idea about the answer before looking at the choices. The choices intend to confuse. The multiple-choice format is designed to put your thinking skills to the test. While engaged in GMAT Prep, expend energy on becoming adept at picking vital clues.

Learn to break down the argument to make your job easier- identify assumptions, evidence and conclusion. This breaking down helps when you are required to strengthen or weaken arguments. Be alert about what is being asked- closely examine each answer choice. For a question on strengthening arguments, if you do not find an answer that actually strengthens, look for one that protects against a possible weakness. Your GMAT Prep should equip you to efficiently answer such questions.

During GMAT Prep, you will observe that correlation between or simultaneous occurrence of two events is sometimes presented as a causal relation between them. Honed reasoning skills will help you identify faulty arguments.

If you have realized in the course of your GMAT Prep that you face difficulty in picking what best removes the flaw, try thinking about the opposite of each choice- the opposite of the correct answer will demonstrate the very flaw.

When you practice different questions for GMAT Prep, take care to not predict answers for questions on paradox. Rephrase the argument and seek something incongruous. Understand the paradox before you set to resolve it. Scan choices closely.

Skimming is disastrous for CR. Every little detail within conclusion is important. Look for operative words. Sometimes, conclusion may not provide details but may point towards details occurring elsewhere in the argument. Your speed will improve through devoted GMAT Prep.

If you follow the guidance of experienced trainers for GMAT Prep and practice sincerely, you will do well.