Understanding the GMAT Verbal section: Structure and Types of Questions

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If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already decided that the GMAT Exam is a critical step toward your MBA goals. And if the GMAT Verbal section has kept you feeling uneasy, you’re not alone. Many test-takers find this part of the exam uniquely challenging—not because their English skills are lacking, but because the GMAT Verbal section isn’t just about language. It’s more about “how” you think.

This article aims to share insights into the GMAT Verbal section’s structure, question types, and preparation strategies that work. No fluff, no jargon—just actionable advice to help you approach the GMAT verbal section with clarity and confidence, because with the right guidance it is something that can be mastered. Thus, it can further help you to enhance your GMAT preparation skills.

The GMAT Verbal Section: What You’re Up Against

The GMAT Verbal section consists of 23 questions to be answered in 45 minutes divided into two key question types:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Critical Reasoning

The GMAT Verbal section focuses on skills directly relevant to business schools: analyzing arguments, interpreting data, and making logical decisions under pressure. Let’s break down what each question type demands—and how to conquer them.

1. Reading Comprehension: Beyond Skimming

   You’ll encounter 3–4 passages on topics like economics, science, or social sciences, followed by 3–4 questions per passage. The goal isn’t to test your prior knowledge but to assess your ability to:

   – Identify the author’s main point or the big picture.

   – Draw inferences from implied details.

   – Understand how the passage is structured (e.g. compare/contrast, cause/effect).

   – Understand the relationship between the different components of the passage (e.g. role of a word , why a particular example is given etc )

   Here are some techniques to ace the GMAT reading comprehension section and tips to answer questions.

   Sample Question

   Passage Excerpt

   “While renewable energy projects are lauded for reducing carbon emissions, their reliance on rare-earth minerals raises ethical concerns. Mining these minerals often occurs in regions with lax environmental regulations, leading to ecological damage.”

   Question:

   What is the primary tension highlighted in the passage?

   1. Cost vs. efficiency of renewable energy

   2. Environmental benefits vs. resource extraction ethics

   3. Government policies vs. corporate interests

   Answer B (The passage contrasts the benefits of renewables with the ethical issues of mineral mining.)

   Pro Tip

   Don’t try to memorize details. Focus on the passage’s structure. Look for structural keywords like “while,” “however,” or “in contrast” to spot the author’s stance quickly.

2. Critical Reasoning: Think Like a CEO

   Critical Reasoning (CR) questions present a short argument (3–5 sentences) followed by a question asking you to:

   – Strengthen or weaken the argument.

   – Evaluate the argument.

   – Identify assumptions.

   – Explain paradoxes.

   Ten to thirteen CR questions can be expected.

   Sample Question

   Argument:

   “In the past, most children who went sledding in the winter snow in Verland used wooden sleds with runners and steering bars. Ten years ago, smooth plastic sleds became popular; they go faster than wooden sleds but are harder to steer and slow. The concern that plastic sleds are more dangerous is clearly borne out by the fact that the number of children injured while sledding was much higher last winter than it was ten years ago.

   Which of the following, if true in Verland, most seriously undermines the force of the evidence cited?

   1. A few children still use traditional wooden sleds.
   2. Very few children wear any kind of protective gear, such as helmets, while sledding.
   3. Plastic sleds can be used in a much wider variety of snow conditions than wooden sleds can.
   4. Most sledding injuries occur when a sled collides with a tree, a rock, or another sled.
   5. Because the traditional wooden sled can carry more than one rider, an accident involving a wooden sled can result in several children being injured.

   Answer: Option C

   Analysis:

   Aim – The aim is to prove that plastic sleds are not more dangerous than wooden sleds

   Pro Tip:

   These kinds of arguments in which it is being said that one thing is better than the other can be solved with a very simple technique, any option that talks only about one without giving corresponding information about the other will never be the answer. Also an option that gives information about both equally will never be the answer.

   In this question for example we have to prove that plastic sleds are not more dangerous than wooden sleds

   And therefore I can eliminate Option A and Option E because they give me information only about wooden sleds. Similarly, we can rule out Option B and Option D because it gives me information that would apply equally to both plastic and wooden sleds.

   Option C is the answer because it is the only one that talks about both. Thus, we can eliminate the options very quickly to arrive at the answer.

   If a deeper look is taken at Option C, it can be seen that plastic sleds are being used more frequently which would in turn would lead to an increase in the number of accidents involving plastic sleds and not because they are more dangerous. Hence the answer is Option C.

   Mastering techniques like these will help in acing the verbal section.

How to Prepare for GMAT Verbal Section: A 3-Step Framework

1. Build a Reading Routine

   Read high-density material like ‘The Wall Street Journal’ or academic papers. Focus on identifying main ideas and arguments in 3–4 minutes (this mirrors GMAT pacing. )

2. Practice with Purpose

   Don’t just answer questions; analyze why you got them wrong. Did you misread the passage? Overlook a keyword? Many test-takers benefit from structured GMAT prep through courses that provide detailed answer explanations.

3. Simulate Real Conditions

   Time yourself rigorously. For RC, spend no more than 6–8 minutes per passage (including questions). For CR, aim for 2 minutes per question.

   Attempt More Such GMAT Sample Questions

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