3 Reading Comprehension Strategies for Better GMAT Score

by Liza smith Passionate Writer

When you are practising reading comprehension for GMAT, you need to focus on the areas that relate to weaknesses. The preparation of this section should start with an understanding of the question types.

1-Understand Key Question Types

The reading comprehension questions in GMAT focus on the ability to understand the given passage at the micro-level and at the macro-level as well. Some common type of questions that are asked in the question paper are:

· Main Idea

· Supporting Idea and Details

· Inferences

· Out-of-Context

· Logical Structure and Organization

· Style and Tone

2-Correct Approach to Handle the Questions

In which order should you tackle these questions? The first option is that you can read the entire passage first and then tackle each question. The second option is to read the question first (not the answer choices) to get the objective of reading the passage. Although candidates can start reading anyways, it is suggested that the passage should be read first. Reading one question as the objective may narrow your thinking and comprehension and limit your answer choices. Use Kaplan discount to get the best material.

3-Strategies to Approach the Passage

Read with Pace

In the verbal section, there are 36-questions to be completed in 65-minutes. It means there are less than two minutes for each question. But reading comprehension questions take a bit longer than others. It would be best if you gave enough time to read the passages carefully. It would help you to absorb the essential ideas and the details. Don’t read a sentence more than twice as it can lower your speed significantly. As a thumb-rule, spend six minutes on a short-passage with three questions and not more than eight minutes on a passage with four questions. Read the passage initially for 2-3 minutes and then start solving the questions. It’s better to set a time and get used to it to pace yourself. In this way, you can get the time down to a limit that you can handle the questions on the GMAT day easily.

Pay Attention to Research Words and Phrases

The transition words are used to relate the ideas and to support or negate the previous idea. Here are five main categories of transition words that you should know and recognize.

· Cause-Effect- Ideas are related to words like ‘consequently’, ‘because’, thus and a phrase like ‘as a result’.

· Detailing on an argument/Agreeing- Words like ‘similarly’, and ‘furthermore’, and the phrase ‘in addition to’.

· Evidence or Example- Phrase like ‘for instance’ and ‘in fact’ are used.

· Contrast or Opposition- ‘Yet’, ‘however’, and ‘nevertheless’ and phrases like ‘on the other hand’ and ‘in reality’ should be watched out for.

· Conclusion- Phrases like ‘all-in-all’ and ‘in-essence’ indicate the author is about, to sum up, or conclude their point. ‘Thus’ is also used as a conclusion word.

While reading close pay attention to these words to understand the logical flow f the passage. Unless the passage centres on defining a concept, understand the relationship among the ideas and the author’s thought process with the continuation of passage is more important. It is especially true if the passage is heavy in jargon, you should able to understand the main idea of the passage.

Keep Noting Important Points Mentally

Most reading comprehension passages in the GMAT follows a pattern. The central claim or point comes at the beginning, the next paragraph elaborates, and the next concludes. While reading identifies the main ideas, and stop to take a note of them mentally.

In Essence,

With these strategies and ample practice, you will get the ability to find the main ideas of the passage. It would help you to answer the questions promptly. Use Kaplan discount to get the best material.