Types of GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions You Need to Know

Critical reasoning is one of the hardest parts of GMAT. Do you know why examiners concentrate more on CR questions? The reason is, as your intention to attempt GMAT shows your interest in Business and any business needs critical thinking no matter in which position you are working in. That is exactly why you need to excel in Critical reasoning questions to get a better GMAT score.

Now before starting our preparation for GMAT, let us see the types of GMAT critical reasoning questions.                                        

                                                     [Read more about: FAQ’s on GMAT Exam]

1.       ‘Strengthen the Arguments'

Strengthen the arguments’ is one the most repeated question types of Critical Reasoning in GMAT. Almost 30% of CR questions will be of this type.

Sample:  Which of the following strengthens the argument…?

2.       ‘Weakens the Argument’/ ‘Least Helpful’

Weakening or least helpful will be the keyword for this type of question. 18- 20 % of questions will be of ‘Weakens the argument’ type.

Sample: Which of the following weakens the argument…?

               Or

               Which of the following statement is least helpful for the argument…?

3.       ‘Explaining /Resolving the Puzzle’

Finding which statement is explaining the argument in a better way is the challenge in this type of question. Nearly 12% of explaining questions will be given in GMAT critical reasoning questions where most of the common mistakes of GMAT test takers happen. So understand the passage and answer with accuracy.

Sample: Which of the following statement explains (or Resolving the puzzle) the argument better?

4.       ‘Assumption Question’

You may feel Déjà-vu while seeing ‘assume that’ keywords in this question from the memory of intermediate Math questions. But here, the patter will be different. 10% of questions will be the type of ‘Assumption based on....’

Sample: Which of the following assumption statements can be used for the conclusion like..?

5.       ‘Evaluating the Argument’

Finding the statement which helps in evaluating the argument in the passage is the challenge here. These questions will be of 10 %

Sample: Which of the following statement is most helpful in determining the evaluation of the argument..?

6.       ‘Bolded Part’

The questions will be based on the bolded part in the passage for the ‘Bolded part’ type.

These will be 10 % in GMAT critical reasoning questions.

Sample: Questions from a boldfaced part in the passage

7.       Best Ending for Passage’

 Finding the best conclusion for the passage is also one of the types. You can find a few questions based on this type.

Sample: Find out which of the following sentence can conclude the argument better?

8.       ‘Inference’ 

Inference questions are similar to conclusion drawing questions. Check the sample below to get the difference between the two. These types of questions will be of 8% in the critical reasoning section

Sample: If the mentioned fact/statement is true, which of the following argument will be true?

9.       ‘Author’s Argument’

Finally, what is the author’s point here? is also one of the question types in which you need to understand and pick what the author’s argument is.

Sample: Which of the following statement supports or agrees with the author’s argument..?

Now you got the brief information on GMAT Critical reasoning questions, plan your strategies quickly based on the keywords in the questions. Increase your speed and accuracy with best coaching for GMAT to prevail over these time-consuming tasks in.

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