Tips for GMAT Critical Reasoning

GMAT Critical Reasoning questions require two fundamental skills: strong logic and precise reading. These skills can be difficult to develop, so give yourself ample study time and use high-quality, official GMAT and LSAT® materials as you hone a consistent, efficient approach to GMAT Critical Reasoning questions.

Boost Reading Precision for GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions

In our decades of GMAT tutoring, we’ve found that the overwhelming majority of GMAT Critical Reasoning errors happen because test-takers misread (or misinterpret) the passage, question, or answer choices. An optimal GMAT CR strategy ensures that you are engaged with the ACTUAL words on the page, not your own interpretation or paraphrasing of the text you see on the GMAT.

To be fair, it is tempting to paraphrase certain details when you read GMAT CR passages, but this is a deadly habit on the GMAT. Train yourself to notice the EXACT language in front of you and think through the information precisely as it is presented. 

For a deeper look at exactly this skill, and the modifiers that decide most CR questions, see our Beginner’s Guide to GMAT Critical Reasoning.

Improving GMAT Critical Reasoning Efficiency

Plenty of GMAT test-takers complain that they take far too much time on GMAT Critical Reasoning questions. In some cases, this slowness is caused by slow reading speed in general. But for many GMAT test-takers, the problem is that their overall approach to Critical Reasoning is inefficient.

This might sound silly, but in our decades of tutoring, we’ve noticed that the most common source of inefficiency on GMAT Critical Reasoning is a failure to “invest” in fully reading each passage. Many GMAT test-takers rush through their initial reading of the passage, and leap ahead to the answer choices before they’ve fully processed the author’s argument.

Think of it this way: Imagine trying to strengthen (or weaken, or evaluate, or do anything to…) an author’s conclusion when you’re not 100% clear about what the author’s conclusion actually is! You’ll have to go back to the CR passage and start from scratch, or you’ll spend a ton of time bouncing between the answer choices and the passage, struggling to find ways to narrow down the options. And unfortunately, we see this problem in far too many GMAT students.

The most efficient approach to GMAT Critical Reasoning is to invest time in developing a solid understanding of the argument BEFORE you even look at the answer choices. This may feel slow, but it is absolutely the best way to optimize your process on CR questions.

Another aspect of efficiency on GMAT Critical Reasoning is learning to let go of very difficult questions. If you simply can’t make sense of a passage, then you shouldn’t waste time attempting to answer the question. If you find yourself spinning your wheels, you may need to guess and move on from that CR question so that you have enough time to answer other GMAT verbal questions well.

Developing Strong Logic for GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions

At a fundamental level, GMAT Critical Reasoning tests your logical skills. To correctly answer each question, you need to understand the logic of the passage, read the question, and then think through the logic behind each answer choice.

It’s tempting to seek out complicated logical schemas or diagrams to feel more prepared for GMAT Critical Reasoning questions. Plenty of GMAT tutors ask their students to memorize approaches to individual Critical Reasoning question types. However, memorizing logical schemas for individual CR question types is generally a waste of time that can distract you from developing other, more pressing skills that you’ll need on the GMAT verbal section.

Think about it this way: if, for example, a GMAT CR question asks you to pick the answer choice that “most seriously weakens” the argument, you naturally know what it means to weaken an argument, so there is no point in agonizing over or overcomplicating that skill.

We find that the most important piece of developing GMAT CR logic is understanding why the author included each piece of the argument. Again, it’s unnecessary to memorize a bunch of fancy terminology (premises, counterpremises, intermediary conclusions, etc.) to complete this task. Instead, just break the argument down intuitively, and understand what the author is trying to accomplish in the passage.

For example, the author of a GMAT Critical Reasoning passage might include information because it is:

• The conclusion of the argument
• Evidence supporting the conclusion
• General background information
• A point that goes against the author’s conclusion

The bottom line: in order to develop strong CR logic, get in the habit of breaking down the structure of each passage intuitively before you move on to the answer choices.

Using a Simple Approach on GMAT Critical Reasoning

Many GMAT students believe that a comprehensive set of rules, or a detailed plan for each different question “type,” will somehow help them on Critical Reasoning. Sadly, this is not generally an effective approach. For starters, many GMAT questions do not fit neatly into a “type” at all. Also, we find that memorizing a set of inflexible rules just prevents test-takers from accurately, efficiently, and intuitively answering the GMAT question in front of them.

A simpler approach will be more flexible and fruitful, even if it doesn’t seem as satisfying. As you study GMAT Critical Reasoning, your goal should be to develop habits of:

• Reading the CR passage thoroughly and intuitively breaking down the structure of the argument
• Reading the exact question as written, and not paraphrasing it into a GMAT Critical Reasoning question “type”
• Using the process of elimination to find four wrong answers every time; obviously, the one you haven’t eliminated is the correct answer
• Moving on from very difficult CR questions that are not a good use of your time.

… and that’s it! This process can be applied to any Critical Reasoning question. The exact details of each student’s approach will vary based on his or her particular strengths and weaknesses, but the goal should be to hone a simple, efficient, and consistent approach to GMAT Critical Reasoning.

Using High-Quality GMAT CR Practice Materials

To ensure that official GMAT questions are of consistently high quality, the test’s creators spend well over $3000 developing each individual test question. Even the best GMAT test-prep companies can’t reasonably invest anywhere nearly as much in developing GMAT CR practice questions, and the result is that these off-brand questions are not great study tools.

The best practice questions are, of course, official GMAT questions. You can find these questions in the GMAT Official Guide and GMAT Verbal Review books published by GMAC, as well as in official practice tests and question banks on mba.com.

You can find additional high-quality Critical Reasoning questions in official LSAT® materials. There are some differences between GMAT and LSAT® questions, but they are close enough to give you excellent practice at honing your approach. We explain how to use them in 5 Reasons Why the LSAT® Can Help Your GMAT Score.