Parallelism is an error-type that anyone who has ever prepped for GMAT® Sentence Correction will know. It is a very popular error type with test-takers since it is easy to spot and eliminate incorrect answer options. But there is a specific kind of parallel structure that the GMAT® test-makers disguise so well that it is almost impossible to pick! The GMAT® question below is the perfect example.
In the previous post on Critical Reasoning we looked at the method of tackling statistics-based CR questions on the GMAT®. Let us look at another statistics-based questions to reinforce our learning. As discussed in the previous post, the answer to a statistics-based question will either be a statistic or an interpretation of the stat being discussed in the argument. More often than not, test-takers answer these questions incorrectly because they do not take time out to understand the stat being discussed. The GMAT® question below is the best example.
One of the biggest challenges on the GMAT® is the battle against the timer. But the first thing that test-takers have to realize that it is not a test where a section cannot be completed in 75 minutes. Even the seemingly time-taking problems or calculations always have a straightforward solution provided you pause to think about the best way of going about solving a problem rather than jump into it. Usually the speed-breakers are Data Sufficiency questions involving inequalities. The first reaction of test-takers is to randomly plug numbers and see how things will pan out. Since they have not taken the time to first define the problem well, plugging numbers tends to become a trial and error process in the hope of hitting upon the answer rather than a process of testing the inequality! Over the next few Quantitative posts we will look at methods to effectively tackle Data Sufficiency problems involving inequalities. One of the first methods of decreasing the solving time required on these problems is to test the converse of the …
The GMAT Official Guide is probably one of the most important components of any GMAT Prep. But more often than not test-takers do not really use it in a way that will maximize their learning and take them to their dream score.
In a previous post we had discussed how very often test-takers get stuck to the Major Error error when tackling Sentence Correction questions on the GMAT® . The Major Error in a sentence might be related to tenses or parallel structure or modifiers. This error might be corrected in more than one sentence. What GMAT® test-setters do very well is introduce another Minor Error while correcting the Major Error. The Minor Error more often than not is related to Subject-Verb or Pronoun Usage. The GMAT® question below best exemplifies this.
Critical Reasoning questions on the GMAT® , often have questions that have some stats. The most important thing to remember is that stats-based questions have stats-based answers or answers that require an interpretation of the stats. So answer options that give explanations that do not have a statistical implication can easily be ruled out. Let us look at the question below.
One of the frequent things that test-takers keep telling us is that despite memorizing all the rules, they are unable to move beyond a particular level of accuracy on GMAT® Sentence Correction! Well one of the big reasons behind this is that once test-takers have mastered the rules they are able to immediately spot the error and pick option that rectify the error. There is only one catch, they ignore the fact that while major error has been corrected, another error that might have been introduced in another part of the sentence. The question below best exemplifies this.
Of all Critical Reasoning Question Types on the GMAT® , the Inference question is probably the easiest one after the Conclusion Type. The easiest inference questions are like Chemistry experiments, if green fumes come out it must contain ammonia (or whatever is green). Let us look at the question below: A company’s two divisions performed with remarkable consistency over the past three years: in each of those years, the pharmaceuticals division has accounted for roughly 20 percent of dollar sales and 40 percent of profits, and the chemicals division for the balance.
When it comes to preparing for the GMAT there is a voluminous amount of prep material available. Sometimes the material is so overwhelming that it becomes tough to pick and choose material to suit different parts of your GMAT Prep. To make life simple let us take up this topic in alignment with the structure I suggested for your GMAT Prep in this post. After you take the OG Diagnostic test to identify you learning needs, the three distinct phases of your GMAT Prep are Prep, Practice & Testing As someone who has prepared for and taken the GMAT myself, I can vouch that there is no prep material from any one brand that is best for all three stages.
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