GMAT Verbal Test Structure

Any verbal aptitude test is difficult to succeed without ample knowledge of English. So the GMAT verbal section tests your:

• Reading and comprehension skills,
• Logical understanding of the concept in the reading passages and
• Ability in drawing conclusions from the given inferences.

You may feel bit weird as this section does not have any specific formulae like you normally find in the quantitative section. The questions can be vary from easy to difficult or vice versa, but the key to success in this section is in your precise planning and preparation. This test is 75 minutes long with 41multiple choice questions to answer. Read on to know all about the different segments in GMAT Verbal Test Structure.

There are three segments in a GMAT Verbal Test Structure:

1. Sentence Correction
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Critical Reasoning

1. Sentence Correction

This section tests your language proficiency in English and whether your command over the grammatical and analytical skills is good enough to come up with the right conclusions.

• It has 15 questions and is randomly spread along with the other questions of this section.
• The outline of the questions is, it will have either grammatical mistakes in it which you need to correct or it will be in the form of poorly formulated sentences.
• You can score well in this section provided you prepare well.
• In this section you will be tested on your clarity in recognizing incorrect sentences, rather than your understanding about the concept. So this is what makes sentence correction section unique.

2. Reading Comprehension

This section tests your reading and grasping skills. The passages are given followed by few questions for each passage. So not only your reading and grasping but your writing skills are also simultaneously tested. Here you need not use complicated and superfluous words to prove your ability. You only need to use Standard English which is suitable and accurate for the given context.

• The test has 4 passages in it which is followed by 3 to 4 questions related to the given passages.
• The information in the passages can be anything from general such as social or political issues or science related topics or even economical and management related passages.
• You need not be diversified in all the subjects and the questions asked will be related to the information given in passage.  So make sure you are prepared to face questions even in subjects in which you are not well versed with.

3. Critical Reasoning

To excel in this section you will need to be a good critic. In this section an argument is given in the form of a paragraph and you will have to give the conclusion. Usually the topics chosen for this are technical ones. You need not have in-depth knowledge about it. It just tests your skills in drawing conclusions which is reasonable.

• Approximately there are 13 questions or critical reasoning.
• Although it is called as one of the toughest sections in this test, regular practice is the only strategy to excel in this test.
• It is better to read all choices given as options to get clarity about the answers to be stated.
• Do not write in persuading manner.
• Remain neutral in your answers. Do not write for or against the topic.

Planning and preparation are the key words for success in any task. Though students feel that verbal test in GMAT is the most difficult to handle, the fact is that just by scheduling and setting goals and practicing more, you can achieve an outstanding score.  

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