Top 10 GMAT Reading Comprehension Tips And Strategies

GMAT Reading comprehension is a part of the verbal section. You will find very less guidance material on the internet or in the books. We know that you need some guidance on Reading Comprehension and so after filtering the whole internet and the verbal books and the experiences of the top scorers we are able to find TOP 10 GMAT READING COMPREHENSION TIPS AND STRATEGIES.

Here is a list of Top 10 Reading Comprehension Tips and Strategies and Pointers that should be remembered when dealing with the GMAT Reading Comprehension:

1. Read between the Paragraphs

GMAT examiners are smart people, they know that you are nervous, you are in an alien environment and you can easily fool. Now think how can you be fooled, simple giving you simple GMAT Reading Comprehension and to read but tricking you in the questions and answer choices. Mostly it has been seen that whenever GMAT gives you a simple RC you have 90% inference base questions. The questions are simple and looks that you have seen the answer and you will find he lines in the choices that you have just read in the passage. Sadly, you have chosen the wrong answer.

Remember: Read between the line of the passage and never mark the choice that repeats the line in the passage. Inference base question always need a new evidence to answer the question.

2. Read for Author’s Main Idea and Primary Purpose

GMAT Reading Comprehension may be tough and may be simple. The only thing to remember is the Author’s Main Idea and Primary Purpose. Without the Author’s Main Idea and Primary Purpose you may not be able to answer any question. The faster you are able to get Author’s Main Idea and Primary Purpose the faster you will solve the RC questions correctly. Author’s Main Idea and Primary Purpose is generally found in the last paragraph.

3. Create a thought flowchart by writing down the Main Idea and Primary purpose after each paragraph.

Moving to the next point, to make it easier to find the Main Idea and Primary purpose of the passage always use the scratch paper to write down the Main Idea and Primary purpose of each and every paragraph. This would help you know each paragraph purpose and the contribution towards the whole comprehension. Some time the idea changes in a single paragraph and you might miss those points and mark wrong choices. So write down about each paragraph

4. The Main Idea of the passage is the repeated idea in each of the Main ideas (of the paragraphs)

How to find you have chosen the right Main idea. If you have carefully followed the last point than you can very easily find the correct main idea of the whole passage. This is how you will find the main idea. The Main Idea will repeat itself in most of the paragraphs. Follow the steps and you RC life will be easy.

5. The primary purpose is mostly the Primary purpose of the concluding paragraph.

If you have been careful you will find that have discussed this point before this also. GMAT examiners are smart. Know Why? They know that you will be stuffed till the end if the passage so they put the Primary purpose in the end. That’s why you should be alert and write down Primary purpose and main idea of each paragraph.

6. Classify the passages

Always classify the passages. Generally GMAT Reading comprehension can be classified in three main categories. Want to know the three main categories? Here they are:

1. Explanatory (Mostly Science passages, explain one theory/phenomenon in detail)
2. Comparative (two or more point of views on a theory/topic. Doesn’t go in much detail)
3. Argumentative (Subjective, opinionated. Mostly social science / business topics. Pros and cons of a topic with author’s views on them)

7. Paraphrase the text to simplify (especially Questions and choices).

GMAT is a test of English, no need to remind you that but the thing to keep in mind is the Paraphrase of the text. The better you understand what you are dealing with the higher the GMAT score. Sometime GMAT ask you simple question but camouflage it with difficult word and complex situations. Paraphrase the text and answer the question easily.

8. Don’t over read. Skip examples, dates, lengthy names, any details which can be referred in case something is asked explicitly.

Read the passage carefully but don’t waste your time remembering the data or understanding the complex English. Simply skim the passage and only remember the details that you need to know. Don’t try to remember that are explicitly stated in the passage. You can get that detail when needed. Remember the details that are not stated and are implicitly stated in the passage.

9. Don’t go for choices which hold true only for one part of the author’s argument.

Famous GMAT trick and the GMAT examiner are often lucky enough to fool you. Simply you are given the statement that is either explicitly stated in the passage or refer only the part of the argument to be true. Always remember if the question is divided in two parts than the answer choice should also support both the parts

10. Don’t go for choices which exaggerate the author’s conclusion.

Sometime in GMAT Reading Comprehension the questions asked are about the author. Don’t use your own knowledge about the subject or don’t answer based on the sentiments. Only use the information mention in the passage. Don’t answer the question because .it holds true in the real world. Leave your real world outside the examination room. Answer only through the passage and don’t use your brain too much.