GMAT VERBAL COURSE : GMAT VERBAL COURSE GMAT OVERVIEW:
GMAT FORMAT : GMAT FORMAT Section 1: Analytical Writing Assessment (1 hour):
Analysis of an Issue: 1 essay, 30 minutes
Analysis of an Argument: 1 essay, 30 minutes
Optional break: 5 minutes
Section 2: Quantitative (37 multiple-choice questions; 75 minutes)
2 types of questions: Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency
Optional break: 5 minutes
Section 3: Verbal (41 multiple-choice questions; 75 minutes)
3 types of questions: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction
CAT FEATURES : CAT FEATURES Sections 2 and 3 of the GMAT follow the computer adaptive test (CAT) format. Key features of the CAT are:
A section starts with a moderate level question, and depending on the response the computer selects the next question of a higher or lower difficulty level
Only 1 question appears at a time
You must choose and confirm your response to the current question before you move to the next.
Different question types appear in random order.
SCORE CALCULATION : SCORE CALCULATION Scores are calculated taking into account the number of correct responses and the difficulty level of the correct responses. The individual and total scores in the Multiple-choice sections are generated as soon as the test ends
Quantitative and verbal performances are each graded separately using a scaled score from 0-51
A Scaled score of 51 on Quant implies 99 percentile, and that of 46 – 51 on Verbal implies 99 percentile, the highest possible scores on these sections. NOT COMPLETING THE TEST CARRIES STIFF PENALTY DEDUCTIONS AND SEVERELY HURTS YOUR SCORE
Verbal and Quant scaled scores are combined to generate a total score in the range 200-800, with 10 point increments.
AWA is marked separately in the range 0-6, with increments of 0.5
THE VERBAL SECTION: : THE VERBAL SECTION: Appears last on the test, one of the reasons it is the most challenging
41 Questions; 75 minutes
Reading Comprehension (RC): around 12 questions from 4 passages
Sentence Correction (SC): around 16 questions
Critical Reasoning (CR): around 13 questions
Questions appear in a random order.
THE VERBAL SECTION : THE VERBAL SECTION The Verbal Section tests:
Your ability to read and comprehend written material under time constraint.
Your ability to reason logically to understand and evaluate arguments
Your understanding of the English language and your ability to logically apply rules related to standard English
The position of the section makes it, as much as anything else, a test of mental and physical endurance
THE VERBAL SECTION : THE VERBAL SECTION The Verbal Section :
DOES NOT require you to have an in-depth knowledge of grammar: Only a strong understanding of the English language
DOES NOT require knowledge of any specific subject.
DOES NOT involve a subjective thought process: All questions can be answered with clinical precision, just as in Math.
DOES NOT test anything unexpected: It is a standardized test, so there aren’t going to be any surprises.
THE COURSE : THE COURSE The Verbal Course has been created with a view to meeting the increasing demand, for high quality and exhaustive Verbal preparation, from GMAT aspirants across the globe.
Very importantly, this course is also about busting the most common myth regarding GMAT Verbal.
THE VERBAL COURSE : THE VERBAL COURSE Myth: Students from a specific background have an advantage over others in the Verbal Section.
Fact: In GMAT Verbal, as in GMAT Math, the advantage lies with students who can reason logically and understand and apply concepts. While a reasonable understanding of the English language is a prerequisite, students with excellent English have ended up with disastrous verbal scores due to average or poor logical reasoning skills.
Almost anyone with reasonable English and reasoning ability can ace the GMAT with the correct and dedicated approach.
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS: : COURSE HIGHLIGHTS: Quality Content: All course materials have been developed using the 10th, 11th, and 12th editions of GMAT Official Guide as reference points and the feedback of students who have successfully cracked the test.
Focus on Thought Process: The Verbal Section is as much about logical reasoning as the math section. Every Official guide question can be correlated with points discussed in the classes, and can be solved with clinical precision.
In-depth Analysis: This is the most important and demanding aspect of GMAT preparations. All OG questions will be thoroughly analyzed in the class, so that there are no surprises.
One Stop Solution: Focus of the course would be on providing a an exhaustive preparation, so that the student does not have to seek help from resources other than those provided or suggested by the faculty.
Expectations from the Student.. : Expectations from the Student.. Keep Pace: No backlogs with classes or homework without exception
Strictly follow the process suggested by the faculty: GMAT is a standardized test and getting a good score is as much about following the right process as about hard work.
Study according to the requirements of the test, e.g. studying on the computer screen is better than studying on paper.
Learn to Analyze: Although a painstaking process, good analysis is the best way to learn.
Be inquisitive, interact, and be forthcoming about your doubts.
Plan backwards and not forwards: Have a test date in mind while preparing. Do not overstretch your preparations.
Don’t expect short cuts or tricks, only strategies, concepts and applications that need to be combined with hard work and analysis.
Don’t read extra material without consulting the faculty.
CR: Question Types: : CR: Question Types: Assumption (generally a flawed one) underlying an argument
Weaken/Strengthen an argument
Explain a paradox/contradiction or some unexpected result
Evaluate an argument
Draw an Inference or logically complete an argument
Structure of an argument (Boldface CR)
Parallel the reasoning (very rare on the GMAT)
CRITICAL REASONING : CRITICAL REASONING In a typical GMAT CR question a paragraph is given followed by a question based on the paragraph that often reads as follows:
The above argument depends on which of the following assumptions?
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen/weaken the argument?
The answers to which of the following questions would best help in evaluating the argument
CRITICAL REASONING : CRITICAL REASONING What is an Argument?
Argument is a set of sentences in which a conclusion is drawn from one or more premises.
Therefore, Argument => Premise(s) + Conclusion
Example: Mr. X was part of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organizing Committee (OC). So, he must be corrupt.
Premise: Mr. X was part of the CWG OC
Conclusion: So, he must be corrupt.
CR- Assumption Questions : CR- Assumption Questions In the example above can you identify the hidden or the unstated assumption:
Premise: Mr. X was part of the CWG OC
Conclusion: So, he must be corrupt.
Assumption:
CR-Assumption Questions : CR-Assumption Questions Apply the above technique to the following example:
Example: It is common knowledge that the Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee (OC) was involved in an illicit monetary transaction. Mr. X was part of the OC. So he must have been fully aware of the transaction.
Assumption Questions : Assumption Questions Premise1: It is common knowledge that the Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee (OC) was involved in an illicit monetary transaction.
Premise2: Mr. X was part of the OC.
Conclusion: So he must have been fully aware of the transaction.
Assumption:
Assumption Questions : Assumption Questions Lets use the above idea to solve an actual GMAT CR question:
In recent years many cabinetmakers have been winning acclaim as artists. But since furniture must be useful, cabinetmakers must exercise their craft with an eye to the practical utility of their product. For this reason, cabinetmaking is not art.Which of the following is an assumption that supports drawing the conclusion above from the reason given for that conclusion?
Assumption Questions : Assumption Questions Premise: Cabinetmaking involves paying attention to practical utility
Conclusion: So, cabinetmaking is not art.
Assumption:
Assumption Questions: : Assumption Questions: Using the assumption you arrived at, select the correct answer option:
(A) Some furniture is made to be placed in museums, where it will not be used by anyone.(B) Some cabinetmakers are more concerned than others with the practical utility of the products they produce.(C) Cabinetmakers should be more concerned with the practical utility of their products than they currently are.(D) An object is not an art object if its maker pays attention to the object’s practical utility.(E) Artists are not concerned with the monetary value of their products.
Assumption Questions : Assumption Questions Points to remember:
Almost 60% of the assumption questions can be solved by correctly applying the technique of identifying the conclusion and then premise
Universal Technique: Negation Test.
Identifying Conclusion-Most Common Indicators : Identifying Conclusion-Most Common Indicators Therefore, Consequently
As a result, Suggests
So Hence,
It follows that, Accordingly,
Indicates
Note: In almost every CR question, the first step is to identify the conclusion. The conclusion is the statement that is the last in the logical chain, but need not always appear at the end of the argument.
Sentence Correction (SC) : Sentence Correction (SC) Example of a typical GMAT SC question:
Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.(A) ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of death, surpassed only(B) rank as the nation’s third leading cause of death, only surpassed(C) has the rank of the nation’s third leading cause of death, only surpassed(D) are the nation’s third leading causes of death, surpassed only(E) have been ranked as the nation’s third leading causes of death, only surpassed
Subject-Verb Agreement- Key Points: : Subject-Verb Agreement- Key Points: Singular Subjects: each, anyone, anybody, anything, another, neither, either, every, everyone, someone, no one, somebody, everything, little, much.
Plural subjects: phenomena (singular: phenomenon), data (singular: datum), media (singular : medium), and criteria (singular : criterion).
Either Singular or plural depending on the noun: none (of), any (of), some (of), most (of), more (of), and all (of)
Verbs that follow subjects of the form “either A or B”, “neither A nor B”, must agree with B i.e. the noun closer to the verb.
The following sentences could be used as pointers: : The following sentences could be used as pointers: All of the matches were played on grass.
All of the eggplant was used to make the sauce.
Either Ben or his brothers are in charge of bringing the drinks.
The data on my computer were completely erased (data is plural)
None of them are supposed to enter the premises
None of the roast was eaten
Check out the following sentences: : Check out the following sentences: My chief concern with this budget and the other proposals on the table are the cuts in school funds.
Juggling the demands of both my work and family life often seem too much to bear.
The entire industry of tobacco companies and distributors has steadfastly maintained their position that tobacco is not addictive and that smoking is an inalienable right of consumers.
Trimming a Sentence: : Trimming a Sentence: The above implies eliminating non-essential modifiers or prepositional phrases and makes Subject-verb agreement errors easier to spot and rectify.
Let us apply the technique to the first of the sentences provided above.
Original Sentence: My chief concern with this budget and the other proposals on the table are the cuts in school funds.
Trimmed Sentence: My concern are the cuts ( by eliminating the prepositional phrase)
Revised: My concern is the cuts
Correct Sentence: My chief concern with this budget and the other proposals on the table is the cuts in school funds.
Now apply the above technique for the other two sentences : Now apply the above technique for the other two sentences (ii) Original sentence: Juggling the demands of both my work and family life often seem too much to bear.
Trimmed: Juggling seem too much to bear
Revised: Juggling…….seems too …….
iii) Original Sentence: The entire industry of tobacco companies and distributors has steadfastly maintained their position that tobacco is not addictive and that smoking is an inalienable right of consumers.
Trimmed: The entire industry has maintained their position
Revised: replace “their” with “its”.
SVA- Examples: : SVA- Examples: 1. Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.(A) ranks as the nation’s third leading cause of death, surpassed only(B) rank as the nation’s third leading cause of death, only surpassed(C) has the rank of the nation’s third leading cause of death, only surpassed(D) are the nation’s third leading causes of death, surpassed only(E) have been ranked as the nation’s third leading causes of death, only surpassed
SVA-Examples : SVA-Examples Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970's, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts. (A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing (B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists (C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists (D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists (E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing
Check out the following sentences: : Check out the following sentences: Past experience suggests that students from all backgrounds can perform well on the GMAT if they follow the right process.
Being excited about the graduation party, she could barely focus on her ongoing exams.
Is there anything wrong with the above sentences?
Redundancy : Redundancy The above statements, although grammatically correct, are made unnecessarily wordy due to use of words that are not required. The two statements can be better written as:
Experience suggests that students from all backgrounds can perform well on the GMAT if they follow the right process.
Excited about the graduation party, she could barely focus on her ongoing exams.
Redundancy : Redundancy Can you point out the redundancy in the following sentence?
To Rajeev, Delhi is his home.
Apply the redundancy rule to the following OG question: : Apply the redundancy rule to the following OG question: In virtually all types of tissue in every animal species, dioxin induces the production of enzymes that are the organism’s trying to metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical that is irritating it.(A) trying to metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical that is irritating it(B) trying that it metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical irritant(C) attempt to try to metabolize, or render harmless, such a chemical irritant(D) attempt to try and metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical irritating it(E) attempt to metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical irritant