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Experts please help, How to increase speed in Verbal

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Experts please help, How to increase speed in Verbal

by rookiez » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:47 am
Need help on how can I improve speed in verbal section.
My Exam is in 2 weeks. I am a non-native English speaker.
I am scoring 50+ on Maths section. But on Verbal I am not able to complete the full section. I am only able to complete 30 out of 41 questions.

I attempted few paper tests (namely-sets22,23,24) and found out that in allocated 75 minutes I can only do 30 questions and to do the whole 41 questions it takes me an average 120minutes.

So need your help on how can I improve.

Loads of thanks in advance.
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by myohmy » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:39 am
One, I don't think paper tests can correctly gauge your ability. Because the GMAT is adaptive, I would definitely take a computer based test, and soon.

Have you looked to see which questions are sucking up your time? Ideally, you should not spend more than 2 min on any one question, and if you really have no idea where to begin, you should make an educated guess and move on by the 1min mark.
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by rookiez » Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:22 pm
Thanks @myohmy.

I tired following tests too:
MGMAT free online test - Scored 660
GMATPrep: Ran out of time in verbal scored in 600s

My time goes in CR and RC. CR takes average of between 2 to 3 minutes. Reading passagae takes me average 5 minutes and then it takes me 2 minutes to answer each question (right or wrong).
In the last 2 tests I have given I found out 14 and 13 wrongs in total in which 6RC,6CR,2SC and 5RC,6CR,2SC were wrong.

I understand that the paper tests are not adaptive, but is it beneficial to give paper tests.
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by rookiez » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:56 am
Folks pls help..... I am not able to complete the verbal section ...on an avg i am able to complete only 32 questions.... CR and RC take on an avg 2.5 minutes per question.

Please help ...my test is in a week
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by myohmy » Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:01 am
You need to learn that elusive skill -- when to give up and move on. CRs should NOT take 2.5 minutes per question. I would take an MGMAT test with the 2 minute/question timer so that you have a strong mental sense of just how long 2 minutes is. You need to train your body to recognize when you're taking too long, and then make an educated guess and move on.

Also, if you're having trouble with reading the passage in time (it should be ~3 minutes, 4 max), try reading the first and last paragraph of each passage and then reading the questions. After reading the question, look back at the passage to find the answer.
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by VP_Jim » Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:06 am
I just want to emphasize the point made above: sometimes you have to guess and move on. If you don't know the answer after 3 minutes (maybe less in your case!), simply pick something and forget about it. There are HUGE penalties for leaving that many questions blank; you're much better off finishing the section and taking some wild guesses throughout the test, rather than getting a long string wrong at the end. It's perfectly okay to get some problems wrong - everyone (well, almost everyone) does it. Train yourself to know when time is up, and that you need to move on to the test of your exam.
Jim S. | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep
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