Hi candygal79,
Advice on how to handle the Verbal section may vary a bit depending on who you talk to, but the basic advice tends to be the same:
-For SCs, you need to know your grammar and idiom rules. This is a "technical" category, which means that you need to know the rules and then you need to be able to spot when they apply. The GMAT does routinely test certain grammar rules in certain "ways"/patterns, so repetition and a strong memory can help here.
-For CRs and RCs, you need to take the proper notes and understand what the individual questions are "really" asking you for. Some people can think their way through these questions without taking notes, but I'm NOT a fan of that approach. During the Verbal section of the GMAT, most Test Takers become very tired and end up making silly mistakes because they're not paying enough attention (nor taking enough notes). Too many silly mistakes will kill your score in any section of the GMAT.
Since it sounds like you're self-studying with books, you'll have to work through whatever lessons/tactics/advice your books offer. After practicing for a few weeks, if you don't see improvement, then you'll have to probably find some new resources that are more in line with your personality.
Your new Test Date will give you some extra time to study, which is good, but you're going to need to do a lot of work in a relatively short amount of time (just over 7 weeks). It's also important to take a full length practice CAT so we have a sense of your current skill level. You won't be happy with that first practice score, but working through those CATs and making mistakes (which you will then fix) are necessary steps to help you to improve.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
