strategy is needed for Verbal

[hitmewithgmat]

Hi experts,
I would like to know whether I am studying verbal in an appropriate way to excel.

RC
I paraphrase each paragraph into one sentence ( if possible). By doing so, I know the main idea, author's opinion, and even come back to tackle the specific/detailed questions.

CR
wow, this part is blowing my mind. I thought I knew but I guess I don't.
Following are the strategy/technique that I use.

Weaken
1. find the alternative factors
2. If X happens, then Y might not occur.
3. If X happens, then Z(unexpected factor) will/might occur.

Strengthen
1. Enhance conclusion part by providing examples, using data or survey,...etc.

Assumption (GMAT CR bible)
1. Supporter- find the assumption or fill the gap that links between the premise and the conclusion.
2. Defender- eliminate ideas or assertions that would undermine the conclusion.

and I think I am fine with other types of question. (these are minors, may be 2-3 questions. but weaken, strengthen, assumption play a major role in the most of the CR section.)

SC
wow, this is another mind-blowing game. I use manhattan gmat SC book and I think it is fantastic. I got more than 93 percentile on OG SC part. However, it was a little hard for me to solve the SC during a real test. What is the problem with this?

Since I used all the materials, it kinda kills me going over those books again. Because I knew the answers already.

These are the books that I studied for and have to study for again.
OG 11
Verbal Review
PrincetonReview
Kaplan 800
Gmat Critical Reasoning Bible
Manhattan SC, CR, RC
BTG website
What do I need to improve?

by the way, I got 5.5 on AWA. so I am that stupid.

Please share the strategy/control mind/technique with me.

thank you.

[mayonnai5e]

Please see my blog in my signature and Eric's blog here: https://beatthegmat.blocked/

My blog has a lot of lessons learned for verbal.

[Stacey Koprince]

Received a PM asking me to respond.

Nice job on the essays - that means you can spend less time / brain energy worrying about those next time, which leaves you a bit more fresh / energized at the end of the test (for verbal).

RC - good, keep doing that to read / understand the passages. How are you handling the different kinds of questions? The main idea questions should generally just follow from your summary of the passage, but what do you do about the different types of detail questions?

CR - agree that assumption, strengthen, and weaken are the major types, along with draw a conclusion, and agree that you should mostly spend your time on the major types. Are you consistently good at finding the conclusion? Do you study the wrong answers, especially the tempting ones? Do you know how they tend to write tempting wrong answers for the different kinds of questions? (If you know how they do it, then you have a much better chance of avoiding the traps.) Think about that - it's pretty amazing that they can write a wrong answer that is so tempting, more people pick it than pick the right answer! (Which is exactly what happens on harder questions.) How can they do that? Study from that point of view and understand. (And, by the way, how can they write a correct answer that people are tempted to cross off? If it's right, why would people eliminate it? Understand why and you won't fall into the trap as much.)

SC - WHY was it harder for you to solve during a real test? Did you start falling back on your ear more / second-guessing yourself because you were nervous? Did you have too much timing pressure? What was going on?