Why GMAT Verbal Is More Precise Than You Think

Many GMAT test-takers labor under the misconception that Verbal questions are not “precise” like Quant questions are. These test-takers tend to have beliefs such as the following:

• Correct answers to Verbal questions are subjective.

• Correct answers to Verbal questions are based on the question-writer’s opinion.

• In many cases, getting a Verbal question correct is a matter of luck.

When answering Verbal questions, these test-takers are more prone to guessing, going with what “sounds,” “seems,” or “feels” right, or just plain giving up than other test-takers are. Unsurprisingly, test-takers who use such haphazard strategies have a lot of trouble achieving high scores in GMAT Verbal.

Of course, we can’t use equations or calculations to solve Verbal questions, as we can for, say, Problem Solving questions in the Quant section. However, we can still point to clear, specific reasons why each answer choice in a Verbal question is correct or incorrect, just as we can with choices in any Quant question.

In Critical Reasoning, a choice may weaken an argument when we need a strengthener. In Reading Comprehension, a choice might contradict what the passage says is true. Moreover, eliminating those incorrect choices would be a matter of luck only if we weren’t trained to spot such errors.

The truth is, whatever the Verbal question type, there is always one or more specific things we can point to that makes an answer choice correct or incorrect. The more you train yourself to identify those specific flaws or strengths, the less guessing you’ll have to do — and the more consistent your performance will become. In fact, one of the best ways to improve in GMAT Verbal is to approach each question like a mini logic puzzle: one correct solution, several traps, and no room for "gut feeling."

So, don’t buy into the myth that Verbal is fuzzy or subjective. The precision is there — your job is to train your eye to spot it.

Reach out to me with any questions about your GMAT prep. Happy studying!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep