It assumes causation from correlation and ignores other explanations (a seasonal spike, an ad campaign, a competitor's stock-out). Critical reasoning rewards spotting the unstated assumption and what would strengthen or weaken the argument.
GMAT Verbal Reasoning — Reading & Critical Reasoning
GMAT Verbal Reasoning has 23 questions in 45 minutes. The Focus Edition simplified it to two question types — reading comprehension and critical reasoning — after removing Sentence Correction.
It tests how well you read dense business and academic prose and evaluate arguments, which is exactly the reasoning business school demands.
The two Verbal question types
| Question type | What it asks |
|---|---|
| Reading comprehension | Understand and analyse a passage — main idea, detail, inference and tone. |
| Critical reasoning | Evaluate a short argument — find the assumption, or what strengthens or weakens it. |
Strategy that works
- For reading comprehension, map the argument and structure before answering; return to the text for detail.
- For critical reasoning, identify the conclusion and the evidence, then the unstated assumption connecting them.
- Learn the common critical-reasoning tasks: assumption, strengthen, weaken, evaluate, inference.
- Beware answer choices that are true but irrelevant to the specific argument.
- Bookmark hard passages and return; do not let one long passage eat your time.
Sample question (original, in the GMAT format)
An original example in the official style — not a real test item.
Frequently asked questions
No — the Focus Edition removed Sentence Correction. Verbal Reasoning now has only reading comprehension and critical reasoning.
A question type that gives a short argument and asks you to find its assumption, or what would most strengthen, weaken or evaluate it — testing logical reasoning, not grammar.
23 questions in 45 minutes on the GMAT Focus Edition.
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