What Is Verbal Reasoning on the GMAT?
Verbal Reasoning on the GMAT is the section that tests your ability to read carefully, analyze arguments, and express ideas in standard written English. It is one of the three scored sections of the GMAT and is crucial for a competitive total score, especially for business schools that value strong communication skills.
What Is Verbal Reasoning?
The GMAT Verbal Reasoning section evaluates your proficiency in reading and understanding written material, evaluating arguments, and correcting written expressions to conform to standard English. It consists of three question types: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction.
You will have 65 minutes to answer 36 questions, which means you have about 1 minute and 48 seconds per question. The section is computer-adaptive, so the difficulty of questions adjusts based on your performance.
Why It Matters on the GMAT
Your Verbal score is combined with your Quantitative score to form your total GMAT score (200–800). A strong Verbal score can significantly boost your overall percentile, which is what business schools use to compare candidates. Many test-takers focus heavily on math, but Verbal is equally important—especially for non-native English speakers who may need extra practice.
Moreover, the skills tested in Verbal—critical reasoning and reading comprehension—are directly relevant to business school coursework and management careers, where you must analyze data, evaluate arguments, and communicate clearly.
A Concrete Example
Consider a Critical Reasoning question that presents an argument: "Our company should invest in solar panels because it will reduce electricity costs over time." The question might ask you to identify an assumption on which the argument depends. One possible assumption is that the cost of solar panels will not be so high as to offset the savings in electricity. To answer, you must evaluate the logical connection between the evidence and the conclusion.
Similarly, in Reading Comprehension, you might read a passage about economic trends and be asked to infer the author's attitude or the main idea. In Sentence Correction, you might see a sentence with a grammatical error and need to choose the best revision. All these tasks require careful reading and logical thinking.
Common Mistakes
- Rushing through reading passages: Skimming may cause you to miss subtle details that are crucial for answering inference questions.
- Overthinking Critical Reasoning: Choose the answer that directly addresses the question; avoid bringing in outside knowledge or making leaps.
- Ignoring grammar rules in Sentence Correction: While some answers 'sound right,' the GMAT tests specific grammar and style conventions.
- Spending too much time on one question: Since the section is timed, it's better to guess and move on than to lose time on a single tough question.
How to Practice It
Start by familiarizing yourself with the three question types. Use official GMAT practice questions to get a feel for the difficulty and style. For Critical Reasoning, practice identifying premises, conclusions, and assumptions. A helpful resource is our page on assumptions.
For Reading Comprehension, read actively: summarize each paragraph, note the author's tone, and practice answering main idea and inference questions. For Sentence Correction, review grammar rules and practice with official questions. Consistency is key—set aside time each day to practice, and review your mistakes to understand why you got them wrong.