✅ Practice with official material: GMAC’s Verbal resources provide the most reliable way to score higher.
If the GMAT Verbal Review section feels confusing or overwhelming, you’re not alone. Many test-takers struggle with long passages, tricky arguments, and grammar rules that don’t always feel natural. The good news? Once you understand how the Verbal section works, scoring well becomes much easier than it looks. The GMAT Verbal Review tests three main skills—reading, reasoning, and clear grammar. In this guide, you’ll learn the updated syllabus, question types, scoring, and simple strategies based on the latest official GMAC format. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to expect and how to prepare with confidence.
What Is the GMAT Verbal Review Section?
The GMAT Verbal Review section checks how well you read, think, and communicate in English. It is designed to see if you can understand long passages, break down arguments, and choose sentences that are clear and grammatically correct. The section includes three main parts—Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction.
According to the latest GMAC format, these skills are tested to understand how effectively you can process information and make logical decisions, which are essential abilities for success in a master’s program. A strong Verbal score also helps improve your overall GMAT performance and strengthens your business school application.
Sentence Correction: Your ability to spot grammar errors, improve clarity, and select the most correct sentence
Critical Reasoning: Your ability to analyze arguments, find assumptions, and judge the strength of reasoning
Reading Comprehension: Your ability to understand a passage, identify key ideas, and interpret details
Best Resources for GMAT Verbal Practice
When conducting a GMAT verbal review, selecting the best resources for practice is essential to achieve a high score. Here are some top resources that have consistently proven valuable for GMAT verbal preparation:
Official Materials: The GMAT Official Guide and GMAT Verbal Review by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) are among the most reliable resources. They contain real, retired GMAT questions, offering the most accurate representation of what you’ll encounter on test day.
Mentr-Me GMAT Resource: Mentr-Me is a key resource for your GMAT verbal review, offering personalized study plans, up-to-date practice questions, and expert tips focused on the verbal section. The platform helps you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, so you can focus on what matters most. By using Mentr-Me, you'll get targeted practice that aligns with the latest GMAT trends, boosting your chances of a high verbal score.
Manhattan Prep GMAT Strategy Guides:Known for their comprehensive approach, Manhattan Prep's Verbal Strategy Guides provide in-depth coverage of Sentence Correction, Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. Their practice questions are closely aligned with the actual GMAT, making them an excellent resource.
Veritas Prep Verbal Practice: Veritas Prep offers extensive resources, including a question bank and practice exams that mimic the GMAT's verbal section. Their materials are particularly useful for those looking to challenge themselves with difficult questions.
Kaplan GMAT Prep:Kaplan’s GMAT Verbal materials are known for their realistic question types and detailed explanations. They offer both free and paid resources, including full-length practice tests that are adaptive, just like the real GMAT.
GMAT Club Forum:While not a traditional study guide, GMAT Club is a community-driven forum where you can find an array of practice questions, study strategies, and advice from fellow test-takers. It's a great supplement to formal study materials.
When doing a GMAT verbal review, it’s important to use strategies that can make a real difference in your score. Here are some simple and effective tips to help you do well in the GMAT verbal reasoning section:
1. Master the Core Concepts:
Start by understanding the basic rules of grammar, logic, and reading. For Sentence Correction, know the common grammar rules and how sentences should be structured. For Critical Reasoning, practice figuring out the main point of an argument and what strengthens or weakens it. For Reading Comprehension, focus on quickly finding the main idea and key details in passages.
2. Manage Your Time:
Time management is key in the verbal section. Practice setting time limits for each question—like 1 minute for Sentence Correction, 1.5 minutes for Critical Reasoning, and about 2-3 minutes for Reading Comprehension. This helps you stay on track and finish all questions within the time limit.
3. Use the Process of Elimination:
When answering questions, try to get rid of the choices that are clearly wrong first. This makes it easier to choose the correct answer from what’s left. For Sentence Correction, look for obvious grammar mistakes in the options and eliminate them quickly.
4. Practice with High-Quality Materials:
Use official GMAT questions for practice because they are closest to the real exam. Resources like Manhattan Prep and Veritas Prep also offer great practice questions that are similar to what you’ll see on the test.
5. Review Mistakes Thoroughly:
After practicing, go back and review any questions you got wrong. Understanding why you made a mistake will help you avoid similar errors in the future.
To get prepared for the GMAT exam, click here for the GMAT Prep course
GMAT Verbal Syllabus 2025 (Full Breakdown)
The GMAT Verbal syllabus checks how well you can read information, think clearly, and communicate in correct and simple English. It covers three main areas—Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction. Each part is designed to test the skills you will use every day in a master’s program, like understanding complex ideas, analysing arguments, and expressing thoughts clearly.
Reading Comprehension (RC)
Reading Comprehension asks you to read passages and answer questions that show how well you understand the content. The passages may come from business, science, social studies, or humanities. You will be tested on your ability to find the main idea, understand the author’s tone, identify important details, and see how ideas connect in the passage. RC also checks if you can make inferences and understand information that is not directly stated. These skills help you handle the large amount of reading required in graduate-level programs.
Critical Reasoning (CR)
Critical Reasoning tests how clearly you can think and judge arguments. You will read short statements or arguments and answer questions that ask you to strengthen, weaken, or evaluate the reasoning. Some questions may ask you to find assumptions, identify logical gaps, or understand the conclusion of an argument. CR is important because it shows how well you can analyse information before making a decision—something you will do often in business school and professional life.
Sentence Correction (SC)
Sentence Correction checks your ability to understand and use correct English grammar. You will choose the sentence option that is clear, correct, and easy to understand. This part tests rules such as subject–verb agreement, verb tenses, modifiers, parallel structure, pronouns, and sentence clarity. SC helps show whether you can write and communicate clearly, which is an important skill for reports, emails, and presentations during your master’s degree.
Common Pitfalls in GMAT Verbal and How to Avoid Them
A common mistake is not reading the questions carefully, leading to incorrect answers. To avoid this, slow down and make sure you fully understand what the question is asking before selecting an answer. Practice reading comprehension and critical reasoning questions with this in mind to build the habit.
2. Ignoring Context in Sentence Correction
Many test-takers focus too much on grammar rules without considering the overall meaning of the sentence. Always ensure that your answer choice not only fixes grammatical errors but also makes sense in the context of the sentence.
3. Overlooking the Structure of Arguments in Critical Reasoning
Another pitfall is not identifying the key components of an argument—such as the premise, conclusion, and any assumptions. To avoid this, practice breaking down arguments into their basic parts and look for any logical gaps or weaknesses.
4. Not Managing Time Effectively
Time management is a frequent issue in the verbal section. Many students spend too much time on difficult questions and then rush through easier ones. To avoid this, practice pacing yourself with timed practice sessions, ensuring that you’re spending the appropriate amount of time on each question type.
5. Relying Solely on Memorization
The verbal section tests reasoning and comprehension skills rather than rote memorization. Instead of trying to memorize rules or answers, focus on understanding the underlying concepts and logic.
Avoiding these common pitfalls during your GMAT verbal review will help you approach the verbal section with confidence and improve your chances of achieving a higher score.
To wrap up your GMAT verbal review, focus on consistently practicing the key skills needed for the verbal section, such as grammar, critical reasoning, and reading comprehension. Use trusted resources like the GMAT Official Guide and Manhattan Prep to guide your study. Managing your time effectively and avoiding common mistakes will boost your confidence and help you perform your best on the exam. By staying committed to regular practice and using the right strategies, you’ll be well-prepared to achieve a strong GMAT verbal score. Stay focused, and you'll see the results on test day.
What does the GMAT Verbal Review actually test?
The GMAT Verbal Review checks three core skills—how well you read long passages, how clearly you analyse arguments, and how accurately you use grammar. These skills are tested through Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction questions.
What question types will I see in the GMAT Verbal section?
You’ll see only three question types: RC, CR, and SC. RC tests your ability to understand passages, CR checks how well you judge arguments, and SC focuses on grammar and sentence clarity.
Is the GMAT Verbal section considered difficult?
It can feel difficult if you’re not used to reading dense passages or thinking through arguments step by step. But with practice and official GMAC questions, the patterns become easier to recognize.
What is considered a strong GMAT Verbal score?
A strong Verbal score is usually between 35 and 40, while anything above 41 is considered excellent. Higher Verbal scores help boost your overall GMAT result, especially if your Quant score is average.
Does the GMAT Verbal Review test vocabulary?
No, there are no direct vocabulary questions. You don’t need to memorize words. Instead, the test checks whether you can understand meaning, tone, and logical structure in sentences and passages.
How much time should I expect to spend on Verbal questions?
Most students spend about 1.5 to 2 minutes per question. Some RC questions may take longer because you need time to read the passage. Learning to read efficiently makes a big difference.
What part of the GMAT Verbal section do students struggle with the most?
Many students struggle with RC timing and CR logic. RC passages can feel long, and CR questions require careful thinking about assumptions and conclusions. SC is often easier once you learn the main grammar rules.
How can I quickly improve my GMAT Verbal score?
Use official GMAC questions, practice reading regularly, learn common CR argument patterns, and review key grammar rules for SC. Small daily practice sessions can give fast improvements in accuracy.
Is the GMAT Verbal section adaptive?
Yes, GMAT Verbal is computer-adaptive. This means the test adjusts the difficulty of your next question based on how well you answered the previous one.
Does the Verbal score affect my overall GMAT score a lot?
Yes, it does. Verbal makes up a major part of your total score. Even a small improvement in Verbal can raise your overall score and strengthen your application.
Know Your Author
Abhyank Srinet
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Study Abroad Expert
Abhyank Srinet, the founder of MiM-Essay, is a globally recognized expert in study abroad and admission consulting. His passion is helping students navigate the complex world of admissions and achieve their academic dreams. Abhyank earned a Master's degree in Management from ESCP Europe, where he developed his skills in data-driven marketing strategies, driving growth in some of the most competitive industries.
Abhyank has helped over 10,000+ students get into top business schools with a 98% success rate over the last seven years. He and his team offer thorough research, careful shortlisting, and efficient application management from a single platform.
His dedication to education also led him to create MentR-Me, an AI-powered platform that offers personalized guidance and resources, including profile evaluation, application assistance, and mentoring from alumni of top global institutions.
Continuously adopting the latest strategies, Abhyank is committed to ensuring that his clients receive the most effective guidance. His profound insights, extensive experience, and unwavering dedication have helped his clients securing of over 100 crores in scholarships, making him an invaluable asset for individuals aiming to advance their education and careers and leading both his ventures to seven-figure revenues.
