Introduction to GMAT Critical Reasoning Question Types
In GMAT Critical Reasoning, three common question types are weaken, strengthen, and assumption. Each requires a distinct approach, but all rely on identifying the argument’s logical chain—the link between premises and conclusion. Weaken questions ask you to find an answer that makes the conclusion less likely to be true. Strengthen questions require an answer that makes the conclusion more likely. Assumption questions ask for an unstated premise that the argument depends on.
Logical Chain Analysis with Real Exam Questions
Logical chain analysis involves breaking down the argument into its conclusion and supporting premises, then evaluating how each answer choice affects that chain. For weaken questions, look for an option that severs the link between premise and conclusion or introduces a new factor that undermines the conclusion. For example, if an argument concludes that a new drug will cure a disease based on lab results, a weaken answer might show that the drug fails in human trials. For strengthen questions, find an option that reinforces the link or eliminates an alternative explanation. Using the same drug example, a strengthen answer could show that the drug has already been effective in similar diseases. For assumption questions, identify the missing link the argument needs; often the correct answer is a statement that must be true for the conclusion to follow, such as the assumption that lab results predict human outcomes.
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FAQ
Q1: What is the key to solving weaken questions in GMAT Critical Reasoning?
For weaken questions, the key is to identify the argument’s logical chain and then find an answer choice that either breaks the link between premises and conclusion or introduces new evidence that makes the conclusion less likely. Real exam questions often require you to recognize an option that directly contradicts an assumption the argument relies on.
Q2: How do assumption questions differ from strengthen questions?
Assumption questions ask for a statement that the argument depends on—an unstated premise that must be true for the conclusion to be valid. Strengthen questions, by contrast, ask for a statement that supports the conclusion but may not be necessary. An assumption is required; a strengthener is helpful but not essential.