Critical reasoning.

1. Read the question first.
Classify as
a. assumption question
b. strengthen/weaken question
c. Inference question
2. Read the argument
3. Paraphrase
4. Keep the scope in mind (easier to remove wrong answers)
5. Prephrase the answer
6. Select best choice

Actually 3 questions the first day. Got two wrong. Was very scared to do the rest. Well it went on well the next day. Used this strategy got 41/50 questions right on the Kaplan GMAT.

Off track!

I have not been studying. Blame it on work, running, reading, blogging, film appreciation... what ever the reason(to be read as excuse)... though i have been reading... but i has been reading without any descipline... that is maybe because i think i will be taking my GMAT later, say 15th Feb types (because i want to run the mumbai marathon) ... i am the loser because i am not studying the right way... so from today GMAT here i come...

Basics of Grammar

Sentence is a group of words which makes sense is called a sentence.

• Little Jack Honor sat in a corner.

Subject and Predicate

Subject is the part which names the person or thing we are speaking about.

• No man can serve two masters.

Predicate is the part which tells something about the subject.

• Nature is the best physician.

Phrase and Clause

Phrase is a group of words which makes sense but not complete sense.

• The sun rises in the east.

Clause is a group of words which forms a part of a sentence and contains a subject and predicate. The other group is a phrase.

• We cannot start while it is raining.

Parts of Speech

Noun is used as the name of a name, place, person or thing

• Akbar was a great king.

Adjective is a word used to add something to the meaning of a noun.

• There are twenty boys in this class.

Pronoun is a word used instead of a noun.

• John is absent, because he is ill.

Verb is a word used to say something about some person, place or thing.

• Calcutta is a big city.

Adverb is used to add something to the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

• This flower is very beautiful.

Preposition is a word used with a noun or a pronoun to show how the person or thing denoted by the noun or pronoun stands in relation to something else.

• There is a cow in the garden.
• The girl is fond of music.
• The boy sat under a tree.

Conjunction is a word used to join words or sentences.

• Rama and Hari are cousins.
• I ran fast, but I missed her.

Interjection is a word which expresses some sudden feeling.
Alas! She is dead.

Example

• They arrived soon after. (Adverb)
• They arrived after us. (Preposition)
• They arrived after we had left. (Conjunction)

My GMAT Strategy

What’s on GMAT?

Graduate Management Admission Test has 3 Sections.

I. Analytical Writing Assessment

60 minutes

Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an argument.

1 topic each.

30 minutes each topic.

II. Quantitative Section:

75 minutes.

Problem solving and Data Sufficiency

37 questions, out of which 9 are experimental

Almost 2 minutes per question

III. Verbal section:

75 minutes

Sentence correction, Reading Comprehension and Critical reasoning

41 questions, out of which 11 are experimental

Almost 1:45 minutes per question

What is inferred from these questions?

1. Analytical Writing Assessment

Designed to test your ability to communicate effectively and your capacity for incisive thought under pressure.

2. Problem Solving (23 Questions)

Designed to test your ability to convert real life situations into mathematical models that can be analyzed and solved easily.

3. Data Sufficiency.(14 Questions)

Because a manger must know what information is necessary to make a business decision before asking an employee to gather data.

3. Reading Comprehensions (4 RCs, 200-300 words, 14 Q)

Designed to see if you can gist of the prose, like managers need to pore over volumes of reports and get the key facts that contribute to a decision.

4. Sentence Correction (15 Qs)

A business leader is only as effective as his or her ability to communicate goals and agendas clearly and effectively to colleagues and employees.

5. Critical reasoning (13 Qs)

Business Managers need to apply these same critical thinking skills every time they evaluate the merits of a business proposal.

What books am I planning to read, with preparation time?

1. GMAT verbal workbook. (2 weeks)
2. GMAT 2006. Premier Program (4 weeks)
3. GMAT 800 (2 weeks)
4. Official Guide 10^th edition (4 weeks)
5. GMAT Barrons – Don’t plan to use it though.

When do I plan to take the test?

Need to decide, say in 2 weeks time, after reading up the basics for each of the sections. Mostly Jan 15^th time frames.

How many hours of effort do I plan to invest?

I think will be able to put in 200 hours of effort, though would want to put in 300 hours of effort. Would want to taper down in the last week before the test. Plan to put in 2 hours a day atleast during weekdays and 5 hours a day during weekends.