What are the Various Question Types on the GMAT?

Graduate Management Admission Test, commonly called GMAT, assesses your aptitude in quantitative proficiency, verbal literacy, logical/reasoning abilities and analytical writing skills. GMAT, conducted and administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), is the most widely accepted standardised test to study master's programs worldwide. GMAT can be given either online or at designated test centres. GMAT is a 3-hour and 7 minutes timed examination with a maximum achievable score of 800 points. The GMAT has four sections: quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, analytical writing, and integrated reasoning. Students can get the official results of the GMAT within 7 business days, or in some cases, it can get extended to up to 20 working days. The GMAT scores are valid for a period of 5 years from the date of exam completion.

Table of Contents:

• GMAT Exam Format and Structure
• Different GMAT Sections with Various Question Types
• Quantitative Section Question Types
  • Problem-Solving Questions
    • Sample Problem-Solving Question
    • Strategies to Crack the Problem-Solving Questions
  • Data Sufficiency Questions
    • Sample Data Sufficiency Question
    • Strategies to Crack the Data Sufficiency Questions
• Verbal Section Question Types
  • Reading Comprehension
    • Sample Reading Comprehension Question
    • Strategies to Crack the Reading Comprehension Questions
  • Critical Reasoning Questions
    • Sample Critical Reasoning Question
    • Strategies to Crack the Critical Reasoning Questions
  • Sentence Correction Questions
    • Sample Sentence Correction Question
    • Strategies to Crack the Sentence Correction Questions
• Integrated Reasoning Question Types
  • Sample Integrated Reasoning Questions
  • Strategies to Crack Integrated Reasoning Questions
    • Multi-Source Reasoning Question Strategies
    • Table Analysis Question Strategies
    • Graphics Interpretation Question Strategies
    • Two-Part Analysis Question Strategies
• Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Question Types
  • Strategies to Crack the Analytical Writing Assessment
• Conclusion

GMAT Exam Format and Structure

Before planning a GMAT exam is important to understand the exam format and structure, as tabulated below:

Different GMAT Sections with Various Question Types

Now we will discuss each section and different question types asked in the GMAT exam.

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Quantitative Section Question Types

The Quantitative Reasoning Section has two types of questions: Problem-Solving and Data Sufficiency. Both types of questions require a fundamental understanding of basic algebra, arithmetic, and geometry concepts. In particular, you must understand mathematical concepts, including Value Order and Factors, Algebra, Equalities and Inequalities, Rates, Ratios, and Percentages, Statistics, Sets, Counting, Probability, Estimation, and Serises, and Geometry. The complexity of the questions originates from the required logic and analytical skills rather than the underlying math ability. It is important to note that you are not permitted to use a calculator while working on the Quantitative section.

Problem-Solving Questions

This section evaluates your analytical skills to find solutions to quantitative problems. Problem-solving questions have one out of five answer options to choose from.

Sample Problem-Solving Question

Which of the following could be the range of a set consisting of odd integers?

(a) –10

(b) 3

(c) 5

(d) 6

(e) 49

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Strategies to Crack the Problem-Solving Questions

• Maintain a steady speed in answering these questions; you can periodically check the on-screen timer. Do not waste more than 2 mins. On each question, focus on completing the section first.
• Read and carefully understand each question to ascertain the type of given data and the information asked. You must translate the relevant data into equations or meaningful, quantifiable representations.
• Questions that require approximate answers, first glimpse through the answer choices. This will save time and give you an idea of how close your answer needs to be to the available options.
• Use the method of eliminating the wrong answers as per your judgement in questions you find challenging. Then, select the best possible answer among the remaining choices.

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Data Sufficiency Questions

These question types assess your ability to identify data relevancy and ascertain whether sufficient data is available to solve the problem. While solving this type of question, you will encounter a question with 2 statements. Based on the data in the statements, general knowledge, and quantitative aptitude, you must determine whether the given statement contains adequate information to answer the question.

Sample Data Sufficiency Question

The average score in a class of four students is 100. If none of them scored less than 0, how many students scored greater than 90?

1. The two top scorers each scored 155.
2. The median score for the class is 90.

(a) Statement (I) ALONE is sufficient but statement (II) ALONE is not sufficient.

(b) Statement (II) ALONE is sufficient but statement (I) ALONE is not sufficient.

(c) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(d) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(e) Statements (I) and (II) TOGETHER are not sufficient.

Strategies to Crack the Data-sufficiency Questions

• While solving data-sufficiency questions, check whether adequate data is available or not. Also evaluate whether the problem is asking for a single value of a range of values.
• Do not make unreasonable assumptions on the basis of geometric figures, as they may not be drawn according to a particular scale.

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Verbal Section Question Types

The Verbal Section consists of three categories of questions: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction. Subtypes of Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions are meant to measure particular reading abilities and logical reasoning skills. In contrast, sentence correction questions test your vocabulary skills.

Subtypes of Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions are meant to measure particular reading abilities and logical reasoning skills. In contrast, sentence correction questions test your vocabulary skills.

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Reading Comprehension

This section evaluates your calibre in understanding words, statements, and the logical relationship between essential data points and drawing meaningful conclusions. Precisely, your principal and supporting idea, application, style, and inference will be tested in reading skills. Each Reading Comprehension passage is designed for you to understand the gist, draw inferences and apply your knowledge to derive further context on topics ranging from business and management, social sciences and humanities, and physical and biological sciences.

Sample Reading Comprehension Question

Compared to other supermassive black holes scattered throughout the universe, the one at the core of our galaxy is mysteriously dormant. And now NASA thinks it knows why. A powerful magnetic field at the center of the Milky Way is oriented just right to keep our galaxy's black hole, Sagittarius A*, from spewing high-energy radiation out into the cosmos or churning out the raw materials for new stars, according to NASA scientists. Other black holes' magnetic fields funnel nearby gas straight into them, fueling the black holes and turning them into volatile cosmic furnaces.

NASA scientists used a new instrument called the "High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera-Plus," in SOFIA, an airborne observatory housed inside a Boeing 747. The instrument gave NASA a look at 100,000 years' worth of the magnetic field's activity, per NASA researchers. "The spiral shape of the magnetic field channels the gas into an orbit around the black hole," Darren Dowell, the NASA scientist who led the new research, said. "This could explain why our black hole is quiet while others are active." Until NASA gathered this data, scientists weren't sure why Sagittarius A* was so tranquil compared to others in surrounding galaxies. Now it seems like our galaxy's bizarre magnetic field may deserve credit.

1. The main point of the passage is to

(a) explain why our galaxy's magnetic field is unusual

(b) explain why compared to other galaxies, our galaxy is bafflingly quiet

(c) explain how a strong magnetic field keeps a black hole inactive in a galaxy

(d) explain why a black hole at the core of our galaxy is quiet

(e) explain how NASA unearthed the mystery behind the inactivity of the black hole in our galaxy.

Strategies to Crack the Reading Comprehension Questions

• The topic of the reading passage in this section might be familiar to you or maybe something you are unaware of. But you do not need to worry, as your knowledge about the topic is not being tested. You just need to capture the essence of the passage and answer the questions based on the facts stated or implied in the passage.
• You can opt for any of the two methods to answer this question. First, you can choose to skim the passage to understand the theme of the passage better and then read the questions carefully. Another technique is to read the questions first and search for the answers within the passage by analysing the passage in-depth. Experts feel that the first method is more accessible and less time-consuming.
• Identify the main keywords and phrases in the passage by understanding the meaning of the passage. For this purpose, you must understand the relevance of a fact to the given idea. Further, you need to differentiate the central theme of the passage from its supporting points. Also, figure out the conclusions indicative in the passage.
• You must not assume that the answer selected by you is correct without reading all the options. Choose the answer that best explains the question.
• Understanding the essence of the passage is crucial in this section as if you lose the sense of the passage, then you would have to move back and forth between the passage and questions, making it more time-consuming.

Critical Reasoning

This section measures your ability to articulate and evaluate arguments and devise a suitable action plan to address the problem/argument. Questions in the critical reasoning section are based on a short reading passage. Critical Reasoning questions ask you to select one out of the five options describing the strengths and weaknesses of the given argument. Moreover, it explains why the argument is faulty or supports the argument.

Sample Critical Reasoning Question

The Kentucky Tennis Board plans to convert the 8 grass tennis courts in the city to floodlit asphalt courts. The floodlit asphalt courts can be used in all weather and evenings, whereas grass courts can only be used during daylight and summer. Therefore, adding 8 floodlit asphalt courts through this overhaul to the list of existing 12 such courts would significantly increase the year-round availability of quality tennis courts to the public, a benefit that the tennis board asserts will more than offset, in the long term, for the high one-time expenditure of overhaul and an increase, if at all, in yearly outlays for court maintenance.

Which of the following would be most worthwhile to determine to evaluate the argument?

(a)Whether the cost of converting the grass tennis courts to floodlit asphalt courts would be less than the cost of building new floodlit asphalt courts

(b)Whether the yearly outlay for maintaining a grass tennis court is less than that for a floodlit asphalt court

(c) Whether the existing floodlit asphalt courts in the city are not able to meet the demand for tennis courts in winters or evenings

(d)Whether the grass courts in the city are fully utilized on weekends and in summer evenings

(e) Whether the tennis board can afford to provide free coaching to tennis aspirants at the floodlit asphalt courts

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Strategies to Crack the Critical Reasoning Questions

• You need to carefully evaluate the given statements in the light of facts, logic, implied meaning, and claims.
• Determine the argument's conclusion if an argument supports a question. The argument's conclusion need not occur at the end of the text; it could appear in the centre or even at the start of the paragraph. Watch out for textual cues that indicate one of the statements isn't just affirmed; instead, it is claimed to follow logically from the remaining statements in the text.
• Identify the intent of the question being posed. It could be beneficial to read the question before reading the content on which the question is based. For instance, if an argument seems to have a defect that is immediately apparent, you might anticipate being asked to identify that flaw; nevertheless, the question might ask you to determine an answer option that does not allude to the argument's flaw.

Sentence Correction

This part assesses two broad components of your linguistic ability. First, the correct expression refers to grammatically and structurally good sentences. Next, the practical expression refers to sentences that clearly, and grammatically explain a concept or relationship. Each Sentence Correction question presents a sentence, which is highlighted in part or entirely. There are five distinct ways to frame the statement's underlined component. You must select the most effective sentence answer while considering grammar, word choice, and sentence form.

Sample Sentence Correction Question

To suppress the violent behaviour of young people, parents want amicable conflict resolution, promptly accessible counselling, and decreasing the prevalence of television shows that contain plentiful and frequently casual violence.

(a) decreasing the prevalence of television shows that contain plentiful and frequently casual violence

(b) decreasing the prevalence of television shows containing frequently casual but plentiful violence

(c) a decrease of the prevalence of television shows, containing as they do frequently casual violence in abundance

(d) a decreased prevalence of the plentiful and frequently casual violence contained in television shows

(e) a decreased prevalence of television shows that contain plentiful but frequently casual violence

Strategies to Crack the Sentence Correction Questions

• Read every single sentence attentively. Try to grasp the exact notion or relationship that the line was meant to convey.
• Assess the sentence's underlined portion. Since the part of the text that may be wrong is highlighted, focusing on evaluating that part for errors and possible remedies before reading the response choices.
• Thoroughly examine every option. The first option always repeats the underlined portion of the original statement. Choose it only if you believe the statement is best as it is.
• Try to figure out how to fix what you think is wrong with the original statement. Some response options may modify things that aren't incorrect, while others may not change everything false.
• Make sure that you thoroughly assess the sentence and the options. Consider overall clarity, grammatical and idiomatic usage, language economy and precision, and diction appropriateness.
• Read the entire sentence, substituting your preferred option for the underlined portion. An answer choice can be inaccurate because it does not suit the rest of the text grammatically or structurally. Keep in mind that specific sentences will not need to be corrected. Choose the first answer option when the given sentence requires no correction.

Integrated Reasoning Question Types

The Integrated Reasoning Section contains four question types: Graphics Interpretation, Table Analysis, Multi-Source Reasoning, and Two-Part Analysis. The questions require mathematical and verbal reasoning, either independently or together. This section has two unique features: many questions demand multiple responses, and you will be able to answer the questions using an online calculator with basic operations. Since the questions are intended to assess your ability to combine data to solve intricate problems, you must correctly answer all responses to each question; no partial credit will be granted.

Sample Integrated Reasoning Questions

Due to the diversity and complexity of the integrated reasoning section, specific sample questions are typical to predict and might change in each GMAT exam. However, you must understand different types of Integrated Reasoning questions, as listed below:

• Multi-Source Reasoning—These types of questions determine your ability to interpret data from several sources like graphics, tables, text passages, or a combination of the three. So, you must analyse each data source carefully to answer various questions. Some questions will need you to identify differences between multiple data sources. Others may require you to make inferences, while others may ask you to assess the relevancy of the given.
• Table Analysis—These questions assess your ability to sort and analyse data in a table, like a spreadsheet, to determine what information is significant or meets specific requirements.
• Graphics Interpretation—These question types assess your ability to recognise relationships and make inferences from the information presented in a graph or other graphical representation (x/y graph, scatter plot, bar chart, pie chart, or statistical curve distribution).
• Two-Part Analysis—These questions assess your ability to solve complicated problems like verbal, numerical, or a combination of the two. The format is designed to be adaptable to accommodate a wide range of content. It tests your ability to solve simultaneous equations, analyse trade-offs, and establish a link between the two.

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Strategies to Crack the Integrated Reasoning Section

Multi-Source Reasoning Question Strategies

• Analyse every source of data thoroughly, as the questions need a thorough grasp of the facts offered. Text passages frequently build thoughts in sequences, so consider how each statement contributes to the passage's core theme. Tables, graphs, diagrams, and charts are examples of graphic elements.
• Some inquiries will necessitate identifying differences between different data sources. Others will ask you to make assumptions. Others may ask you to choose which of the data sources is relevant. So, select the best answer based on the requirement of the question.

Table Analysis Question Strategies

• Analyse the table and the associated text to understand what kind of information is supplied.
• Read the question carefully to determine the required data analysis and make an informed decision.
• Each answer statement should be carefully evaluated based on the condition stated (yes or no, true or untrue). Look out for whether the specified requirement has been met or not.

Graphics Interpretation Question Strategies

• Acquaint yourself with the data displayed on the visualisation. Take note of the axis scales, highlighted values, and labels. Identify any inconsistencies between the units in the graph and the units stated in the text.
• Carefully read any associated text. The text may give information not included in the visual but is required to answer the question.
• Check that you understand what the problem is demanding of you. You will analyse and integrate data, identify correlations, and draw conclusions based on a collection of data.
• Examine all of the options in the drop-down menu. You can learn more about your allocated assignment by clicking on the menu options. Choose the best alternative for finishing the statement. Multiple options in the drop-down menu may appear logical. You need to choose the statement that is the most reasonable.

Two-Part Analysis Question Strategies

• Take your time reading the information. It may include quantitative, verbal, or a combination of the two types of material. The content offered is all intended to be complicated. Refrain from letting your familiarity with the topic influence your reaction. Use only the information provided in the question.
• Determine the actual question being asked. Take note of how the question explains the tasks. Sometimes the headlines of the response sections need more details that could assist you in better comprehending what you are expected to accomplish.
• Before selecting the final answer, analyse all the available options. Determine whether your duties are dependent or independent of one another. Some questions will assign two tasks that can be completed independently. Others present a single assignment with two dependent components.

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Question Types

You will discuss how logical you believe a given argument is in the Analysis of an Argument (AWA) section. For this purpose, you will examine the argument's stream of reasoning and evidence. Take a few moments before writing to examine the argument and consider your response. Your ideas must be well-organized and adequate. You must have some time to reread your response and make modifications but do not forget that you only have 30 minutes.

A combination of skilled and certified human assessors and an automated system scores AWA essays. If the algorithm score differs from the human score, the result will be evaluated by another human rater and may be changed. You will be required to critique the argument offered in this section. However, you are not required to describe your opinions on the subject.

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Strategies to Crack the Analytical Writing Assessment

Take a few minutes before you begin writing your response to examine the argument and consider your reaction. You are given 30 minutes to organise your thoughts and develop them thoroughly in your essay. Pacing is crucial. You must have time to re-read your response and make the necessary changes.

• As you plan an intelligent response, consider the following questions:
  • What faulty assumptions support the reasoning?
  • What counterexamples could be given?
  • What further evidence could help or hurt the argument?
  • Does my response read like a conversation, complete with full sentences and logical organisation?
• Make your response sound like a conversation. Your final answer should be smooth. Complete sentences, a transparent organisational scheme, logical transitions between topics, and adequately introduced and developed examples should make it read like a dialogue.
• Use pictures and examples that are well-developed. Introduce illustrations and inferences from your observations, experiences, or reading when discussing alternate explanations or counterexamples. Develop your examples rather than simply listing them.