I want to improve my verbal score as I am unable to crack down difficult questions in the sets. Also I wanted to understand the strategy to deal with long RC passages. Can you help please?

Question

V Gupta · Accepted Answer

If you&rsquo;re struggling with tougher Verbal questions, it&rsquo;s not usually about the content being harder&mdash;it&rsquo;s about how the test twists logic and structure. GMAT Focus doesn&rsquo;t test obscure grammar or reading tricks. It tests how well you can stay calm, read with purpose, and recognize flawed reasoning.
In Critical Reasoning, difficult questions often present extra information to throw you off. Always isolate the conclusion, find the assumption, and predict what a correct answer might look like before reading options. For Reading Comprehension, long passages can feel overwhelming&mdash;but the key is structure. After each paragraph, pause and mentally summarize it in 5&ndash;6 words. For example: &ldquo;Author disagrees with theory&rdquo; or &ldquo;Historical context explained.&rdquo; These summaries make it easier to locate the right part of the passage when answering.
GMAT doesn&rsquo;t reward memorization. It rewards clarity. The better you get at reading with intent, the easier the hard questions become.

Aaditya Singhal · Answer

Here are some tips that helped me in handling Long RC Passages:1. Active Reading:
Engage with the passage as you read. Highlight or underline key points and main ideas. This helps you stay focused and retain information.2. Skim for Structure:
Quickly skim the passage to get a sense of its structure and main points. Look for the thesis statement and topic sentences.3. Identify Main Ideas:
Focus on the main ideas and the author's purpose. This will help you answer questions about the overall meaning of the passage.4. Note Key Details:
Pay attention to important details like names, dates, and specific arguments. This makes it easier to find information when answering questions.5. Practice Under Timed Conditions:
Practice reading and answering questions under timed conditions. This will help you manage your time better during the actual exam.

Mansih K · Answer

Struggling with hard Verbal questions&mdash;especially long RC passages&mdash;is common, but it&rsquo;s not about mastering harder content. It&rsquo;s about learning how to filter distractions and read with intent. Here's what helps:
Critical Reasoning: Always pre-think. Before reading the options, ask yourself what would strengthen or weaken the argument. This makes you less vulnerable to trap choices.
Reading Comprehension: Focus on structure, not detail. Mark where the author introduces the main idea, uses examples, or shifts opinion. That&rsquo;s where most answers live.
Long RC passages: After each paragraph, write a 3&ndash;4 word summary like &ldquo;critique of study&rdquo; or &ldquo;supporting data.&rdquo; Use these summaries to navigate, not your memory.
Timed sets: Practice under real timing at least twice a week. Long RC becomes manageable only when you build endurance.
If you want extra structure, check out Mentr Me&rsquo;s GMAT Verbal resources. They include topic-wise RC strategies and CR logic traps that are especially useful for high-difficulty sets.