Assumption questions ask for unstated evidence supporting the argument.
In past posts I’ve discussed ways to break down Critical Reasoning (CR) passages on the GMAT. Here I will focus on a specific subset of question types that make up the majority of CR questions and can be tackled in the same manner, every time. These are the assumption-based questions.
Components of a Critical Reasoning argument
To quickly review, any GMAT argument can be broken down into its conclusion and its evidence, which are stated in the passage. The third component, which is perhaps the most important part, is the central assumption. This is the unstated evidence that must be true in order for the argument to make sense. Here is an example:
“In recent years, many advertisements have won awards for their artistic quality. But since advertising must serve as a marketing tool, advertising executives must exercise their craft with an eye to the effectiveness of their advertisement. For this reason, advertising is not art.”
Here, the evidence is found in the first two sentences and the conclusion is in the third. The assumption at the heart of this argument is what links the second and third sentences; the author assumes that something you have to judge based on its effectiveness cannot be art.
The GMAT employs this same argument structure repeatedly in Critical Reasoning passages, and it is often paired with one of five standard question types. For each of these question types, which make up more than 60% of CR questions, you break the argument down the same way. Let’s use this sample argument with five potential questions.
Assumption questions
Not surprisingly, assumption questions simply ask you to identify the central assumption in the argument. These questions may include language such as, “The author assumes that…” or “The argument above depends on which of the following assumptions?” Once you have identified the assumption connecting the evidence to the conclusion, you have a prediction for the answer. An appropriate answer for this example would be, “Something is not ‘art’ if its creator must be concerned with its practical effect.”
Strengthen questions
Strengthen questions in Critical Reasoning use this type of language:
- Which of the following statements, if true, provides the most support for the conclusion above?
- The argument above would be more persuasive if which of the following statements were found to be true?
- Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
For a strengthen question, use the assumption to predict the answer; because an assumption is unstated evidence, simply stating it (and turning it into stated evidence) provides a strengthener. For this example passage, an appropriate answer to a strengthen question would be, “Being concerned with practical effectiveness precludes advertising from being considered art.”
Weaken Questions
For a weaken question, you will use the assumption to predict the most significant way to tear down the argument; the assumption is like the argument’s Achilles heel. Weaken questions use this type of language:
- Which of the following statements, if true, casts the most doubt on the author’s conclusion?
- Which of the following statements, if true, would most weaken the argument above?
- Which of the following statements, if true, most seriously calls into question the plan outlined above?
An appropriate answer to a weaken question for the advertising-as-art passage would be, “Many respected artists are concerned with the practical effects of their creations.” This casts doubt on the argument by providing evidence that the assumption is incorrect.
Flaw questions
Flaw questions are similar to weaken questions, but the correct answer will identify something wrong with the argument as presented, rather than asking you for some new fact that, if true, would make the argument questionable. Flaw questions use this type of language:
- Which of the following is a flaw in the reasoning above?
- The argument above is vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?
These flaws center on the author’s assumption, so identifying the conclusion,
evidence, and assumption remains the best approach for these questions. The correct answer to a flaw question will describe the logical flaw inherent in the argument’s assumption.
For this example, a flaw in the argument might be, “It fails to address the aesthetic considerations of the advertising’s creator.”
Evaluation questions
An evaluation question asks you to identify information that would help you assess an argument’s strength. They use language such as the following:
- The answer to which of the following questions would be most useful to know in order to evaluate the validity of the argument’s conclusion?
- Which of the following must be studied in order to evaluate the argument presented above?
Evaluation questions are rare, but they fit into the assumption-based category of Critical Reasoning questions because the correct answer to an evaluation question typically relates in some way to the assumption. The correct answer won’t impact the validity of the argument, but it will specify the kind of evidence that would help you judge the validity of the author’s argument. Information useful for evaluating the advertising passage might be, “Whether historical advertising was considered art by contemporaries.”
Practice identifying assumptions and you’ll be able to knock out more than half of your Critical Reasoning questions with one approach.
Want to hone your Critical Reasoning skills? Sign up for a free GMAT practice test and review to see how you would actually score on Test Day.
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