Best Verbal GMAT Prep Books
Previously you could get a general GMAT Book and then more specialized GMAT books to go deeper into each section. Today, there is a shift towards just getting a number of specialized GMAT books such as the
8 Manhattan GMAT Guides and
15 Veritas Prep Guides. Whichever GMAT Book you decide to use, remember to also get
the Official Guide for GMAT Review – it is the only source of the real GMAT questions.
My Other GMAT Book Reviews
Common Book Bundles
- Need to figure out your weaknesses? Take a GMATPrep test or one of the other many free GMAT tests available.
- Looking for a verbal study plan? General GMAT study plan | Verbal GMAT study plan
- Need to start with basics? (recommended for international applicants) - start with MGMAT Verbal Foundations
- OK with verbal but need some help in a short period of time? Try the Kaplan Verbal Workbook
- Need highest score and have time: MGMAT Guides + MGMAT Verbal Foundations (esp for RC)
- Need specific question practice? use gmat club tags
- Need help with Grammar? Try Ultimate GMAT Grammar book by GMAT Club
1. General Verbal Review Materials
Official guide for GMAT Verbal Review 2nd EditionExcellent for additional verbal practice questions, but don't expect to find any grammar rules or verbal strategies here.Strengths:1. 300 real GMAT questions
2. Real GMAT questions retired from past tests
3. The practice questions are organized by level of difficulty
4. The practice questions follow actual GMAT test patterns - great to have one's ear trained.
Weaknesses:1. The book does not contain any strategies
2. It does have a few short review sections but they are very weak
3. Mostly low and medium difficulty questions. Not very helpful to a person aiming to get above 700.[rating1]yellow/0976570912[/rating1]
Note: See detailed comparison between First and Second Editions here:
the-official-gmat-verbal-review-1st-edition-vs-2nd-edition-83882.html?view-post=628557#p628557 Kaplan GMAT Verbal WorkbookGood Verbal review but only 650-700 level. Specialized books recommended for a higher score.Strengths:1. Realistic strategies for every part of Verbal section
2. Useful Idioms and Vocabulary list
3. Good paper and publishing quality
Weaknesses:1. Few hard verbal questions
2. Some questions (CR) are not very representative of the "authentic" questions
Other notes: All the practice questions from this book are available on CD-ROM that comes with
Kaplan Premier Program[rating1]yellow/1419553054[/rating1]
2. Critical Reasoning
The PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning BibleConsidered the best GMAT book for Critical Reasoning questions. Strengths:1. Clearly divides the CR question types and provides with specific strategy solutions for each type
2. Gets the results - this is the most recommended book on GMAT Club for CR
3. Well laid out, making learning easy and quick
Weaknesses:1. Though more questions are available than in the
MGMAT book/online quiz bank, it could still use more practice questions
Note: This book is very similar in terms of strategies or tips to the
MGMAT CR book; there is no value in owning both
For chapter by chapter book notes, see this post:
summary-of-the-powerscore-cr-book-82539.html [rating1]yellow/0972129634[/rating1]
Manhattan GMAT Critical ReasoningSecond best - comes with access to MGMAT's 4 online CAT tests yet refers to the OG for practice questionsStrengths:1. Strategies that work
2. Explanations to the
OG questions are very clear
3. Comes with access to 6 online CAT tests (all
Manhattan GMAT books have this feature)
Weaknesses:1. Requires purchase of
OG 11 or
Verbal OG. No practice questions in the book - instead it provides reference to questions in
the Official Guide2. Online question bank is comparatively small
Note: This book is very similar in terms of strategies or tips to the
PowerScore CR book; there is no value in owning both[rating1]yellow/0981853307[/rating1]
3. Sentence Correction
Manhattan GMAT Sentence Correction Highly recommended. Considered the best book for SC.Strengths:1. Thorough coverage of GMAT grammar concepts
2. Convenient layout
3. Access to 6 Online
MGMAT CAT's
Weaknesses:1. Practice question are not provided but refer to the 11th edition of
the Official Guide and
the Official Guide Supplements
Other notes: One of the most referenced books for SC on GMAT Club forum.[rating1]yellow/0981853366[/rating1]
Aristotle SC GrailPretty good and would make an excellent supplement to MGMAT SC Strengths:1. Concise
2. The content is organized in a very effective manner
3. The Idioms List!
4. Overall, the organization is crisp and concise
Weaknesses1. It is a PDF.
2. There are no practice problems or associated content (there is a separate question bank available now)
3. It doesn't go into too much detail.
[rating1]yellow/104794[/rating1]
GMAT Club's Ultimate GMAT GrammarUltimate Grammar Book for the SC section of the GMAT. Strengths:1. All SC areas covered and explained in detail
2. 500+ exercises and 500+ GMAT-like SC questions
3. GMAT idioms with explanations and examples, tables, usage, problematic words, etc
4. Optional section on punctuation and also section on articles and other often ignored subjects/topics that international students struggle with
Weaknesses1. Not yet - maybe a tad too long - 294 pages. [rating1]yellow/102387[/rating1]
4. Reading Comprehension
Manhattan GMAT Reading ComprehensionOne of the first RC books on the market - could be better.Strengths:1. The first and most used GMAT book fully dedicated to RC (contains 69 questions)
2. Comes with RC passages and questions unlike the other
MGMAT materials that only refer to
OGWeaknesses:1. Too few practice questions to deliver a significant score improvement
2. Needs more strategies. I felt the
MGMAT Verbal Foundations had a lot more RC basic skill development tools and strategies[rating1]yellow/0981853358[/rating1]
Veritas Prep Reading ComprehensionGood overall strategy and provides useful insider tipsStrengths:1. Plenty of practice - 96 Reading Comprehension questions in 23 passages
2. Good passages in terms of difficulty and quality
3. 30 pages of strategies and RC skill-development
Weaknesses:1. None[rating1]yellow/1936240076[/rating1]
5. Free Books
GMAT Pill eBook: How to Ace the GMATA 120 page EBook covering SC/CR/RC/PS/DS split into 2 pieces with questions and tips on how to ace the GMAT.[rating1]yellow/112282[/rating1]
6. Exotic Books
PowerScore LSAT Reading Comprehension BibleFor hardcore RC practice only! Usually not necessary and only to be used by 700+ applicants. It is a level higher than GMAT. See a review of this book by bmillan01
review-of-powerscore-s-rc-bible-86718.html[rating1]yellow/0980178223[/rating1]
LSAT Critical ReasoningIf you need to turbocharge or nuke your Critical Reasoning this may be a book to consider. Note - not a pure GMAT book and does contain significant amount of irrelevant information. With that said, a good source of 700+ questions.Discussion of LSAT materials for use on GMAT[rating1]yellow/0980178207[/rating1]
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