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After reviewing 300+ Verbal questions during my prep, I started noticing a pattern:
I wasn’t getting them wrong because I didn’t understand the logic — I was falling into specific traps that I wasn’t aware of.
Once I named and trained myself to avoid these traps, my Verbal accuracy jumped significantly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the 15 biggest traps and how I beat them:
1. Extreme Language Trap
Words like “always,” “never,” “only,” and “must” are almost always red flags.
What I do now: I favor moderate language unless the conclusion is itself extreme.
2. Reversal Trap
Mixing up cause and effect or confusing conclusion with premise.
What I do now: I rephrase the argument’s structure in my own words before reading options.
3. Out - Of - Scope Trap
Options that sound reasonable but address something totally unrelated.
What I do now: I ask, “Does this help or hurt the conclusion directly?” If not — eliminate.
4. Restatement Trap
Choices that just reword the conclusion or evidence.
What I do now: If an option adds nothing new, it gets eliminated immediately.
5. Opposite Trap
Especially common in strengthen/weaken. I used to choose the most extreme-looking option — but it was often the opposite of what was required.
What I do now: I double-check the question type before reading options.
6. Vague Language Trap
“Some say,” “It is possible,” “Could be”—these are too weak.
What I do now: I look for options with clear and specific impact.
7. Comparison Trap
Choices that compare apples to oranges or shift the focus to a different group.
What I do now: I verify that all comparisons are apples-to-apples with the conclusion.
8. Irrelevant Truth Trap
Some choices are factually true, but irrelevant to the conclusion.
What I do now: I ask, “Even if this is true, does it matter to the argument?”
9. New Concept Trap
An answer introduces a totally new concept or metric not in the argument.
What I do now: I flag any option that uses a term not present in the passage — usually a distraction.
10. Too Specific Trap
Answer narrows in on a minor point but misses the broader logic.
What I do now: I check if the option addresses the conclusion or just a side detail.
11. Emotional Language Trap
Some options sound appealing or dramatic but lack logical weight.
What I do now: I ignore emotional pull and focus on structure and reasoning.
12. Assumption Creation Trap
Especially in inference questions, where tempting answers go beyond what’s supported.
What I do now: I ask, “Must this be true based on only what’s stated?”
13. Circular Reasoning Trap
The option supports the conclusion by assuming the conclusion is already true.
What I do now: I ask, “Does this prove the point independently, or just restate it in disguise?”
14. Misused Statistic Trap
Throwing in a % or number to create false authority — even if it’s logically irrelevant.
What I do now: I verify whether the statistic truly affects the argument’s logic.
15. Scope Shift Trap
The passage talks about X, and the answer suddenly shifts to Y or Z.
What I do now: I stay laser-focused on the conclusion’s subject — anything that shifts is cut.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My go-to CR checklist:
- Rephrase the conclusion and argument structure before reading choices
- Label the question type (weaken, strengthen, assumption, etc.)
- Predict the role of the correct answer
- Read all five options — even if one looks good early
- Eliminate traps: extreme, vague, new idea, opposite, irrelevant, too narrow
- Always ask: “Does this choice *do what the question asked for*?”
Once you start treating CR like a pattern-recognition exercise, the logic becomes way easier to follow.
You stop getting baited and start seeing what the test writers are trying to trick you into.
If even one of these helps you avoid a silly CR miss — glad I could help!
And if it does — I would appreciate your help with a kudos !
PS : If you’ve spotted other traps I missed, would love to learn from you too !
- k11work
10-mental-math-tricks-that-save-me-5-minutes-in-quant-section
I wasn’t getting them wrong because I didn’t understand the logic — I was falling into specific traps that I wasn’t aware of.
Once I named and trained myself to avoid these traps, my Verbal accuracy jumped significantly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the 15 biggest traps and how I beat them:
1. Extreme Language Trap
Words like “always,” “never,” “only,” and “must” are almost always red flags.
What I do now: I favor moderate language unless the conclusion is itself extreme.
2. Reversal Trap
Mixing up cause and effect or confusing conclusion with premise.
What I do now: I rephrase the argument’s structure in my own words before reading options.
3. Out - Of - Scope Trap
Options that sound reasonable but address something totally unrelated.
What I do now: I ask, “Does this help or hurt the conclusion directly?” If not — eliminate.
4. Restatement Trap
Choices that just reword the conclusion or evidence.
What I do now: If an option adds nothing new, it gets eliminated immediately.
5. Opposite Trap
Especially common in strengthen/weaken. I used to choose the most extreme-looking option — but it was often the opposite of what was required.
What I do now: I double-check the question type before reading options.
6. Vague Language Trap
“Some say,” “It is possible,” “Could be”—these are too weak.
What I do now: I look for options with clear and specific impact.
7. Comparison Trap
Choices that compare apples to oranges or shift the focus to a different group.
What I do now: I verify that all comparisons are apples-to-apples with the conclusion.
8. Irrelevant Truth Trap
Some choices are factually true, but irrelevant to the conclusion.
What I do now: I ask, “Even if this is true, does it matter to the argument?”
9. New Concept Trap
An answer introduces a totally new concept or metric not in the argument.
What I do now: I flag any option that uses a term not present in the passage — usually a distraction.
10. Too Specific Trap
Answer narrows in on a minor point but misses the broader logic.
What I do now: I check if the option addresses the conclusion or just a side detail.
11. Emotional Language Trap
Some options sound appealing or dramatic but lack logical weight.
What I do now: I ignore emotional pull and focus on structure and reasoning.
12. Assumption Creation Trap
Especially in inference questions, where tempting answers go beyond what’s supported.
What I do now: I ask, “Must this be true based on only what’s stated?”
13. Circular Reasoning Trap
The option supports the conclusion by assuming the conclusion is already true.
What I do now: I ask, “Does this prove the point independently, or just restate it in disguise?”
14. Misused Statistic Trap
Throwing in a % or number to create false authority — even if it’s logically irrelevant.
What I do now: I verify whether the statistic truly affects the argument’s logic.
15. Scope Shift Trap
The passage talks about X, and the answer suddenly shifts to Y or Z.
What I do now: I stay laser-focused on the conclusion’s subject — anything that shifts is cut.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My go-to CR checklist:
- Rephrase the conclusion and argument structure before reading choices
- Label the question type (weaken, strengthen, assumption, etc.)
- Predict the role of the correct answer
- Read all five options — even if one looks good early
- Eliminate traps: extreme, vague, new idea, opposite, irrelevant, too narrow
- Always ask: “Does this choice *do what the question asked for*?”
Once you start treating CR like a pattern-recognition exercise, the logic becomes way easier to follow.
You stop getting baited and start seeing what the test writers are trying to trick you into.
If even one of these helps you avoid a silly CR miss — glad I could help!
And if it does — I would appreciate your help with a kudos !
PS : If you’ve spotted other traps I missed, would love to learn from you too !
- k11work
10-mental-math-tricks-that-save-me-5-minutes-in-quant-section
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