GMAT Verbal Section Strategy - Dealing with Complex Sentence Structure

Question

I've been struggling with the GMAT Verbal section particularly when it comes to passages with complex sentence structures. I find it challenging to maintain clarity and grasp the main ideas. Does anyone faced this problem?

MartyMurray · Answer

Hi Emily.

Many GMAT students face the same problem.

One solution is to do the questions untimed to give yourself time to learn to read and understand the passages and answer the questions correctly.

You can read the passages very carefully and not move on from a sentence until you have fully understood it. As you practice, you'll become more skilled and naturally read the passages faster.

AlviraRahman · Answer

Literally everyone has this problem and GMAT keeps doing this to throw us off. Two things to note here are  never take your eyes off the heart of the passage, no matter what . What I mean to say is, GMAT will throw complex structures to waste our time, to distract our chain of thought and disrupt your flow. When you know which part to keep your eye on, you will find it easier to analyze the relevant part from the whole passage.

Score-Quest · Answer

You are not alone in finding GMAT Verbal passages with complex sentences a bit daunting. It's a common initial hurdle because of their writing style. But, as with anything, practice makes perfect. As you work through more passages, you'll find it gets easier to navigate the complexities.

A tip I always give my students is to practice simplifying the language. Whenever you come across a challenging passage, try to break it down into simpler terms. This approach won't always be necessary, but it's a great exercise to start with. Here's a quick example:

Original text:  "The incorporation of quantum computing principles into modern technological infrastructures, while still in its nascent stages, promises to revolutionize data processing speeds. Detractors, however, point to the inherent instability of quantum states and the challenges of maintaining qubit coherence at scale. Yet, recent breakthroughs in quantum error correction suggest that these technical impediments might soon be surmountable."

Simplified text:  "Quantum computing could greatly speed up data processing, but there are concerns about stability. Recent advancements, however, are showing promise in overcoming these issues."

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

If you want to practice reading (but not burn through official passages), articles from The Economist that are similar to those on the GMAT could be useful to leverage. Working on a method that helps you absorb could also be helpful.

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GMAT Verbal Section Strategy - Dealing with Complex Sentence Structure

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