Verbal reasoning tests how carefully you read. You are given a passage and asked questions about what it supports.
What a question looks like
A short passage, then a question with options. Sometimes you are asked what the passage means, sometimes whether a statement follows from it.
The one thing that matters most
Answer from the passage, not from what you know. This is where most marks are lost. A statement can be perfectly true in the world and still not be supported by the passage in front of you, and the question is about the passage.
If you find yourself thinking "well, obviously", check that the passage actually says it. Usually the distinction the question is testing is precisely that.
Watch the qualifiers
Words like all, some, never, often, may and must are usually doing the work. A passage saying something often happens does not support a statement that it always does.
How to approach a verbal test
- Read the passage once properly before looking at the options. Skimming then hunting is slower, not faster.
- Treat each option separately. They are not ranked, and eliminating two quickly usually leaves a real decision between the other two.
- Do not reread the passage from the top for every question. The detail you need is usually in one or two sentences.
The time limit
These tests are timed and the limit is shown before you start. Reading properly the first time is the best use of the time you have, and rereading the passage five times is the most common way of running out.