GMAT, or the Graduate Management Admission Test, is one of the toughest exams worldwide. The dreams of many students can depend on this one exam to secure admission to various business schools. The GMAT verbal section can be a cakewalk for those adept at the GMAT vocabulary. So, how do you improve your GMAT vocabulary?
Before trying to improve your GMAT vocabulary, try to understand the various facets of the GMAT verbal section. Understanding the test's format will help you properly gear your test preparation.
The GMAT reading comprehension section should not be difficult for those of you who read a lot. The best way to improve GMAT vocabulary is through constant reading, especially reading good newspapers and periodicals. Reading literature of this kind offers two benefits – first, you improve your vocabulary considerably. Second, you will practice reading and grasping the essence of the articles.
The reading comprehension of the GMAT verbal section tests your understanding of a given passage. As well as a good vocabulary, the reading comprehension section also requires you to clearly understand the critical aspect discussed in the passage. Typically, the passages are boring to read and it is easy to miss the details. Although it cannot be said with certainty, the types of passages used in GMAT are generally from the disciplines of social science, science, and business. The topic is randomly chosen to ensure that no one gets an unfair advantage because of their knowledge in one particular discipline or topic.
Many a times you will find in the GMAT words that are not commonly used. Use of compound words is very common and students can get confused. Having a good GMAT vocabulary will help you decipher these words quickly and you can save precious time. However, even if you cannot decipher the individual words, try to look at the sentence and paragraph as a whole. It is easier to understand the words when looked at as a whole rather than individually.
The questions asked in reading comprehension are of four types—fact-based, inference-type, theme-based, and tone-based.
Factual questions are easier to answer; but they are time-consuming. The first time you read the passage it is important to make mental notes of the facts mentioned. Going back to the passage to answer the question will make you lose time.
Inference-based questions measure your understanding of the passage's content. It requires you to draw conclusions or form opinions about what is mentioned in the passage. These can be difficult questions since you need to have an excellent reasoning ability in addition to having good GMAT vocabulary.
Theme-based questions can also be difficult. What may look initially like the theme of the passage can turn out not to be the theme at all.
Tone-based questions require you to identify the tone of the passage. Because of the nature of the GMAT's topics, it is unlikely that the passage will have a negative tone. It is probably either neutral or positive. With a focused reading, you will have no problems identifying the tone.
The key to scoring well in the GMAT verbal section is practice. No matter how good your GMAT vocabulary, or how many years you have been reading, without practice it is all of little help. GMAT vocabulary also increases with practice. It is important to take practice tests as often as possible. Use of a study guide, reading as much as possible, and practicing the newly learned techniques and words, will help you sail smoothly through the sometimes rough waters of the GMAT.