If this is your first time here please make sure you visit the rest of this huge web site. Richardson Prep has GMAT, LSAT, GRE and GMAT courses available. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Richardson has been training people to reach the top since 1979. The best place to start would be the main page, but if you are only interested in GMAT, there is a main GMAT page as well, with course descriptions, dates, times, books, links and all the other information you will need. See above for links to the rest of the site. If you send us email we will send you an email newsletter with course information and updates to the GMAT. Have some fun with the Tutorial Below!Outline And Table Of Contents
Part I - Background And Introduction
Welcome How To Benefit From This Tutorial What Does The GMAT Test? Multiple Choice Is Your Friend Format Of The GMAT Directions To The GMAT Quantitative Question Types Verbal Question Types Analytical Writing Assessment Part II - Question Based Tutorial Reading Comprehension: Questions 1 - 6 Critical Thinking: Questions 7 - 12 Data Sufficiency: Questions 13 - 19 Problem Solving: Questions 20 - 26 Grammar - Sentence Correction: Questions 27 - 33 Part III - Where To Go From Here
Part I - Welcome, Background And IntroductionWelcome to my "Focused Beginnings GMAT Tutorial." My name is John Richardson and I have taught and developed GMAT programs since 1979. Yes, that's a long time. But a good deal of teaching experience goes with that. I intend to gradually develop a complete on-line GMAT program. But, I am a long way from completing that. As the title implies, this is a mini-tutorial that I have put on my web site to help people begin their preparation in a focused way. Use this tutorial as an intelligent beginning. It will point you in the right direction. The Tutorial - 33 GMAT Questions My "Focused Beginnings GMAT Tutorial" uses 33 GMAT questions . Print The 33 Sample FREE GMAT Test Questions .Just for fun! You can answer the actual 33 questions and have them graded, before you take the tutorial. It will give you a good indication of what to expect. Of course if you score 100 per cent you don't need to take the tutorial. Information Direct From GMAT
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It is important to know how the GMAT is scored, the rules for
guessing, the relative importance of different questions and how
to take the GMAT. In addition, you should know a bit about the
logistics of taking the test. The information should be obtained
directly from GMAT. Again, I encourage you to visit their site
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How To Benefit From This Tutorial Begin by reading the background information. You will find that you will learn a great deal by reading the discussion of the answer choices for each question. Remember, learning to play the "GMAT Game" involves learning how to read and compare "multiple choice" answer choices. What Does The GMAT Test?
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The GMAT is primarily a skills based test and not a knowledge
based test. The skills tested are basic reading and reasoning
skills. Multi-step problem solving questions are used to test
your ability to reason. Multi-step problem solving questions
appear mainly as part of the quantitative sections. But, this
doesn't mean that you need to know a lot of math. Most people
grossly overestimate the level of math that they need. "GMAT
Math" does not go beyond what is commonly taught in grade 9 or
10. So, if you want to review math to that level - fine. But,
anything beyond is a waste of time. Reasoning is also tested in
the context of data sufficiency and the critical thinking section
itself. Every GMAT question is a test of reading comprehension
skills. Finally, the grammar is not really a test of grammar.
It is a test of basic literacy. Multiple Choice Is Your Friend! Reading and problem solving skills are tested in the context of multiple choice. Multiple choice is a great thing. The "credited response" is directly in front of your eyes. You don't have to arrive at the answer on your own. You don't even have to understand why the answer is right. All you need do is recognize that one of the answers is correct (or on some sections most correct or least wrong). In many cases this can be accomplished simply by eliminating clearly wrong answers. In fact, I will promise you that: If you spend more time looking at the answer choices and less time obsessing over the questions you will improve your GMAT score! Therefore, a major part of GMAT training involves learning how to play the multiple choice test game! You will see that my discussion of the 33 sample GMAT questions is overwhelmingly focused on the answer choices and not on the questions! The Format Of The GMAT The GMAT is administered on computer in the form of a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT). There are two 75 minute multiple choice sections (one verbal and one quantitative) and a 60 minute writing exercise (during which you will write answers to two questions). The 75 minute quantitative section is intended to have 37 questions and the 75 minute verbal section will have 41 questions. For more information, I suggest that you check out the GMAT web site at www.mba.com. Directions To The GMAT
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It is incumbent on you to read the directions for each question
type very carefully. For each question type you will be directed
to select the "best answer." But, "best answer" means different
things on different parts of the test. Quantitative Question Types - Divided Between A. Data Sufficiency B. Problem Solving For each of these two question types the "best answer" will be objectively correct. Therefore, you eliminate answer choices because they are simply wrong. Think on a "black and white" level. I.e. right versus wrong. Verbal Question Types - A Mix Of: A. Critical Thinking B. Reading Comprehension C. Grammar And Usage For each of these three question types the "best answer" will simply be the best of the available choices. It may or not be (and usually won't) be objectively correct. Therefore, when eliminating answers you eliminate because one answer choice is worse than another. Think on a "better versus worse" level. You must "compare and contrast" the answer choices. Analytical Writing Topics - Two Types:
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1. Analysis Of An Issue - 30 minutes 2. Analysis Of An Argument - 30 minutes There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that you will have to input your answers using the word processing program provided. The good news is that you won't have to worry about the quality of your handwriting. The essays are scored on a scale of 0 - 6. Because the Analytical Writing Test is not multiple choice, I have not included a discussion of it as part of this tutorial.
Reading Comprehension
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Introduction Begin by reading the directions. As you can see they are almost useless. The best answer is not necessarily objectively correct. It is simply the choice that is remaining after the other choices have been eliminated. Reading every word of every choice and think on a "better versus worse" basis. The questions are based on very short readings. Some contain arguments and other do not. Tip: Begin with the question itself. First, it may tell you something about the nature of what you have to read (for example is it an argument or not). Second, the language in the question will tell you what aspect of the passage you should be concentrating on. For example, is it an assumption, inference, objective description, etc? Turn to the sample critical thinking questions and try questions 7 - 12. Remember to read every choice and to compare the answer choices on a "better versus worse" basis. When you are ready for a discussion simply click on the appropriate question.
Question 10
Question 11
Question 12
Introduction
Begin with the directions. You will see that they are complex.
Your job is to categorize questions on whether the answer can be
determined, and if so, by virtue of what combination of
statement(s). Most people find this section to be the most
complicated one on the GMAT. However, it is extremely "menu
driven" and is therefore particularly susceptible to short term
improvement. Rather than get into a lengthy discussion
concerning approach, I would rather set you loose on the
questions. You will be able to discern an approach from the
discussion.
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Tips: 1. Try not to actually answer the questions. The issue is could somebody answer the questions if he/she had some reason to do so. 2. The directions are based on a geometry question. In data sufficiency geometric figures may not be drawn to scale. In other words GMAT may attempt to confuse you by distorting the figure. Don't assume that the figure is drawn property. (Note also that different rules respecting geometric figures apply in the problem solving section.) Turn to the sample data sufficiency questions and try questions 13 - 19. Remember to approach each of the statements independently. When you are ready for a discussion simply click on the appropriate question. Problem Solving Introduction Begin with the directions. You are looking for one objectively correct answer. You will note that (contrary to data sufficiency) there is a presumption that the figures are drawn accurately. Remember that one of the answer choices must be correct. Your job is to find it. You can do this either by eliminating wrong answers or by looking for a right answer. I suggest a combination of both. For each question I will have two kinds of explanations. First, I will explain the question in terms of the math. This will include an identification of the math skills that are required. Second, I will show you how to arrive at the answer by working the answer choices and not by solving with math. I will refer to this as the "Multiple Choice Is Your Friend" solution. Turn to the problem solving questions and try them. When you are ready for some discussion click on the appropriate question. | ![]() |
Question 20 English Grammar And Usage Introduction Most of the questions on this part of the test are based on problems of "agreement." I.e. subject-verb agreement, parallelism, etc. As the directions state this is a test of effectiveness and correctness of expression. Look for a choice that is clear and exact. The requirement of clearness and exactness means that you must eliminate choices that are awkward, ambiguous or contain redundancy or grammatical errors. Remember that "Multiple Choice Is Your Friend." You have to select one of the five choices. You don't have to be able to recognize the category of error to know that a choice contains an error. Think in terms of "better versus worse." Turn to the grammar and usage questions and try them. When you are ready for the analysis click on the appropriate question. Part III - Where To Go From Here
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Where To Go From Here? First, I urge you to obtain the most recent copy of the Official Guide For GMAT Review. It is published by GMAT and is a source of actual GMAT questions. This is essential for all GMAT test takers. Second, I teach live courses. My live courses are always available in Toronto and in any other city by request. Send me an e-mail for further information.
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