How to Improve GMAT Reading Comprehension
To improve GMAT reading comprehension, first identify the cause of your low scores. If you simply can’t understand GMAT passages, practice reading difficult material to enhance your reading skills. If you understand reading comprehension passages but struggle with accuracy or timing, learn a GMAT-specific approach to build efficiency.
Developing your approach to reading comprehension: the first read-through
One common source of problems on GMAT reading comprehension is that students don’t get what they need out of their first read-through of the passage. This can lead to massive issues with both timing and accuracy on reading comprehension questions. Here are three guidelines to keep in mind while reading a reading comprehension passage for the first time:
1) Don’t skim. On the first pass through the passage, you need to be engaged with the text on the page. In other words, don’t skim through the passage. Skimming leads to misreading which leads to errors.
2) Pause to think about purpose. At the end of each paragraph, pause and think about why the author wrote that paragraph, and how it connects to the other paragraphs in the passage.
Perhaps the author introduced a debate in the first paragraph, crapped on both sides of the debate in the second paragraph, and then argued for an alternative viewpoint in the third paragraph. By the end of your first read-through, you should be able to articulate the structure and purpose of the passage in this way.
3) Don’t get bogged down in the details. GMAT reading comprehension passages are long and often filled with small details. You won’t be able to remember each of these details, so don’t even try. Instead, have a firm grasp on why the author included these details (to support an argument, to provide context for a certain point, etc), and where you need to return to if a question deals with a particular detail.
Answering broad GMAT Reading Comprehension questions
Broad questions on GMAT reading comprehension may ask you to identify:
● The primary purpose of the passage
● The main idea of the passage
● The function of a certain paragraph in the passage
If you’ve done your job during your first read-through, you should be able to answer these questions without returning to the passage. Think about it: if you are not sure what the primary purpose is, then where would you go looking? You’d have to re-read the entire passage, which is a colossal waste of precious time on the GMAT.
Answering detailed GMAT Reading Comprehension questions
For more detailed questions, on the other hand, you’ll have to go look at the relevant piece of the passage. It is absolutely worth your time to do this, because it’s nearly impossible (and highly inefficient) to keep every detail in your brain.
Reading difficult material to improve GMAT Reading Comprehension
At the end of the day you need to have good fundamental reading skills to perform well on GMAT reading comprehension. If you don’t have these skills, then a great approach to reading comprehension questions will only get you so far.
The good news is that you can improve your reading skills by reading tough material. Take at least 15-35 minutes a day to read fiction and non-fiction that is difficult for you (i.e., you don’t know every word that you see and you have to expend mental energy to understand what is going on).
The bad news is that improving these skills takes time. Humans develop their reading abilities over the course of years, so you can’t expect quick gains in a matter of days. If your reading level is holding you back on GMAT reading comprehension, expect to spend several months reading tough materials before you see results.