GMAT Critical Reasoning: Practice Questions, Books & Strategies

When it comes to acing the GMAT, Critical Reasoning questions can feel like mental gymnastics. These questions aren’t just about finding the right answer—they’re about sharpening your ability to think logically, assess arguments, and make quick decisions under pressure. If you’ve ever found yourself tangled in tricky premises or unsure of how to tackle an assumption question, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

This blog is your go-to guide for breaking down GMAT Critical Reasoning. From how to strengthen or weaken arguments to identifying assumptions and drawing conclusions, we’ve got you covered.

Key Highlights:

• GMAT Critical Reasoning questions assess your ability to evaluate arguments, requiring you to analyse premises, conclusions, and underlying assumptions.
• This section includes various question types, such as weakening or strengthening arguments, making inferences, and identifying assumptions.
• Critical Reasoning skills are essential not only for the GMAT but also for logical decision-making in business management.
• Practising careful reading of each question and focusing on eliminating incorrect answers can improve accuracy and speed in the Critical Reasoning section.
• Top preparation resources, like the PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible and Manhattan Prep GMAT guides, can help solidify understanding and technique.

About GMAT Critical Reasoning

The GMAT Critical Reasoning section is designed to evaluate how well you can assess arguments and reasoning. Each question typically presents a short argument, followed by a question and five answer choices. Here's what you can expect from this section:

• Each argument has a premise and a conclusion, and your task is to critically analyse the link between the two.
• Questions often require you to strengthen or weaken an argument, identify assumptions, or draw conclusions.
• The ability to dissect and understand logical arguments is crucial for both GMAT success and real-life decision-making as a business manager.

Importance of Critical Reasoning on GMAT

Logical reasoning is one of the most valuable skills in the workplace. If you want to succeed as a business manager, you need to be able to come up with logical and well-presented arguments for your ideas, whether it's deciding whether one strategy is better than the other or figuring out what keeps your customers coming back for more.

An effective manager must be able to answer the question, "How would this argument be strengthened or weakened?" What is the premise on which this argument is based? What additional evidence would I need in order to evaluate this argument's merits? As a result, to be a successful manager in real life, you must possess all of the GMAT Critical Reasoning skills. The ability to evaluate arguments is a skill that every manager should cultivate in the workplace.

Types of Critical Reasoning Questions in GMAT

Critical Reasoning (CR) questions on the GMAT often feel like mental gymnastics, challenging you to dissect complex arguments, scrutinise assumptions, and make quick logical deductions under time pressure. These questions are crafted not only to test your reasoning skills but also to assess your ability to think analytically, skills that are highly valued in business and management roles.  Here are the main types of Critical Reasoning questions you'll encounter on the GMAT:

• Strengthen the Argument: These questions ask you to choose an answer that would make the argument's conclusion more convincing by adding support to the premises or assumptions.
• Weaken the Argument: Here, you’ll need to find an answer that undermines the argument’s conclusion, often by challenging its assumptions or introducing conflicting evidence.
• Identify the Assumption: These questions require you to determine the unstated assumption that connects the argument’s premise to its conclusion, often forming the foundation for the argument’s logic.
• Inference: In these questions, you’re asked to infer a conclusion from the given information. The correct answer is typically a statement that logically follows from the argument.
• Evaluate the Argument: For these questions, you identify information or questions that would help determine the argument's strength or weakness, focusing on what would clarify the validity of the argument.
• Resolve the Paradox: These questions present two seemingly contradictory pieces of information and ask you to choose an answer that explains or reconciles the contradiction.

GMAT Critical Reasoning Practice Questions

Below are some actual GMAT Critical Reasoning practice questions, organised by topic:

1. Weaken the Argument:

Argument: A new educational programme claims that students who study for at least two hours a day using their software will score higher on standardised tests than those who don’t.

Question: Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the programme's claim?

a) Students who used the software spent less time studying traditional textbooks.
b) Many students who studied for more than two hours still did not achieve significantly higher test scores.
c) Students who scored higher were already top performers before using the programme.
d) The programme’s user interface is difficult for many students to navigate.
e) The majority of students using the software did not use it consistently.

Answer: c) Students who scored higher were already top performers before using the programme.

2. Strengthen the Argument:

Argument: A company claims that its new eco-friendly packaging will lead to a 30% reduction in overall plastic waste.

Question: Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the company's claim?

a) The new packaging is biodegradable and decomposes in landfills within a few months.
b) Many consumers prefer the look of the new eco-friendly packaging.
c) The packaging reduces the company's production costs by 20%.
d) The company plans to introduce the packaging in only a few product lines at first.
e) The new packaging is made from recycled materials.

Answer: a) The new packaging is biodegradable and decomposes in landfills within a few months.

3. Inference:

Argument: A recent survey showed that people who eat fast food at least three times a week are more likely to suffer from heart disease.

Question: Which of the following can be most reasonably inferred from the statement above?

a) Everyone who eats fast food regularly will develop heart disease.
b) Eating fast food is the direct cause of heart disease.
c) People who eat fast food more often are at a higher risk for heart disease.
d) Heart disease can only be prevented by avoiding fast food.
e) Fast food is the most significant contributor to heart disease.

Answer: c) People who eat fast food more often are at a higher risk for heart disease.

4. Identify the Assumption:

Argument: A pharmaceutical company claims that its new drug is effective in treating migraines because it has been tested in clinical trials with a 90% success rate.

Question: The argument assumes which of the following?

a) The drug will be affordable for most patients.
b) The drug has no side effects.
c) The clinical trials were conducted with a large and diverse group of participants.
d) Other migraine treatments are less effective.
e) Patients with severe migraines participated in the trials.

Answer: c) The clinical trials were conducted with a large and diverse group of participants.

5. Resolve the Paradox:

Argument: Despite a growing number of cyclists on the road, the number of accidents involving cyclists has significantly decreased.

Question: Which of the following, if true, best resolves this paradox?

a) Cyclists have been using better-quality bikes with improved safety features.
b) New bike lanes have been added to the most dangerous roads.
c) More cyclists are choosing to ride on quieter streets.
d) Drivers have become more cautious around cyclists.
e) The number of cycling-related accident

These sample questions will help you get a feel for what to expect on the GMAT Critical Reasoning section.

Recommended Books for GMAT Critical Reasoning Preparation

The Critical Reasoning section of the GMAT is one that calls for a significant amount of study time. Make sure that you get the top books possible for the gmat critical reasoning practice questions The following is a list of the best critical reasoning book for gmat currently available:

• PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible
• GMAT Critical Reasoning (Manhattan Prep GMAT Strategy Guides)
• GMAT Critical Reasoning Guide
• Kaplan GMAT Verbal Workbook

Suggested: Best GMAT Prep Books

5 Tips For GMAT Critical Reasoning Preparation

Don't question facts when attempting the GMAT's Critical Reasoning section. Instead, you should look at the gap (assumption) between the facts and the conclusion itself.  Many questions in the Critical Reasoning section ask you to identify the assumption. To make things easier, here are a few pointers.

1.  Read the Question First

Before reading the argument, take a look at the question. Make sure you know what type of question you'll have to answer before reading the argument. It's important to keep in mind what you need to do as you read the argument. As a result, read the question carefully so that you know exactly what you're supposed to do and how to go about solving a particular problem.

2.  Find that Unstated Assumption

After identifying the argument's conclusion and premise, consider the underlying assumption. The task is to find the unstated assumption and question the gap between the facts and conclusion. Every argument has 3 parts:

• A premise is the facts or reasons that support the argument's foundation
• Assumption that remains unstated. It must be true for the conclusion to be valid. If the assumption is false, the argument collapses.
• The conclusion is the argument's message which is backed up by the premise.

Consider this equation:

Premise + (unstated) assumption +(extra context/background info) = Conclusion
To be good at Critical Reasoning, you must analyse the argument and identify its components.

3.  Know What You’re Looking For Beforehand

In Critical Reasoning questions, the GMAT provides one correct answer and four tempting, potentially confusing alternatives. People who read the argument and question and then jump to the answer choices without thinking are asking to be confused and likely take longer on many Critical Reasoning questions.

For types #1-3, finding the argument's assumption is the best way to strengthen or weaken it. Find the assumption to find the argument's flaw (if the flaw is a faulty assumption).

For other question types, it's harder to predict the answer, but rephrasing the task can help. What's the argument's structure? Where's the paradox? How can the conclusion be evaluated? etc. The better you understand the question, the faster you'll find the answer.

4.  Read EXACTLY What is Written

Students often misread the argument, question stem, or one of the choices in the critical reasoning section. Take your time, stay engaged, and read EXACTLY what is written without paraphrasing. What piece of information can make a conclusion invalid? Some details or modifiers that seem 'extra' may be simplified or ignored. These mistakes can be avoided by reading carefully and noticing every modifier or extra detail.

5.  Look for Four Wrong Answers, Not the Correct One

Almost all GMAT cr questions have a couple of wrong answers. Focus on easily debunked options when sifting through confusing options. First, eliminate only the incorrect options. You can incrementally eliminate options until four are wrong. This helps you "narrow the field" and focus on more difficult or confusing choices. The last choice, no matter how confusing or strange, must be the correct answer.

From the Desk of Yocket

When it comes to GMAT Critical Reasoning, the key is understanding how to break down complex arguments and think critically under pressure. Don't rush through the questions—take your time to truly analyse the structure of each argument. It’s all about spotting assumptions, identifying flaws, and making logical connections. 

Practice is your best friend here, and with consistent effort, you’ll notice real improvement. Yocket Prep offers a structured approach with tailored practice questions and detailed feedback, helping you refine these skills step by step. Stay focused, stay consistent, and you'll master it.