Comparison questions
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Comparison questions ask about multiple passages. You must work across two or more passages, poems, comments or diagrams in the same set to find the correct answer.
These questions typically ask you to:
- identify what two passages have in common.
- find a distinction between passages.
- determine which passage has the ‘most’ or ‘least’ of a quality.
- describe how passages relate to each other.
Comparison questions account for approximately 4.5% of Section I questions, so you’ll likely see a small number on Test Day. They can only appear in sets with at least two passages. Some sets might include multiple Comparison questions.
The main challenge of Comparison questions is that you must consult and navigate more material. With multiple passages, poems or comments in a set, there is more information to manage than in questions that focus on a single passage. It’s a lot to read and analyse.
Stay organised as you work. When a question cites specific passages, go back to those passages to verify your answer rather than relying on memory. It can be challenging to select the correct answer without looking at the relevant passages again.
The formats of passages vary by set type. This affects how you’ll navigate Comparison questions.
- In Non-fiction and Fiction sets, passages typically appear in separate tabs (such as ‘Passage I’ or ‘Passage II’). You’ll toggle between tabs to compare them.
- In Poetry and Opinion sets, all content appears in a single tab, so you need to scroll down. Each poem or comment is labelled with a number.
- In Diagram sets, diagrams may appear on separate pages or tabs.
Be prepared for both formats. Don’t let the navigation slow you down on Test Day.
In sets with multiple passages, you are likely to see:
- two passages in a Non-fiction or Fiction set.
- two poems in a Poetry set with poems by the same poet.
- three or four poems in a multi-poem set with poems by different poets on the same theme.
- five to nine comments in an Opinion set.
Official practice materials include one multi-cartoon set with five cartoons. This format is rare but possible on Test Day. Develop flexibility through practice with varied set structures to prepare for whatever surprises Test Day might bring.
Every GAMSAT question has one correct answer and three wrong answers. Despite comparative words like ‘most’ or ‘least’, only one answer meets the criteria for categorical reasons. The other three answers are categorically incorrect.
If a Comparison question asks which passage has the ‘most’ of a quality:
- One passage will have the quality – it’s the correct answer.
- The other passages will not have the quality at all, so they are incorrect.
If a Comparison question asks which passage has the ‘least’ of a quality:
- One passage will not have the quality – it’s the correct answer.
- The other passages will have the quality, so they are incorrect.
This principle applies to all Section I questions. Comparison questions are no different, even when they use comparative language.
Question walkthrough
Applying categorical logic to 'most' and 'least' questions
Let’s practise finding categorical differences.
The answer choices in Comparison questions are categorically correct or incorrect.
For questions that ask what two passages have in common, scan both passages for statements that align closely.
Don’t select answers that seem generally true or sensible. They must be supported by both passages to be correct. Wrong answers often take a claim from only one passage or misrepresent what the passages actually say.
Comments in Opinion sets can disagree overall yet agree on one specific concern. Verify that both passages actually address the point claimed in the answer. If only one discusses the topic, eliminate that answer.
For questions that ask about distinctions, examine how passages approach their subjects in different ways. Don’t glance at surface-level differences, but look deeper at ideas.
Consider what each passage prioritises or how it frames its central concern. The key distinction often lies at this conceptual level rather than in specific factual claims.
Pay attention to what each passage foregrounds versus what it mentions only in passing. Compare the throughlines or underlying concerns of the passages. The correct answer often captures this distinction in emphasis.
The correct answer often captures the terms used in the passages through synonyms or paraphrasing.
It’s often faster to eliminate three wrong answers than to positively confirm the one right answer.
You can often eliminate two or three answers by identifying clear mismatches with one passage or the other. Don’t linger on answers that are obviously wrong.
As soon as you’ve confidently eliminated three answers, select the remaining answer without hesitation. You don’t always need to be absolutely certain why it’s right. If the other three are definitely wrong, the remaining answer must be correct.
Watch out for the most common trap in Comparison questions: describing the wrong passage.
Wrong answers often accurately describe the wrong passage in the comparison. If you’re asked how Passage II differs from Passage I, an answer describing Passage I is incorrect, even if the description is accurate.
Always double-check:
- Which passage does the question ask about?
- Which passage does this answer describe?
Even experienced students can fall for this trap under time pressure.
Question walkthrough
Avoiding answers that describe the wrong passage
Let's practise identifying wrong answers that accurately describe the wrong passage.
Some wrong answers would be correct if the comparison went in the opposite direction. They describe a real difference between passages, but apply it backwards.
Take care to follow the order in the question stem. In an unfinished stem, the passage mentioned last must match the beginning of the correct answer.
Question walkthrough
Keeping track of the direction of comparison
Let's practise ensuring the correct answer compares passages in the correct direction.
Eliminate answers that misrepresent either passage. Many wrong answers work by accurately describing one passage whilst mischaracterising the other.
Check each answer choice against both passages:
- Does this accurately represent Passage I?
- Does it accurately describe Passage II?
Both must be true for the answer to be correct.
Evaluate word charge when analysing the emotions or other qualities in a passage:
- Start by categorising the dominant emotion or tone as positive, negative, or neutral.
- Then assess intensity: is it strongly positive, mildly positive, neutral, mildly negative, or strongly negative?
This gives you a five-point scale that helps you distinguish answer choices and compare passages.
However, don’t stop at general charge – distinguish between specific emotions within the same category.
Negative emotions like anger, fear, sadness, and jealousy share negative charge but differ fundamentally. A poem dominated by sadness is distinct from one driven by anger, even though both are negative. Identify the specific emotion to distinguish correctly between passages or answer choices.
Pay attention to the specific language used in Comparison questions. Trust precise language over general impressions, in both passages and answer choices.
A wrong answer might capture the general spirit of the passages, whilst getting the exact relationship wrong. The correct answer will accurately reflect what the passages actually state and how they link up – their similarities or differences – not just what seems broadly consistent with their themes.
The correct answer should connect the passages exactly and logically, even if it uses different words.
In Non-fiction sets, take a moment to identify each passage’s main focus before you look at the answer choices.
Compare the scope and emphasis of each passage:
- Each passage may explore a different aspect of the same topic.
- One may take a broad theoretical view, while the other focuses on specific applications.
- One passage may foreground an idea, while the other mentions it only in passing.
Some Comparison questions in Non-fiction sets ask you to apply a concept from one passage to the ideas of another. One passage may introduce a theoretical framework or define a technical concept, while the other explores related ideas without using the same terminology.
To answer these questions, first ensure you understand the concept as explained in its original passage. Then, look for portions where the other passage discusses something compatible with or relevant to that concept, even if it uses different language.
The correct answer will identify a genuine connection between the passages, not just a superficial overlap in topic. Try to link up deeper ideas, not just surface similarities.
Comparison questions in Fiction sets often focus on the relationship between narrative elements or different actions by the same character. Look for explicit shifts described by the narrator. The passage will often signal important changes, especially in time and place.
Identify how the passage describes characters:
- objectively through facts and external observations.
- subjectively through emotions and inner experience.
Be ready to infer a character’s emotions and motivation from what they say and do. Sometimes, the subtext is the key difference between passages.
The comparison could hinge on simpler differences, such as how the character behaves in different circumstances or how the character changes over time.
For questions about specific lines in Poetry sets, read the surrounding lines to understand the emotion or quality being expressed in context. A line in isolation might seem to express one thing, but in context it could mean something quite different. Answer based on the line’s contextual meaning.
As you work through a Poetry set, take a moment to describe each poem’s main emotional charge or tone. Ask yourself:
- Is it positive or negative? Or is it strongly positive or strongly negative?
- What is the central emotion in the poem? How does the speaker seem to feel?
This overview helps you answer Comparison questions more efficiently.
Question walkthrough
Identifying emotions in context
Let's practise identifying particular emotions.
In Opinion sets, start by checking whether comments are on the same or opposite side of the debate topic.
Comparison questions in Opinion sets often ask which comments directly oppose each other. Comments directly oppose each other if they take opposite stances on the core issue; they cannot just disagree on peripheral points.
Comments that both support (or both oppose) the debate topic may differ in reasoning, but don’t directly oppose each other because they are on the same side of the debate.
In a Diagram set, a Comparison question will likely focus on:
- how a same or similar element is presented in each diagram.
- a key difference between the diagrams as a whole, or in a smaller portion or single element of each.
- the main function or approach of each diagram.
When you identify a likely answer based on one diagram, always confirm it also fits the other diagram before selecting it. An element may play different but compatible roles in two diagrams. The correct answer must capture what’s true in both.