Common question types
On this page
Most passages in a Verbal section will have questions. Typically 8 or 9 of the 11 passages you’ll encounter on Test Day will have questions, not statements.
You can usually select key words from the question stem. Each question has four possible answers and, in most cases, the correct answer is supported by the passage.
Think of the correct answer in a Verbal question as operating like a ‘True’ statement.
Wrong answers will normally be ‘False’ or ‘Can’t Tell’ statements.
Familiarising yourself with these formats will increase your confidence and save you valuable time on Test Day.
Some Verbal questions with key words are full sentences ending in a question mark.
Select a useful key word from the question stem. Then scan the passage for it or related terms.
Good key words include:
- Capitalised words
- Concrete nouns and distinctive phrases
- Dates or other numbers
Poor key words include:
- The main topic of the passages
- Terms that appear in the passage repeatedly
Remember to read the sentence before and after the key word in the passage once you find it – the answer might not be in the same sentence in which the key word appears.
Once you’ve located the relevant part of the passage, turn back to the answer choices.
You will almost always be clicking the answer choice that is supported by the passage.
Walkthrough question
Full question with key words
Let’s work through a full Verbal question with key words.
Some questions do not have key words.
Example: Which of the following statements is best supported by the information in the passage?
There are no context clues to guide you to the relevant part of the passage, so you may need to check various paragraphs depending on key words in each answer choice.
You must vary your approach to answer this question type:
- Select a key word from answer choice A.
- Search the passage for the key word or related words.
- If the passage supports answer A, click it and move to the next question.
- If not, repeat with each answer until you find support in the passage.
Incorrect answers normally contradict the passage (like a False statement) or rely on external knowledge (like a Can’t Tell statement).
Walkthrough question
Full question without key words
Let’s work through a full Verbal question that has no key words.
Many incorrect answers will include phrases or ideas with no basis in the passage.
Eliminate briskly and brutally as soon as you see outside knowledge is required.
In Incomplete questions, the question stem is an unfinished sentence ending in a colon.
Most Incomplete questions have key words, which you can use to check for support in the relevant part of the passage.
The correct answer will correctly complete the sentence using information from the passage.
An answer must be true, based on the passage, to complete the sentence.
Walkthrough question
Incomplete question with key words
Let’s work through an incomplete Verbal question using our scanning for key words technique.
If the question stem has key words, you should search the passage for them before reading the answers.
The correct answer may ‘jump out’ at you, enabling you to answer quickly and efficiently.
Otherwise, you can eliminate wrong answers briskly.
Some incomplete stems contain the word because.
Example: According to the passage, Wardian cases had a strong influence on international trade because:
The word because appears at the end of the sentence, just before the colon, but this isn’t always the case. You might find because in an earlier part of the sentence.
The correct answer will:
- give an explanation or a reason in response to because.
- complete the logic of the question stem.
- be a match that links the question stem with the passage.
Only one answer will match the passage.
Walkthrough question
Because question
Let’s work through a Because Verbal question.
Because questions always have key words – the word ‘because’ indicates that the correct answer gives a reason why. Therefore, you must have context from the passage in the incomplete portion of the question stem for there to be ‘because’ related logic.
The scanning for key words strategy is therefore effective when answering Because questions.
Eliminate answers that contain phrases you do not see in the passage.
Eliminate answers that do not logically complete the Because question stem.