Rare question types
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A few Verbal question types are even rarer than negative questions.
These rare types are:
- Word Reference questions
- New Info questions
- Why questions
- Summing Up questions
These questions seem unusual but, as usual, the passage supports correct answers.
Word Reference questions include a word or phrase from the passage, usually in inverted commas. The question asks what the word or phrase refers to.
- Search for the reference in the passage.
- You will find support for the correct answer nearby.
With Word Reference questions, it’s important you find support in the passage as to what the word or phrase means in the context of the passage.
The meaning of the word or term used in a Word Reference question may not be the same as the literal definition that you would find in a dictionary; in fact, it’s quite likely that this will be the case, since the Verbal section is not supposed to test outside knowledge.
In fact, you may see a wrong answer trap that plays on the literal definition of the word or phrase, when in fact the contextual meaning in the passage is different. You may also see slight shifts in a wrong answer so it misaligns with both the definition and the context.
Walkthrough question
Word Reference question
Let’s work through a Word Reference Verbal question.
When answering Word Reference questions, avoid the temptation to use outside knowledge.
Answer solely based on passage information and valid inferences.
The meaning of the word or phrase in the passage context may be different to your assumed understanding of the word.
Therefore, outside knowledge may lead to wrong answer traps.
New Info questions are very rare. They include new information that is not found in the passage.
The added detail often includes one or more sentences before the actual question: this can sometimes make the stem look quite elaborate and intimidating.
Use the added detail to find the answer supported by the passage. In most cases, the added detail will provide helpful key words.
Keep focused as you work through a New Info question.
Use key words from the question stem to find the relevant part of the passage.
Then, check the relevant part of the passage for the crucial detail that fits together with the new information in the question stem.
In many cases, the correct answer will use the crucial detail from the relevant part of the passage to explain or clarify something about the new info.
As a result, it will be somewhat simpler to eliminate wrong answers as they will fail to address the new info in the context of the passage.
Walkthrough question
New Info question - Part 1
Let’s work through a New Info Verbal question.
Walkthrough question
New Info question - Part 2
Let’s use the same New Info question but try a different approach to answering it.
In some very rare cases, new information will be found not in the question stem but in one or more of the answer choices themselves.
This means that the answer choices won’t refer to ideas or examples that appear within the passage. Instead, you’ll need to assess whether they accurately apply an idea or definition from the passage.
Stick to your tried-and-trusted techniques with this type of New Info question. The question stem will always include helpful key words, so use these to find the information you need to apply to the answer choices.
It might be most effective to work through each answer choice in order, eliminating any that don’t match the ideas or definitions from the passage.
Walkthrough question
New Info question - Part 3
Let’s work through a question with New Info in the answer choices.
Why questions are very rare.
Although you probably won’t see more than one, if any, Why questions on Test Day, being prepared now means there are no surprises.
Why questions are similar to Because questions: they ask for the reason why.
However, Why questions are usually longer, with lots of key words. Use the key words to search for support in the passage.
Walkthrough question
Why question - Part 1
Let’s work through a Why Verbal question.
Walkthrough question
Why question - Part 2
Let’s look at an alternative strategy we can use to answer a Why Verbal question.
Rare Why questions may seem superficially difficult because of their length and because they appear to be asking for higher-level textual analysis.
But don’t fret:
- They are loaded with key words.
- Use these key words to ‘zero in’ on the relevant part of the passage.
The correct answer must a) match the information in the passage and b) logically answer the question in providing a reason why. You can eliminate wrong answers on one or both points.
Summing Up questions ask you to sum up the passage.
Sometimes, they ask you to sum up the author’s viewpoint or argument.
These questions can be tough to answer without reading the passage in full, which is a luxury you won’t have on Test Day, due to the pacing involved.
Here are two strategies for answering this rare question type:
1) Answer a Summing Up question last in the set.
- You will have already scanned the passage three times while answering the previous questions, so will have built up familiarity with it.
2) Describe the author’s attitude towards the topic.
- Is the passage’s tone positive, negative or neutral towards the topic?
- The correct summary will capture the same tone. Most – or all – wrong answers will reflect the wrong tone.
- This can be as simple as noting that the author is disapproving of the topic, whilst wrong answers are complimentary or impartial.
Remember: the author will agree with anything supported in the passage or that is a valid inference from the passage.
Therefore, Summing Up questions that mention the author are really asking you to summarise how the topic is presented in the passage.
When judging the overall tone of a passage, be alert to words and phrases that indicate an idea is being presented positively.
When judging the overall tone of a passage, be alert to words and phrases that indicate an idea is being presented negatively.
Sometimes the passage will present both sides of an argument in a more balanced, neutral tone. Be alert to:
- Structures that address one viewpoint, then another
- Neutral adjectives
- Phrases that express a lack of certainty or agreement
Walkthrough question
Summing Up question
Let’s work through a Summing Up Verbal question.
Summing Up questions are the only Verbal items that involve the entire passage.
However, you will not have time to read the entire passage, even if you have only one Summing Up question in the whole VR section.
Two approaches for a Summing Up question:
- Tackle the question last in the set, allowing you to use your work on other three questions to help you understand the passage.
- Assess each answer’s choice’s positive/negative/neutral tone and combine the tone with your understanding of the passage as a whole from answering the other questions to make a quick guess and mark an answer.
You’ll have a much better understanding of the author’s main argument after scanning the passage a few times.
Any answers that contradict the author’s view or tone in the passage will be incorrect.
There is no need to stress about rare Verbal questions.
Preparedness is everything. Keep calm, work quickly and remember the strategies you’ve practised depending on the question type you’re faced with.
You’re unlikely to see all four rare types, but you might see at least one rare type.
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When you attack Word Reference questions, New Info questions and Why questions, the correct answer must be supported by the passage. Wrong answers will contradict the passage or rely on external knowledge.
You may need to vary your approach for Summing Up questions, but by applying the right strategy, you will give yourself a better chance of answering these correctly without wasting too much time.
The correct answer to a Summing Up question may come broadly or generally from the passage, rather than matching a specific piece of text.
Timed practice
Rare Verbal question types
Let’s do some timed practice with two rare Verbal question types.