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A quick note: this is a pretty deep dive into a single GMAT Critical Reasoning question type. If you\u2019re just beginning to learn CR strategy, check out <\/span><\/i>The GMAT Critical Reasoning Mindset<\/span><\/a> or<\/span><\/i> How to Master Every GMAT Critical Reasoning Question Type <\/span> <\/p>\n There are seven main question types in Critical Reasoning: Explain Discrepancy, Role of Bold, Strengthen, Weaken, Evaluate, Assumption, and Inference.<\/span><\/p>\n Inference question types are pretty unique. Unlike Assumption, Evaluate, Strengthen, Weaken, and Role of Bold, Inference questions are not based on arguments. And unlike Assumption, Evaluate, Strengthen, Weaken, and Explain Discrepancy, Inference questions are not usually about <\/span>presenting your brain with some form of cognitive dissonance.<\/span> RELATED: <\/b>Top 10 Tips for GMAT Critical Reasoning<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n In addition to learning the <\/span>patterns surrounding analyzing Plans, Predictions, and Causal Explanations,<\/span><\/a> we should also be learning a little index card\u2019s worth of technique for each of these seven main question types. <\/span> So let\u2019s make sure everyone has a great index card for Inference questions.<\/span> Here are a few examples of Inference question stem wording:<\/span> Arguments<\/i><\/b> have an opinionated conclusion, based on some (untouchable) evidence.<\/span> With Inference, you see that the nouns being used connote that we\u2019re just reading some facts: <\/span>statements, information, claims,<\/b> or<\/span> passage<\/b> Now you tell me, how do you tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile? Or better\u00a0<\/span>yet, one of my favorite SNL premises ever, how do you tell the difference between <\/span>Dylan\u00a0<\/span><\/a>McDermott and Dermot Mulroney<\/span><\/a>?<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s the real reason for the season. I wanted to write this blog because any time I\u2019ve asked students this question, I\u2019ve always gotten blank faces or wrong answers. People are tempted to say something like, \u201cThe conclusion and premise?\u201d, \u201cthe assumption?\u201d, \u201cthe gap?\u201d<\/span> 1. Math-y<\/span> <\/b>We are reading to see if we can combine two or more of the provided facts to derive some true claim (or incredibly likely claim, if we\u2019re doing \u201cmost supported\u201d). When we successfully find an available inference we can make from the paragraph, we should certainly anticipate that the correct answer will probably reinforce or reward that.<\/span> \u201cSir, I\u2019m just a janitor at the Pearson testing center. I\u2019m not sure why you\u2019re screaming at me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n As I hinted before, there are four main types of Inferences, so we can learn to read the paragraph while seeing if we pick up on the scent of any of these.<\/span>
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\n<\/span><\/a>Inference questions are not super common on GMAT Critical Reasoning, usually only accounting for 1 of your 10 CR questions. However, it tends to be a question type that students miss more frequently, in both CR and <\/span>Reading Comprehension<\/span><\/a>. Some of this stems from the inherent difficulty, but much of it can result from students\u2019 possessing an incorrect or incomplete sense of what they\u2019re supposed to be doing on these problems.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/a><\/p>\nHow to Learn GMAT Critical Reasoning<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>For each question type, we\u2019re trying to memorize the following:<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWhat Keywords in the Question Stem Tell Me It\u2019s an Inference Question?<\/b><\/h4>\n
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\n<\/span>– If the statements above are true, which of the following must be true?<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>– If the information above is correct, which of the following is most strongly supported?<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>– The claims above most strongly support which of the following assertions?<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>– Which of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span>One of the most salient features is the noun being used to describe the paragraph we read. Remember, when we\u2019re doing Strengthen, Weaken, Evaluate, and Assumption, we\u2019re going to almost always see the paragraph described as one of the following: argument, plan, prediction, or hypothesis. Those nouns connote the idea that there will be an opinion within the paragraph:<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span> Plans<\/i><\/b> have the opinion that if we follow this plan, we will achieve the stated goal.<\/span>
\n<\/span> Predictions<\/i><\/b> contain a conclusion that is in the future tense, thus an opinion.<\/span>
\n<\/span> Hypothesis<\/i><\/b> means that our author will be opining some \u2018causal explanation\u2019 for a curious fact.<\/span>
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\n<\/b>Inference may be asked in the \u201cmust be true \/ properly inferred\u201d style (indicating 100% provability), or they may be asked in the \u201cmost strongly supported\u201d style (indicating that the correct answer is the <\/span>most <\/span><\/i>provable claim, even if not 100% provable).<\/span>
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\n<\/span>Students often confuse \u201cmost strongly support\u201d Inference question stems with a Strengthen question stem.<\/span>
\n<\/span>INFERENCE<\/b>: \u00a0 The statements above most strongly support which of the following conclusions?<\/span>
\n<\/span>STRENGTHEN<\/b>: Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?<\/span>
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\n<\/span>The two big differences are that Inference deals with statements\/information, while Strengthen deals with arguments\/plans\/hypotheses, and that in Inference questions the paragraph provides support for the correct answer choice, while in Strengthen questions the correct answer choice provides support for the paragraph.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWhat am I Reading For on an Inference Question?<\/b><\/h4>\n
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\n<\/span>These answers indicate that students are still in default Critical Reasoning mode, thinking that they\u2019re about to read another argument or plan. Remember, Inference is specifically <\/span>not <\/span><\/i>giving us arguments and plans. We\u2019re just getting two or more facts and being asked which answer is derivable from those facts. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>To draw a valid inference = to draw a valid conclusion. Validity means that we can derive an idea from the available evidence without speculation or exaggeration. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>In Reading Comp, correct answers to Inference questions usually paraphrase something we know from the passage, but they use new and unexpected wording or some sort of inverted syntax. Pretend that in line 20 of an RC passage we are told that \u201cGeorge Washington wore a military cap to his Inauguration as the first President of the U.S.\u201d<\/span>
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\n<\/span>Can we infer that<\/span>
\n<\/span>(A) He wore the cap because it was a cold January day.<\/span>
\n<\/span>(B) All former generals have to wear military caps.<\/span>
\n<\/span>(C) He thought it flattered his deep blue eyes.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Of course not. None of those are provable claims. They are speculations or overstatements.<\/span>
\n<\/span>We can infer weird restatements such as these:<\/span>
\n<\/span>(A) Not all Presidents are sworn in hatless.<\/span>
\n<\/span>(B) On the first day of the American Presidency, at least some parts of the first President\u2019s scalp were not visible.<\/span>
\n<\/span>(C) People seeing George Washington for the first time at his Inauguration could not have conclusively determined Washington\u2019s level of baldness.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>The personality of CR Inference questions is a little different: the correct answer almost always pulls together <\/span>two or more<\/span><\/i> facts provided.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>Pretend we read a CR Inference paragraph that said, \u201cGeorge Washington wore a military cap to his Inauguration as the first President of the U.S. He wore this same cap during the Battle of Yorktown.\u201d<\/span>
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\n<\/span>Can we think of a safely worded claim that pulls information from both sentences?<\/span>
\n<\/span>A) Presidents do not always begin their terms wearing totally new garments.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>\u201cPresidents begin their terms\u201d pulls info from the first sentence. \u201cNot wearing totally new garments\u201d comes from knowing that the cap he wore on Inauguration day had been worn before at the Battle of Yorktown.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>So, in summary, what are we reading for when we read an Inference paragraph? We are reading for <\/span>two or more facts that could be synthesized in order to derive a true claim<\/i><\/b>. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>Very often, this synthesis comes about because the two or more facts contain some overlapping piece of information (in this case, both facts referenced GW\u2019s hat). There are four main types of Inferences, which I will detail a little later:<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span> 2. Apply a Rule<\/span>
\n<\/span> 3. Causal<\/span>
\n<\/span> 4. Straddle the Pivot<\/span><\/p>\nHow, and to What Extent, Should I Pre-phrase a Potential Correct Answer on Inference?<\/b><\/h4>\n
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\n<\/span>But we should stay very flexible. Ultimately, the only standard of right or wrong on Inference is, \u201c<\/span>Could <\/span><\/i>you prove this answer choice, using only the information provided in the paragraph?\u201d<\/span>
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\n<\/span>So the correct answer is under no obligation to tie everything together or to present the \u2018coolest\u2019 takeaway. The correct answer just has to be the most provable claim. Keep any inference you discovered in your mind as your mantra of what the correct answer will probably sound like, but give each answer choice a fair hearing by asking, \u201cCould I prove this, using the statements I just read?\u201d<\/span>
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\n<\/span>What will frequently happen with correct answers is that they will be a spin-off inference of what we inferred. For example, if we inferred \u201cSpain outscored France in the first half\u201d, the correct answer might say \u201cSpain scored at least once in the first half\u201d. If we inferred \u201cthe cost of paying for parking was more than the combined costs of taking the train and taking a Lyft from there\u201d, the correct answer might say \u201cThe Lyft ride was cheaper than the cost of paying for parking\u201d.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>Those answers can feel annoying, because we\u2019re like, \u201cYes, but I know even more than that!\u201d It doesn\u2019t matter. You can sign off on the truth of those answers, so they are correct. In general, expect that when you walk out of your real GMAT, you\u2019ll reflect on all the stuff you studied that you never even saw on your test and feel like, \u201cYes, but I know even more than that!\u201d<\/span>
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\n<\/span>\u201cWhy did I spend a week <\/span>working on Combinatorics<\/span><\/a>, only to have ZERO combinatorics questions on my exam!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAre There Any Tendencies Relating to the Paragraph or the Answer Choices?<\/b>
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\n<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Infer: Spain scored more in the 1<\/span>st<\/span> half \/ Spain\u2019s margin of victory in the 1<\/span>st<\/span> half was larger than France\u2019s margin of victory in the 2<\/span>nd<\/span> half<\/span><\/li>\n
\n<\/span><\/i>Infer: My income is also going to be higher next month (increasing by the same multiplier)<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n