If you’re thinking of taking the new version of the GMAT exam, the GMAT Focus Edition, you may have heard that there are some big changes in the Verbal section.
In this article, we’ll review the major changes from the standard GMAT to the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section, including:
- Verbal section time
- number of Verbal questions
- Verbal question types
- Verbal scoring
Here are all the topics we’ll cover:
- How Is the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal Section Different?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Key Takeaways
- What’s Next?
So, let’s see what’s new with Focus Verbal!
How Is the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal Section Different?
All of the sections of the GMAT exam are getting a “revamp” on the Focus Edition, including the Verbal section.
Before we get into the content changes, let’s review the changes to how the Focus Edition Verbal section is structured.
GMAT Focus Edition Verbal Section Breakdown
GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section time: 45 minutes
GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section number of questions: 23 total
Average Time per Verbal question: 1 minute 57 seconds
Overall, the structure of the GMAT Focus Edition is simpler than that of the standard GMAT exam. On the GMAT Focus Edition, each of the 3 sections (Verbal, Quant, and Data Insights) makes up a third of the exam and is 45 minutes long.
So, the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section is a full 30 minutes shorter than the standard GMAT Verbal section.
Furthermore, the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section has 13 fewer questions than the standard GMAT Verbal section. So, test-takers have a slightly greater average time to answer each Verbal question: 1:57 vs. 1:48 on the standard GMAT.
The table below gives a breakdown of how the structures of GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section and standard GMAT Verbal section compare.
GMAT Focus vs. Standard GMAT:
Verbal Section Structure
| GMAT Focus Verbal | Standard GMAT Verbal | |
|---|---|---|
| Section Time | 45 min. | 75 min. |
| Number of Questions | 23 | 36 |
| Avg. Time per Question | 1:57 | 1:48 |
One other thing to note is that, on the GMAT Focus, your GMAT score is determined not only by your performance in the Verbal and Quant sections, but also by your performance in the the Data Insights section. All 3 sections factor equally into your total score.
You’ll still see a separate score for each section on your GMAT Focus official score report, but the sections are all scored on the same scale: 60-90, in 1-point increments. So, Verbal, Quant, and Data Insights are all on “equal footing” when it comes to your Focus Edition GMAT score.
KEY FACT:
The Focus Verbal section is shorter, has fewer questions, and provides slightly more time, on average, to answer each question than the standard GMAT Verbal section.
Question Types
The big news about the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal question types is that the Focus Verbal section does not include Sentence Correction.
Sentence Correction makes up approximately one third of the Verbal section on the standard GMAT. So, the elimination of Sentence Correction on the GMAT Focus represents a big difference between the Verbal sections of the two tests.
Without Sentence Correction, there are only 2 main GMAT Focus Edition Verbal question types: Critical Reasoning (CR) and Reading Comprehension (RC). If you have taken or studied for the standard GMAT in the past, you’ll be familiar with these question types.
KEY FACT:
The GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section does not include Sentence Correction.
Question Review & Edit
One new feature of the GMAT Focus Edition that is available in all sections of the exam, including the Verbal section, is Question Review & Edit.
This feature gives you access to a review screen at the end of each section. From that screen, you can return to and review as many questions as you like in the section and edit up to 3 answers per section, time permitting.
So, in the Focus Verbal section, once you’ve answered every question in the section, if you still have time remaining, you can choose questions to return to and possibly edit your answers to.
To that end, there is also a bookmark tool on each question in the section. So, as you’re working through the section, you can flag as many questions as you like, so you can easily return to them later from the review screen, which will show a bookmark on the questions you’ve flagged.
Note that the Question Review & Edit screen does not appear if your time runs out before or by the time you complete the final question in the section. Additionally, you still have to answer the questions in the order they appear in the section. You can’t skip around or leave questions blank and still advance through the section to the review screen.
KEY FACT:
Time permitting, test-takers have the option to review as many questions as they like and edit up to 3 answers in Focus Verbal (and each other Focus section).
Now that we’ve covered the major changes you’ll see in the Verbal section of the new version of the GMAT, let’s answer some common questions related to GMAT Focus Verbal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the sections in GMAT Verbal on the new test?
There are 2 question types in the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section: Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. If you have previously taken or studied for the standard GMAT, you’ve seen these question types.
Sentence Correction, which is part of the standard GMAT Verbal section, is not part of the GMAT Focus Verbal section.
What is the most difficult section of the GMAT Verbal on the new test?
Many GMAT students consider Critical Reasoning questions to be some of the trickiest GMAT questions out there. However, Reading Comprehension questions can be quite time-consuming and involved, since you’re dealing with longer passages.
So, the hardest part of GMAT Focus Verbal really depends on your particular strengths and weaknesses. Of course, having solid strategies for each GMAT Focus Verbal question type will help you to handle any question you’re faced with on test day.
For some expert advice on tackling GMAT Focus Verbal, check out these 8 essential Critical Reasoning tips and these 8 Reading Comprehension DOs and DON’Ts.
How long is the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section time?
The GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section is 45 minutes long, as is the Focus Quant section and the Data Insights section.
What is the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section number of questions?
There are a total of 23 questions in the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section, 13 fewer than on the standard GMAT.
Key Takeaways
Here’s what’s new with the GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section:
- The GMAT Focus Edition Verbal section time is 45 minutes and there are 23 questions in the section. Thus, you have an average of 1:57 to complete each question.
- There are only 2 main GMAT Focus Edition Verbal question types: Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. GMAT Focus Verbal does not include Sentence Correction.
- GMAT Focus Verbal is scored on a scale of 60-90, in 1-point increments, as are Quant and Data Insights. All 3 sections factor equally into your Focus total score.
- You can bookmark Focus Verbal questions as you work through the section (likewise for Quant and DI).
- Time permitting at the end of the Verbal section, you can return to and review as many questions as you like and edit up to 3 of your answers. (You can do the same in the Quant and DI sections as well.)
What’s Next?
Want to learn more about the new version of the GMAT? Check out our in-depth guide to the GMAT Focus Edition.
Start getting prepared for the new Data Insights section with our guide to Data Sufficiency questions.
Ready to start your GMAT Focus preparation? The Target Test Prep GMAT Focus course fully prepares you for the Focus Verbal, Quant, and Data Insights sections. See for yourself with a 5-day trial for just $1!
