Reading comprehension: passage structure, main idea, and purpose

3 quick checks≈5% of the testCore

Reading is free. Sign in to tick off lessons, keep your place and track your mastery.

By the end you’ll be able to

Identify the main idea of a passage by synthesizing the central claim, key support, and overall direction of the discussion.
Determine the primary purpose of a passage or paragraph, such as presenting a theory, evaluating a position, resolving a problem, or comparing viewpoints.
Analyze passage structure by explaining how individual paragraphs and major sections contribute to the development of the passage as a whole.

0% read

Recognize common Reading Comprehension structures, including problem-solution, view-counterview, theory-evidence, and comparison-contrast, and apply them to main-idea and purpose questions.

Eliminate answer choices that are too broad, too narrow, partly true, or inconsistent with the passage’s overall structure and purpose.

This lesson hasn’t been written yet

GMAT lessons are written from the official syllabus the first time a learner opens them, then saved for everyone. Sign in and this one is written for you in a minute or two. It’s free.

Sign in Create a free account