GRE Critical Reasoning Questions Practice Questions with Answers

Critical reasoning accounts for roughly 10% to 15% of the Verbal Reasoning section on the GRE, requiring candidates to evaluate arguments with surgical precision. These questions test your ability to identify assumptions, strengthen or weaken claims, and draw logical conclusions from short passages. Unlike reading comprehension, which focuses on content and tone, GRE Critical Reasoning Questions demand an understanding of the underlying structure of logic. By sharpening these skills, you can improve your score across the entire GRE Prep landscape, as logical analysis is a universal requirement for graduate-level study.

Concept Explanation

GRE Critical Reasoning Questions are short-form reading tasks that ask you to analyze, evaluate, or complete a logical argument. Every argument consists of three core components: the premise, the conclusion, and the assumption. The premise provides the evidence or facts, the conclusion is the claim being made, and the assumption is the unstated link that connects the two. To succeed, you must identify these parts and understand how they interact.

Common question types include:

• Strengthen/Weaken: Find information that makes the conclusion more or less likely to be true.
• Assumption: Identify the necessary but unstated premise that the argument relies upon.
• Inference: Determine what must be true based strictly on the provided facts.
• Paradox/Resolve: Find an explanation that reconciles two seemingly contradictory statements.
• Boldface: Identify the roles played by specific sentences within the overall structure of the argument.

Effective strategies involve reading the question stem first to know what to look for, then mapping out the argument's logic before looking at the answer choices. Using a notes enhancer can help you visualize these logical structures during your study sessions. Remember, the correct answer must be supported solely by the text provided, avoiding outside knowledge or "common sense" that isn't explicitly mentioned.

Solved Examples

Example 1: Weaken the Argument
Passage: A local restaurant saw a 20% increase in sales after they started using organic ingredients. Therefore, the switch to organic ingredients caused the increase in sales.
Question: Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?

1. Identify the conclusion: Organic ingredients caused the sales increase.
2. Identify the premise: Sales rose after the switch.
3. Look for an alternative cause: If the restaurant also launched a massive advertising campaign at the same time, that could be the real reason for the increase.
4. Solution: Any choice stating that a major competitor closed or a new marketing campaign began would weaken the causal link.

Example 2: Identify the Assumption
Passage: Company X produces higher quality widgets than Company Y. Thus, Company X will likely have higher profits this year.
Question: What is an assumption required by this argument?

1. The argument links "quality" to "profit."
2. The assumption must bridge this gap. What if the high-quality widgets are so expensive to make that they lose money?
3. Solution: An assumption is that the cost of producing higher quality widgets does not exceed the additional revenue they generate.

Example 3: Resolve the Paradox
Passage: The city of Oakhaven increased its police patrols by 50% last year. However, the reported crime rate in Oakhaven reached an all-time high during the same period.
Question: Which of the following best explains the apparent discrepancy?

1. The paradox: More police usually means less crime, but here reported crime went up.
2. Look for a reason why "reported" crime might rise even if actual crime doesn't.
3. Solution: With more police on the streets, more crimes that previously went unnoticed are now being caught and recorded.

Practice Questions

1. A study found that children who play musical instruments perform better on math tests than those who do not. The researchers concluded that musical training improves mathematical ability. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the conclusion?
2. To reduce traffic congestion, the city council plans to implement a toll for all vehicles entering the downtown area. The council argues that this will encourage more people to use public transportation. What is a necessary assumption for the council's plan to succeed?
3. Recent data shows that 80% of all car accidents occur within 10 miles of the driver's home. Therefore, it is safer to drive on long-distance trips than to drive in one's own neighborhood. Which of the following identifies a flaw in this reasoning?

4. In a certain country, the number of people diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency has doubled in the last five years. During this same period, sales of sunscreen have also doubled. Medical researchers conclude that the increased use of sunscreen is causing the Vitamin D deficiency. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the researchers' conclusion?
5. Most successful CEOs have an MBA degree. Therefore, if you want to be a successful CEO, you should obtain an MBA. This argument is most similar in its logical flaw to which of the following?
6. An electronics company recently lowered the price of its flagship smartphone. Despite this, the total revenue from smartphone sales decreased. Which of the following, if true, best explains this result?
7. The use of critical thinking is essential for analyzing logical fallacies. In a recent experiment, students who took a logic course were 40% better at identifying fallacies than those who did not. However, the students who took the course were all philosophy majors. This suggests that the logic course might not be the only factor. Which of the following would most help evaluate this conclusion?
8. If the library receives a grant, it will purchase new computers. If the library purchases new computers, it will need to hire a technician. The library did not hire a technician. Which of the following must be true?

Answers & Explanations

1. Answer: Students from families that can afford musical instruments also tend to have access to better overall education and tutoring. Explanation: This identifies a "third variable" (socioeconomic status) that could cause both musical participation and high math scores, weakening the direct causal link.
2. Answer: Public transportation in the city has the capacity to handle the increase in passengers. Explanation: If the buses and trains are already full, the plan cannot achieve its goal of moving people from cars to public transit.
3. Answer: Most driving is done within 10 miles of home, so the frequency of accidents is proportional to the time spent driving there. Explanation: The argument ignores the base rate; people spend more time driving near home, so naturally, more accidents happen there regardless of relative safety.
4. Answer: Laboratory tests show that the specific chemicals in sunscreen block the skin's ability to synthesize Vitamin D from sunlight. Explanation: This provides a biological mechanism that supports the causal claim, strengthening the link between sunscreen and deficiency.
5. Answer: Most professional basketball players are over six feet tall; therefore, if you want to be tall, you should play professional basketball. Explanation: This mirrors the "reverse causation" or correlation/causation flaw where a characteristic of a group is mistaken for the cause of success.
6. Answer: The percentage decrease in price was greater than the percentage increase in the number of units sold. Explanation: Revenue is Price $\times$ Quantity. If price drops significantly and quantity doesn't rise enough to compensate, total revenue falls. This is related to concepts found in GRE Data Analysis.
7. Answer: Whether philosophy majors are naturally better at logic than students in other majors before taking any courses. Explanation: To evaluate if the course worked, we need to know if the students were already skilled in this area due to their major.
8. Answer: The library did not receive a grant. Explanation: This is a logic chain: Grant $\rightarrow$ Computers $\rightarrow$ Technician. Using the contrapositive: No Technician $\rightarrow$ No Computers $\rightarrow$ No Grant.

1. In a logical argument, what is the unstated link that connects the evidence to the claim?

• AThe Premise
• BThe Conclusion
• CThe Assumption
• DThe Inference

Frequently Asked Questions

How many critical reasoning questions are on the GRE?

Typically, you will encounter 1 to 2 critical reasoning questions per Verbal section, totaling about 3 to 4 across the entire exam. While few in number, they are high-stakes because they require more time and logical precision than standard vocabulary questions.

Do I need outside knowledge for GRE Critical Reasoning?

No, you should rely strictly on the information provided in the passage and the logical relationships between the sentences. Bringing in outside facts can often lead you to choose "distractor" answers that are true in the real world but not supported by the text.

What is the difference between an assumption and an inference?

An assumption is something the author must believe to be true before making the argument, whereas an inference is something that follows after the argument is made. Assumptions are the foundation, while inferences are the logical results.

How can I improve my speed on these questions?

Practice identifying the conclusion and premises immediately upon reading the text. Using tools like an AI Exam Simulator can help you get used to the pacing and pressure of the actual test environment.

Are these questions similar to those on the GMAT?

Yes, GRE critical reasoning is very similar to GMAT Critical Reasoning, though the GRE versions are often slightly shorter. Both tests evaluate the same fundamental skills in formal logic and argument analysis.