Reading and Written Communication
What you must understand
This domain assesses careful reading of passages, identification of main ideas and supporting details, inference, vocabulary in context, and clear written expression. You must distinguish explicit statements from inferences, recognize an author's purpose and tone, and evaluate the strength of evidence. In writing, focus on organization, precise word choice, sentence variety, and grammatical correctness.
Traps that appear in questions
- Overinference. Choose answers supported directly by the text, not by outside knowledge or assumption.
- Extreme wording. Options with "always," "never," or "all" are often wrong unless the passage states them.
- Vocabulary in context. A familiar word may carry a specialized meaning in the passage; rely on surrounding clues.
- Tone confusion. Distinguish neutral, critical, and enthusiastic tones by attending to connotation.
- Grammar distractors such as subject-verb agreement across interrupting phrases and pronoun ambiguity.
Worked example
A passage states that a policy "reduced costs but shifted the burden to smaller firms." A correct inference is that the policy had uneven effects. An incorrect inference is that the policy was universally beneficial, because the passage explicitly notes a downside. Rule of thumb: match each answer choice to a specific sentence or paraphrase in the text.
Writing clearly
Prefer active voice and concrete nouns. Keep subject and verb close together. Ensure every pronoun has an unambiguous antecedent, and maintain parallel structure in lists.