General Education and Communication Skills
What this domain tests
General Education and Communication Skills tests reading comprehension, grammar and usage, vocabulary, logic, quantitative reasoning, and the ability to write clear reports and correspondence.
Core rules
- Subject-verb agreement: the verb agrees with the subject, not with intervening phrases. The number of detainees is singular; a number of detainees is plural.
- Pronoun reference must be clear. Avoid misplaced and dangling modifiers.
- Reading comprehension: identify the main idea, supporting details, inference, tone, and vocabulary in context.
- Logic: distinguish valid deduction from hasty generalization, false cause, ad hominem, and circular reasoning.
- Report writing: use the 5 Ws and 1 H, chronological order, objective language, and accurate names, dates, and amounts. Avoid opinion unless labeled.
- Quantitative reasoning: watch units, percentages, ratios, and averages. Estimate before computing.
Worked example
Choose the correct verb: 'The number of inmates in the facility ___ increased.' The subject is 'number,' singular, so the verb is 'has.' In 'A number of inmates ___ complaining,' the subject is plural, so use 'are.' Reasoning: 'the number' refers to a total; 'a number of' means several. This distinction is a common test item.
Traps
Do not rely on the noun nearest the verb. Do not confuse 'affect' and 'effect,' 'principal' and 'principle,' or 'compliment' and 'complement.' Do not over-infer from a reading passage. In logic, a true conclusion does not prove an argument valid. Watch for percentage increases versus percentage points.