The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review
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Book Reviews of The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review
Book Review: Mostly 400-650 level test questions
Summary: 3 Stars
The GMAT verbal, especially the Sentence Correction, has been made substantially more difficult than it has been in the past. For example, GMAT SC tests such things as "gerunds which pose as nouns" and how they can only be parallel to action (but not regular) nouns. Unfortunately, this book leaves a lot wanting in the more difficult questions of the GMAT verbal.
Simply put, this book does not provide the type of questions the present real GMAT will give you.
You are far better off studying the Manhattan GMAT (especially SC) 3rd edition books. And no I do not work for Manhattan GMAT.
Do yourself a big favor and practice GMAT Prep (downloaded free from MBA.com) prior to taking the real GMAT. Otherwise, you will be in a shock at the difficulty of the questions when you take the real GMAT.
Unless you are shooting for sub 650 score, do not rely solely on this book for your GMAT verbal preparation. I suggest you spend your valuable study time on Manhattan GMAT books and GMAT prep.
Book Review: Excellent Supplement to the Official Guide
Summary: 4 Stars
There isn't much in this book to distinguish it from the verbal portion of The Official Guide for GMAT Review, but that's ok: if there's one thing GMAT students need, it's practice questions that look and feel just like the ones on the test. While the questions in the Quantitative Review book are somewhat easier than in the Official Guide, that isn't the case (to the same degree, anyway) with the verbal, so I can recommend this to just about anybody.
Further, the difference between authentic questions and inauthentic ones (i.e., those generated by writers at test-prep companies) is much greater in verbal material than in math. I should know: I've written hundreds of practice verbal questions, and matching the voice, structure, and objectives of the original is a daunting task. Some inauthentic practice materials are better than others, but you should take advantage of all the "real" questions that the testmaker has made available.
Book Review: Good practice problems and solution explanations!
Summary: 4 Stars
What's good about it:
1. The difficulty level and the types of problems are very close to the actual test questions.
2. Good for practice - difficulty level increases towards the end of every chapter.
3. Good supplement for the Official guide 11
4. The solution explanations are very detailed and well-written - please make it a point to read the solutions carefully if you are following this book, read explanations even for the answers you got right - this would ensure that your line of reasoning was correct.
What's not so great about it:
1. CERTAINLY NOT A SUBSTITUTE OR ALTERNATIVE TO OG11 and KAPLAN 800 (if you are targetting above 700 scores)
2. Difficulty level is not very high - so do not rely on this book entirely and do not become complacent if you manage to master all problems in this book.
Book Review: Not All New, But Not Bad Either
Summary: 4 Stars
Contrary to the information at some MBA chat sites, the questions in the two supplements, The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review and The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review, and the main volume, The Official Guide for GMAT Review, are largely carried over from the 10th edition and the PDFs of retired exams sold by MBA.com. So if you have the 10th, you won't get as much as you might hope from spending for the new main volume, or $17 a pop for the supplements. You will get what GMAT calls "improved" explanations. Improved? Maybe. They're still pretty circular at times (eg, D is correct because it's uh....correct), but they do seem more detailed and better organized. These books are good study tools, just not as new as the GMAT folks would like us to believe.
Book Review: good practice
Summary: 4 Stars
I have worked through most of the guides out there and the OG is one of my favorites. I believe their verbal explanations are only OK.Therefore if you are looking for detailed explanations on solutions this may not be worth your money as you will get the same level of detail found in the OG 11th edition main book. I liked this book because it gives you 100 questions to practice in each section CR/RC/SC. As anyone studying for GMAT knows the more practice the better! my only wish is that they would rank the questions so you know what is "easy vs. hard." GOOD value if you need more material to practice with.