Reading Comprehension Essay Types

The reading comprehension passages on the GMAT exam are either argumentative or informative in nature. These are very general categories, and the types of essays you will see on the GMAT exam can be further characterized based on their purpose:

• Classification. The goal of this type of passage is to describe different kinds or types of a certain something.For example, a passage might describe the three types of flora found in the Everglades.

• Illustration. The goal of this type of passage is to present specific facts, details, and examples that illustrate a particular theory, idea, or phenomenon. For example, the utilitarian passage in the pretest usesLeGuin’s story to illustrate the central moral dilemma of a utilitarian society.

• Persuasion. This type of text argues a specific position or point of view and aims to convince readers that this position or point of view is valid. For example, a passage may argue that all high school curricula should include mandatory community service.

• Analysis. This type of text takes an idea or issue and breaks it down into its parts so that readers can better understand and evaluate the subject. For example, a passage analyzing a proposed development project might discuss the scope of the project, the different stages of development, and the costs and benefits of the project.

• Evaluation. The goal of this type of passage is to assess the effectiveness of something. For example, a passage might evaluate the success of a recent merger.