In areas like Quantitative Aptitude, it is easy to identify answers since every question can only have one correct answer. But when it comes to an area like Verbal Ability, things go haywire. We are not sure which option to consider and which one to reject. The problem gets even worse for reading comprehension; all answers either seem correct, or incorrect. This eventually leads to confusion and wastage of time.
Keeping this in mind, we listed down the types of answer choices that you should generally avoid or be very wary of in the exam. Most incorrect answer options can be divided into these categories.
Types of incorrect answer Choices in Reading Comprehensions:
that use 'Extreme' Words:
You should avoid choosing answer choices that use extreme words such as "only," "all," "always," "never" and "exclusively" that are generally not correct.
Scope trap:
Some answer choices sound very good but are not actually related to the topic of the passage. They are outside the 'scope of the passage', and do not relate to the actual topic of the passage.
Single Fact Focus:
An answer choice might focus on a single fact of the passage whereas the question requires a more holistic answer. You should definitely avoid these types of choices that actually don’t answer the given question (even though they present partially correct information).
Types with Mishmash information:
Some answer choices might present partly correct information but also contain incorrect information. You should be careful of these answer choices; these are pretty inviting ones.
Opinion Answers:
Be careful of answer choices which convert a factual piece of information into an opinion by using words such as “more successful,” “more efficient” or “most efficient. This might be a trap set by the question setter.
Irrelevant Answers:
Some answer choices are simply irrelevant. Make sure you are able to identify these baffling options.
Opposite to the correct answer:
Make sure that you read the answer option carefully before choosing it. The answer option might seem closely related to what you are looking for. There are instances where the wrong answer choice is the exact opposite to the correct answer.
Scrambled Sentences
The answer options might be a mix up information from different parts of the passage to make a statement . Although the information is taken from the passage itself, the statement that is made isn’t true. You must go back to the passage while considering a specific answer choice.
These provide you information regarding the different kinds of answer choices found in reading comprehension questions. Whenever you sit to solve a RC passage, try to classify the incorrect choices into these categories, and this should greatly enhance your learning.
