Factual Passages — Prelims Strategy

Prelims Strategy

Begin with the question stem and mark whether it asks for a correct statement, an incorrect statement or an exception. Read the passage once for structure, then return to the smallest relevant evidence span. Include the preceding sentence when a pronoun or contrast needs an antecedent.

During elimination, compare the option against four features: actor, quantity, time and certainty. Reject “all” when the passage says “some”; reject “permanent” when it reports a trial; reject “caused” when it reports an association. These are substantive changes, not stylistic differences. For a number, write its unit before calculating.

Practise using short original passages and require a one-line evidence justification for every answer. Review the wrong options too: explain whether each contradicts the text or merely lacks support. After accuracy improves, introduce a time limit and record which step consumes it. If two options survive, compare their extra claims instead of selecting the one with more words copied from the passage.