GMAT CR: Similar Reasoning Question Type

Quick Summary

In similar reasoning CR questions, you are given an argument and asked to choose the option that follows the same logical pattern. The typical stem is: “Of the following, which most closely resembles the above argument in logical structure?”

Overview

Similar Reasoning questions ask you to match an argument’s structure. Read the question stem first, parse premise, assumption, and conclusion, and express the pattern in a short template before viewing options. Then compare choices for the same skeleton while ignoring surface details. This overview frames a disciplined, transferable habit for analytical reading in GMAT prep and for evaluating analogies in essays and interviews across MBA admissions. The video introduces the workflow; the article elaborates cues and checkpoints.

GMAT CR: Similar Reasoning Question Type in Critical Reasoning video

GMAT CR: Similar Reasoning Question Type in Critical Reasoning

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Understanding Similar Reasoning CR Questions on the GMAT

The similar reasoning CR questions on the GMAT test whether you can identify the logical structure of an argument and match it with another argument that follows the same pattern. The task is not to agree or disagree with the content but to recognize the form of reasoning being used.

The Typical Question Stem

The question usually appears in the following format:
“Of the following, which most closely resembles the above argument in logical structure?”

The phrasing makes it clear that your focus should not be on the subject matter but on the framework of reasoning.

Approach to Solving CR Similar Reasoning Questions

The strategy for such questions is rooted in three simple steps:

Read the question stem first to understand the exact requirement.
Read the argument carefully and develop your mind-map.
Form a broad expectation of the correct answer before looking at the options.
Go by elimination.

Before confirming an answer choice, verify once more.

An Illustrative Example

Consider this argument:

Paying police officers for updates on prominent investigations is certainly illegal. However, if our news service does not buy this information, another will.

Question: Of the following, which most closely resembles the above argument in logical structure?

Explanation:
A company defends its involvement in an unethical activity by stating that if it does not carry out this action, another company will.

The structure here is simple:

A fact is presented (engagement in an unethical activity).
A contrasting conclusion follows (justification by saying someone else would do it if they do not).

Now, look at the following answer choice:

Felling trees of an endangered species is indeed a crime. However, if these loggers had not cut down those trees, someone else would have definitely cut them down.

This matches perfectly with the original argument’s structure. Both begin with an unethical activity, followed by a justification framed in the form of inevitability. The reasoning pattern is identical, making this the correct answer choice.

< GMAT CR: Similar Reasoning question type in Critical Reasoning

Why These Questions Matter

Similar Reasoning questions require a different kind of sharpness. They push you beyond content into the structure of logic itself. By practicing these, you strengthen your ability to see arguments as frameworks rather than just stories. This not only prepares you for GMAT Critical Reasoning but also trains your mind for the kind of logical thinking that business school and leadership roles often demand.

GMAT-style CR Similar Reasoning Question with Explanation

GMAT-style CR Similar Reasoning Question

Show Explanation

Video Explanation

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Written Explanation

Mind-map: Use of prison labor from countries with poor human rights records is illegal → if not our company, some other company will use such labor

Missing-link: Not needed

Expectation from the correct answer choice: Something on the lines of assuming that a law/expectation will be eventually broken by some party, if not by a particular party

A. This answer choice mentions that a company expects no negotiations with striking workers and that it may need to negotiate with workers in some cases; however, this answer choice makes no suggestion that the company’s policy will be eventually broken/negotiations will be eventually held by some company; so, this answer choice’s logical structure is not on the lines of that in the argument. Because this answer choice’s logical structure is not similar to that of the argument, this answer choice is incorrect.

B. Correct. This answer choice mentions that deer hunting in a forest is illegal and that someone would have hunted the deer if the defendant had not; this reasoning is on the lines of that used in the argument – assuming that a law/expectation will be eventually broken by some party, if not by a particular party. Because this answer choice’s logical structure is similar to that of the argument, this answer choice is correct.

C. This answer choice mentions that military officers are forbidden to endorse political candidates and a Colonel did not actually make any endorsement; however, the answer choice makes no suggestion that political endorsement will be eventually made by some military officers, if not by this particular Colonel; so, this answer choice’s logical structure is not on the lines of that in the argument. Because this answer choice’s logical structure is not similar to that of the argument, this answer choice is incorrect.

D. This answer choice mentions that Argentina treats refusal to vote as illegal and that the country has a long tradition of objecting to such a law; however, this answer choice makes no suggestion that votes will be eventually refused by some people; so, this answer choice’s logical structure is not on the lines of that in the argument. Because this answer choice’s logical structure is not similar to that of the argument, this answer choice is incorrect.

E. This answer choice mentions that law forbids landlords from increasing rent without notice and that the law has been broken by many landlords; although the answer choice mentions breaking of a particular law, it does not suggest that if one landlord does not break the law, some other landlord will; so, this answer choice’s logical structure is not on the lines of that in the argument. Because this answer choice’s logical structure is not similar to that of the argument, this answer choice is incorrect.

B is the best choice.

Key takeaways

Similar Reasoning questions test your ability to identify and match the structure of arguments rather than their subject matter. Success depends on mapping premises, assumptions, and conclusions, then predicting the logical skeleton before reviewing answer choices. By training yourself to recognize parallels in reasoning, you sharpen clarity and avoid being misled by surface details. Regularly practicing with GMAT simulations provides the structured exposure needed to master this skill, ensuring accuracy, speed, and deeper confidence in Critical Reasoning.

Parting Thought

The essence of Similar Reasoning questions lies in seeing through words to the underlying framework of thought, a discipline that extends beyond test-taking. In GMAT mock practice, this skill sharpens your ability to filter distractions and focus on structure, a habit that strengthens judgment in both study and decision-making. In MBA application stage , the same clarity helps you construct essays and arguments that are logically sound, while in life, it fosters the wisdom to separate substance from noise, guiding choices with balance, fairness, and intellectual honesty.

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