CAT 2023- Preparation Strategy for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

The CAT exam is one of the most competitive and prestigious entrance tests for management aspirants in India. It tests the candidates on various skills, such as quantitative aptitude, logical reasoning, data interpretation, and verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC). In this article, we will focus on the preparation strategy for the VARC section, which accounts for 34% of the total marks in the CAT exam.

VARC Section Overview

The VARC section consists of 26 questions, out of which 18 are based on reading comprehension passages and 8 are based on verbal ability topics, such as para jumbles, summary, odd sentence out, and para completion. The reading comprehension passages are usually of moderate to high difficulty level and cover a wide range of topics, such as economics, sociology, history, literature, science, and current affairs. The verbal ability questions are also of moderate to high difficulty level and test the candidates’ ability to understand the structure, logic, and meaning of the sentences and paragraphs.

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VARC Section Preparation Strategy

To ace the VARC section in the CAT exam, one needs to develop a strong vocabulary, reading habit, and analytical skills. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the VARC section effectively:

Read extensively and diversely. Reading is the key to improving your vocabulary, comprehension, and speed in the VARC section. You should read at least one hour every day from various sources, such as newspapers, magazines, journals, books, blogs, etc. You should also read on topics that are unfamiliar or challenging to you, as they will help you expand your knowledge and exposure to different styles and genres of writing.
Practice reading comprehension passages regularly. Reading comprehension is the most important and scoring part of the VARC section. You should practice at least 3-4 passages every day from different sources and difficulty levels. You should also practice solving different types of questions, such as factual, inferential, critical reasoning, tone, main idea, etc. You should also learn to identify the structure, theme, tone, and purpose of the passages and eliminate the irrelevant or incorrect options. Take free topic tests by signing up here.
Improve your verbal ability skills. Verbal ability questions test your ability to rearrange, summarize, complete, or identify the odd sentence in a paragraph. You should practice these topics regularly and learn the rules and techniques to solve them quickly and accurately. You should also pay attention to the grammar, punctuation, coherence, and logic of the sentences and paragraphs.
Take mock tests and analyze your performance. Mock tests are essential to evaluate your preparation level and identify your strengths and weaknesses in the VARC section. You should take at least one mock test every week and analyze your performance in detail. You should check your accuracy, speed, time management, question selection, and error types in the VARC section. You should also review your solutions and learn from your mistakes.
Revise and improve your weak areas. Revision is crucial to consolidate your learning and improve your weak areas in the VARC section. You should revise your vocabulary, grammar rules, formulas, shortcuts, tips, and tricks regularly. You should also work on your weak topics or question types and practice them more until you gain confidence and proficiency in them.

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To sum it up, VARC section is a crucial part of the CAT exam that tests the candidates’ language and comprehension skills. To prepare for this section, one should read widely and regularly, practice different types of questions, take mock tests and analyze their performance, and revise their weak areas. By following these tips, one can improve their VARC score and ace the CAT exam.

Nikunj Barnwal