CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Preparation is time-consuming. The test takers find this section to be scoring and hence it should be prepared well. The questions in VARC are asked from RC, Para Completion, ParaJumbles, Fill in the blanks, etc. Reading Comprehension holds 3/4th of the sectional weightage in CAT i.e. around 16 out of 24 questions are from 4 reading comprehension passages. Check CAT VARC Syllabus
Read the article to know more about how to prepare for CAT VRAC and what are the important topics in this section.
Quick Links of CAT Practice Paper:
Section Name | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
---|---|
Allotted Time | 40 minutes |
Total Number of Questions | 24 |
Number of Reading Comprehension Questions | 16 |
Number of Verbal Ability Questions | 8 |
Marks Awarded for Each Correct Answer | + 3 |
Negative Marks for Each Wrong Answer | -1 |
Difficulty Level of Questions | Moderate to Difficult |
Time table for Reading Comprehension:
CAT Reading Comprehension | Type of RC | Time Required in Hours |
---|---|---|
RC-1 | Basic | 1-2 |
RC-2 | Moderate | 2-3 |
RC-3 | Difficult | 3-4 |
RC-4 | Advance | 3-4 |
RC on Daily Basis | Alternate types | ~ |
Time table for other topics:
Topic | Time Required in Hours |
---|---|
Sentence Correction | 3 |
Sentence Rearragnement | 3 |
Paragraph Completion | 3 |
Sentence Elimination | 3 |
Word Usage | 3 |
Fact Inference Judgement | 3 |
Critical Reasoning | 3 |
CAT VARC Syllabus consists of various types of questions. Primarily, this section focuses on evaluating the candidate's Aptitude in English Language, vocabulary, and grammar. However, before moving onto the CAT VARC Preparation Tips and Important Topics, it is important to be thorough with the CAT Exam Pattern.
Topic Name | Key Features | Expected Number of Questions |
---|---|---|
Jumbled Paragraphs | 5 jumbled sentences are to be arranged in the right order | 3 - 4 |
Summary/Inference of Short Paragraphs | Small paragraphs of 4-5 sentences are followed by 4 answer options | 2-3 |
Picking the Odd Sentence in a Jumbled Paragraph | 5 jumbled sentences from which one odd sentence is to be picked out | 2-3 |
Passage Type | Key Features | Expected Number of Questions |
---|---|---|
Long Passage 1 | Moderate level Based on facts | 4 |
Long passage 2 | Moderate to difficult level Rich in vocabulary and based on literary terms and opinions | 4 |
Long passage 3 | Difficult level Based on abstract topics and literature and can contain a tough vocabulary | 4 |
Short passage 4 | Moderate to difficult level Based on business, economy or geography, historical facts, opinions, future plans | 4 |
Expected Topics | Weightage |
---|---|
Para-Jumbles | 3-4 |
Para-Summary | 2-3 |
Sentence Completion and Correction | 1-2 |
Odd Sentences | 1-2 |
Fill in the Blanks | 1-2 |
Word Usage (Vocabulary) | 1-2 |
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CAT Reading Comprehension section is to test whether the student has a reading habit or not and do they have the analyzing capability. Candidates can prepare for this section using the following preparation plan.
Sr. No | Preparation Tips for CAT RC |
---|---|
1 | Read Daily for 2-3 hours |
2 | Not only newspapers but also read magazines, books, etc. |
3 | Try to understand the meaning of difficult words and underline them. |
4 | Note down the important points while reading to answer the questions later. |
5 | Do not check the questions before reading the passage. |
6 | Try to read and answer the questions within a fixed time interval of 10-15 minutes this will help you in exam. |
When it comes to reading comprehension there are three types of RC passages in the CAT exam:
All the types of CAT reading comprehension passages cover major topics like business and economics, science, humanities, social sciences, and current affairs. Check out the past three years of CAT reading comprehension topics below:
Types of RC Questions Asked in CAT: CAT 2021 was conducted in three parts. Below are the CAT RC 2021 topics of all three parts:
Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
---|---|---|
Evolution of Tea | Language and Indigenous People | Language Instinct |
Mayan Civilisation | Knowledge is a Scandal to Philosophy | Unconscious and Psychoanalysis |
Utopia and Dystopia | Colonialism and Nationalism | Nanotechnology |
Marshmallow Experiment | Why Fiction Trumps Truth? | Time-Accuracy |
Quick Links:
CAT VA section comprises the following type of questions:
Sr. No. | Preparation Tips |
---|---|
1 | Each question is different in this section and no shortcut tips or tricks are applicable here. |
2 | The section can only be cracked with regular practice. |
3 | Gain Speed |
4 | Find the connecting lines or sequence to complete the paragraphs is the key to solve such questions. |
CAT Verbal Ability Syllabus | |
---|---|
Essence of short paragraph/summary | Jumbled paragraphs |
Odd sentences in jumbled paragraphs | Error correction in the verb, noun, pronoun, adjective, adverb and other parts of speech in sentences |
Correcting the sequence of sentences in articles such as giving the correct usage of conditional statements, time clauses, reported speech, and passive writing | Use of vocabulary in selecting the correct pair of words |
Filling in blanks with appropriate vocabulary | Use of vocabulary in RC passages to identify the right synonyms and antonyms |
Completing the last statements of paragraphs | Critical reasoning |
Analogies | Usage of phrasal verbs |
Facts, inference, and judgement | Sentence completion |
Irrelevant sentences | - |
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Candidates can check the books mentioned below for CAT VARC Preparation:
CAT VARC Book | Author | Description |
---|---|---|
Word Power Made Easy | Normal Lewis | ‘Word Power Made Easy’ helps in improvement of vocabulary. It explains accurate usage of words. It is categorised into oriented sections and you can review exercises at the end of every chapter. |
Mastering the Verbal Ability for CAT | Ajay Singh | With over 200 passages for preparation, ‘Mastering the Verbal Ability for CAT’ is an excellent CAT VARC study material. |
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT | Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay | ‘How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT’ has a topic-wise segregation. The material is very comprehensive. It also provides mock tests and analyses of previous years’ papers. |
Check CAT Preparation Books for All Sections
CAT VARC Newspaper and Magazines | Description |
---|---|
The Hindu | It allows you to explore factual, complex, insightful and challenging content. Read the editorial section everyday. |
Times of India/Hindustan Times | It has great language usage to help with grammar and vocabulary development. |
The Economic Times | It is a great newspaper to read articles on business and economics twice a week |
The New York Times | This newspaper can be accessed online through its website with a paid subscription. High-quality content is brought out by this newspaper. Blogs like ‘The Stone’ are must-reads on the website. |
The Guardian | The Guardian does not require a paid subscription. You can access fascinating reading material for free. |
Frontline | This is a magazine full of details. The reading of brilliant articles highlighting tales from around the world can add tremendous value to your preparation. |
Outlook/India Today/The Week | Read from these magazines for very interesting content with high-quality language. |
Business Today/Business India | Reading from these magazines regularly is sure to help you with CAT VARC |
The Economist | It is a great online journal which reports on foreign issues of all kinds. There are several articles on politics, economy, culture, fashion, sports, and books. The style of writing can serve as an idea for how you must attempt the CAT VARC section. All articles are almost perfectly grammatical and crisp. |
The Atlantic | They write long-form and well-researched pieces. |
Newyorker | Here, you will find an extremely high-quality style of writing on numerous subjects. |
Read VARC Preparation Tips by more CAT 2021 Toppers:
Ques. What is verbal ability and reading comprehension in CAT?
Ans. Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension are part of every competitive exam. Verbal Ability tests your vocabulary and sentence-formation abilities. Reading Comprehension involves the interpretation of sentences and finding answers to questions that are asked from passages.
Ques. How do you score a 99 percentile in VARC?
Ans. To score a 99 percentile in VARC, you must consistently read on various topics like Current Affairs, Literature, Philosophy, and Politics; memorize grammatical rules; and get a rich vocabulary.
Ques. What is the most important topic in VARC ?
Ans. The most important part in VARC is the Reading Comprehension (RC) because about 70% of the questions in VARC come from it
Ques. What are the best books to prepare for CAT VARC?
Ans. The best books to prepare for CAT VARC are -
Ques. Is ‘Word Power Made Easy’ good for VARC?
Ans. Yes, ‘Word Power Made Easy’ by Norman Lewis is good for VARC. It can greatly help in improving your vocabulary
Ques. How to prepare for Verbal Ability?
Ans. Read well-articulated content regularly to grasp good grammar and vocabulary. This will help you prepare for Verbal Ability
Ques. What are the most important topics for Verbal Ability?
Ans. The most important topics for verbal ability are - Jumbled Paragraphs, Summary/Inference of Short Paragraph, and Picking the Odd Sentence in a Jumbled Paragraph
Ques. How many questions should I attempt to get 95+ percentile in VARC?
Ans. To get 95+ percentile in VARC, you must attempt 15-16 questions with 90% accuracy
Ques. Where can I find the best VARC preparation resources online?
Ans. The best online resources for VARC preparation can be found from the websites of newspapers like The Hindu and The Guardian
Ques. What are the most important topics for Verbal Ability?
Ans. The most important topics for verbal ability are - Jumbled Paragraphs, Summary/Inference of Short Paragraph, and Picking the Odd Sentence in a Jumbled Paragraph.
Ques. What are the expected topics for Reading Comprehension?
Ans. The expected topics for Reading Comprehension are - Literature, Current Affairs, Politics, History, Business, Economy, Geography, and Abstract topics.
Ques. Where can I find the best VARC preparation resources online?
Ans. The best online resources for VARC preparation can be found from the websites of newspapers like The Hindu and The Guardian.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.