Common Pitfalls to avoid in CAT Verbal Ability questions

The Verbal Ability section of CAT is often overlooked, with the primary focus shifted towards reading comprehension. This is a mistake you can ill afford to make, given that 30 – 35% of the VARC section comprises Verbal Ability questions. The section also has a good number of TITA (Type In The Answer) questions with no negative marks. This is all the more reason for you to take full advantage of this section, rather than underestimating or overlooking it.

Now that we have decided to give this section the attention it deserves, let us take a look at the common pitfalls and roadblocks of verbal ability questions and the strategies to overcome them.

Language + Logic

Oftentimes, your general command over the language and basic instincts can help you eliminate the easier or obviously incorrect options. But then, you will end up with two options that are very similar to each other and it becomes difficult to ascertain the better choice between them. Herein comes the logic part! There are a few strategies that can help you streamline your thought process and crack this logic.

Let’s dive into the strategies for different types of questions in the VA section!

Paragraph Summary

The most common mistake that people make in paragraph summary is oversight. As soon as you come across an option that seems to cover the points mentioned in the passage without any inconsistencies, you will be tempted to mark that as the answer. The key is to always look for an option that has the most number of points that are discussed in the passage.

Eliminating based on inconsistencies is easy, but being prudent to look for the option that better encompasses the passage can be the difference between 3 marks and 0.

Paragraph Jumble

Many of us find it relatively easy to recognise the general flow and find links between the sentences. And once we come up with a sequence that makes sense to us, we key in the answer. Once again, just like in paragraph summary, we need to make sure our answer is the best. 

CAT verbal ability questions are notorious for luring you into a comfort zone where you are happy to find a sensible sequence. It is highly recommended that you take one extra step and look for an alternative sequence and compare which is better. Even though this might take some extra time, you can move on with the assurance that there could not be a better sequence or answer. 

Sentence Elimination / Odd one out

In these questions, you should always follow the main theme. Are the majority of the sentences positive? Or is it describing an event? Or do they have a critical tone? These are the types of questions you need to ask yourself when ascertaining the main theme and then eliminate the option that deviates from this. One important thing to note is that you should not mistake this for a paragraph-jumble question and try to sequence the sentences. Time is of the essence. Hence read the question carefully and if it asks to eliminate the odd sentence, find the correct option, key in your answer and move on.

Paragraph Completion

It is only normal for a person to bring his/ her subjective opinions and knowledge when reading something. But as far as CAT verbal ability is concerned, being subjective or bringing in external knowledge is unwise. Look for the option that adds value to the passage and maintains the same tone and flow. Avoid options that are too narrow, inconsistent in tone or bring up a new concept altogether.

Conclusion

So there you have it! Be conscious of these pitfalls and start practising using these strategies so that they soon become second nature to you. At times, these strategies might require additional time and effort, but this can help you improve your accuracy levels. After all, better safe than sorry right? I wish you the best in your preparations and for your CAT exam!

Prashant is a freshly baked product of the ever-growing MBA-churning institutions that are the Indian B-schools. He has a penchant for the English language and relishes the opportunity to write informative blogs and occasionally teach as well, to help budding MBA aspirants!