The Verbal Ability section of CAT is one of the sections which is believed to give nightmares to the CAT takers. The section consists of Reading Comprehension, English Usage and Vocabulary. In this article on MBAUniverse.com CAT 2011 preparation, we will give you the details on the paper pattern and preparation strategy of Verbal Ability section.
Let us go by the preparation strategy of each of the components of the Verbal Ability section.
Reading Comprehension
The strategies, as said by the experts are as follows:
Read a lot: Reading helps as you get to know about a lot of topics and that increases your general knowledge as well. “In order to improve on your RC and VA section you need to broaden your background knowledge by reading newspapers, magazines and books. Try discussing one topic of the paper with your parents or friends. This will help you to develop interest and will help in comprehension,” says Vinayak Kudva, Product Head, IMS Learning.
Apart from reading a lot, what you should practice is Speed Reading. Speed Reading will help you to comprehend the passage faster and hence score better in the Reading Comprehension passages for your MBA Preparations.
Kudva mentions the following points for speed reading.
1. Focus on three to four main words in a sentence.
2. Time your reading speed and decrease the time you take to read gradually.
3. Identify main parts of the paragraph.
4. You can mark the important points/ words/sentences in the beginning but gradually you should be able to identify these without marking them.
5. While reading, move your eyes fast from left to right, focusing on main words.
6. After finishing an article, write the gist of that. This will help you know how much you remember of that passage.
English Usage
English Usage, in other words, grammar can be the most scoring areas in the Verbal Ability section if you can utilize it properly. This area can be honed more and more with practice. The pattern of grammar questions range from sentence correction to locating the error in a sentence. Another question type could be, in a sentence, a portion remains underlined and the CAT Exam takers have to identify the error. You have to choose the option which will correct the error in the underlined part of the MBA Exam section for your CAT 2011 preparations.
The MBA preparation for English Usage section requires thorough practice and understanding of the basic concepts. “In order to do well in Verbal Ability you need three things, reading, clarity on English grammar basics and building up your vocabulary,” says Sandeep Anand, CEO, 100percentile.
For grammar practice, the best way is to consult the basic grammar book, ‘High School English Grammar and Composition’ by Wren and Martin. Not only will you get accustomed to the concepts, but you can also do ample practice from it. Another book which you shall refer for the improvement of your grammatical abilities is ‘A Communicative Grammar of English’ by Geoffrey Leech for advanced knowledge. “Don’t try to mug up grammar as set of rules. See the meaning and understand the connection,” suggests Captain Walia, Verbal Ability expert of IMS Learning.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary or the word power is of immense use when it comes to the Verbal Ability section. The more you read, more often you will come across new words and hence you will be accustomed to its meaning. “Find out multiple applications of commonly used words and phrases, if any. While reading, note the context in which words and phrases are used. This helps in tackling a number of Verbal Ability questions,” says Aziz Manva, Content head, TEST funda.
You should also keep a pocket size dictionary handy with yourself so that you can know the meaning and note it down whenever you come across a new word. Some books for Vocabular preparations, which you can refer for enhancing your Word Power are ‘A Word A Day: A Romp through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing, Words in English’ by Anu Garg, ‘All about Words’ by Rosenblum and Nurenberg, ‘30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary’ by Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis.
At an overall level, you need to be prompt and accurate while your CAT 2011 preparation for MBA Exams, for this part of Verbal Ability section. Adequate practice and having conceptual clarity is best in this regard.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2011 preparation.
