HOW TO IMPROVE VERBAL ABILITY

Many students feel that the performance in Quant & Logic sections of the CAT written exam hit a ceiling at some point or the other. Thankfully, the Verbal section of the paper always has a scope of further improvement.

In this article we shall broadly try and understand what purpose the Verbal Section serves and how should we try and score well in it.
Since communication is a very important tool in all spheres of management, this section tests a person’s skill at the English Language. That the CAT paper increased the number of questions in this section, points to the importance that the examiners attach to testing us on Verbal Ability. By this, the schools want to gauge how well a person,
i. Comprehends the given data (passage / sentence) and understands
1. the meaning of each of the words used,
2. the explicit message conveyed,
3. the implicit undertones of the passage or sentence,
4. the correctness of grammar (punctuation, usage etc.) and
5. the direction / conclusion that is being hinted at.
ii. How well he manages to respond to the question posed by applying similar analysis of each of the 4 / 5 options presented, before picking his answer.

Thus in order to do well in this section, we need to demonstrate competence on the above metrics. It is easy to see that each question type asked in the CAT paper is trying to test us on one or more of the above. Since the reading comprehension section of the CAT employs almost all these skills in parallel it poses the most hazard to a student.

It is also known that students who are voracious readers do well in this section. This is now clear since they have honed their above skills for years. Hence, in order to excel in Verbal one should start well in time.

Read a lot:
The most important part of Verbal preparation is the reading up. [In fact, not only does it help in the Verbal section of CAT but also in General Awareness section of other MBA entrances.] This effort can’t be intensive in nature, since we need to assimilate what we read. Thus the reading has to be consistently spread out across a few months or more.

Why to read:
It is much easier to understand any language by knowing the way its words are used, its sentences framed and ideas conveyed than by opening an English guide. Also, noticing how a word is used will cement the correct meaning and usage of the word / phrase than learning it by rote.
The structure of the paper is such that a lot of time is required to read a passage. Irrespective of the style of answering followed (reading before answering or vice versa) the speed at which you read the passage is critical. Someone who can read an average length passage (400 words) in 3 mins. has a definite edge over someone who takes 4 mins. The best way to improve reading speed is by reading articles in progressively lesser time.

What to read:
Since, management schools want us to become good business leaders they dish out stuff that an MBA graduate is most likely to read. However, due to exam constraints the passages in the exam are often excerpts of a bigger and wider article. These articles typically deal with economic, social, political etc. issues and the impact of these issues on the intended reader.
I think however it is much better to start off and read articles longer (abt. 5000 words) than the ones that appear in the exam (abt. 400 words). A complete article has a proper structure unlike those in the exam. However, it is important to figure out how excellent English is written.
Also, while reading in English we should make a conscious effort to start thinking in English as well, since this can be a handicap for many of us who come from vernacular schools.
I personally found that articles in reputed magazines / newspapers like The Economist or the New York Times are written well.

How to read:
Upon reading an article it is important to discuss it with friends who have read it. You should make sure that all the implicit opinions / arguments are talked about and not missed. Often at the face of it the article seems straightforward but we fail to locate the point the author is trying to make. Correctly filtering the facts from the author’s opinions help get an insight into the article.
Similarly, it is important to get a feel as to how arguments are built by good writers and what is an expected line of thought, following a seen passage. This again comes with discussing the passage with friends who have read it.

Learn Vocabulary:
While learning words organically (through essays and articles) is an excellent long term option, with the view of preparing for the CAT exam – it makes sense to parallely learn the less common words. Many students praise the virtues of books like Word power made easy for improving vocabulary. These books help students derive the meaning of a word from its word roots and other techniques. However in case of extreme crunch, its best to pick up a standard word list provided by books that prepare students for GRE, TOEFL etc. and attempt learning them by rote. As the CAT draws closer these lists are a good tool to recall what one has learnt. Whenever a new word is learnt, try using it in a sentence for better retention.

Practice:
The verbal section too calls for a lot of practice, which should be duly done in the last few months. The scores in the Reading Comprehension section get tremendously boosted by practice followed by analysis of the questions attempted incorrectly. The associated explanation to an answer is very important since it shows what the examiner thought was the correct answer, why and how it was different from what we thought. While answering subsequent RCs, we should be mindful not to repeat earlier mistakes.
For questions in the vocabulary section it is important to also know why the incorrect answers were incorrect. In case, the options to a question throws up a new word make it a point to check the word up in a thesaurus.

In summary, scoring in Verbal Section can be elevated by sincere efforts towards improving the language followed by extensive practice. It is very difficult to score well unless a person has good command over English as a language. Similarly, it is very easy to make many mistakes in case a person is over reliant on his English skills without the requisite practice.
Every person should try and modify his approach to suit him best, while remembering the above skills at the back of his mind.

Take a Quick Survey and Save 20% on The Reader's Edge Pro version!

Pick Your Version

The Reader's Edge speed reading software is available in three versions: Basic, Pro and Network. Review the product features to see which version is right for you.
	Basic	Professional	Network
	Great for getting started	Advanced training features	Schools and computer labs
Age Level	5 to Adult	5 to Adult	5 to Adult
Program Installations	1 computer	2 computers	1 server
Number of Accounts	3	Unlimited	Unlimited
Speed Reading Exercises 6 10 10 Recognition Training - Improve your recognition and memory skills by working with numbers. Motility Training - Improve your visual acuity by training your eyes to see and process information faster and more accurately. Horizontal Span - Experience reading 2 to 3 times your normal reading rate by not vocalizing. Vertical Span - Learn to see, read and process groups of words that are presented in and out of sequence. Word Groups - Transition from individual phrases to complete reading selections. You'll learn to see, read and process groups of words without vocalizing. Say It! - Become familiar with the visual display of letters, words and numbers and the sounds associated with them. Continuous Text - Employ a reading pacer to help improve your reading rate. Push Down - Push Up - As you become more familiar with the reading material, you can challenge yourself to read faster as your practice time decreases. High Speed Practice - Practice your pre-read, read and post-read skills. Audio Readings - Follow along as words, sentences and paragraphs are highlighted and read to you.
Easy to Use, Essential Features Free Updates for Life - Committed to excellence, The Literacy Company is always improving The Reader's Edge. All users receive web updates free of charge for life. Incorporates Prime Words - Learning the most frequently used words in the English language will help you read better and faster by reducing the number of times your eye stops (fixates) while reading. Risk Free Money-Back Guarantee - We guarantee you'll enjoy your experience and at a MINIMUM double your reading speed, while improving your comprehension, retention and recall. Step-By-Step Training Lessons - Get step-by-step instructions that guide you through the process of improving your reading skills. Vocabulary Vocalization - Using text-to-speech technology, you'll enhance your word-association skills as vocabulary words are displayed and vocalized to you.
Speed & Comprehension Testing 200+ Comprehension Tests Included - Choose from more than 200 comprehension tests from various categories, authors and content providers. These comprehension tests help ensure you are improving your reading speed and comprehension. Assessment & Progress Reporting - Generate, save and print assessment reports that document your improving reading skills. View by Reading Level & Category - Quickly access suitable reading material based on reading level and category.
Import/Manage Custom Content Import Multi Lingual Text - Practice with The Reader's Edge exercises in any language, including English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic and more. Import Content from Clipboard - Using our Clipboard Text feature, you can practice your reading skills with all types of text. This feature allows you to quickly import emails, web pages, documents or any type of text by simply highlighting and copying the text into the program. Import Content from PC or Local Network - Adding the ability to import various types of additional reading material from your local computer or network to The Reader's Edge makes it easy to read personal documents in the program. An Import Wizard helps you locate and import a file into program. Selection Bookmarks - Allows you to quickly bookmark your current reading location, so you can return to it in your next practice session.
Helpful Tools & Features Backup/Sync Data - This new feature allows users to quickly backup and sync program data, making it easy to change computers while retaining program usage. In addition, users of The Reader's Edge Pro version can now quickly sync program data between multiple computers. Built-In Vocabulary Dictionary - Using the built-in word dictionary, you can quickly access word definitions, usage examples and hear the actual word read to you using text-to-speech software. Personalized User Settings - We've made it easy for users to customize the program to their personal preference, allowing them to personalize settings and make the learning process more enjoyable. Readers with Dyslexia - Individuals with various degrees of dyslexia often see improvements in their reading abilities after working with The Reader's Edge software. The exercises can display text in single-word, multiple-word and sentence-only structure. In addition, the font type and size can be adjusted to facilitate focusing on individual words or phrases, thus helping to remove the "distraction" of seeing others words when reading. Real-Time Exercise Coach - A unique feature of The Reader's Edge is the built-in exercise coach. When enabled, the Exercise Coach monitors your progress and provides specific instructions and suggestions to ensure you're getting the most out of the program. Word-Association Training - An essential step in learning to read fluently is to be able to properly associate words with their oral pronunciation. By working with these exercises, you'll see dramatic improvement in your word-association skills.
Advanced Training Exercises Audio Text Readings - Follow along as words, sentences and paragraphs are highlighted and read to you. High Speed Practice - Practice your pre-read, read and post-read skills. Paced Reading Training - Work with a reading pacer to set a reading speed that will always challenge you to read faster. Timed Reading Practice - Challenge yourself to read faster as your practice time decreases.
Advanced Content Features Access to 100+ Additional Tests - Access more than 100 additional comprehension tests through the built-in Online Content section. Access to 500+ Additional Selections - Access more than 500 additional reading selections through the built-in Online Content section. Change/Edit Vocabulary Lists - Pro & Network version users can change and edit vocabulary lists used in the exercises. The program includes Additional Vocabulary Lists to assist in training. RSS News Feeds - This unique feature provides users with an extensive variety of up-to-date RSS News from various news sources. Selection & Test Quick Search - Allows for quick searching of reading selections and comprehension tests.
Administrator Management Options Associate Accounts with Grade Level - Add user accounts to specific grade levels for custom progress reporting. Import Users from CSV file - This features lets you efficiently manage hundreds of user accounts with one CSV file. Manage Program/Accounts Remotely - Using the built-in User Manager utility, program administrators can quickly manage users of The Reader's Edge. Multiple User Account Reporting - Using the built-in Administrator Reports utility, program administrators can generate and print multiple user reports. One-On-One Training Available - Ensure your school or organization gets the assistance they need with one-on-one training with a member of The Literacy Company support staff.
	$79.95	$149.95	From $299.90
			Learn More