Tips on How to Improve Vocabulary for CAT Exam 2024

Overview: If you are preparing for the CAT exam, you may have been stuck on "How to improve vocabulary for CAT exam." Having a good hold on the VARC section can improve your overall ranking in the CAT exam. Read on to know the expert tips and strategies here!

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• The VARC section of the CAT exam asks about 24 questions (MCQs + TITA) and holds a good weightage in the CAT exam.
• It analyses your vocabulary, grammar and reading comprehension skills. 

This article will provide you with strategies and tips on "how to improve vocabulary for the CAT exam".

How to Improve Vocabulary for CAT Exam?

While finding answers on "how to improve vocabulary for CAT exam", it is essential to be aware of the role of english vocabulary in CAT and other management exams.

• Vocabulary and the CAT exam are not inherently linked.
• Familiarity with words can facilitate comprehension of passages in the CAT.
• Vocabulary questions have not been a direct part of the CAT for a considerable time.
• Mastery of vocabulary remains crucial for other Management Entrance Tests.

Know More | How to Start MBA Preparation For CAT 2024?

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How to Improve Vocabulary for CAT Exam?

#1. Practice Reading

Reading is a great way to increase your Vocabulary. Read the best book for Vocabulary for CAT, newspapers, magazines, and any other source of information that can help you discover new words. The more you read, the more words you will learn.

#2. Take Vocabulary Tests/ Mocks

Take online vocabulary tests to assess your current knowledge and track your progress. This will help you identify your weak areas so that you can focus on those specific words.

#3. Play Word Games

Word games such as crossword puzzles, anagrams, and Scrabble can be great fun and effective in improving your CAT exam vocabulary. Use a dictionary: Make sure to use a good dictionary to look up the meanings of unfamiliar words. This is also a great way to track your progress and better understand the words you are learning.

#4. Use Mnemonics

Mnemonics are memory techniques that help you remember words and meanings more quickly. 

#5. Learn Word Roots

Word roots are the base words from which other words are derived. Learning these roots can help you better understand and remember the meaning of words more easily.

#6. Learn Five New Words Daily

Try to learn five new words daily. You can choose them either randomly or alphabetically.  List five words and their meanings daily to improve your vocabulary. 

#7. Communicate in English

Polishing your vocabulary is the best practice. When you speak or communicate in English, you better understand the meaning and correct usage of the words. This also helps you learn new words and crack the CAT admission interview process.

#8. Understand the VARC Syllabus

Knowing the topics and their weightage in the CAT exam VARC section is another good way to prepare for the exam.

#9. Practice Previous Year's Papers

Look at the type of questions asked in CAT previous year question papers and take the mock test to ace the preparations for VARC. 

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Types of Vocabulary Questions

While improving the entire VARC section, you should know that the vocabulary questions in the CAT exam can be broadly categorized into:

• Synonyms and Antonyms: Understanding words with similar and opposite meanings.
• Fill in the Blanks: Choose the correct word to complete sentences based on context.
• Para Jumbles: Rearranging sentences to form a coherent paragraph where vocabulary helps understand the flow and context.
• Reading Comprehension: Grasping the meaning of passages and answering related questions.

How is Vocabulary Tested?

• Direct Questions: Less common but may appear as part of sentence completion or analogies.
• Indirect Questions are more common in reading comprehension and para jumbles, where understanding the passage and sentence connections is crucial.

Learn About the VARC Exam Pattern

The CAT Exam Pattern for the VARC section is listed below:

Sections	Total No. of Questions	MCQs	Non-MCQs	Marks	Duration
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)	24	21	3	72	40 min

Check | CAT 2024 Marking Scheme

Important Topics for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension 

While looking for "How to improve Vocabulary for CAT Exam" here are the essential topics that can help you ace good score in the CAT exam:

• English Usage or Grammar
• Vocabulary-Based (Synonyms/ Antonyms)
• Fill in the blanks
• Sentence Correction
• Cloze Passage
• Jumbled Paragraph
• Meaning-Usage Match
• Analogies or Reverse Analogies
• Summary Questions
• Verbal Reasoning
• Facts-Inferences-Judgments
• Reading Comprehension

While the official website may not offer a specific English Vocabulary for the CAT exam PDF or Vocabulary words for the CAT exam PDF, numerous ed tech platforms like Toprankers provide a free download of vocabulary for the CAT exam.  You can use the above source to get the solution on how to improve vocabulary for CAT exam!

Know More | How Many Times CAT Exam is Conducted in a Year

Download Free VARC Daily Study Plan by Supergrads

How to Improve Vocabulary for CAT Exam?: Best Books to Prepare

You can refer to the following best vocabulary books for CAT exam:

Best Books for CAT Vocabulary	Author(s)
How to Build A Better Vocabulary	Maxwell Nurnberg & Morris Rosenblum
Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis
The Students' Companion	Wilfred D Best
Newspapers	Various Publications

Check | CAT Exam Cut Off 

Conclusion

You can improve your chances of success by improving your vocabulary for CAT entrance exam. Resources such as flashcards, online vocabulary games, and books can help you quickly learn and remember new words. Reading extensively in different CAT subject areas can also help expand your vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Finally, practice makes perfect – the more you practice, the better you will use the words you’ve learned. You can improve your vocabulary and succeed in the CAT 2024 exam with hard work and dedication.