Read every day, summarise what you read, and practise passages in timed sets. In the exam, pick the easier passages first and use the argument, not the detail, to answer. Treat verbal ability questions as logic of flow. Review each wrong answer for the reasoning gap.
The routine
- Daily reading: one long article or editorial, 20 to 30 minutes. Pick topics that are not your usual.
- One-line summary: after each piece, write what the author argues in one line.
- Weekly: two timed passage sets, then review.
For a structured start, use the 30-day reading plan.
Attacking a passage
- Read for the main claim and the structure: what does the author set up, argue and conclude?
- Mark the tone and the shifts, such as “however” and “but”.
- Answer using the argument. If an option adds an idea the author did not say, drop it.
- Review wrong answers by asking which line in the passage settles it.
Verbal ability
| Type | What helps |
|---|---|
| Para jumbles | Find the opener and links, then check pronouns and connectors |
| Summary | Choose the option that carries the main claim, not a detail |
| Odd sentence out | Find the sentence that breaks the topic or the flow |
| Sentence insertion | Look at what the sentences before and after need |
Manage the 40 minutes
You cannot move between sections, so the whole 40 minutes is yours inside VARC. Skim the passages first and start with the one you can read fastest. Do not spend more than a set amount of time on any single question. Decide that cap in mocks.
Where this doesn’t apply
If English is your second language and reading speed is the problem, daily reading matters even more and the timeline is longer. We have not measured score gains from this routine. It is our suggested method and faculty review is pending.
This chapter is our own method. Section structure as reported by third-party portals. No third-party study is cited and no score improvement is claimed.