CMAT Exam pattern

Best Books for CMAT Preparation: Language Comprehension

• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Arun Sharma
• The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha
• A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by Dr R S Aggarwal
• Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
• Highschool English Grammar and Composition By Wren & Martin

Quick Tips and Tricks to get top CMAT results

1) Past Papers:

• This is the first step that you should take while preparing to score high CMAT results. Solving previous years’ papers will give you an idea about how the actual paper is going to be. You will be introduced to all types of questions, ranging from the simple ones to the complex.
• Once you take this step, you will get a good idea about the pattern, difficulty level, and distribution of the different questions. You can then use this for prioritizing all the different topics in your prep schedule.

2) Schedule:

• Make a proper schedule for your studies and follow it. This will ensure that your progress in your studies is steady.
• However, do not forget to relax once in a while. Be a bit flexible in your schedule. Take breaks, and if you relax too much, compensate for it by putting in extra time. You do not want to study rigorously for months and burn yourself out before the exam.

3) Speed:

• Make sure to keep increasing your solving speed, while preparing for CMAT. To do this, set a timer while solving questions. It’ll give you a fair idea of the time taken to solve each type of question. You can then gauge and improve your speed respectively.

The above tips will help you to develop a proper strategy for the exam. Follow these tips and increase your scores.

Why LC & LR matter

• LC (Reading Comprehension, Para-jumbles, Para-completion) often contains many easy-to-score items for careful readers.

• LR (arrangements, puzzles, deductions) separates disciplined/strategic test-takers from guessers.

• Together they contribute heavily to shortlists — performing well here lifts overall percentile significantly.

1. High-level strategy (what to do & why)

1. Measure baseline: take 1 timed LC+LR sectional mock (40 Qs / 60 mins). Record accuracy, time per question and weak question-types.

2. Daily micro-practice (45–75 mins): focused drills + 1 RC + 1 LR set. Consistency beats marathon study.

3. Mock-driven improvement: 2 full mocks/week in weeks 3–8; analyze each mistake and schedule corrective drills.

4. Template & technique: memorize 4 RC reading methods and 6 LR templates (arrangement, matrix, matching, venn, binary, set-theory).

5. KPIs to track: Accuracy %, Avg time/Q, % of questions attempted (quality), repeat mistakes.

2. RC (Language Comprehension)precise tactics

RC approach 

1. Preview (10–15s) — read first line and last line quickly to know scope.

2. Question-first read — glance at questions (if visible) to know what to hunt for. Prefer when RC has many factual questions.

3. Active read (60–90s) — read passage once, underline thesis, conclusion, and contrast words (however, although, whereas). Mark paragraph function (e.g., definition, cause, example).

4. Answering (10–30s each) — eliminate obviously wrong options first; prefer answers that match passage language/logic not outside inference.

Which RCs to attempt

• Attempt RCs where main idea + structure are clear in 2 reads.

• Skip extremely dense theoretical RCs (if they cost >12 min) — revisit if time remains.

Para-jumbles & Para-completion

• Para-jumbles: identify topic sentence and connectors; build link-chain using pronouns & referents.

• Para-completion: match tone and keyword continuity; prefer grammatical flow.

Example timing (target)

• RC: 1.5–3 mins each (including Qs)

• Para-jumbles: 1–2 mins each

• Percentage goal (exam): 60–70% attempts with 85% accuracy.

3. LR templates & attack plans

LR question families & best attack plan

1. Linear / Circular Arrangements — draw quick linear/circular diagram; mark fixed positions; solve constraints one by one.

2. Scheduling / Timetable — use table rows: person/time/day; fill definite slots first.

3. Blood relations / Family Trees — draw compact family tree; label genders & relations clearly.

4. Binary logic / True-False puzzles — use grid with variables and crosses/ticks; deduce contradictions.

5. Matrix matching / Set based — build table with rows & columns; fill certain matches; cross off impossibilities.

6. Syllogisms & Inference — use Venn diagram or immediate logic rules (All/Some/None). Prioritize statement validity (definite / possible / not possible).

General LR time management

• Easy puzzle (<=7 mins) — attempt.

• Medium puzzle (8–12 mins) — attempt selectively.

• Hard puzzle (>12 mins) — skip and return if time.

LR accuracy hack

• If stuck on a constraint, attempt eliminating 1–2 options using partial information — narrowing options often gives easy wins.

4. Daily drills & 8-week practice plan 

Daily micro (60–90 mins) 

• Warmup (10 min): 5 vocabulary/reasoning mini-questions.

• RC practice (20–30 min): 1 long RC (3–4 Qs) + 2 short RCs (2 Q each). Time yourself.

• LR practice (20–30 min): 1 full puzzle OR 2 short puzzles. Write solution; compare speed.

• Review (10–20 min): Note mistakes in error log and write one action (e.g., revise diagram rules).

Weekly plan 

• Weeks 1–2: Basics — RC reading methods, 6 LR templates practice, speed reading drills. 3 sectional mocks.

• Weeks 3–4: Increase intensity — 4 sectional mocks + 1 full mock/week. Focus on accuracy & error log.

• Weeks 5–6: Simulation — 2 full mocks/week; practise timed RC sets (3 RCs in 12 minutes).

• Weeks 7–8: Final polish — full mocks every 2–3 days, analyze repeated mistakes, finalize exam pacing.

5. Mock test routine & error analysis (must do)

After each mock do this (60–90 min):

1. Categorize every wrong answer — careless, conceptual, speed, misread.

2. Top 3 actions — e.g., “Practice 10 circular arrangement puzzles”, “Do 7 RCs on science topics”.

3. Retest — schedule 3 similar drills within next 3 days to confirm fix.

4. Track KPIs weekly — Accuracy LC, Accuracy LR, Avg time/LC/Q, Mock percentile.

6. High-impact micro-exercises (do daily)

RC drills

• Read one editorial (500–700 words). Write 1-line summary in 90s.

• Underline transition words and map paragraph role (thesis/example/conclusion).

• Locate 3 inference questions: practice answering by referring to text line numbers.

LR drills

• 1 arrangement puzzle (6 persons) daily — time target 6–8 min.

• 1 matrix matching set — fill table under 8 min.

• 2 syllogism questions — practice definite/possible logic.

7. Common mistakes & how to avoid them

1. Overreading RCs — reading every word carefully wastes time. Use targeted reading & question-first when beneficial.

2. No diagramming in LR — writing prose wastes time. Use compact diagrams.

3. Skipping mock analysis — doing mock after mock without learning is wasted time. Always analyze.

4. Guessing without elimination — random guessing with −1 penalty hurts. Eliminate first.

5. Poor time allocation across sections — practice timing in mocks and stick to your plan.

8. Final week exam simulation (what to practice)

• Day −7 to −4: Full mocks under exam rules (3 mocks). Focus on timing per section.

• Day −3 to −2: Light revision of templates, 4 RCs and 4 puzzles only.

• Day −1: Quick formula/focus sheet, relax, early sleep.

• Exam day: Run through warmup (2 RCs), avoid new topics, use preplanned section order.
  
  

FAQ 

Q1. How many RCs should I attempt in CMAT to get a top percentile?
A: Attempt RCs selectively — aim for 70–80% accuracy on 10–12 RC questions across the test (including para-jumbles). Quality > quantity.

Q2. How much time should I spend on one LR puzzle?
A: Target 6–10 minutes for a medium puzzle; skip puzzles that go beyond 12 minutes unless there’s clear partial scoring.

Q3. Should I read the questions before the RC?
A: Use question-first for RCs that are factual/ detail heavy. For argumentative or tone/purpose RCs, do one active read first then answer.

Q4. How many mocks are enough to top LC & LR?
A: At least 20 full mocks overall; for LC & LR focus, 30 sectional mocks (LC+LR) across the prep window help ingrain speed and templates.

  Happy Prep.!!