VA-RC paper: How to maximize scores

General Guidelines

 Do not attempt question types you are not familiar with

 Read the questions along with the answer choices except in RC questions
 In questions from Sentence Correction, Antonyms, Synonyms, leave the questions if you are in
doubt.

Attempt Sequence

Go through the VA questions in round 1 and skim through the RCs and the questions from RCs (not the
answer choices) to understand the topics and types. The order is as follows:

1. Vocab based questions

2. Grammar based questions
3. Logic based questions
4. Mark RCs which you will attempt along with the question types

Once you have done this, start with the RC questions you have marked and start solving them. Only after
you have done this, proceed to the skipped RC passages with factual questions. If you succeed in
attempting those, proceed to the skipped VA questions and once you have done that proceed to the
unattempt questions in RC.

RC

 Attempt those RCs whose content you are familiar with – for example if you are not comfortable
with socio-political topics, go ahead and skip the RC
 Attempt those question types which you are confident about – for example if you are not
comfortable with inferential type questions, be brave enough to leave the same

VA

When it comes to knowledge based questions based on vocabulary, antonyms and synonyms, these are
the least time consuming. So if you are familiar with a word, you mark the answer, if you are not, simply
skip the question. AVOID GUESSWORK.

 Sentence Correction - Mostly knowledge based as you need to know the rule of grammar to be
applied. If you are not comfortable with grammar, skip this question. AVOID GUESSWORK.
 Sentence Completion – Read the question 2-3 times if more than one blank is there. Solve using
elimination of choices based on context.
 Para-jumbles – Identify the opening or closing statements or a pair of sequential logically linked
statements. Elimination of choices works great in solving these questions.
 Critical Reasoning and Para Completion – Employ of elimination of choices and logical flow to
solve these questions

How to identify your strength and weakness?

By now you have taken a number of mock test. Sit with all those one day and do the following:

Take a pen and paper and draw two columns –

Column 1 which will have your topics and question types in which your accuracy is poor or the ones
which you are not capable of understanding -WEAKNESS

Column 2 will have topics and question types which are able to attempt correctly most of the time –
STRENGTH

How to maximize scores based on strength and weaknesses?

In your first round of attempts, solve those questions in Column 2 which you can solve in 60-90 secs.

In your second round of attempts solve those questions in Column 2 which you can solve in 90-180 secs.

In your third round of attempts solve the questions in Column 3

How to maximize scores in LRDI?

Try solving 3 LR and 3 DI sets per day for the remaining days. On the first day, take as much time as
possible for solving the sets but do not see the solution unless you have tried for around 30-40 mins to
solve a single set. After that see the solutions and imbibe any techniques or rules to solve the sets. DO
the sets again after applying these new learnings. Repeat the same exercise for 3 days at least. Fourth
day onwards, proceed to minimize the time, actually by now if you have already learnt to apply the tips
and tricks which you picked up in the last few days, you will see a notable time minimization without
having to rush through the questions. Also for DI despite the fact that a calculator is present onscreen, it
is better if you know fast calculation methods, however if you don’t know, at least for the remaining
days learn your tables till 30 well, learn the cube values and square values of numbers till 30, and also
learn fast calculation methods of percentages and proportions. That will definitely come in handy on
your D day.
Also do not make any assumptions while solving LRDI sets, more often than not, such assumptions will
take you to the wrong answer. Also, do not hesitate to leave a question if you feel it is taking you more
time. For DI whenever you are looking at the data given, look at it carefully and analyze it. Mostly, you
need to calculate growth rates, you are asked about the trends etc, which can be solved sometimes
even without calculating only if you have analyzed the data correctly while reading the question. In DI
again you can read the questions prior to looking at the data sets, sometimes that helps in mentally
preparing you for the type of analysis and calculation you need to do.