Any entrance test basically assess your aptitude based on these 3/4 aspects I.e. Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, Data Interpretation/Decision Making. Out of these, Logical Reasoning and Decision Making are the ones that get you to wrack your brains hard. You usually need to focus on practicing rather than having a fixed set of rules to follow. Quantitative Aptitude requires you to know the 2 Ws of concept application- the ‘When’ and the ‘Where’. A fixed set of rules, as well as intuitive understanding of their use are the ground rules for acing this section. But the easiest of them all, is Verbal Ability. Now, for a lot of people that aren’t regular readers, this section seems unconquerable, but just a dedicated few minutes everyday is enough to kick start your inner Grammar nazi! Here are 5 hacks that’ll guarantee better understanding of the Verbal section-

1. Read the newspaper daily

Newspaper editorials provide you with not only the updates on current affairs, but also an insight on writing style and flow. It is easy to observe how each writer has explained the happenings of the world in 250-300 words. You can also observe the correct application of Grammar rules. Slowly, and steadily, you’ll become so proficient, that you may be able to weed out mistakes in the newspaper itself, if any.

2. Practice speaking in English

Though spoken and written English are different in significant ways, it is always a confident boost to be able to fluently speak in a language that is not your mother tongue. Speaking in English will create nerve tracks in your brain, that will enable you to be more understanding of the language. Conscious efforts in this direction will force your brain to express thoughts in English, thereby improving your vocabulary, too.

3. Carry your flash cards everywhere.

Nowadays, due to digitization, we find mobile apps for everything. Similarly, there are apps for flash cards, too. If you’re more comfortable with the paper cards, then discretely sneak them to your cousin’s wedding, or else pretend to be clicking really great pictures while learning up as many words as humanly possible.

Pro Tip: ALWAYS learn the application as well. It helps to remember the word better than anything else. It is also beneficial to associate the words with things that you see in daily life.

4. Grammar isn’t just for convent school girls.

In school when we were forced to speak in English, it hadn’t been because the teachers hated us. It was so that we could grasp the language. Grammar rules if studied on their own, will definitely bore a person out. But when you study with a partner, or even if alone, you study the rules through a YouTube video, it gets easier. Always remember that knowing Grammar rules will fetch you ‘lazy’ marks i.e. the marks assigned to match the columns, complete the sentences, mark the wrong part of sentence, etc. Reading Comprehension also becomes much easier as you do not have to spend too much time on understanding a sentence.

5. Being patient.

Learning a new language is difficult. But relearning a language that you’ve spoken almost all your life is really tricky. You will be exasperated as the words will seem the same, or you’ll keep messing up the rules. But, keep going. Keep practicing. Because once you get the hang of this section, it’ll be a great time saver as well as the easiest way to score.

Rest assured, whatever you do, do not ignore this section as the 4/5 ‘lazy’ marks could be the ones that make all the difference in your score. English is sometimes confusing, and remembering the exception to the rules can sometimes muddle your head. But, it’s always a question of how badly do you want to achieve your dream. Keep believing. Keep working. All the best!

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