The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section plays a crucial role in your overall CAT percentile. Strong reading and reasoning skills can make all the difference between a good and an excellent score.
That’s why we’ve compiled a complete set of CAT VARC questions with answers for practice to help you improve comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking.
In this guide, we’ll cover the top 200 questions for CAT English designed to mirror the real exam pattern. By practicing regularly, you’ll not only boost accuracy and reading speed but also learn how to interpret passages and eliminate wrong options confidently, essential skills for CAT success.
VARC Questions for CAT PDF
We’ve created a free CAT VARC Questions PDF that includes real exam-level questions with answers.
CAT VARC Questions With Answers (Topic-Wise)
To score well in the VARC or English section of CAT, it’s essential to practice topic-wise questions. Each topic in this section targets a different language skill, from comprehension and reasoning to grammar and logical arrangement.
Below, we’ve broken down the CAT VARC questions by topics, helping you practice systematically and improve accuracy.
CAT Reading Comprehension Questions
Reading Comprehension forms the backbone of the VARC section. You’ll be given short or long passages followed by inference-based questions that test understanding, tone, and author intent. Regular RC practice helps build reading stamina, accuracy, and time management – three vital skills for a high CAT percentile.
- Number of Practice Questions: 50+
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
- Includes: Fact-based, inference, tone, and vocabulary questions
CAT Para-Jumbles Questions
In this topic, you’re given jumbled sentences that must be arranged in a logical sequence to form a coherent paragraph. CAT para-jumbles questions test your understanding of structure, flow, and logical connectors. Practicing regularly enhances your reading flow and understanding of paragraph organization.
- Number of Practice Questions: 30+
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Includes: Logical ordering and transition-based questions
CAT Odd Sentence Out Questions
This topic tests your ability to identify the sentence that doesn’t fit logically with the others in a given set. It helps evaluate your understanding of coherence, context, and logical flow – essential for mastering both RC and verbal reasoning.
- Number of Practice Questions: 20+
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Includes: Coherence and theme-based sets
CAT Vocabulary Questions
Vocabulary questions focus on contextual meaning, synonyms, antonyms, and tone-based word usage. Understanding words in context rather than memorization is key here. Strong vocabulary directly improves comprehension and clarity in both RC and Verbal Ability parts.
- Number of Practice Questions: 25+
- Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
- Includes: Context-based vocabulary and usage questions
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CAT VARC Questions: Section Overview
The CAT VARC or English section tests your ability to understand written material, analyze ideas, and interpret the author’s perspective. As per the official notification, the section includes both Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability questions, and you’ll get 40 minutes to attempt it.
| Particulars | Details |
| Section Name | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
| Total Duration | 40 minutes |
| Number of Questions (Approx.) | 24–26 |
| Question Type | MCQs and Non-MCQs (TITA) |
| Main Topics | Reading Comprehension, Para-jumbles, Summary, Odd Sentence Out |
| Skills Tested | Reading comprehension, inference, critical reasoning, vocabulary, and grammar understanding |
| Marking Scheme | +3 for each correct answer, –1 for wrong MCQ, no negative marking for TITA |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to High |
| Sectional Time Limit | 40 minutes (no switching allowed between sections) |
CAT Verbal Ability Questions
These are the top 100 VARC questions for CAT english:
CAT Reading Comprehension Questions
These are the top 100 CAT english questions for the reading comprehension (RC) section:
How to Practice CAT VARC Questions Effectively?
1. Read Editorials and Opinion Articles Daily
Consistent reading is the foundation of success in VARC. Spend 30–45 minutes daily reading editorials from reputed newspapers or magazines. This habit improves comprehension, vocabulary, and interpretation skills – essential when attempting practice questions for CAT verbal ability and reading comprehension in timed conditions.
2. Understand Before Answering
Don’t rush through questions. Read passages carefully and focus on understanding the author’s tone, viewpoint, and argument. This is especially important when solving CAT verbal ability questions, as many wrong answers stem from misinterpreting meaning or skipping subtle hints in the text.
3. Practice Variety in Question Types
Mix your preparation by attempting RCs, para-jumbles, summaries, and odd-one-out sets. Exposure to varied sample questions for CAT VARC ensures you develop the flexibility to handle any passage type or verbal question that appears in the actual exam.
4. Improve Accuracy Over Speed Initially
Accuracy should be your top priority. Analyze every incorrect answer to identify weak areas – tone, inference, or vocabulary. Once you consistently get correct answers in CAT English questions, gradually reduce your solving time to improve both efficiency and confidence.
5. Revisit Mistakes and Learn Patterns
Every mistake is a clue to what needs improvement. Maintain a notebook of commonly confused words, tricky RC questions, and difficult topics. Reviewing them regularly makes your practice questions for CAT verbal ability and reading comprehension more meaningful and outcome-driven.
6. Take Sectional Mocks Weekly
Attempt one CAT VARC mock test weekly to apply your learnings in a real exam setting. These timed exercises mimic the pressure and help you gauge progress. Use VARC questions for CAT before each mock to warm up and gain confidence.
7. Focus on Logical Connections and Flow
In para-jumbles and summaries, look for connecting words, transition phrases, and logical order. Understanding sentence relationships is key to mastering CAT verbal ability questions, which often reward clarity of thought over memorization. Consistent practice will help you spot these connections effortlessly in the exam.
Explore additional free resources for CAT Exam:
Best Books & Resources Along With VARC Questions for CAT
To master the VARC section, you need a mix of the best CAT preparation books for conceptual clarity and online platforms for real exam-level practice.
| Resource Type | Book / Platform | Author / Publisher |
| Book | How to Prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension for CAT | Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay |
| Book | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT | Nishit K. Sinha |
| Book | Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis |
| Book | High School English Grammar & Composition | Wren & Martin |
| CAT Mock Tests | LPT’s Full-length and sectional mocks | LPT Edtech |
| Online Course | LPT’s Online CAT Coaching | LPT Edtech |
| Reading Resource | The Hindu / The Economist / Aeon Essays | – |
Common Mistakes to Avoid in CAT VARC Practice Questions
- Reading passages too quickly without understanding the main idea.
- Ignoring the author’s tone, intent, and perspective while answering.
- Guessing answers without eliminating wrong options logically.
- Neglecting vocabulary and contextual meaning of words.
- Focusing too much on speed and ignoring comprehension accuracy.
- Not reviewing incorrect questions or understanding why an answer was wrong.
- Practicing only easy passages and avoiding tougher RCs.
- Ignoring para-jumbles and summary-based questions assuming they’re low scoring.
- Not practicing under timed conditions similar to the actual CAT exam.
- Skipping daily reading habits like editorials and long-form articles.
Practice with CAT PYQs:
| CAT Previous Year Papers | CAT 2025 Question Paper |
| CAT 2024 Question Paper | CAT 2023 Question Paper |
| CAT 2022 Question Paper | CAT 2021 Question Paper |
| CAT 2020 Question Paper | CAT 2019 Question Paper |
FAQs About CAT VARC Questions
There are usually 24–26 questions in the VARC section, out of which about 16–18 are from Reading Comprehension.
You get 40 minutes to complete the VARC section. You cannot switch between sections during this time.
The VARC section accounts for roughly one-third of the total CAT score, making it equally important as DILR and QA.
Yes. Each wrong answer in multiple-choice questions (MCQs) deducts 1 mark, while TITA (Type In The Answer) questions have no negative marking.
Typically, there are four RC passages in the paper, each with 4–5 questions.
While CAT doesn’t directly ask vocabulary questions, understanding word meanings in context is essential for RC accuracy.
Read long articles or essays daily. Focus on comprehension, not just speed. Avoid re-reading lines unnecessarily.
Yes, grammar is indirectly tested in para-jumbles and summary questions. A strong grammar base improves clarity.
Ideally, you should solve at least 3–4 RC sets and 10–15 verbal ability questions every day.
Eliminate options that are extreme, out of context, or distort the author’s viewpoint.
Review accuracy, time spent per question, and question types you got wrong. Track progress weekly.
After reading, summarize paragraphs in your own words and predict the author’s conclusion – a skill that helps with RCs.
Absolutely. They help you understand real exam tone, structure, and question difficulty.
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