Tips & Tricks to solve Para Jumble Questions | Verbal Ability (VA) & Reading Comprehension (RC) - CAT PDF Download

Introduction

In the CAT Exam, one of the most common Verbal Ability questions is of Para Jumbles. Scoring is very easy in these questions despite being very tricky as it is the type of these questions. This topic is also known as Sentence Rearrangement. Para Jumble simply means a Paragraph that is jumbled. It is not in order. So we have to rearrange the sentences given in the paragraph in a proper sequence so that the paragraph makes sense and is not absurd. In this article, we will be discussing the Tips & Tricks to solve ParaJumble Questions in the CAT exam along with some examples.

Tips & Tricks to solve ParaJumble Questions 

Following are some simple tricks & tips to solve ParaJumbles in the Verbal Ability section of the CAT Exam:

1. Identify the purpose of the passage

The first step in solving the para jumbles is to comprehend the purpose of the extract or the paragraph. The purpose of the paragraph could be interpreted so as to:

• Explain – The purpose of the passage would be interpreted as to explain some concept. In such situations, the author would first present the main idea and then move on to specific sub- ideas expanding upon the main idea in the following sentences.
• Aware – In some passages, the author would first make you aware of certain facts and background information. This would throw light upon the context of the passage preceding the main or key issue discussed in the passage.
• Anxiety/ Concern – In such passages, the author plays the ‘sentiment card’ and tries to influence the reader sentimentally by introducing a specific concern in the first line itself. The succeeding sentences consist of the factors related to the main issue or concern and their reasons.
• Solution Oriented – The first line of the passage tells about the issues or concerns related to anything. In the following sentences, the potential solutions to those issues are discussed.
• Surprise/ Amaze – The passages pertaining to this element tend to cause wonder or amazement in the readers. The opening sentence of the passage would have such ideas or facts as to pique the interest and get attention of the readers. The following sentences consist of the factors related to that main idea.

2. Look for the Keywords/ Indicators

There are certain keywords that are used in any part of the passage that can indicate or hint the sequence of the passage. Some of its types are:

• Introductory Keywords: Such keywords are used to define the beginning of the discussion or describe the central idea of the passage.
  • Example – A, An, Nowadays, Beginning
• Concluding Keywords: These keywords indicate the conclusion or the summation of the entire idea of the passage and so are seen in the concluding statements.
  • Example – Thus, Therefore, Finally, Eventually, Clearly
• Comparative Keywords: Words that indicate a comparison between different factors are placed in the central part of the passage.
  • Example – Likewise, Similarly
• Contrast Keywords: These keywords are used to contradict any given facts in the passage. They are used in the central part of the passage.
  • Example – But, Yet, Although, On the one hand, Nevertheless
• Connector Keywords: These keywords provide support or assistance to the concept being discussed by giving additional information. They are also used in the central part of the passage.
  • Example – Additionally, In Addition to this, Apart from this
• Sequence Keywords: These words indicate factors that tell the sequence or order of events in a particular order.
  • Example – Firstly, Event Time, Dates, Days, etc.
• Cause and Effect Keywords: These words help to recognize the middle sentence where the preceding sentence is the cause and the following sentence tells the effect due to it.
  • Example – As, Since, Due to

3. Form Mandatory Pairs

It refers to a set or pair of sentences that evidently come after another in order. These type of pairs help us to eliminate other probable combinations of sentences. If choices are given, look for these pairs.

4. Use Time Sequencing

These types of indicators suggest a timeline or a sequence of events occurring in the passage. This way they can help to solve the para jumble by connecting the sentences in sequence one after another.

5. Take help of Nouns, Pronouns and Antecedents

Similar to the previous technique, another way to solve para jumbles is through identifying nouns and pronouns. Nouns are used to introduce some characters for the first time. The pronouns are used afterward to mention the characters again generally. This can help in identifying the order of the sentences. This is however not always true. For example-

Sentence A: It began in 1939 and ended in 1945.

Sentence B: WWII, however, led to worldwide catastrophic consequences – social, political, and economic – that were felt for several decades after.

 In these sentences, the Noun WWII in sentence B should follow the pronoun ‘It’ in sentence A.