Tips & Tricks to solve Para Jumble Questions

Introduction

Para Jumbles tests the ability to recognise logical flow, coherence, and structural relationships between sentences. This section focuses on practical strategies to approach such questions systematically.

Tips & Tricks to solve ParaJumble Questions 

The following are some simple tricks & tips to solve Para Jumbles in the Verbal Ability section of the CAT exam:

1. Identify the purpose of the paragraph

The first step in solving para jumbles is to recognise the logical structure of the paragraph. Most CAT paragraphs follow one of these patterns:

• Definition / Explanation - introduces a concept and then explains it
• Cause → Effect - states a cause followed by its consequences
• Problem → Solution - presents an issue and then suggests remedies
• Claim → Support / Example - makes an assertion and then supports it with explanation or illustration
• Contrast → Resolution - presents opposing ideas and then resolves or evaluates them

Identifying the underlying structure helps determine the correct opening, development, and concluding sentences.

2. Look for the Keywords/ Indicators

Certain keywords appear in different parts of a paragraph and can indicate the correct sequence. Some common types are:

• Introductory Keywords: These mark the beginning of the discussion or introduce the central idea.
  • Example - A, An, Nowadays, Beginning
• Concluding Keywords: These indicate a conclusion or summary and typically appear in concluding sentences.
  • Example - Thus, Therefore, Finally, Eventually, Clearly
• Comparative Keywords: Words that signal a comparison usually belong to the middle of the paragraph.
  • Example - Likewise, Similarly
• Contrast Keywords: These introduce contradiction or exception and are generally used in the central portion.
  • Example - But, Yet, Although, On the one hand, Nevertheless
• Connector Keywords: These add supporting information and are also found in the body of the paragraph.
  • Example - Additionally, In Addition to this, Apart from this
• Sequence Keywords: These indicate order or chronology and help place sentences in sequence.
  • Example - Firstly, Event Time, Dates, Days, etc.
• Cause and Effect Keywords: These help locate pairs where one sentence gives a cause, and the next gives the effect.
  • Example - As, Since, Due to

3. Form Mandatory Pairs

Mandatory pairs are sentence pairs that clearly come one after the other. Identifying such pairs reduces the number of feasible combinations. When options are provided, scan them for these obvious pairs first.

4. Use Time Sequencing

Time indicators can help in narrative-based paragraphs, but logical relationships are usually more important than chronology.

5. Take help of Nouns, Pronouns and Antecedents 

Another way to order sentences is by tracking nouns and their pronouns. Typically, a noun introduces a person or thing; pronouns refer back to that noun in later sentences. This linkage helps determine which sentence should come first. This rule is useful but not absolute. 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 come before the pronoun It in sentence A, so sentence B precedes sentence A.

6. Elimination Strategy

• Eliminate sequences that start with pronouns
• Eliminate sequences ending with examples
• Prefer sequences starting with abstract statements