Rome and English were not built in a day

When it comes to preparing for the verbal section in CAT/XAT/GRE or GMAT, a common yet ineffective strategy many aspirants depend upon is word lists and cards. Even worse, some students (especially those in tier-2/3 cities) get advised to learn from the (in)famous "Wren and Martin" - the book of the devil gleaning through its satanic-red cover!

However, practically nobody learns English from Wren and Martin or from word lists. Memorizing grammar rules or expanding vocabulary in isolation simply DOES NOT WORK!

This is because we do not remember words unless there is an accompanying context. And context comes through reading. While coaching classes do advise students on 'developing the habit to read' most people are unable to do so because they are unable to find a relatable 'context' which encourages them to read.

As someone who s*cked at LR-DI but got a 99 percentile in VA, let me share a few tips with you:

1. Getting the right 'context': We do not inherently dislike reading; rather, we often struggle to find books that resonate with us. For instance, attempting to read classics (say, Ayn Rand - a popular reading recommendation, God knows why!) directly can be overwhelming due to the archaic English style and context that might be hard to relate to. Instead, it's a better idea to opt for books from pop culture that you find intriguing.

2. Choosing the right book: Select reading material that elicits strong emotional responses from you. If politics fascinate you, pick up a political memoir. If you're into technology, pick up the latest book on AI. Hell! if you don't like anything pickup Filmfare or Stardust! The English is easy, the visuals are interesting and the gossip keeps you hooked! The idea is to get exposure to more sentences and words in an enjoyable manner. Nothing more, nothing less.

3. Get familiar with book summary Apps: If you're unsure about which book to pick up or simply do not have the attention span, get a subscription like Blinkist or Storyshots. These apps provide condensed summaries of books, giving you an overview before you decide to invest your time in reading the entire book.

4. Don't get into the 'sunk-reading' fallacy: If you don't find a book good enough just skim through it and jump to the next one. It's not about how many books you can get through. It's about those few books that get through you.

5. Indulge in Two-timing: It may sound weird but reading more than 1 book at a time helps. Non-fiction books are generally cognitively taxing. Therefore, pair a non-fiction book with a fiction read that is light on the head. In fact, personally, I dabble in 3-4 different books at a time. I have found that it increases my reading output and ability to synthesize thoughts considerably.

6. Intellectualize (even if phony): The best way to remember what you read is to use LinkedIn/Facebook for 'intellectualizing' - pen down your thoughts or takeaways from the books you read as a social media post immediately after you finish. Try incorporating words and complex phrases in the post that you come across in your reading. This not only helps in improving vocabulary but also enhances your ability to use new words contextually. And who knows when one of your posts blows up landing you tons of followers?

7. Use new technology: Finally, if your budget allows, get a subscription to Readwise. It's an amazing app that syncs all your highlights from Kindle, Google Play Books, and other platforms, periodically resurfacing them for you to review. I have found it to be an amazing resource for reinforcing vocabulary and aiding retention.