Is XAT Verbal Ability giving you jitters? Find out how to crack Verbal Ability section of XAT 2025 exam. Read key tips and tricks to solve XAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension questions.
XAT Preparation 2025: Highlights of Verbal Ability Section
- There will be 26 questions in this section of XAT.
- The difficulty level of Verbal Ability section of XAT has been invariably high over the years.
- In XAT VA section, the questions will be asked from Reading Comprehension, Fill in the Blanks, Critical Reasoning, Poem, Analogy, Antonym and Parajumbles.
- The RC sub-section of XAT exam will have four passage of more than 500 words having three questions each.
- There will be one short poem with two questions. The poem will be of moderate difficulty level.
Latest XAT VA sectional break-up
Presented below is the topic-wise break up of Verbal Ability section of XAT 2024. Candidates can expect the XAT 2025 question paper to have Verbal Ability questions on the same pattern.
| XAT Verbal Ability Topics |
Number of questions |
|---|---|
| 13 |
|
| 5 |
|
| Poem Comprehension |
2 |
| Grammar - Correct the sentence |
3 |
| 2 |
|
| Fill in the blanks – 3 sentences |
2 |
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There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.Given the structure of the Verbal Ability section of XAT, it is amply clear that Reading Comprehension carries 50 per cent weightage of the total VA section, like CAT. Let’s see what are the other aspects to keep in mind:
- The XAT VARC section is a mix of reading comprehension, critical reasoning and grammar.
- It tests the candidate’s reading as well as reasoning skills.
- The Reading Comprehension section is challenging and requires in-depth reading.
- One is required to read and understand long passages within a minute. So, pea
- To score well in this section, focused preparation of Reading Comprehension is required.
Also Read:
- XAT exam syllabus 2025
- XAT exam pattern 2025
- XAT question papers PDFs
- XAT 2025 preparation tips and strategy
How to Crack XAT Verbal Ability: Preparation Tips
- During XAT 2025 preparation, candidates must do extensive reading. It will not only help them in Reading Comprehension but also in Verbal Ability questions based on Vocabulary, Para Jumbles, Grammar and Reasoning.
- Read on a variety of topics. XAT passages are normally based on philosophy, history, psychology, art and culture. They are inference based. Thus, one needs have enough experience and practice of reading such passages.
- In the XAT exam, don’t do speed-reading. Remember the XAT passages are not fact-based that you can go through only the data and guess the correct answer. Read the whole passage calmly with your normal speed to understand key arguments presented in the passage.
- Some students have the habit of reading the question first and the passage afterwards. In XAT, this trick will also not work. You won’t want to go back and forth on the questions and the passage. Time is key in XAT, so save it.
- XAT has negative marking, so don’t spend too much time on one question. If it is taking too much time or you can’t unravel a part of the given passage, skip it. You also need to keep in mind that 0.10 marks will be deducted if you skip 8 consecutive questions.
- Total time duration of Part 1 of XAT is 170 minutes so, target completing VA section of XAT within 40 minutes. Sectional cut off is important in XAT so make sure to perform well in every section.
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Q: What is the XAT 2025 exam date?
XAT 2025 will be held on the first Sunday of January 2025, which is January 5. The exam date was officially announced by XLRI Jamshedpur on July 15, 2024. The announcement was made at the XATONLINE website. The exam will be held in 110 cities from 2 pm to 5:30 pm. The registration process will go on until December 10, 2024. Candidates are required to fill the online application form before the deadline to be eligible to appear for XAT 2025.
Online application submission only XAT fee is INR 2,200 for all candidates Fee to be submitted at the time of application form submission Graduation degree must for filling the XAT form (final year candidates can also apply).
Q: How will I know if I have converted the XLRI interview call or not?
Every candidate is informed by XLRI Jamshedpur about their selection via email. The interview round is held in February-March and the offer letter are sent to selected candidates in April-May. Those who would not receive the confirmation letter, may consider that they are not selected for admission. Candidates must keep a check on their emails. They must keep checking spam folders too. It is also very important use the correct and fully functional email ID for XAT registration as that is the main contact point for communication from the institute.
The admission authorities will consider both sectional and overall XAT score while shortlisting candidates for group discussion and personal interview round of XLRI admission. Candidates must perform well in all the sections of XAT exam as well as in the for group discussion and personal interview to be selected for admission.
Q: What are the XAT exam day guidelines?
Detailed guidelines will be mentioned in the XAT admit card. Here are a few general guidelines for you to know:
- Candidates are supposed to be at the centre at least an hour before the commencement of exam. Reach the XAT exam centre at the reporting time mentioned on the admit card.
- Affix your recent passport size photo in colour with preferable white background on the admit card.
- Do not carry electronic items, valuables and bags to the exam centre. These items are prohibited.
- Carry two copies of the XAT admit card and the original copy of a valid ID proof such as Aadhaar card, Voter ID card, Passport, PAN card, Driving License or University ID card.
- After entering the test lab, locate your seat and computer system. Do not start the computer system until the invigilator makes an announcement for the same.
Best Books for XAT Verbal Ability
For the preparation of Verbal Ability section of XAT 2025, candidates must study from the following books. These books contain topic wise explanations and practice exercises.
| Best Books for XAT |
Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| Word Power Made Easy |
Norman Lewis |
| Objective General English |
Dr RS Agarwal and Vikas Agarwal |
| High School English Grammar |
Wren & Martin |
| The Students' Companion Book |
D Best |
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XAT Sample Questions for Practice: Verbal Ability
We have mentioned below two questions from XAT 2018 question paper to provide you an idea of what type of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension questions may be asked in XAT 2025.
Question 1:
Please read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
If history doesn’t follow any stable rules, and if we cannot predict its future course, why study it? It often seems that the chief aim of science is to predict the future – meteorologists are expected to forecast whether tomorrow will bring rain or sunshine; economists should know whether devaluing the currency will avert or precipitate an economic crisis; good doctors foresee whether chemotherapy or radiation therapy will be more successful in curing lung cancer. Similarly, historians are asked to examine the actions of our ancestors so that we can repeat their wise decisions and avoid their mistakes. But it never works like that because the present is just too different from the past. It is a waste of time to study Hannibal’s tactics in the Second Punic War so as to copy them in the Third World War. What worked well in cavalry battles will not necessarily be of much benefit in cyber warfare. Science is not just about predicting the future, though. Scholars in all fields often seek to broaden our horizons, thereby opening before us new and unknown futures. This is especially true of history. Though historians occasionally try their hand at prophecy (without notable success), the study of history aims above all to make us aware of possibilities we don’t normally consider. Historians study the past not in order to repeat it, but in order to be liberated from it.
Each and every one of us has been born into a given historical reality, ruled by particular norms and values, and managed by a unique economic and political system. We take this reality for granted, thinking it is natural, inevitable and immutable. We forget that our world was created by an accidental chain of events, and that history shaped not only our technology, politics and society, but also our thoughts, fears and dreams. The cold hand of the past emerges from the grave of our ancestors, grips us by the neck and directs our gaze towards a single future. We have felt that grip from the moment we were born, so we assume that it is a natural and inescapable part of who we are. Therefore we seldom try to shake ourselves free, and envision alternative futures. Studying history aims to loosen the grip of the past. It enables us to turn our head this way and that, and begin to notice possibilities that our ancestors could not imagine, or didn’t want us to imagine. By observing the accidental chain of events that led us here, we realise how our very thoughts and dreams took shape – and we can begin to think and dream differently. Studying history will not tell us what to choose, but at least it gives us more options.
Based on the passage which of the following options would be the most appropriate for citizens to learn history?
(A) British names of streets in India should not be changed.
(B) Every street in India should display a plaque that lists all its previous names.
(C) British names of streets in India should be changed to Indian names along with an explanation of their history.
(D) Names of Indian streets should be based on suggestions generated through an opinion poll.
(E) Names of Indian streets should be periodically changed.
Question 2:
Carefully read the following paragraphs: The Lannisters had ______ gold than the Tyrells until the Lannister army sacked Highgarden and took the Tyrell fortune to pay back the Iron Bank. On the other hand, the Northern army has ______ than 10,000 men and therefore, Jon needs to bend the knee to Daenerys. What happens in the story next is dependent on George R. Martin, the writer of the series. For ______, he has not written anything further and we hope George R. Martin will get around to finishing the book _______. But as it happens, ________, book releases are delayed.
Fill in the blanks meaningfully, in the above paragraph, from the following options.
(A) less, fewer, some time, sometime, sometimes
(B) fewer, less, sometime, some time, sometimes
(C) less, fewer, sometime, some time, sometimes
(D) fewer, less, sometimes, sometime, some time
(E) fewer, less, some time, sometime, sometimes
Free XAT mock test by Shiksha
You can take the free XAT mock test below to know the types of questions asked, difficulty level of questions and your exam preparation level.
| XAT_Mock_Test_1 | XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| XAT_Mock_Test_2 | XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
Q: What are the items not allowed inside XAT exam centre?
XAT exam is conducted in online mode so you don’t have to carry any stationary item apart from a blue/black ball point pen which is to be used for signing the attendance sheet.
Candidates should not carry to the examination centre, electronic items such as phone, watch, IPad, calculator, pager, etc. They should also not carry any metal items. Clothes and accessories having metal and metal jewellery are also prohibited inside the examination centres. Caps, headgears, sunglasses, clothes with pocket and hoodies are not allowed at the XAT exam centre. Candidates must also not carry bags and any other valuable item as candidates will not be allowed to carry anything inside the exam centre apart from a pen and documents. There will be no arrangement for depositing the bag at the exam centre.
Q: What are the dos and don'ts for the XAT exam day?
XAT aspirants must follow the guideline as mentioned in the XAT admit card and the exam day instruction document
XAT Dos
- Carry a ballpoint pen, two copies of admit card, photo ID and a passport size photos.
- Be present at the XAT exam centre as per the reporting time mentioned on the admit card.
- Wear simple outfits like cardigans and sweaters without pockets.
- Submit a copy of XAT admit card and rough sheets to the invigilator before leaving the test lab.
XAT Don’ts
- Don’t carry paper, notebook, book or such items.
- Don’t carry electronic items such as mobile phones, pager, watch, ipad and calculator.
- Don’t carry eatables inside the exam venue (allowed for diabetic students with permission).
- Don’t reach the exam centre late. Gates will be closed 30 minutes before the commencement of exam.
- Don’t wear jewellery or any meta accessory on the exam day.
- Don’t carry leave the test lab before time or without permission.
- Don’t resist frisking or identification procedures at the exam centre.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 9 hours ago
Hii, The difficulty of XAT, CAT, or CMAT depends on individual aptitude and preparation, but generally:
- CAT: Considered the toughest, with high competition and emphasis on VARC, DILR, and Quant.
- XAT: Moderate, with an additional Decision-Making section and essay writing, testing analytical thinking.
- CM
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No, a college ID card is not considered valid for identity verification in the XAT 2025 exam. Acceptable documents typically include a government-issued photo ID such as an Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, passport, or driving license. Ensure your ID is original, valid, and matches the name on your
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade) admits students through XAT and GMAT scores other than the CAT scores for their MBA (International Business) program. Here are the respective :-
XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test):
The candidate using XAT can apply at IIFT for the MBA (IB). XAT is one of the tests
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
Sandip University accepts various national-level exams for MBA admissions, including XAT. The XAT 2025 dates have been released. As per that, the exam is scheduled to be held on 5 Jan, 2025. Moreover, the applications for the same are expected to be released in the middle of December 2024.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, candidates can apply for SAGE University MBA through the XAT exam. The registrations for the exam are open and will go on till Nov 30, 2024. The exam will take place on 5 Jan 2024. Candidates can apply and appear for the exam to get a seat in the university's MBA programme.
In addition to that,
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
SNU Noida accepts a wide range of national-level entrance tests for admissions to its MBA programme, including XAT. Those who wish to get admission via XAT, must register and appear for the exam. As per the official website, XAT 2025 is scheduled to be held on 5 Jan, 2024.
Note: The above-mentioned
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
XAT is one of the selection criteria for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme at DES Pune University. Other selection criteria include:
CAT, NMAT, GMAT, PERA, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, DES PU Entrance Exam, Group Discussion (GD), and Extempore.
To be eligible for the MBA program, candidat
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 3 weeks ago
As per the latest XAT schedule, the exam is scheduled to be held on Jan 5, 2025. This paper generally consists of three sections, namely Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, and Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation. The tentative last date to register for this exam is Nov 30, 2024.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
If we compare the entrance exams required for admission to DY Patil Talegaon, SB Patil Institute of Management and SIOM, we will see that only DY Patil Talegaon does not conduct admissions through XAT score and only uses the MAHCET score for admission.
SB Patil Institute of Management and SIOM conduc
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
There are no specific factors considered when calculating the XAT cutoff. However, to qualify for admission into the PGDM, PGDM Business Analytics, and MBA programmes at Globsyn Business School, prospective students need to hold a Bachelor’s degree (10+2+3) or equivalent from a recognised university
S
Contributor-Level 7
Which entrance exam is easy among XAT, CAT and CMAT for admission to MBA at Assam University?