The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most competitive entrance exams in India, particularly for MBA aspirants. While most students focus on quantitative aptitude and logical reasoning, many overlook the importance of grammar in the verbal ability section. Even a minor grammar mistake can impact your overall score, making it crucial to refine your language skills. Here are some common grammar mistakes to avoid while preparing for CAT.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
One of the most frequent grammar issues involves subject-verb agreement. This means the verb must agree with the subject in both number and person.
- Incorrect: The team are playing well.
- Correct: The team is playing well.
In the CAT, sentences with subject-verb disagreement often appear in error-spotting questions. Always ensure that singular subjects have singular verbs and plural subjects have plural verbs.
2. Misplaced Modifiers
Modifiers are words or phrases that provide more information about a subject. A misplaced modifier is one that is incorrectly placed in the sentence, leading to confusion.
- Incorrect: Running to catch the bus, my bag fell.
- Correct: Running to catch the bus, I dropped my bag.
In the CAT, identifying misplaced modifiers can help you quickly eliminate wrong options in sentence correction questions.
3. Wrong Use of Pronouns
Pronoun errors can be tricky. Ensure that the pronoun clearly refers to a specific noun and matches it in number and gender.
- Incorrect: Each of the students must submit their project.
- Correct: Each of the students must submit his or her project.
Mistakes in pronoun reference are common in CAT’s verbal ability section, so double-check for clarity and correctness.
4. Incorrect Tense Usage
Tense errors can distort the meaning of a sentence. Always maintain consistency in the use of tenses within a sentence or passage.
- Incorrect: I have studied for the exam last night.
- Correct: I studied for the exam last night.
Questions involving tense consistency often appear in sentence correction sections of CAT. Understanding when to use past, present, or future tense is crucial.
5. Confusing Homophones
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Confusing homophones can lead to silly errors that can cost you marks.
- Incorrect: Their are many options to choose from.
- Correct: There are many options to choose from.
Words like their/there, its/it's, and affect/effect often confuse test-takers. Be sure to use the correct word based on the context.
6. Faulty Parallelism
Parallelism is the use of consistent grammatical structures within a sentence. Faulty parallelism occurs when elements in a list or comparison don’t match in form.
- Incorrect: She likes reading, to jog, and watching movies.
- Correct: She likes reading, jogging, and watching movies.
CAT verbal questions may test your understanding of parallel structure, especially in sentence correction and fill-in-the-blank questions.
7. Preposition Mistakes
Prepositions are small but significant words in English grammar. Incorrect use of prepositions can change the entire meaning of a sentence.
- Incorrect: He is good in math.
- Correct: He is good at math.
Preposition usage is often tricky for non-native speakers, and preposition-related questions frequently appear in CAT’s verbal ability section.
8. Redundancy
Redundancy occurs when extra words or phrases are used unnecessarily, making the sentence longer and less clear.
- Incorrect: She returned back to the office.
- Correct: She returned to the office.
Eliminating redundancy is important, especially in the sentence correction part of CAT, where concise and clear answers are rewarded.
9. Comma Splices
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined with a comma without a coordinating conjunction.
- Incorrect: She loves running, it is her passion.
- Correct: She loves running, and it is her passion.
In CAT, improper punctuation is often tested through sentence correction, so understanding the correct use of commas can save you from common pitfalls.
Grammar plays a pivotal role in the verbal ability section of CAT, and mastering it can give you an edge. Avoiding these common mistakes can help improve your performance and score in the exam. Practice identifying and correcting these errors during your preparation to enhance your overall verbal ability. The key to success lies in attention to detail and consistent practice.
By steering clear of these common grammar pitfalls, you'll be better equipped to ace the CAT and secure your dream MBA program!
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