CDS Reading Comprehension Tips

The CDS exam pattern is prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission. The CDS Selection Process is divided into two stages:

1. Written examination
2. SSB Interview

The written examination of CDS is further divided into parts.

• For IMA, INA and AFA, the written test comprises three sections, i.e. English, General Knowledge and Elementary Mathematics.
• For OTA, there are two sections in the written exam, i.e. English and General Knowledge.

From the above statements, it is evident that English is one of the major subjects in the written test, and various topics under it are crucial to scoring well in the CDS examination.

The questions in the English section of the CDS exam are designed to test the candidate’s understanding of basic grammar, vocabulary and knowledge of English.

In this article, let’s learn about some of the tips and strategies to ace the comprehension section in the English language. This section is critical as it needs to be well-understood to be answered.

Check the detailed CDS syllabus in the linked article.

English Language important concepts

Questions in this section are framed from the following topics: Antonyms

1. Sentence improvement
2. Comprehension
3. Synonyms & Antonyms
4. Word substitution
5. Ordering of sentences
6. Spotting Errors
7. Selecting Words
8. Ordering of words in a sentence

Tips & Strategies to score well in Reading Comprehension Section

Reading comprehension is made up of two words: reading (studying) and comprehension (the capacity to grasp something). So, as the name implies, it entirely refers to the study of a passage or a paragraph in order to comprehend what the author or writer is attempting to portray.

This component is included in the exam to evaluate an individual’s reading skills in a certain time period and to determine whether or not the applicants can absorb it effectively and properly.

If aspirants are well-prepared with an effective strategy for this section, they can easily solve 90% – 97% of the questions with 100% accuracy.

CDS Reading Comprehension Strategies & Tips

1. Examine the various types of questions. This is because questions are asked from the vocabulary section, the title of the book, idioms and phrases, or the tone of the section in each passage. Start solving these types of questions as these questions are both scoring and time-saving.
2. Take time to read and understand the passage. Don’t just keep reading; attempt to grasp what the author is saying while also marking a few keywords, ideas, and phrases that you believe are essential and will help you answer the questions.
3. Prior to reading the chapter, scroll over the questions on the paper and keep the questions in mind. This will make it easier to find answers while reading the passage.
4. Try not to cram every line of the passage. Only memorise what you believe will be useful in answering questions. Read the first and last sentences attentively, then attempt to grasp the essence of the paragraph and respond properly.
5. Just remember that not all of the questions are challenging. Some of the questions are straightforward, while others rely on inference. If a collection has four questions, two of them will be direct, one will be moderate, and one will be reliant on inference. Look for such sets, then continue by addressing the direct one. This will boost your self-assurance and enable you to finish the inference-based problem faster.
6. Don’t focus all of your attention on one question. Try solving by removing options if you can’t discover the right answer, or go on to the next set of problems.
7. Examine the instructions carefully to determine if antonyms or synonyms are required. Choose your decision carefully because some possibilities may seem too similar.
8. Don’t always take the literal meaning of the phrases; metaphorical connotations are occasionally utilised. So look at how the words are utilised in the paragraph and then answer.
9. After you’ve finished all of the questions, go through your answers again. Examine the questions where you had doubts and try again. This will assist you in boosting your accuracy.
10. Develop the habit of reading the newspaper, particularly the editorial section. Continuous reading will increase your comprehension abilities while also allowing you to swiftly summarise what is presented in the article, allowing you to save time during tests and attempt the maximum number of questions in the shortest amount of time.