Best Books for CAT 2026 Preparation for VARC
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Content Curator | Updated On - Aug 17, 2026
The best books such as Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis and High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin for CAT 2026 VARC preparation should help candidates strengthen vocabulary, grammar, Reading Comprehension, and Verbal Ability skills.
- The CAT 2026 VARC syllabus is divided into Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability, passage interpretation, Para Jumbles, Para Summary, and Odd Sentence Out.
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis is recommended for vocabulary, while High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin can be used to strengthen grammar fundamentals.
- A Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability Practice Book can be used for practising RC passages, VA questions, and concept-based exercises.
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Key Summary
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CAT 2026 Syllabus for VARC
The CAT 2026 VARC syllabus is broadly divided into Reading Comprehension (RC) and Verbal Ability (VA). Reading Comprehension focuses on understanding and analysing passages, while Verbal Ability tests a candidate’s ability to understand the structure and meaning of sentences and paragraphs.
Reading Comprehension (RC)
CAT VARC includes passages from different areas and tests a candidate’s ability to interpret, analyse and draw conclusions from the given information.
- Main Idea and Central Theme
- Supporting Ideas
- Inference-Based Questions
- Author’s Tone and Perspective
- Purpose of the Passage
- Arguments and Statements
- Passage-Based Interpretation
Verbal Ability (VA)
The Verbal Ability section includes questions that test sentence arrangement, paragraph understanding and summarisation skills.
- Para Jumbles
- Para Summary
- Odd Sentence Out
- Paragraph Completion
- Sentence and Paragraph Structure
| CAT 2026 VARC Section | Major Topics |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Main Idea, Inference, Tone, Purpose, Arguments, Passage Interpretation |
| Verbal Ability | Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd Sentence Out, Paragraph Completion |
Best Books for CAT 2026 Preparation for VARC
The following books were recommended for vocabulary, grammar, and Reading Comprehension preparation.
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin
- Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability Practice Book
A dedicated Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability Practice Book helps candidates strengthen both concepts and question-solving skills.
- According to the source material, candidates can use a practice book that provides detailed concept explanations along with Reading Comprehension passages and Verbal Ability questions.
| Book | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Word Power Made Easy - Norman Lewis | Vocabulary Building |
| High School English Grammar & Composition - Wren & Martin | Grammar Concepts |
| Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability Practice Book | RC Practice, VA Questions and Concept Building |
CAT VARC Topic Wise Weightage
The CAT VARC section primarily covers Reading Comprehension (RC) and Verbal Ability (VA). The weightage is generally higher for Reading Comprehension, while Verbal Ability includes Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd Sentence Out and other paragraph-based questions.
| Topic | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Highest |
| Para Summary | Moderate |
| Para Jumbles | Moderate |
| Odd Sentence Out | Moderate |
| Paragraph Completion | Moderate |
FAQs
Ques. Which is the best book for improving my vocabulary for CAT 2026 VARC?
Ans. Building your vocabulary is one of the key elements of preparing for the VARC section of CAT.
- Norman Lewis's 'Word Power Made Easy' has been a go-to resource for vocabulary preparation for several years.
- Candidates must consistently work on developing their vocabulary while doing practice questions on Reading Comprehension as well.
Ques. Which is the best grammar book for CAT 2026 VARC preparation?
Ans. It is necessary to have a good understanding of grammar for verbal ability.
- High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin is the highly recommended grammar reference.
- Candidates must first work on grammar fundamentals before tackling complicated questions.
Ques. When is it appropriate to start taking mocks for CAT 2026 VARC?
Ans. Before starting the practice of mocks, a good understanding of the concepts is necessary.
- Candidates are advised to do topic-based tests as well as section-wise tests before moving on to the full-lengthCAT mocks.
- Mocks have to be used effectively to check one's speed, accuracy and test management strategy.
Ques. Is it good to use different books for CAT 2026 VARC preparation?
Ans. Referring to multiple books at the same time tends to cause disorientation during preparation.
- Pick a trustworthy book as a reference rather than going for multiple ones.
- Fundamentally completing the whole book before moving on to a different topic or subject.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.