MAT 2026 Preparation Tips for Language Comprehension & Verbal Ability

MATLanguage Comprehension mostly has grammar and vocabulary questions. Read this article to know how to prepare for MAT Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability section. 

MAT Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability is moderately difficult. This section aims to test English language comprehension, vocabulary and verbal ability of the candidates. It has 30 MCQs from Verbal Ability, Vocabulary, English Grammar and Reading Comprehension.

To prepare for Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability section of MAT 2026, practice previous years RC passages and focus on Grammar. If your English skills are good, you may need less time to prepare for this section, but if your English is not strong, you need to start preparation early on. MAT is conducted in February, May, September and December. If your English is weak, opt for a MAT session which is at least 6 months away.

If you don’t read books, start it. Only MAT books and mock tests will not help in cracking this section. Read English books and magazines of various genres to learn new words and idioms. Every time you come across a new word or expression, check its meaning, etymology, antonym and synonyms. Retaining information while reading long paragraphs is critical. Regular reading will help in developing this skill.

Additionally, practice previous years’ MAT question papers and sample papers to check English proficiency. The Reading Comprehension passages of MAT exam are inference based. You need to have the practice of quick reading and spotting the answer. In this article, we will discuss MAT 2026 preparation strategy for Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability.

MAT Exam Preparation 2026: Language Comprehension & Verbal Ability Topics

To make a MAT preparation plan for English, know the important topics of focus. Questions in MAT Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability section are based on the following topics:

1. Word analogies
2. Vocabulary with questions on antonyms and synonyms
3. Rearranging sentences
4. Reading comprehension
5. Sentence completion

Unlike CAT, the MAT is not dominated by RC passages. It has a good mix of both Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. So, you will need to focus on both parts equally. 

MAT Language Comprehension Preparation: Best Books for Verbal Ability

Since MAT and CAT syllabi have common topics, you can refer CAT books for MAT preparation. Check below some MAT books that you can refer for Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability:

Also Read:

• MAT 2026 syllabus; section wise
• MAT 2026 exam pattern and test structure
• MAT books and study material for preparation

MAT Exam Preparation for Language Comprehension

MAT 2026 Exam: Language Comprehension & Verbal Ability

MAT Preparation Tips for Reading Comprehension

There are usually 3-4 RC passages having 4 questions each. That makes up for 50% of the total questions in this section. MAT Reading Comprehension passages are short (300-500 words approximately) and they contain direct questions based on the given passages. All the passages are more or less easy to moderate in terms of difficulty. One needs to practice passages from various areas like history, sociology, and science & technology, etc. for MAT. Focus on the following three key aspects to upgrade skills for Reading Comprehension section.

In the Verbal Ability section of MAT 2026, most of the questions will be related to the essence of the passage or the logical flow of the passage. To crack this section of MAT exam 2026, break the passages into three parts – conclusion, facts and assumptions. Rephrase passages into simple words to understand the essence. This will help in weeding out confusing statements and irrelevant data.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary questions are based on synonyms, antonyms, meaning of idioms and phrases, one word substitution, similar sounding word and fill in the blanks. Practice test will be enough to prepare for MAT vocabulary.

Sentence Rearrangement & Completion

Sentence rearrangement and completion is also about understanding the flow of the argument. Grammar is key as it is important that candidates understand the context and meaning of the options provided as options.

MAT Language Comprehension: Practice of Mock Tests

Practising MAT mock tests and sample questions from Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability section is critical to MAT 2026 preparation as it helps you assess your strengths and weaknesses thereby guiding you in modifying your preparation plan if required. Your hold on Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning and Grammar will improve only by practicing sample questions. Mock test series and sample questions are a good source of improving performance in RC passages. Time-bound MAT mock tests, will provide you practice of reading 500-word passages in short time without missing out on important points.

MAT exam does not have sectional time-limit, but for a better time management, we recommend that students invest not more than 30 minutes on Language Comprehension and Verbal Ability section. In comparison to CAT, XAT and SNAP, MAT is easier to crack if you follow a strategy focused on scoring maximum marks. Practice of MAT mock test is highly recommended because then the MAT exam will be just another mock test for you.

Last but not the least, any exam mainly checks student's memory and ability to retain information. Thus, greater the power to recall information, better are the chances to score high in the exam. For this, we recommend playing brain teasers and memory booster games based on English vocabulary and grammar in your leisure time to help you exercise your brain muscles. These games are easily available on the internet.

Read More:

• MAT 2026 preparation for Intelligence & Critical Reasoning
• MAT 2026 preparation for Mathematical Skills
• MAT 2026 preparation for Data Analysis and Sufficiency
• Is MAT tougher than CMAT? Know key differences
• Last minute tips to crack MAT exam 2026