NMAT Language Skills Syllabus

Language Skills syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Language Skills in NMAT, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Reading Comprehension

   3 topics

   • Passage Reading Strategy
     • Skimming and scanning
     • Identifying main idea and structure
   • Question Types
     • Inference-based questions
     • Tone, purpose and attitude
     • Detail and vocabulary in context
   • Passage Genres
     • Business and economics passages
     • Science and abstract passages
2. 2

   Vocabulary

   4 topics

   • Synonyms and Antonyms
     • Word root and prefix analysis
     • Contextual meaning
   • Idioms and Phrases
     • Common business idioms
     • Phrasal verbs
   • Word Usage and Confusables
     • Commonly confused words
     • One-word substitution
   • Analogies
     • Word relationship types
     • Logical pairing
3. 3

   Grammar and Usage

   4 topics

   • Error Identification
     • Subject-verb agreement
     • Tense and modifier errors
     • Pronoun and preposition usage
   • Sentence Correction
     • Parallelism and redundancy
     • Idiomatic correctness
   • Fill in the Blanks
     • Single and double blanks
     • Contextual word choice
   • Cloze Test
     • Passage-based blank filling
     • Coherence and cohesion
4. 4

   Verbal Reasoning and Composition

   3 topics

   • Para Jumbles
     • Sentence sequencing
     • Identifying opening and closing sentences
   • Sentence Completion
     • Logical continuation
     • Connector-based completion
   • Paragraph Summary
     • Identifying core message
     • Eliminating distortions and extremes

Language Skills flashcards for NMAT

18 of 50 cards from the Language Skills deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In the NMAT Language Skills section, what is the recommended first step when approaching a Reading Comprehension passage?

   Skim the passage quickly to grasp the central idea, tone, and structure before reading the questions, then do a focused second read to locate specific details.

2. What reading strategy involves reading the questions first and then scanning the passage for answers?

   The question-first (or 'reverse') approach, useful for detail/factual questions to locate keywords quickly, though less effective for inference and main-idea questions.

3. Differentiate skimming from scanning as RC reading techniques.

   Skimming is fast reading to get the overall gist and main idea; scanning is searching the text for specific information such as a name, date, or keyword.

4. How should you tackle the main idea or central theme question in a passage?

   Identify the recurring topic, the author's overall purpose, and the conclusion; choose the option that covers the whole passage, not just one paragraph or a minor detail.

5. What are the major question types found in NMAT Reading Comprehension?

   Main idea/central theme, factual/detail, inference, vocabulary-in-context, tone/attitude, purpose of the author, and title-of-the-passage questions.

6. How does an inference question differ from a fact/detail question in RC?

   A detail question is answered directly from text; an inference question requires drawing a logical conclusion implied but not explicitly stated in the passage.

7. What is a 'tone' question in RC asking you to identify?

   The author's attitude or emotional stance toward the subject (e.g., critical, sarcastic, optimistic, objective, analytical, sympathetic).

8. For a vocabulary-in-context question, how do you choose the correct meaning of a word?

   Substitute each option into the sentence and pick the meaning that fits the context, rather than relying only on the word's most common dictionary definition.

9. What are the common genres of passages seen in NMAT RC?

   Business/economics, science and technology, social sciences, philosophy/abstract, history, and current affairs or general-interest passages.

10. How should reading strategy adapt to an abstract/philosophical passage versus a factual science passage?

    For abstract passages, focus on tracking arguments, logic flow, and the author's viewpoint; for factual science passages, focus on locating data, definitions, and cause-effect relationships.

11. Define a synonym.

    A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word (e.g., 'happy' and 'joyful').

12. Define an antonym.

    A word that has the opposite meaning of another word (e.g., 'hot' and 'cold').

13. What is the synonym of the word 'abate'?

    To decrease, diminish, or subside (e.g., the storm began to abate).

14. What is the antonym of 'benevolent'?

    Malevolent (also cruel, hostile, or unkind).

15. What is the meaning of the word 'ephemeral'?

    Lasting for a very short time; short-lived or transitory.

16. Define an idiom.

    A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of its individual words (e.g., 'kick the bucket' means to die).

17. What does the idiom 'a blessing in disguise' mean?

    Something that seems bad or unlucky at first but results in something good.

18. What does the idiom 'to bite the bullet' mean?

    To force oneself to endure or face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage.

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