English Language
Error Spotting – Subject-Verb Agreement — Identify the subject nucleus by crossing out prepositional phrases. "The box of chocolates ARE" → cross out "of chocolates" → "The box ARE" sounds wrong, so use IS.
Para Jumbles – Mandatory Pair Technique — Find sentences with pronouns (he/she/it/they) and match with their antecedent noun in another sentence; these form mandatory pairs that must be consecutive.
Cloze Test – Connector Words — FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So) for coordinating conjunctions; BAT-WAS (Because, Although, Though, While, After, Since) for subordinating—helps predict relationship between clauses.
One-word Substitution – Common Phobias/Manias — Hydro=water, Xeno=stranger, Acro=heights, Claustro=closed spaces, Pyro=fire; Megalo=grandeur, Biblio=books, Klepto=stealing. Match prefix to answer instantly.
Idioms – Body Parts Pattern — "Cost an ARM AND A LEG" (expensive), "HEAD over heels" (love), "Break a LEG" (good luck), "Cold FEET" (nervous)—body part idioms often mean something unrelated to anatomy.
Numerical Ability
Divisibility by 11 — Subtract alternating digit sums: 8547 → (8+4) - (5+7) = 0, divisible by 11. Quick check for factorization problems.
Percentage-Fraction Equivalents — 12.5%=⅛, 16.67%=⅙, 20%=⅕, 25%=¼, 33.33%=⅓, 66.67%=⅔, 87.5%=⅞. Convert instantly instead of calculating.
Time and Work – Combined Work Formula — If A finishes in 'a' days, B in 'b' days, together = ab/(a+b) days. For 12 and 15 days: 12×15/(12+15) = 180/27 = 6.67 days.
Speed-Distance – Relative Speed — Same direction: subtract speeds. Opposite direction: add speeds. Crossing trains/overtaking uses this principle directly.
Profit & Loss – Successive Discounts — Two discounts x% and y%: Net = x + y - xy/100. For 20% + 10%: 20+10-200/100 = 28% (not 30%).
Simple Interest Shortcut — SI = PRT/100, so for principal P at R% for T years, interest = P × R × T ÷ 100. If doubled time, SI doubles; CI doesn't.
Mixture-Alligation Rule of Thumb — Draw X diagram: cheaper price top-left, dearer top-right, mean price center, differences cross-multiplied give ratio. Visual method faster than algebra.
Average – New Member Formula — New average = Old avg + (Difference × Number joining) ÷ New total. Saves recalculation when members added/removed.
Data Interpretation – Percentage Approximation — For 47% of 832, use 50% (halve) and subtract 3%: 416 - 25 ≈ 391. Round to nearest easy fraction first.
Reasoning Ability
Blood Relations – Generation Trick — Draw vertical lines for generations: grandparent top, parent middle, self bottom. Horizontal = same generation (siblings/cousins). Solves "nephew of brother's daughter" instantly.
Direction Sense – NESW Clock — Visualize clock: 12=N, 3=E, 6=S, 9=W. Right turn = clockwise, left = anticlockwise. Two right turns = 180° = opposite direction.
Coding-Decoding – Positional Values — A=1, Z=26. Reverse: A=26, Z=1. For letter shifts: EJOTY pattern (positions 5,10,15,20,25) are vowels in alphabet.
Syllogism – Venn Diagram Method — "All A are B" = A circle inside B. "Some A are B" = overlapping circles. "No A are B" = separate circles. Draw to avoid verbal confusion.
Seating Arrangement – Fixed Reference Point — Always start with the most restrictive condition (e.g., "A sits at extreme left" or "B opposite C"). Mark this first, build outward.
Inequalities – Conclusion Shortcut — A≥B≥C means A≥C (always true), A>C (may/may not). "Greater than or equal" includes equality; eliminate extreme conclusions first.
Alphanumeric Series – Pattern Types — Check: +consecutive numbers (+2,+3,+4), ×/÷ pattern, prime numbers, squares (1,4,9,16,25), cubes (1,8,27,64). Test these five first.
Puzzles – Negative Information Priority — Statements saying "A is NOT with B" eliminate more possibilities than positive statements. Use these constraints first to narrow the grid.