A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning: Complete Guide

Introduction

• Reasoning decides your speed and score in SSC, Banking, Railways, Insurance, and Defence.
• “A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning” is the standard reference.
• This guide gives topic map, study plan, shortcuts, and practice sets.
• भाषा सरल है ताकि हिंदी और English दोनों विद्यार्थियों को समझ आए.

About the Book

• Author: Dr R S Aggarwal
• Publisher: S Chand Publishing
• Target exams: SSC CGL, CHSL, CPO, GD. IBPS PO, Clerk. RRB NTPC, Group D. Insurance AO/Assistant. Defence and State PSC.
• Level: Basic to advanced, with graded exercises
• Format: Concept, solved examples, practice sets

How This Guide Works

• Learn topics in the order below.
• Practice daily with a timer.
• Track accuracy and time per question.
• Revise shortcuts every 2 to 3 days.
• Attempt mixed mock sets on weekends.

Content Map, Step by Step

A) Verbal Reasoning Topics
• Coding-Decoding (कोडिंग-डिकोडिंग): letter shifting, substitution, matrix coding
• Blood Relations (रक्त संबंध): family trees, generational gaps
• Direction Sense (दिशा ज्ञान): turns, distance, relative position
• Syllogism (न्याय निष्कर्ष): Venn logic, only vs all, some vs none
• Number Series (श्रृंखला): difference, ratio, squares, cubes, alternating
• Seating Arrangement (व्यवस्था): linear, circular, facing in or out
• Statements and Assumptions/Conclusions (कथन-अनुमान): strong vs weak, implicit ideas
• Cause and Effect, Course of Action, Decision Making
• Analogy and Classification (समरूपता, वर्गीकरण)

B) Non-Verbal Reasoning Topics
• Series Completion (चित्र श्रृंखला)
• Mirror and Water Images (दर्पण, जल प्रतिबिंब)
• Paper Folding and Cutting (कागज़ मोड़-काट)
• Embedded Figures (छिपे चित्र)
• Cube and Dice (घन, पासा)
• Figure Analogy, Figure Classification
• Counting Lines, Triangles, Squares
• Pattern Completion

Why Learners Prefer This Book

• Clear step sequence from idea to practice.
• Many solved examples.
• Variety across exam styles.
• Good for self-study with limited guidance.

30-Day Plan

Study Strategy, Day by Day

Week 1, Basics and Speed

• Day 1: Number Series. Learn difference, double difference, squares. 60 minutes practice.
• Day 2: Coding-Decoding. Focus letter shifts. 45 minutes.
• Day 3: Blood Relations. Draw family tree. 45 minutes.
• Day 4: Direction Sense. Compass sketch. 45 minutes.
• Day 5: Analogy and Classification. 45 minutes.
• Day 6: Quick revision. 1 mixed set of 25 questions in 25 minutes.
• Day 7: Mock set 1, 50 questions, target 45 minutes. Review errors.

Week 2, Logic Core

• Day 8: Syllogism basics. Venn sketching.
• Day 9: Syllogism advanced. Only A are B, few, possibility.
• Day 10: Statement-Assumption. Spot hidden belief.
• Day 11: Statement-Conclusion. Strong vs weak.
• Day 12: Course of Action, Cause-Effect.
• Day 13: Seating Arrangements, linear.
• Day 14: Seating Arrangements, circular. Mock set 2.

Week 3, Non-Verbal Block

• Day 15: Figure Series.
• Day 16: Mirror and Water Images.
• Day 17: Paper Folding and Cutting.
• Day 18: Embedded Figures.
• Day 19: Cube and Dice.
• Day 20: Counting figures.
• Day 21: Mock set 3. Full mixed paper.

Week 4, Exam Mode

• Day 22: High-yield verbal mix.
• Day 23: High-yield non-verbal mix.
• Day 24: Shortcuts and error log review.
• Day 25: Mock set 4, section-wise.
• Day 26: Mock set 5, full length.
• Day 27: Analyze weak topics. Relearn rules.
• Day 28: Mock set 6.
• Day 29: Formula and rule sheet only. Light practice.
• Day 30: Final drill. 50 questions in 40 minutes.

Topic-Wise Quick Methods

Verbal

• Number Series: check difference, ratio, squares/cubes, alternating, prime jumps.
• Coding-Decoding: map A-Z to 1-26. Note forward or backward shift. Spot vowel-consonant patterns.
• Blood Relations: convert words to a tree. Use symbols for male, female, unknown.
• Direction Sense: draw small axes. Use Pythagoras for shortest path.
• Syllogism: draw Venn circles. Test each conclusion separately. “Only” flips roles.
• Seating: fix positions with variables. Use a table, not prose. Mark left-right facing first.

Non-Verbal

• Mirror Image: left-right swap only. Up-down same.
• Water Image: up-down flip only. Left-right same.
• Paper Folding: fold lines create symmetry. Cut reflects across folds.
• Embedded Figures: trace with pencil tip on screen/paper.
• Cube: opposite faces stay opposite after cuts.
• Dice: standard opposite pairs often 1-6, 2-5, 3-4 in many sets. Verify from net.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Guessing without diagram in blood relations and seating.
• Ignoring “only,” “at least,” “at most” in logic.
• Overlooking alternating patterns in series.
• No stopwatch during practice.
• Skipping review of error log.

Books and Authors MCQs 2025: Important Questions for Competitive Exams

Exam-Wise Weight Hint

• SSC: series, analogy, classification, syllogism, seating, non-verbal figures.
• Banking: inequality, syllogism, coding, arrangement, puzzles.
• Railways: non-verbal figures, series, analogy, direction.

Practice Set, Verbal, 10 Questions

1. Find the next number: 3, 9, 27, 81, ?
2. Difference pattern: 7, 12, 20, 33, 53, ?
3. Coding: If LION → MJPO, TIGER → UJHFS, then BEAR → ?
4. Blood relation: A is brother of B. B is daughter of C. D is wife of C. Relation of A to D?
5. Direction: A walks 4 km east, 3 km south, 4 km west. Distance from start?
6. Syllogism: Statements, All pens are blue. Some blue are costly. Conclusions, I Some pens are costly. II Some costly are pens.
7. Seating linear: Six people P Q R S T U sit in a row facing north. Q sits third left of T. R immediate right of Q. Two between R and P. S not at any end. Who is at extreme right?
8. Analogy: Tree, Leaf :: Book, ?
9. Statement-Assumption: “Coaching X reduced fees to attract students.” Assumption?
10. Classification odd one out: 2, 8, 18, 32, 50

Answers, Verbal

1. 243
2. 80
3. CFBT
4. Son of D or Brother-in-law of D depends on gender of A. Minimum definite, Child of D
5. 3 km
6. I follows, II does not follow
7. T
8. Page
9. Students prefer lower fees
10. 18

60 Tough Direction Reasoning MCQs for Competitive Exams

Practice Set, Non-Verbal,

Describe the action to reach the answer. Use a notebook.

1. Figure series with a square rotating 90° each step. Find step 5.
2. Mirror image of “pqbd”. Choose the correct option.
3. Paper folded once vertically, one triangular cut near top edge, then opened. Count shapes.
4. Find the embedded triangle inside a complex star.
5. Select the water image of a cup logo.
6. Complete pattern where dots move clockwise by one vertex each step.
7. Cube with faces colored R, G, B, Y, W, K. After slicing into 8 small cubes, how many show exactly three colors?
8. Dice: opposite pairs given as 1-6, 2-5, 3-4. If adjacent faces show 2 and 3, which face never appears opposite them together?
9. Count total squares in a 4×4 grid.
10. Picture analogy, circle inside square :: triangle inside ?

Answers, Non-Verbal

1. Square shows next 90° orientation
2. Mirror swaps left-right, so “pqbd” reverses with letter shapes mirrored
3. Two triangles symmetrically on both halves
4. Specific small triangle highlighted inside star
5. Water image flips up-down
6. Next dot moves to next vertex clockwise
7. 8 small corner cubes show three colors
8. Face 5 never opposite both 2 and 3 together
9. 30
10. triangle inside rectangle

Quick Revision Sheet

Verbal Rules
• Series checks in order, difference, ratio, square, cube, alternating.
• Syllogism, draw Venn, treat “only A are B” as B subset A.
• Seating, fix orientation first, then positions.
• Direction, use coordinate sketch, apply 3-4-5 and 5-12-13.

Top Books Quiz Questions and Answers 2025 for Competitive Exams

Non-Verbal Rules
• Mirror, left-right swap. Water, up-down swap.
• Paper folding reflects cuts.
• Cube corners give three-face paints.
• Count figures method, nested counts, use formula n(n+1)(2n+1)/6 for squares in n×n.

Daily Routine
• 25 questions in 25 minutes each morning.
• 15 minutes error log.
• 15 minutes shortcut revision.
• 2 mixed mocks per week.

Tracking Sheet, What to Record
• Topic, questions attempted, correct, time, notes on traps.
• New patterns, new shortcuts.
• Next action for weak areas.

Best Companion Books
• Analytical Reasoning, M K Pandey, for logical chapters.
• A New Approach to Reasoning, B S Sijwali and Indu Sijwali, for variety.

On-Page SEO Checklist
• Use H1 for the main title.
• Use H2 for Verbal and Non-Verbal sections.
• Add FAQ section with keywords.
• Add internal links to “Number Series Tricks,” “Syllogism Rules,” “Seating Arrangement Guide.”
• Use an image with alt text, verbal and non verbal reasoning guide.
• Keep paragraphs short.
• Place primary keyword in the first 100 words and in one H2.
• Add a table of contents near the top.
• Use schema for FAQ.

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FAQ

Call to Action

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