ATMA Verbal Skills Syllabus: Important Topics, Download PDF

Shubhangini Priyadarshi

Updated on - Oct 16, 2025

Table of Contents

ATMA VARC Syllabus Overview
Topic-wise Breakdown of ATMA Verbal Skills Syllabus
Preparation Tips for ATMA Verbal Skills Section
Recommended Books for ATMA Verbal Skills Preparation
Conclusion

The ATMA Verbal Skills Syllabus 2025 is designed to test your knowledge of written English, Grammar and the capability to draw information out of passages and sentences. The test consists of two distinct Verbal Skills parts, each of which has 30 questions and must be answered within 30 minutes. Together, they contribute 60 out of 180 questions, so the verbal ability is one of the determining factors that can improve your overall percentile in the ATMA Exam 2025.

One needs a good hold in reading comprehension, vocabulary, sentence structure and logical flow of thoughts to achieve good scores. You can find the topic-wise ATMA VARC syllabus analysis, preparation strategies and the best books to refer to for the upcoming exam.

ATMA VARC Syllabus Overview

The Verbal Skills section in ATMA syllabus 2025 plays a significant role in the determination of your understanding and application of the English language. This section will test your reading skills, grammar knowledge, vocabulary and your ability to use words and form a logical sentence structure.

In the test, you will encounter two independent Verbal Skills components, counting a total of 60 questions in the whole 180. The duration of each section is 30 minutes and each question marks one mark. A wrong answer results in a deduction of 0.25 marks. In order to score well in this section you have to concentrate on reading comprehension, sentence corrections, synonyms, antonyms and rearranging jumbled sentences.

Feature	Details
Total Verbal Skills Sections	2
Total Questions	60 (30 in each section)
Time Limit	30 minutes per section
Total Marks	60
Marking Scheme	+1 for correct, -0.25 for wrong
Question Type	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Focus Areas	Grammar, Vocabulary, RC, Jumbles

Topic-wise Breakdown of ATMA Verbal Skills Syllabus

To prepare well for the ATMA Verbal Skills section, you should know the various topics covered there. These topics are framed to assess the competence with which you read, comprehend and react to written English. Vocabulary enhancement, consistent practice in reading and acquaintance with the logic in sentence formation are the secrets to performing well in the Verbal Skills section.

Below is an ATMA topic-wise syllabus to guide you in preparation.

ATMA VARC Topics	What It Covers	Question Types Included
Reading Comprehension	Passages testing your understanding, inference and vocabulary	Passage-based MCQs, inference, tone and vocabulary questions
Grammar and Sentence Correction	Tense usage, articles, voice, modifiers, prepositions, subject-verb agreement	Sentence correction, error identification, fill in the blanks
Vocabulary	Word meanings, synonyms, antonyms, usage in context	Synonyms, antonyms, word usage questions
Para Jumbles	Rearranging jumbled sentences into a meaningful paragraph	Jumbled sentence sequencing
Sentence Completion	Choosing the right words to complete the sentence meaningfully	Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary or structure
One-word Substitution	Substituting a phrase or definition with a single suitable word	MCQs or direct substitution questions
Analogies	Identifying logical relationships between word pairs	Pair-based analogy MCQs
Idioms and Phrases	Recognising and using idiomatic expressions correctly	Meaning-based MCQs or sentence completion using idioms
12 Tenses	Forms, identification and usage rules for all English tenses	Error spotting, tense correction, sentence transformation
Letter Writing	Format, language tone and types of formal and informal letters	Theory-based questions or practical application in writing tasks
Nouns	Common, proper, abstract, collective nouns, exceptions and countability	Grammar MCQs, error correction and classification questions

ATMA Verbal Skills Topic-Wise Weightage and Difficulty Level

To prepare effectively for the ATMA Verbal Skills Syllabus 2025, it is important to understand the types of questions you will face, how many of each type appears in the exam along with how difficult they are expected to be. This helps you focus your preparation as well as manage time during the exam. The sectional division of the Verbal skills section as per the ATMA exam pattern is as follows:

ATMA Important Topic	Number of Questions	ATMA Difficulty Level
Jumbled Paragraph	6	Easy to Moderate
Sentence Not Contributing to Main Idea	1	Easy
Sentence Starters	2	Moderate
Antonym–Synonym Pairs	3	Moderate
Reading Comprehension (5 Passages)	30	Easy to Moderate
Fill in the Blanks	6	Easy to Moderate
Cloze	4	Moderate
Correct Statement	1	Easy
Part of the Sentence with an Error	4	Easy
Incorrect Word or Phrase	3	Easy

Preparation Tips for ATMA Verbal Skills Section

Some of the best ATMA preparation tips 2025 for the ATMA Verbal Skills Syllabus 2025 has been shared below for your reference:

ATMA Prep Tips	How to Execute
Improve Your Reading Habit Through Newspapers and Journals	Begin reading editorial pages of renowned newspapers like The Hindu, Indian Express or The Guardian. These editorials help you improve your vocabulary, identify sentence structure and make tone and purpose choices—skills that are critical in solving reading comprehension and sentence questions. Jot down unknown words while reading, check their meanings and try to use them in sentences. Reading at least two articles daily and summarizing them in your own words is a healthy habit. It improves your recall and sharpens your analyzing skills.
Practice Reading Comprehension Every Day	Choose passages on different topics—business, science, politics or philosophy—to acclimatize your brain to adapt to different writing styles. When you read every passage, try to arrive at the gist and tone. Practice answering fact and inference questions. Practice under the timer to replicate exam conditions. You must try to read the passage within four minutes and answer questions in two to three minutes. Be precise and do not rush since options are extremely similar and confusing.
Develop a Personalized Vocabulary Notebook	Don't memorize lists of words blindly, but keep your own vocabulary notebook. When you come across a new word, jot down its definition, example sentence usage, part of speech and synonym or antonym. Review this notebook every now and then and quiz yourself every week to commit it to memory. Be familiar with root words and word families as well. For example, from the root "bene" (meaning good), you get words like benefit, benevolent, benefactor. This strategy makes learning vocabulary easy and logical.
Learn Grammar Rules through Examples	Start with basics such as parts of speech, clauses, phrases and active-passive voice. Use grammar workbooks or quality websites such as Grammarly, Purdue OWL or British Council to learn rules correctly. Don't just read grammar rules—implement them with examples. Construct your own sentences to make your concept stronger. In mock tests or sample papers, read through any grammar-related mistakes carefully to understand your weak points and work on them.
Learn to Approach Para Jumbles and Sentence Starters Logically	Search for the first sentence by finding the subject and context. Search for required pairs—sentences that cohere logically. Use transition words like however, moreover, although or therefore to guide you through the sequence. Choose options that cohere logically with the sentence given. The secret is to read carefully and identify the overall message. Practice at least five of such questions daily and look over your answers to identify where you made mistakes.
Try Sectional Quizzes and Mock Tests Periodically	Begin with topic-wise practice, followed by sectional tests and then full-length ATMA mocks. Analyze your performance with every mock test. Not only look at the score, but also time taken per question, the kinds of questions you are weak at and accuracy. Use the information to enhance your preparation. If you are weak at Cloze Tests or RC, devote more time to them. Attempt at least two full mocks a week in the final month of the exam.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in ATMA Verbal Skills Section

Even the most well-prepared candidate loses points on the ATMA Verbal Skills and Reading Comprehension part of the exam because of unavoidable errors. Having knowledge of these errors in advance may allow you to try the paper more cautiously and strategically. Preparation is not the goal alone, but preparation with perception as well. Here are some common mistakes you should avoid.

1. Skipping Vocabulary Practice- All students rely solely on reading comprehension and ignore direct vocabulary building. But synonym, antonym and word usage questions do appear in ATMA. If not regularly practiced, these prove to be challenging. Maintain a personal word list, refer to it from time to time and learn new words in context to maximize memorization.

2. Neglecting Grammar Fundamentals- Overlooking basic grammar rules, especially tenses, noun-verb concord and sentence formation, will cause you to lose marks in error questions. Instead of learning the grammar rules by heart, try to understand the reason behind them. Practicing topic-wise exercises from genuine grammar books every day can help you easily spot patterns.

3. Overreading During RCs- One of the most frequent mistakes is reading the passage line by line repeatedly. It is time-consuming and confusing. Scan and skim for overall points and details, respectively. Practice in determining tone, theme and types of inferences most frequently encountered in ATMA.

4. Ignoring Practice with Timed Tests- Time management is a key component in ATMA. It is easy to get a false sense of preparedness by answering Verbal Skills questions without a time constraint. Timed practice tests must be included in your routine to build speed and reduce pressure during the test.

5. Guessing Without Elimination - Guessing randomly can lead to negative marking. Rather, use the elimination method. Eliminate certainly incorrect choices first and then decide from the remaining ones. This makes you more accurate without impacting your attempt rate.

Recommended Books for ATMA Verbal Skills Preparation

Choosing the right ATMA books for ATMA Verbal Skills syllabus 2025 preparation is very important if you want to build strong grammar, vocabulary and comprehension skills. These books offer comprehensive coverage of all the topics asked in the ATMA exam and are well-trusted by toppers.

ATMA Book Title	Author/Publisher	Best For	Key Topics Covered
Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis	Vocabulary Building	Synonyms, Antonyms, Word Roots, Usage, Word Pairs
High School English Grammar and Composition	Wren & Martin	Grammar Fundamentals	Parts of Speech, Sentence Correction, Tenses, Error Spotting
Objective General English	S.P. Bakshi (Arihant Publications)	Practice on Grammar & Verbal Ability	Fill in the Blanks, Sentence Improvement, Vocabulary, Cloze Test
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension	Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay	Reading Comprehension & Logic-Based Verbal Questions	RC Passages, Para Jumbles, Sentence Completion, Summary Questions
English Language for Competitive Exams	Pearson	Overall English Section Preparation	Grammar, Vocabulary, RC, Synonym-Antonym, Sentence Error Detection
Practice Papers & Mock Tests	Career Launcher / TIME / IMS	Exam Simulation & Performance Tracking	Full-length Mocks, Sectional Tests, Previous Year Questions, ATMA-style Questions

Conclusion

To cover the ATMA Verbal Skills 2025 Syllabus, one should engage in regular reading, develop a good command of the grammar and train with various types of questions. This part examines your comprehension, analysis and use of English in a clear manner. Having a good grasp of the syllabus, proper books and a clever preparation plan, one can work on their accuracy and speed. Remain concentrated, revise important points on a regular basis and take mock tests to check your level. A proper strategy and commitment will enable you to perform well in the Verbal Skills section and score well in ATMA.