If there’s one section in CAT that silently drains confidence, it’s Reading Comprehension (RC). You read, you underline, you even feel like you “got it,”  but when the questions come, the answer options blur into one another. The problem isn’t always comprehension; it’s the absence of review.

RC mastery doesn’t come just from reading more passages. It comes from reviewing them in a way that forces your brain to extract, retain, and reproduce understanding. This is where the ‘Three Layers of Review’ strategy comes in, a system that ensures you don’t just read but actually learn how to read for CAT.

Layer 1: The Immediate Recall 

The first layer begins the second you finish a passage. Don’t jump into the questions yet. Close your eyes or look away from the screen and try to recall:

• What was the author’s main point?
• What tone or attitude was carried through?
• How did each paragraph serve the passage? Was it background, evidence, or conclusion?

This stage is about teaching your brain to summarise actively. Without it, you’re just a passive consumer of words. Think of this as a mental screenshot. The clearer the picture now, the sharper your accuracy will be later.

Layer 2: The Question-by-Question Crosscheck

Once you start answering, the review continues. Every time you attempt a question, pause after seeing the correct answer. If you were wrong, don’t just note “silly mistake” and move on. Instead, ask:

• Why was my chosen option tempting?
• What subtlety did I miss in the passage that made the correct option stronger?
• Was it a vocabulary trap, a tone mismatch, or me overthinking?

This is the diagnostic stage. You’re not reviewing for the sake of feeling bad about errors; you’re reviewing to decode why your brain got tricked. With repetition, you’ll start recognising patterns the same way a chess player sees traps after years of blunders.

Layer 3: The Cumulative Reflection 

The third layer doesn’t happen on the same day. At the end of the week, revisit 4–5 RCs you previously attempted, especially the ones that gave you the most trouble. This time, read them in a calm, non-exam mindset.

Notice if you can now grasp the central idea more effortlessly. Check if your earlier errors feel obvious. This stage isn’t about practice under pressure; it’s about rewiring your intuition. Over time, you’ll start carrying this “second-sight” into the actual test.

Why does this Three Layer Technique Work? 

The magic of the ‘Three Layers’ lies in spacing and perspective. Immediate recall cements memory, question crosschecks sharpen awareness of traps, and cumulative reflection builds intuition. Together, they form a cycle of active learning instead of endless passive reading.

Think of it like building muscle. Reading more RCs without review is like lifting weights with bad form; you may feel the effort, but the growth is minimal. With the three layers, you correct, reinforce, and internalise every step.

RC isn’t about reading faster or underlining smarter; it’s about training your brain to notice what matters and ignore what doesn’t. And the only way to do that is by reviewing, not just practising. So the next time you sit with an RC passage, remember reading is only the beginning. Mastery lies in the review.