General Kannada
Language skills
Revise ವರ್ಣಮಾಲೆ (vowels, consonants, and yogavahaka), ಸಂಧಿ (ಕನ್ನಡ and ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತ), ಸಮಾಸ (ತತ್ಪುರುಷ, ಕರ್ಮಧಾರಯ, ದ್ವಂದ್ವ, ಬಹುವ್ರೀಹಿ, ದ್ವಿಗು), ವಿಭಕ್ತಿ, ಲಿಂಗ, ವಚನ, ಕಾಲ, and ವಾಕ್ಯ ರಚನೆ. Learn ಸಮಾನಾರ್ಥಕ (synonyms), ವಿರುದ್ಧಾರ್ಥಕ (antonyms), ನುಡಿಗಟ್ಟು (idioms), ಗಾದೆ (proverbs), and one-word substitutes.
Literature questions expect major poets and works: Pampa, Ranna, Janna, Harihara, and Raghavanka; modern writers such as Kuvempu, Bendre, and Bhyrappa; and Jnanpith awardees from Karnataka. Do not guess titles.
Traps
Sandhi type versus samasa type is a classic confusion. Similar-sounding words and the literal meaning of idioms also mislead. Questions often ask 'ಸರಿಯಾದ ಸಂಧಿ ಹೆಸರು' or 'ಸಮಾಸ ಯಾವುದು'.
Rule of thumb
Split the word first. If the change happens at the junction of sounds, it is ಸಂಧಿ; if two words combine into a compound with a grammatical relationship, it is ಸಮಾಸ.
Worked example
ಸೂರ್ಯೋದಯ = ಸೂರ್ಯ + ಉದಯ. Here ಅ + ಉ becomes ಓ, so it is ಗುಣಸಂಧಿ. In a samasa question, ರಾಜಮಾರ್ಗ = ರಾಜನ + ಮಾರ್ಗ, a ಷಷ್ಠಿ ತತ್ಪುರುಷ compound.
Functional Kannada
VAO papers test administrative vocabulary such as ಗ್ರಾಮ, ಕಂದಾಯ, and ಪಟ್ಟಣ. Practise short passages and official terms.