Sentence completion

NUST NET (Engineering) · English · Sentence completion. A short explanation of the idea, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid, a worked example and practice questions with answers.

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The idea

Every sentence completion carries its own clue. The words around the blank tell you what the missing word must mean, and a signal word tells you the direction: the blank either agrees with the clue or goes against it.

Read the whole sentence, find the clue and the signal word, and predict a simple word of your own for the blank. Only then look at the options and choose the one nearest to your prediction.

With two blanks, start with the blank you find easier. Cross out every option whose word fails there, then test the other blank on what is left. Both words must fit: an option with one perfect word and one poor word is wrong.

Rules to remember

Common mistake

Students miss a contrast word such as 'although' or 'far from' and choose a word that agrees with the clue when it should oppose it. Circle the signal word before you predict.

Worked example

Choose the words that best complete the sentence.
Although the instructions looked ______ at first, they proved quite ______ once the teacher had worked through an example, and every group finished early.
A. simple … easy
B. confusing … straightforward
C. complicated … baffling
D. clear … puzzling

  1. 'Although' is a contrast signal, so the two blanks must have opposite senses. This removes A and C, where both words point the same way.
  2. Clue for the second blank: after one example, 'every group finished early', so the instructions turned out to be easy.
  3. The second blank is positive and the first is negative. D has them the wrong way round.
  4. B fits both: looked confusing at first, proved straightforward in the end.

Answer: B. confusing … straightforward

Practice questions

Try each one, then open the answer.

1. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Because the plant stores water in its thick, fleshy leaves, it can ______ months without rain.

  1. A
    endure
  2. B
    avoid
  3. C
    cause
  4. D
    predict
Show answer

Answer: A. Stored water lets the plant survive a long dry spell: it can endure months without rain.

2. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Although the new bridge looked fragile, it was surprisingly ______, surviving two major floods without damage.

  1. A
    elegant
  2. B
    costly
  3. C
    robust
  4. D
    temporary
Show answer

Answer: C. 'Although ... looked fragile' signals a contrast, and surviving floods shows strength: robust.

3. Choose the words that best complete the sentence.
The first readings were ______, but once the faulty sensor was replaced they became far more ______.

  1. A
    consistent … erratic
  2. B
    erratic … consistent
  3. C
    accurate … confusing
  4. D
    modest … scarce
Show answer

Answer: B. 'But' and the repair signal a change for the better: the readings went from erratic (irregular) to consistent. The first option reverses the logic.

More questions on this topic

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