R27: Sentence completion

Sentence completion gives you sentences with a gap, and you complete them with words from the passage. It sounds simple. But the sentence in the question is a paraphrase of the passage, so you must find the matching idea first. Then you copy the exact word, inside the word limit, in the right form.

Why this matters

Sentence completion follows passage order, so it's one of the more predictable question types. If you have a method, you can move through these quickly and save time for harder questions.

The method

1. Read the instruction. Note the word limit.
2. Read the sentence and underline the key idea. Not just one word. The idea.
3. Predict the gap. Word type, singular or plural, and meaning.
4. Find the matching idea in the passage. It will be paraphrased.
5. Copy the exact word or words.
6. Read the completed sentence. It must be grammatical and match the passage's meaning.

A worked example

The Great Wall of China was not built in a single period. Different sections were constructed over nearly two thousand years by several dynasties. Much of the wall that tourists visit today dates from the Ming dynasty, which ruled from 1368 to 1644. The Ming builders used bricks and stone, while earlier sections were often made of packed earth.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.

1. The wall was built by a number of different __________.
2. Most of the wall seen by visitors was built during the __________.
3. Older parts of the wall were usually made from __________.

1. dynasties. The plural matches "a number of different".
2. Ming dynasty. Two words, inside the limit.
3. packed earth. "Earlier sections" became "older parts".

Grammar checks that save marks

• After "a" or "an": a singular noun.
• After "a number of", "several", "many": a plural noun.
• After "to" (as in "in order to"): a base verb.
• Before a noun: probably an adjective.

If your answer doesn't fit the grammar, it's wrong, even if the meaning is right.

The "same idea, different words" rule

The question sentence and the passage sentence say the same thing differently. Use this to find the place:

Try it yourself

The first public museums opened in Europe in the eighteenth century. Before that, collections of art and objects were mostly private and could only be seen by invitation.

Write ONE WORD ONLY.

Before the eighteenth century, most collections were __________.

Honest note

If you find two possible answers, choose the one that makes the sentence say exactly what the passage says, not just something true from the passage.

Your task today

Do one sentence completion block. For each answer, write the passage words you matched to the question words, like the table above.