INCOMPLETE SENTENCES- Example- Strategies- Test taking tips- Question types

2. I usually eat my lunch in the break room, but today I …………my lunch at my desk.

(D)eat(E)ate(F)eaten(G)have eaten

Pay close attention to grammatical points. (parts of speech, tenses, agreement, positions of frequency adverbs, etc.)

Note that the words around the missing word can be useful clues.

Pay close attention to the type of word you are asked to find. (nouns -> look only for nouns, disregard any verbs, adverbs, adjectives, etc. )

TIP: Determine whether the question is about vocabulary or grammar.

Vocabulary question -> think of the meaning of the whole sentence

Grammar question -> determine the part of speech needed for the blank by taking a close look at the surrounding elements

TIP: Remember that quite a lot of English words look and sound similar, sometimes even the same, even though the meaning is different.

Type 1 – Vocabulary Questions

VerbsNounsModifiersConjunctionsPrepositions

Type 2 – Grammar Questions

VerbsAuxiliary VerbsSubject-verb AgreementGerunds and InfinitivesNouns and PronounsConjunctionsComparatives and SuperlativesNegation

Verbs and Nouns are different classes of words.

Sometimes look and sound similar: Ex: Present (v) -> to give

Present (n) -> a giftSometimes look or sound exactly the same

Ex: Ride (v) -> to get in or on a large vehicle Rid (n) -> an attraction at an amusement

park

A list of easily confused verbs:

Ex: Inflation……. The buying power of the dollar. (A) affects (B) deletes(C) effects (D) completes

adapt- adopt acquire - require affect - effectassign – consign compose - comprise lay - lie

lend- borrow precede - proceed protect - protest

raise - rise remove - move persecute - prosecute

Common problem -> the confusion caused by similar prefixes and suffixes

Words that end in –ment, -ate, -ish, -ise/-ize, etc. don’t necessarily have the same or similar meanings.

Pay attention to the root word, not the attachment

A list of easily confused nouns:

Ex: His only……about his job is that he has to work on Saturdays. (A) complaint (B) complement(C) compliment (D) accomplishment

aid-aide consul - council moral - moralealley- ally corporation -

cooperationprincipal - principle

assay – essay crown – clown trail - trialcapital – capitol desert – dessert neighbor -

neighborhoodcomplement - compliment

hall - hole

An important thing to consider -> the word to be modified is countable or uncountable

A list of modifiers: Adjectives to be used with countable nouns:

many, a few, few, the fewest, more, a number of, a lot of

Adjectives to be used with uncountable nouns: much, a great deal of, a little, little, less, the least, a lot of, more

Adjectives to be used with singular countable nouns: each, every, either, neither, another

Ex: For ……information, call us at 1-800-354-1114.

(A) another (B) farther(C) further (D) every

Conjunctions: relationship words that logically connect elements in a sentence.Conjunctions: do not always have to come in the middle of a

sentence; can come at the beginning of a sentence to show emphasis

Conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet, as, because, if, provided that, than

Conjunctive adverbs: express the relationship between independent sentencesConjunctive adverbs: also, as a result, consequently, either,

however, in fact, moreover, neither, nevertheless, therefore, thus

Ex: Neither the CEO ……the board of directors is opposed to our plan.

(D)and (B) or(C) nor (D) but

Prepositions, like conjunctions: help establish the relationship between elements of a sentence.

A list of prepositions: in, at, of, by, for, beneath, because of, in spite of, considering, except, than, as, before

Ex: Please have these documents sent out immediately………express mail.(A) at (B) by(C) Toward (D) along

Verbs: express existence, action or occurrence.

Verbs: change their form depending on the subject -> number agreement between subject & verb.

Verbs: identify whether an action has happened in the past, is happening now, or will happen in the future -> tense of the verb.

Ex 1: Theodore will……… the delivery truck after lunch.

(C)fixing (B) fixed(C) fix (D) fixes

Ex 2: I am ………my supervisor with job interviews. (G)help (B) will help(C) helped (D) helping

An important type: modal auxiliary

Modal words: could, will, should, might, etc. -> to express: permission, ability, and necessity

Note that sometimes changing the modal -> drastically affect the meaning of the sentence!

Ex 1: Today is the last day of my vacation. I ……… go back to work tomorrow.

(A) must (B) might(C) could (D) had

Ex 2: We……… choose the dental insurance program or the $2,000 bonus, but not both.

(G)must (B) should(C) can (D) didn’t

Subject and verbs are said to agree -> they match in number

Ex: A singular subject -> a singular verbA plural subject -> plural verb

Look for clues like the third person singular (e.g., She goes. He works. )

Ex 1: Every Christmas she ………money to charity. (A) give (B) gives(C) given (D) giving

Ex 2: One of the lawyers……..an accountant, too.(A) is (B) are(C) am (D) to be

Gerunds: verbs used as subjects, objects, complements and in other rolesEx: Swimming is good exercise. -> swimming is a gerund. He went swimming after lunch.-> swimming is a continuous form of the verb.

Infinitives: base form of the verb preceded by the infinitive marker to-> Can be confusing as sometimes they omit the infinitive marker in writing or speaking, though it remains implied.

Ex 1: Her ………strategy was the most successful in the history of her company.

(A) advertise (B) to advertise(C) advertising (C) advertised

Ex 2: He will be asked ………a presentation at next month’s staff meeting.

(A) give (B) to give(C) will give (D) to giving

Nouns: people, places, things, and ideas. Writers and speakers: repeat the same noun over and

over again -> pronouns are used to take the place of nouns

Ex 1: Our company sponsors many of the……… at the new amusement park.

(A) rode (B) rides(C) riding (D) ride

Ex2: Mom’s Famous Cakes is a very well respected company. ………was founded in 1906 by Margaret Dennison

(A) She (B) They(C) Mom’s Famous Cakes (D) It

Conjunctions: words that connect clauses within a single idea

A list of conjunctions:Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or, so, yetSubordinating conjunctions: as, although, because, if,

though, unless, when, while

Ex 1: We were both hoping to be promoted. I got a promotion , ……. my assistant did not.

(A) and (B) so(C) but (D) or

Ex 2: My company is very busy in January, ……I’ll take a vacation in February.

(A) or (B) so(C) but (D) however

Comparatives: contrast and rank two nouns. Superlatives: contrast and rank three more nouns. Comparative forms include:adj./adv. –er thanadj./adv. –ier thanmore/ less adj./adv. than

Superlative forms include:the adj./adv.-estthe adj./adv.-iestthe most/ least adj./adv.

Ex 1: My new computer is far…… than my old one.(A) best (B) good(C) better (D) greater

Ex 2: She is …… supervisor I’ve ever worked for.(A) best (B) better(C) the better (D) the best

Negations is the use of the negative, or saying no.

Negations do not always use a negative word such as no or not.

Adverbs that are already negative in sense -> not use a negative form with them: never, rarely, hardly, barely, seldom, scarcely

Ex 1: I ………hardly understand him because he spoke too quickly.

(A) couldn’t (B) could(C) can’t (D) can

Ex 2: You …… coming to the office Christmas party, are you?

(A) aren’t (B) are(C) were (D) weren’t