Sentence Completion

This Unit is a very important section for any CUCET (‘Although I passed the examination’ is an example
entrance examination preparation. It is the building block of subordinate clause).
for all your basics in the English language and a useful 3. Compound sentences (two or more main clauses)
handbook to help you score well in the paper. Questions
My father called me in the morning (main clause)
pertaining to the usage of the language are asked in
and I told him (main clause) that I would meet the
almost all examinations and you need to understand the
types of questions that could be asked. Completing Principal immediately (sub clause). ‘And’ is the
sentences in grammatically correct English, improving a conjunction that connects the two main clauses.
given sentence or even transforming a sentence into * A main clause is an independent clause that
another form without changing its meaning, content or has a subject and a predicate and which can
tense can be a very challenging task. stand by itself as a statement.
Going through this unit will help you in a big way. However, * A subordinate clause is a part of a sentence
you can master this art, if you: and has a subject and a predicate but needs a
(a) Do all the worksheets on the given section. main clause to make it a complete statement.
(b) Read, read and read English every day – a good With these sentence patterns in mind, we can look
newspaper, newsmagazines, which will help you in into the Sentence Completion questions, commonly
your preparation for General Knowledge too, fiction, referred to as “fill in the blanks,” which usually have
non-fiction, etc. a sentence with one or two blanks, which you are
required to fill in with appropriate word(s) from the
Sentence Completion choices given.
First things first; before we begin with the sentence You must keep in mind that you have to choose the
completion section, you must have knowledge of how a “best” word from a list. So even if more than one
simple sentence in English is constructed. word would fit in the sentence grammatically, you
A sentence is a group of words that makes complete must choose the word that is most appropriate or
sense. the one that best expresses the meaning and suits
A phrase is merely a group of words that gives a meaning the context of the sentence.
when used in a sentence. While your vocabulary is of prime importance, here
E.g. “in the morning”. The sun rises in the morning. you have a context. This is a blessing because it is
“of great beauty” – It was a sunrise of great beauty. possible to read an incomplete sentence, and guess,
knowing the context, what kind of word should be in
Thus, a phrase is a part of a sentence. A sentence the blank. Therefore, it allows you to use your natural
has a subject, a verb and conveys full meaning.
knowledge of English, the instinctive “feel” which tells
We can classify sentences according to their clause you whether a given answer is correct or not.
structure. A group of words, which forms a part of a
It is possible to read a sentence through and think
sentence, and contains a subject and a predicate, is
of what word or word type you should substitute. Let
called a clause. Sentences containing more than one
us work with the sentence:
clause are complex or compound.
“In temperament they were a complete contrast: the
The major types are :
older man was quiet, courteous, and slightly______,
1. Simple sentences (one main clause* and no the younger man was talkative, ______, and quite
subordinate clause**) gregarious.”
The people spoke about the leader’s inefficiency. And your choices are:
(main clause) (no subordinate clause)
(a) reserved, brash
2. Complex sentences (one main clause and at least
one subordinate clause) (b) garrulous, asocial
Although I passed the examination, I was not very (c) agitated, friendly
happy. (d) extrovert, introvert
3.2 Sentence Completion
There will be clue words; words that suggest the So we are correct in selecting the option (e) by the
correct answer choice. Looking at the second blank process of eliminating the wrong ones based on the
first, we can see we need a word that denotes a tone and mood we picked up.
social, outgoing person. We know this because the
words “complete contrast” indicate that the second
Clue Words to Remember
blank should be a word for someone diametrically Clue words indicate the direction and purpose of a
different from “quiet and courteous”- someone who sentence, and help you to guess what kind of word(s)
is talkative and outgoing. Also, one must infer clues may be put into the blanks in a given sentence.
from the context - the second blank should be filled Typically, clue words are “connecting” words, which link
with a word that goes with talkative…similarly the two parts of a sentence, as listed below :
first blank must be filled in context, meaning 1. they can connect/link similar ideas,
something along the lines of “quiet and courteous”. 2. they can connect/link opposing ideas, or
Hence, option (a) is correct.
3. they can show cause and effect in the two parts of
Sometimes the sentence that requires completion a sentence that they link.
may be a difficult one and you will need to delve into
Knowing the purpose, or nature of a sentence in this
the words to understand the tone / the mood that is
manner is vital for deciding what kind of a word will fit a
coming through and use that as a clue to make your
blank in a given sentence.
choice. Take this sentence: “He boasts that he is a
man without prejudices; this ______ itself is a very 1. When two parts of a sentence express similar ideas,
great ______.” you will f ind words like ‘and’, ‘additionally’,
‘furthermore’. These suggest that the same idea /
And your choices are:
mood / opinion is being carried on. You should look
(a) realisation; accomplishment for words in the choice list that support the same.
(b) statement; achievement One type of sentence with similar ideas is the
(c) fact; concession “synonym sentence.” In this type of sentence, you
(d) concept; feat must identify the word for which you will choose a
synonym from the answer choices. Your common
(e) pretension; prejudice
sense and an understanding of vocabulary are
Even if a sentence seems difficult, you can’t look at essential.
it that way. You’ve got to consider it and say that E.g.
there must be clues in those words or phrases which
you could infer from, to deduce the correct answer. Outgoing and ______ by nature, Urmila became even
more gregarious at the company party.
Here, the word “boasts” is a key word, as is the word
“itself” in the latter part of the sentence. So you start (a) reclusive (b) solitary
by saying that the sentence has a tone of negativity (c) belligerent (d) affable
- the person is considered boastful; it is unlikely that Notice the word “and.” This is a signal that this may
the completed meaning will be one of congratulation be a synonym sentence (although you could just
or respect. Then, there is the word ‘itself’ that gives use common sense). In the above sentence, you
a clue that there is likely to be a repetition of must choose the word that is a synonym to ‘outgoing’.
something said in the first part. Let us take each of ‘Reclusive’ and ‘solitary’ are opposite of ‘outgoing’;
the options, one by one: and ‘belligerent’ does not go with ‘gregarious’. If you
(a) Has a positive tone, not what the word ‘boast’ know your meanings, you know that ‘affable’ is the
would go well with. We will have to reject it. only word that even comes close to ‘outgoing’,
(b) Again, a positive tone that is not fitting. therefore it is the answer.
(c) While ‘fact’ may seem probable, ‘concession’ Similar or parallel ideas or synonyms are
means to give in or an allowance and that does indicated by words like:
not work well with boasting. and also furthermore besides moreover
(d) Here, feat gives a positive tone, so we reject it. as well again always never each
every must all the fact that in addition
(e) This option seems to fit best – there is a negative
too additionally moreover as well as indeed
meaning of ‘pretension’ and ‘itself’ refers to
prejudice in the first part… likely to be the right Practice: Make a sentence using each of the words
choice. given above.
Sentence Completion 3.3
2. If there is a sentence with two parts, connected with (a) manifested…exemplary
“but,” then you know that the ideas expressed in the (b) simulated…profound
two parts of the sentence must be contrasting.
(c) confessed…circumstantial
Therefore, if the first part of the sentence describes
the man as good looking, and the second part has a (d) feigned…negligible
blank to fill in about this man, you will know that the Which words give you a clue of the relationship
blank must be filled by a word that describes the between the first part and the second part of the
man negatively, since the clue word “but” tells us sentence? Yes, the word, ‘although’ and ‘in actuality’!
that contrasting ideas are expressed in the two parts These tell us that something that we read about in
of the sentence. Words such as “but, in spite of, the first part is contradicted ‘in actuality’.
yet, despite, nevertheless, ironically, whereas, Option (a) gets eliminated outrightly as a ‘manifested’
on the contrary, although, by contrast, however, interest would be ‘exemplary’ and there is no
unfortunately, and on the other hand” are all contradiction in it.
examples of words of contrast. Whenever you see Option (b) is also inappropriate for the same reason,
such words, your antennae need to go up. They are as a simulated interest that is profound does not
flipping / changing the direction of that sentence. bring out any contradiction. Option (c) or option (d)
Therefore, in a sentence where one of these phrases needs to be considered. The word ‘confessed’ has a
is used, suppose you are inclined to fill in that word, tone or feeling of honesty while ‘feigned’ indicates
before you see the “word of contrast”, then chances deceit and duplicity, which correctly begins the
are that, if the word of contrast is present, the meaning sentence to later reveal the low or negligible actual
of the sentence will be flipped around, and you will interest. Therefore, option (d) is correct.
have to use a negative word, and vice-versa. 3. When two parts of a sentence have a cause and
For instance, in the sentence: “Musharraf was a great effect relation, it is easy to guess the possible answer.
looking guy, but he hadn’t taken a bath for a while; so This type of problem is fairly simple - you will be
he smelt _______.” The “but” flips around the meaning given either the cause and you have to figure out the
of the sentence completely. Without the “but” and the effect, or you will be given the effect, and you will
second part of the sentence, you would have probably have to figure out the cause.
filled in a positive word, such as “divine”, but now you Let us work this out:
know you have to fill in a negative word. Something
The Health Ministry rejected the experimental
like “foul” would be a good choice in this context. And
medicine after conducting tests for toxicity because
of course, in questions of this type where answer
the patients who used it experienced ______ effects.
choices are given, your task is much easier, because
you can get some idea of what the answer is likely to (a) non-toxic (b) refreshing
be without even looking at the choices - as described (c) harmful (d) toxic
earlier, then once you look at the answers, you can Notice that the sentence supplies you with the effect,
probably eliminate most of the choices, leaving only “The Health Ministry rejected the experimental
one or two likely to be the right answer. medicine...” Now ask yourself, “What would cause
An antonym sentence is solved in the same way as them to reject the medicine?” By using common
a synonym one, except that you have to keep in sense, you can figure out that whatever it is, it must
mind that the words in the blank will be opposites of be negative. Now go through the words. You’ll find
the other idea in the sentence, not synonyms. that the only negative words are “harmful “ and “toxic”.
Since the tests were for toxicity, “toxic” is more relevant
Opposing or contrasting ideas are indicated by
than “harmful”. There is the possibility that more than
words like:
one negative word is given in the list of choices, in
although however but nevertheless in contrast which case you must use your common sense to
in spite of on the contrary usually if instead figure out which word best fits the given context.
despite rather than whereas yet even though Cause and effect relationships in a sentence are
Practice: Make a sentence using each of the words indicated by:
given above. in fact certainly of course surely by all means
Take this sentence: Although Mrs. Peters________ undoubtedly Similarly as a result because in order to
an interest in the spiritual well being of the hence therefore consequently Thus was caused by
parishioners, in actuality her concern for their welfare due to since
was so _________ as to be practically non-existent. Practice: Make a sentence using each word given above.
3.4 Sentence Completion
Other tips for Sentence Completion blank has to be filled by something that is a part of
Structural clues - or clues which you can infer by studying city infrastructure.
the way the sentence is constructed have been 3. In a two blanks sentence, the choices given can
discussed. You have learnt to look for sentences which: confuse you as in the choice pair, one word will
be right (it could fit in) and the other wrong (it
 Link two phrases with support words and phrases
(“in addition” and “also”), could not fit in).
 Show contrast or shifts in direction (“instead” and This is done deliberately. Take each pair and work
“despite”), thoroughly through.
 Signal a turn of events or the unexpected (“ironically” Take this sentence: The law suit was resolved after
and “surprising”), and many years of ______ litigation and the defendant
was ordered to pay ______.
 Show cause and effect.
(a) bitter, charges (b) acrimonious, restitution
Let us study some finer points that will make the exercise
(c) futile, salaries (d) unnecessary, wages
easier for you:
Here, at first glance option (a) has ‘bitter’ that relates
1. In Sentence Completion questions with only
one blank, if you see exact synonyms among well with ‘litigation’; ‘acrimonious’ in (b) also means
the answer choices, they have to be wrong so ill feeling; ‘futile’ in (c) also speaks of a wasted battle
eliminate them! since the defendant had to pay back something; and
the word ‘unnecessary’ is out of context.
This is so, because if two words in the choices are
exact synonyms, they mean the same thing. That The second pair of options will help you in focusing
on the right choice. While ‘charges’ in (a) refers to a
means if one is a correct answer, so is the other.
Since you can’t have two correct answers, both of price, the defendant ordered to pay charges make
them are wrong! Keep in mind that similar words are no sense. The words ‘salaries’ and ‘wages’ in (c)
not synonyms. Frequently, different answer choices and (d) are misleading clues. ‘restitution’ in (b) means
contain words that are similar in meaning, not returning or restoring something to its rightful owner.
exactly the same. This is to confuse you - if they are Therefore, if read in this light, we understand that
after years of acrimonious litigation, the accused was
synonyms, both cannot be correct, but if they are
asked to return or restore something to its rightful
similar in meaning, then you cannot eliminate both
- either of the two answer-choices might be correct. owner.
Take this sentence: Mr Natwarlal is ______ for his Thus, to answer such questions, each pair of words
evil deeds. in the answer options has to be worked upon.
(a) notorious (b) famous 4. One of the smart tactics that can be applied while
attacking sentence completion questions is that
(c) popular (d) emotional you predict an answer when you are doing
In the answer choices, all options are in the adjectival practice questions.
form saying something about the subject. Options You need to mentally fill in with your own words before
(b) and (c) are positive in connotation; the word ‘evil’ you see as to what words the test writer has provided.
in the sentence contradicts the answer-choices. The The idea behind this is to give you some idea of what
option (a) ‘notorious’ fits the blank and (d) is totally the answer is likely to be - it helps narrow down,
out of context as ‘evil’ and ‘emotional; have no relation. eliminate answer choices and save time. For example,
2. A comma before and after a group of words in a given sentence, if you decide that the blank must
implies that those words either define or elaborate be filled with some word before you look at the answer
a point made prior to it. Use this explanation to choices, you can scan the word choices to find the
your advantage. positive word/s there.
In the sentence: Rahul found that Bangalore’s Take this sentence: The heat was so intense that
infrastructure, its transport system and electric people ______ various remedies.
supply, were severely inadequate. In this example, while reading the sentence itself
From this sentence, you can deduce that you can mentally visualize that due to the intense
infrastructure includes the transport system and heat people resorted to various means of finding
electric supply. So if one of them was a blank, for respite. With this picture in mind, words that we can
instance there was a blank in place of ‘transport think of to fill the blank could be “tried”, “needed”,
system’ or ‘electric supply’ you would know that the “sought”, etc.
Sentence Completion 3.5
Answer options are: Leander could not have “performed” his serve – he would
(a) sought (b) brought have “practised” it. Poornima could not have “laboured”
the operation but “performed” it. You know that business
(c) seek (d) working out
is “transacted” and not “laboured” or “performed”. The last
But since the sentence is in the past tense, (a) is word is “laboured” and it fits well in (e) as Shiv was ill.
the appropriate option.
Let us work out another collocation exercise:
Collocation Try and solve it before you read the explanation. That
There is a special sentence completion type where you way you will learn from your mistakes, if there
are given a number of sentences and a list of words are any.
to complete them. The words given are synonyms or near Abolished, eliminated, erased, evaded, circumvented
synonyms, with similar meanings. In English, certain
1. The speech was no longer available as it had been
words go together. For instance while you may “make” a ______ by mistake.
mistake, you cannot “make” a crime but can “commit” a
crime. Your knowledge of “appropriate” word choice is 2. Even though dowry has been ______ by the law, in
being tested, only here the options are so close in meaning practice it still exists.
that you have to pay attention to the precise use of words, 3. He has ______ paying his taxes for so long, when
understanding of the nuance of a word and the the law catches him he will have to pay a heavy price.
appropriateness of its use. 4. The team was ______ from the series after they lost
Practice: Complete the sentences given below with to Bangladesh.
words from this list: 5. Any law can be ______ but you cannot always get
performed practised laboured enacted transacted away with it.
(a) The state recently ______ a law banning cow All the words have meanings centred on being ‘cut off’
slaughter. or being ‘avoided’. The first sentence has implied in it
(b) In all his free time, Leander Paes ______ his serve. the fact that the speech was on tape- that is a way a
speech can be ‘available’. Otherwise a speech is made
(c) The business was ______ early in the morning as a
or delivered. So you should be able to safely say that
power failure was expected.
‘erased’ would be the fitting word as removal of taped
(d) Poornima ______ the operation with minimal nursing material is called erasing.
support. In the second statement, use of ‘abolished’ is appropriate
(e) Shiv ______ over his assignment, despite being very as it refers to doing away with laws, regulations, customs,
ill. etc. Hence, it is appropriate to use it for the practice of
To tackle this question you must first fill in the ones of dowry. ‘Evading’ refers to getting around or shirking the
which you are absolutely sure. This will leave you fewer law, a duty, etc. Hence, it is appropriate to use it as
words to choose from. Then, read every sentence with evading taxes in the third statement. ‘Elimination’ refers
each of the available options, and judge which one suits to removal from consideration by defeating, as in a
best. contest. Hence, its use is correct in the fourth sentence.
Next, as shown earlier, look for ‘clue words’ in the ‘Circumvent’ means to avoid by artfulness or deception.
sentence. Your reading should give you an idea of which Its use is appropriate in the last statement as a law can
word is associated with another, such as ‘enacted ’ and be avoided by deception at times but not always.
‘law ’ as in No.1.
3.6 Sentence Completion

Exercise
This chapter is a revision of what you have done till 7. A number of applicants ___ interviewed.
know. In these type of questions an incomplete (a) are already been
sentence is usually given and you have to complete
(b) has already been
the sentence based on correct grammar usage.
Practice the exercise given below. (c) have been
Exercise-1 (d) who have been
Directions for questions 1 to 15: Choose the world 8. Anna did not do well at all because ___ .
or phrase which best completes the sentence. Rely (a) she was not good studywise
on the choice that would complete the meaning of the
(b) she studied bad
sentence.
(c) she was a worse student
1. Having finished dinner, ___ .
(d) she failed to study properly
(a) the elders retired to bed
9. The more he shouted, ___ .
(b) they slept
(a) the less he achieved
(c) the bed was used by the elders
(b) he achieved insufficiently
(d) a group of elders finished bed
(c) he did not achieve enough
2. I was not the only one, there were people who
suffered ___ . (d) he was achieving less
(a) more than I can possible imagined 10. ___ , the best car to buy is Maruti.
(b) more than I can possibly (a) Because of its design and economy
(c) more than can possibly imagine (b) Because it has a sleek shape, and it is very
economical
(d) more than I can possibly imagine
(c) Because of its design and it is economical
3. Shyam has returned ___ .
(d) Because design and economical wise it is
(a) a vehicle back to its original owner
better than all others
(b) to its original owner the vehicle
11. People all over the country are starving ___ .
(c) the vehicle its original owner
(a) great in numbers (b) in more numbers
(d) the vehicle to its original owner
(c) more numerously (d) in great numbers
4. Some scholars stressed the study of grammar,
12. Anil entered college ___ .
rhetoric, ___ and poetry.
(a) historically (a) when he had 16 years
(b) learning about history (b) when 16 years were his age
(c) history (c) at the age of 16
(d) studying history (d) at 16 years age
5. Lalitha ___ that she could not attend classes next 13. The doctor insisted that the patient ___ .
week. (a) that he not work too hard
(a) told to her professors (b) taking it easy
(b) said her professors (c) take it easy
(c) said to her professors (d) take some vocations
(d) told her professors 14. I understand that the government is considering a
6. Everybody ___ a ticket should stand in line. new proposal ___ .
(a) who have not purchased (a) what would clear files rapidly
(b) who has not bring (b) who wants to clear files in a rapid manner
(c) who has not purchased (c) that would help in clearing files rapidly
(d) who has not (d) to cause files cleared rapidly
Sentence Completion 3.7
15. Srinivas would have studied medicine if he ___ to 8. Rao contributed Rs. 10, but he wished he could
a medical college. contribute ___ .
(a) could be able to enter (a) one other Rs. 10 (b) the same amount also
(b) was admitted (c) another 10 (d) more Rs. 10
(c) had been admitted 9. The manager of this organisation must know ___.
(d) were admitted (a) money management, selling and able to
Exercise-2 satisfy the shareholders
Directions for questions 1 to 20: Choose the world (b) how to management, selling his idea of being
or phrase which best completes the sentence. Rely able to satisfy the shareholders
on the choice that would complete the meaning of (c) money management, selling the idea of being
the sentence. able to satisfy the shareholders
1. It is very difficult to stop Parthenium because ___. (d) how to manage money, sell his product, and
(a) of it grows, carelessly satisfy the shareholders
(b) it doesn’t care much to grow 10. Steel production in the country ___.
(c) of its growth without attention (a) have take slumps and rise in recent years
(d) it grows well with little care (b) has been rather erratic lately
2. Manufacturers often sacrifice quality ___ . (c) has been erratically lately
(a) in place of to earn more money
(d) are going up and down all the time
(b) for a larger profit margin
11. The sight of her in green silk mounted on a tractor
(c) to gain more quantities of money ___ more newsworthy ___ .
(d) and instead earn a bigger amount of profit (a) was considered ... than anything said inside
3. She ___ before handing it to the director. the House
(a) must retyping the report (b) when said ... when inside the House consider
(b) is retype the report (c) was considered ... that said inside the House
(c) must retype the report (d) were considered ... of inside the house
(d) should retyping the report 12. Neither the ministers ___ appear to have noticed
4. Of the two new workers, one is experienced and that the Indian farmer has already been killed.
___ .
(a) nor the environmentalist
(a) the other are not
(b) or the environmentalists
(b) another is inexperienced
(c) nor environmentalists
(c) the other is not
(d) nor the environmentalists
(d) other lacks experience
13. Nothing demonstrates the depth of prejudice so
5. The facilities of the older canteen ___ .
starkly ___ .
(a) is as good or better than the new canteen
(a) as marriage as (b) marriage
(b) are as good or better that of the new canteen
(c) as married (d) as marriage
(c) are as good as or better that the new canteen
14. The women are disgusted when they find ___ living
(d) are as good as or better than those of the new
on pensions.
canteen
(a) her new husbands are
6. ___ , he would have been able to pass the SAT.
(b) their new husbands is
(a) If he practised more
(b) If he were practising to a great degrees (c) their new husbands are
(c) Practising more (d) their new husband are
(d) Had he practised more 15. Sarah came across as a decent person and ___ .
7. Here ___ notebook and paper that I promised you (a) my instinct was to trust her
last week. (b) my instinct to trust her
(a) is the (b) are the (c) my instinct was to trusted her
(c) was the (d) is a (d) my instinct was to trust she
3.8 Sentence Completion
16. We will be unable to eliminate poverty if we ___ . 3. The ___ that ‘A bird in hand is worth two in the
(a) can control our population more effectively bush’ is ___ in the present context.
(b) cannot control their population more effectively (a) metaphor ... cavil
(c) cannot control our population more effective (b) adage ... inappropriate
(d) cannot control our population more effectively (c) talk ... evil
17. Our ministers __ when it comes to finding reasons (d) sentence ... anomalous
to travel to foreign countries at taxpayers’ expense. 4. The thought of a nuclear ___ sparked off by a
(a) are very imaginative misunderstanding poses an awesome___ .
(b) is are very imaginative (a) device ... reverberation
(c) is very imaginative (b) holocaust ... spectre
(d) are very imagination (c) liasion ... probability
18. The Congressional debate showcased how sharply (d) explosion ... calamity
divided ___ . 5. A ___ person is not ___ .
(a) Americans is about China (a) dishonest ... untrustworthy
(b) Americans are about of China (b) handsome ... presentable
(c) Americans are about China (c) talkative ... precise
(d) American are about China (d) healthy ... robust
19. You can never be America’s friend ___ . 6. The ___ reached between the enemies won the
(a) if you murder people as they do in China ___ of the observers.
(b) if murder people as they do in China (a) treaty ... accolade
(c) if you murder was they do in China (b) victory ... decoration
(d) if you murder people and persons as they do (c) peace ... hearts
in China (d) pitch ... enimity
20. The details vary, but the cases ___ . 7. ___ persons are ___ .
(a) has a common theme (a) careful ... circumspect
(b) have common theme (b) violent ... peaceable
(c) have a common theme (c) despondent ... intrepid
(d) have a common thematic (d) garrulous ... gluttonous
Exercise-3 8. The rebels sought to overcome the ___ of strength
Directions for questions 1 to 20: Choose the world of the police forces by engaging in .......tactics.
or phrase which best completes the sentence. Rely (a) lack ... divisionary
on the choice that would complete the meaning of the (b) augmented ... peaceful
sentence.
(c) preponderance ... guerilla
1. Upon hearing the ___ words from him, she left the
(d) power ... foolish
place ___ .
9. Science fiction is a literary ___ which postulates
(a) wrongful ... abashed
a change from conditions as we know them and
(b) misuse ... immediately follows the implications of these changes to a ___.
(c) obnoxious ... abashed (a) piece ... beginning
(d) acrimonious ... amicably (b) imagination ... fantasy
2. How can the plans of the government ___ the poor, (c) sub-genre ... logical end
if they are totally ___?
(d) masterpiece ... logical end
(a) educate ... illiterate
10. It is extremely difficult to produce a legal definition
(b) help ... impractical clear enough so that a ___ could work with it.
(c) benefit ... selfish (a) lawyer (b) cook
(d) enrich ... penniless (c) dancer (d) bartender
Sentence Completion 3.9
11. When I left school, I saw it as a temporary move Exercise-4
— I assumed I’d ___ . Directions for questions 1 to 20: Choose the world
(a) go back (b) return back or phrase which best completes the sentence. Rely
(c) go forth (d) go back and come on the choice that would complete the meaning of the
sentence.
12. For young people today, there are business
opportunities unlike any that have existed ___ 1. The military is unable to comprehend the ___ of
democratic functioning.
(a) after (b) before
(a) impotent (b) important
(c) now (d) then and here
(c) importance (d) importing
13. She had been apprehensive initially, not about her
2. Taxi driver’s brains are ____ to help them store a
work, ___ the audience.
detailed mental map of the city.
(a) and about (b) but about
(a) adapt (b) adapting
(c) but about the (d) but roundabout
(c) adapted (d) adopted
14. I don’t believe that crying on television is the best 3. Keeping in view your ___ state of mind, it’s with a
way to ___ an interview. rather ___ heart that I’m penning down this letter
(a) given (b) give take to you.
(c) give out (d) give (a) distress ... heavy
15. The boy’s death wrenched the hearts of parents (b) distressed ... heavy
___ the world who easily understood the love that (c) distressed ... heaviness
would lead a father to ___ his child from bullets (d) distressing ... heavy
with his own body.
4. The mess that you have created is entirely your
(a) round ... shield (b) around ... shield ___ doing.
(c) around ... shielded (d) around ... shield out (a) owned (b) owning
16. The army admitted its mistake, but ___ . (c) own (d) own up
(a) graceless (b) gracefully 5. Unknown to her mother, she kept meeting him on
(c) gracelessly (d) grace the ___ .
17. Considering the ___ cost attached to each (a) sly (b) sty
application forwarded, the student is constrained (c) cry (d) sloth
to apply to a ___ number of universities. 6. Do you think all this is a ___ of my imagination?
(a) high ... unlimited (a) fig (b) figmentation
(b) low ... limited (c) figment (d) figment leaf
(c) high ... though limited 7. When the Board came down ___ on him after his
(d) high ... limited disastrous performance against Australia, he knew
that it would ___ him his captaincy.
18. The most important element that provides one
student an edge over the rest is how his application (a) heavily ... cost (b) heavily ... costed
form ___ his personality. (c) heavily ... costing (d) heavy ... cost
(a) reflect (b) reflects 8. I don’t need to take lessons in ___ and ethics
from such a liar.
(c) reflect off (d) reflects the
(a) moral (b) morality
19. The fashion industry has long been ___ for the
exclusion of black models. (c) immorality (d) modality
(a) criticize (b) criticism 9. Indecency is when you humiliate and cheat people
emotionally, when you use and ___ the people
(c) criticized (d) critic you love, when you lie with a ___ face to everyone
20. Benazir said that the regime’s decision to allow when it suits you.
Sharif to walk ___ could ___ be part of a larger (a) disabuse ... straight
game plan or just another corrupt act.
(b) abuse ... straight
(a) free ... or (b) free ... neither (c) abused ... straight
(c) freed ... either (d) free ... either (d) abuse ... straightened
3.10 Sentence Completion
10. In an article that ran across five pages, you found 16. People who categorize themselves as lucky tend
only two paragraphs objectionable, so I gather that to be optimists, extroverts and ___ .
you ___ to my thoughts in the rest of the feature. (a) risk-taker (b) risk-takers
(a) prescribe (b) subscribe (c) risk-makers (d) risky-takers
(c) subscribes (d) subscribing 17. Eventually, if you ___ at enough of the right people
11. Scientists say that we are almost certainly the under the ___ circumstances, one will smile back
___ of our own destinies. at you.
(a) master (b) mastering (a) smile ... right (b) smiling ... right
(c) mastered (d) masters (c) smile ... wrong (d) smile ... rightly
12. Some people ___ with all sorts of adversities. 18. I don’t socialize with the people I work ___,
(a) dope (b) doped I have my own set of friends and I intend to keep
some sort of ___ between my friends and my work.
(c) coping (d) cope
(a) on ... differentiation
13. Luck is a triumph of nurture over ___ and people’s
personalities influence how they are treated by (b) off ... differentiation
___ . (c) with ... differentiate
(a) natured ... fate (b) nature ... ill-fate (d) with ... differentiation
(c) natural ... fate (d) nature ... fate 19. I have my own set of friends, who have access to
14. Internalists believe there is a ___ between them my home and my ___ thoughts and feelings, I
and what happens to them. don’t let just about anyone invade that ___ .
(a) connection (b) connect (a) inner ... privacy (b) outer ... privacy
(c) connections (d) connected (c) inner ... private (d) inane ... privacy
15. Children from ___ backgrounds are more likely to 20. When I joined college, I was ___ at the lack of
become externalists than children from poor ___, discipline, I saw a lot of kids bunk and go to discos.
who have had to overcome adversity to succeed. Why ___ to parents to go and have a good time?
And why during study hours?
(a) rich ... background
(a) shocked ... lied (b) shocked ... lying
(b) poor ... backgrounds
(c) shock ... lie (d) shocked ... lie
(c) poor ... background
(d) rich ... backgrounds
Sentence Completion 3.11

Answer Key
Exercise-1
1. (a) 2. (d) 3. (d) 4. (c) 5. (d) 6. (c) 7. (c) 8. (d) 9. (a) 10. (a)
11. (d) 12. (c) 13. (c) 14. (c) 15. (c)
Exercise – 2
1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (d) 6. (d) 7. (b) 8. (c) 9. (d) 10. (b)
11. (a) 12. (d) 13. (d) 14. (c) 15. (a) 16. (d) 17. (a) 18. (c) 19. (a) 20. (c)
Exercise – 3
1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (c) 6. (a) 7. (a) 8. (c) 9. (c) 10. (a)
11. (a) 12. (b) 13. (b) 14. (d) 15. (b) 16. (c) 17. (d) 18. (b) 19. (c) 20. (d)
Exercise – 4
1. (c) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (c) 7. (a) 8. (b) 9. (b) 10. (b)
11. (d) 12. (d) 13. (d) 14. (a) 15. (d) 16. (b) 17. (a) 18. (d) 19. (a) 20. (d)

Explanations
Exercise-1 11. d All the options apart from (d) are grammatically
1. a Option (c) and (d) are absurd. (a) is the appropriate incorrect.
option. 12. c Options (a), (b) and (d) are all absurd options.
2. d Option (a) is incorrect due to the usage of ‘possible Correct option is (c).
imagined’. Option (b) and (c) are incomplete. Thus, 13. c Option (a) does not make any sense. Option (b)
option (d) is correct. sounds incomplete. The most appropriate option
3. d Options (a) and (b) are incorrect grammatically is (c).
and option (c) is incomplete. Correct option is (d). 14. c In option (a) use of ‘what’ is wrong and same is
4. c The sentence mentions some subjects like the case with (b) where ‘who’ is wrong. Option (d)
grammar poetry etc. So the best option to fit in is totally absurd and grammatically incorrect.
here is (c). Option (c) is the correct option.

5. d There is incorrect usage of ‘to’ in (a) and (c). (b) is 15. c Correct usage is ‘had been’.
incomplete. The correct option is (d). Exercise-2
6. c (a) is wrong as it has plural verb form. 1. d Option (a) sounds absurd and incorrect. Option
7. c Here ‘applicants’ is the subject which is plural. (b) and (c) do not fit in the sentence. (d) is the
The sentence is in passive voice and hence, ‘have correct option.
been’ should be used. 2. b In (a) ‘in place of to’ is wrong, while in (c) it says
8. d Options (a), (b) and (c) are absurd. The correct quantities of money which is wrong. The best option
option is (d). is (b).

9. a (a) is the correct option because it starts with ‘the’- 3. c In (a) and (c) the word ‘retyping’ is used which is
parallelism. incorrect usage here while in (b) it says is ‘retype’
which is also incorrect usage. The correct option
10. a According to the rules of parallellism, the best thus is (c).
option is (a).
3.12 Sentence Completion
4. c (a) is incorrect because in the sentence it is Exercise-3
singular while here it signifies plural. Option (c) is
1. c In the first blank the word that best fits is
correct.
‘obnoxious’ as it means unpleasant and the word
5. d In options (b) and (c) better that is used which is that fits in the second blank is ‘abashed’ as it
grammatically incorrect. The appropriate option is (d). means ashamed or embarrassed.
6. d Option (b) is very absurd as it is totally incorrect
2. b The word that best suits with ‘plan’ here is
grammatically. Option (d) is the correct option.
‘impractical’. Thus, the correct option is (b).
7. b (b) is the correct option. Options (a) and (c) are
3. b (b) is the correct option as ‘an adage’ is an old
incorrect because they use the singular ‘is’ for
the plural subjects. saying which fits well in the first blank.

8. c (a) is incorrect because it uses one with ten 4. b The best word that fits here in the first blank is
rupees. Similarly, (b) is incorrect because of the holocaust as it means great destruction or loss of
use of also. Correct option is (c). life. Also the second word spectre fits appropriately
9. d (d) is the correct option - parallelism. as it means mental image of something
unpleasant or menacing.
10. b (c) is absurd because of the usage of ‘erratically
lately’. The option that fits best is (b). 5. c The pair of words that fits best are talkative and
precise because a talkative person is not precise.
11. a ‘Was’ has to follow ‘tractor’ because of being
singular and after ‘newsworthy’, ‘than’ has to follow 6. a Because the word between is used in the
because it implies comparison. sentence so the best word that fits here is treaty.
12. d Option (a) is not fit as it uses ‘environmentalist’ Thus, the correct option is (a).
which is singular. Option (b) is not correct because 7. a Options (b) and (c) are antonyms so are ruled out.
‘or’ cannot be used with ‘neither’. Thus the correct While in option (d) garrulous means talkative while
option is (d). gluttonous means greedy so that does not match.
13. d Option (a) ends with as so is incorrect. Option (b) Thus, correct option is (a) as both of them are
is incomplete and option (c) uses the wrong tense. synonyms.
So the correct option is (d).
8. c The correct option is (c) as preponderance means
14. c Option (a) is incorrect because it uses here which ‘greater in force, weight or influence’ so it very well
is singular. Same is the case with (b) which uses goes with strength.
‘is’. In option (d) husband is singular that also being
incorrect. Thus, the correct option is (c). 9. c Genre means a category of artistic work. So sub-
genre is the best option that fits here. Thus, (c) is
15. a Option (b) sounds incomplete while option (c) uses
the correct option.
trusted so is incorrect. In option (d) the case of
the pronoun has been changed thus making it 10. a As the sentence mentions the word ‘legal’ so we
incorrect. The correct option is (a). can easily deduce that the answer is ‘lawyer’.
16. d Option (a) is incorrect because it starts with ‘can’. 11. a (b) is wrong because return and back means the
Option (b) is wrong because it uses ‘their’ with same thing. (c) is logically wrong and (d) is
‘we’. The correct option is (d). incorrect. Thus, the correct usage is (a).
17. a Option (b) is absurd as it uses ‘is are’ together. 12. b The sentence uses ‘have existed’ which means
Option (c) uses ‘is’ which is singular thus making past tense thus the correct option would be
it also incorrect. The best option is (a).
‘before’.
18. c In option (a) it uses ‘is’ which denotes singular
13. b (c) is incorrect because ‘the’ would be repeated
which is wrong here. The correct option is (c).
twice. The correct option is (b).
19. a Options (a), (c) and (d) are absolutely absurd and
14. d (b) cannot be used because both the words are
meaningless. Correct option is (a).
antonyms and cannot be used together.
20. c Option (a) starts with ‘has’ which is singular and
does not go with ‘cases’. The correct option here 15. b The most appropriate words that would fit in both
is (c). the blanks are ‘around’ and ‘shield’.
Sentence Completion 3.13
16. c The correct option is (c) because there is a ‘but’ 10. b The appropriate option is (b) - ‘subscribe’ which
in the sentence which signifies negative. That is means to ‘feel or express hearty approval.
why the option is (c). 11. d ‘Masters of our own destinies’ is the correct phrase.
17. d Because of the word ‘constrained’ used in the So, option (d) is the answer.
sentence we can easily infer that the cost is high. 12. d The word ‘dope’ has altogether a different meaning
Because of the word ‘a’ before the blank ‘unlimited’ and it means ‘drug’. So it cannot be used here.
and ‘though limited’ cannot be used. The correct word that fits here is ‘cope’.
18. b Grammatically the correct option is the singular 13. d The words that fit here are ‘nature’ and ‘fate’.
‘reflects’.
14. a ‘Connection’ is the right usage of the word ‘connect’
19. c The past form of the verb - ‘Criticised’ is the best that should be used here.
option that fits here.
15. d The first blank would be ‘rich’ because there is a
20. d ‘Free’ fits in the first blank and because ‘or’ is comparison given and the compared word is ‘poor’.
used in the sentence we cannot use ‘neither’. The So the other word has to be its antonym.
right words to be used is ‘either’. Regarding the second blank ‘backgrounds’ has
Exercise-4 been mentioned in the line before so it will again
1. c (a) cannot be used here because it has altogether be used.
a different meaning. 16. b Because the other descriptions given are in their
2. c The most suitable word that fits in the blank is plural form that is why the answer would also be
‘adapted’- which means ‘fit for a specific situation in the same format. Thus, the answer is (b).
or use’. 17. a The form of the word used here for the first blank
3. b The words that fit best in the sentence are is ‘smile’ while for the second blank ‘right’ is
‘distressed’ and ‘heavy’. appropriate.

4. c Logically and grammatically the best option is 18. d We socialise ‘with’ people and not ‘on’ or ‘off’.
‘own’. Thus, the correct option for the first blank is ‘with’.
The correct option for the second blank would
5. a The correct option is ‘sly’ because ‘on the sly’ automatically be ‘differentiation’.
means in a secretive manner.
19. a Thoughts and feelings are always inside a person
6. c In daily use we use the term ‘f igment of that is why the correct option is ‘inner’. The correct
imagination’. option for the second blank is ‘privacy’.
7. a Option (d) is eliminated because the adverb 20. d Because it talks in past tense ‘was’ that is why
‘heavily’ fits in the first blank perfectly. For the correct option is ‘shocked’. And the second option
second blank ‘cost’ is the most appropriate word. is ‘lie’.
Therefore, the correct answer is option (a).
8. b ‘Morality’ is the best option that fits here.
9. b The word ‘abuse’ is usually used with ‘use’. And
usually when people lie they lie with a straight
face. Thus, the correct option is (b).