Complete the Sentence
Choose the word that best finishes the sentence.
What is Complete the Sentence?
Complete the sentence questions give you a sentence with a missing word and several options to choose from. You need to pick the word that makes the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful.
These questions test your vocabulary, grammar, and understanding of context. Read the whole sentence before choosing – the clue to the right answer is usually in the surrounding words.
Step-by-Step Method
Read the whole sentence
Do not just look at the gap. Read everything before and after it to understand the full context.
Predict the answer
Before looking at the options, think about what word would make sense in the gap.
Test each option
Put each option into the sentence and read it. Does it make sense? Is it grammatically correct?
Choose the best fit
Pick the option that creates the most natural and meaningful sentence.
Worked Examples
The children were very ___ after running around the playground. (a) tired (b) awake (c) angry (d) tall
Working
- Context: after running around = they would be exhausted.
- (a) tired – makes sense after exercise
- (b) awake – running would not specifically cause this
- (c) angry – no reason to be angry from playing
- (d) tall – running does not make you tall
She ___ the door quietly so as not to wake the baby. (a) slammed (b) opened (c) closed (d) broke
Working
- Context: “quietly” and “not to wake the baby” suggest careful, gentle action.
- (a) slammed – loud, opposite of quietly
- (b) opened – possible, but “opened quietly” is less common with doors
- (c) closed – “closed the door quietly” is natural and matches the context
- (d) broke – destructive, not quiet
Common Mistakes
Choosing a word that fits grammatically but does not match the meaning of the sentence.
The answer must work both grammatically AND logically within the context.
Only reading the words immediately around the gap and missing important context elsewhere in the sentence.
Read the ENTIRE sentence. Clues to the right answer can be anywhere.
Top Tips
- Look for context clues – words like “because”, “although”, “so” tell you the relationship between ideas.
- Check the tense – if the sentence is in the past tense, your answer should match.
- Eliminate clearly wrong answers first, then choose between the remaining options.
- If two options seem equally good, look for the more specific or precise one.
Ready to practise?
Put these techniques into action with our free practice papers.
Practise Verbal Reasoning Questions