Post on 03-Jul-2015
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