The Sentence Completion Question Tactics

Use your knowledge of context clues to get at the meaning of unfamiliar words.

If a word used in a sentence is unfamiliar, or if an answer choice is unknown to you, look at its context in the sentence to see whether the context provides a clue to the meaning of the word.

Break down unfamiliar words into recognizable parts.

If you're having vocabulary trouble, look for familiar parts- prefixes, suffixes, and roots- in unfamiliar words.

In double-blank sentences, test one blank at a time, not two.

In a sentence completion question with two blanks, read through the entire sentence. Quickly decide which blank you want to work on. Then insert the appropriate word from each answer pain in that blank. If one word doesn't make sense you can eliminate that answer pair.

Watch out for Negative Words and Prefixes

No, not, none, non-, un-, in-. These negative words are killers, especially in combination.

Look for words that signal the unexpected.

Some words indicate that something is unexpected, possibly even unwanted, exists or has occurred. (ex. abnormal, anomalous, curious)

Watch for signal words that link one part of the sentence to another.

Writers use transitions to link their ideas logically. Look for contrast signals (ex. although, but, despite, even though, however), support signals (ex. additionally, also, besides), and cause-and effect signals (ex. accordingly, because, consequently).

Look at all the possible answers before you make your final choice.

You are looking for the word that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole. DO NOT HASTILY PICK AN ANSWER. Look through all the answers before jumping to conclusions. Be suspicious when answers come too easy.

First, read the sentence carefully to vet a feel for its meaning.

You get a full understanding or "picture" of the sentence before you answer the question.

Before you look at the choices think of a word that makes sense.

Your problem here is to find a word that best completes the sentence's thought. If the word you thought of is one of the five choices you were given then select it. If it is not one of the five choices select a synonym to that word.