Sentence Completion questions in the IELTS Reading test require you to complete sentences by filling in the blanks with words or phrases from the reading passage.

These questions test your ability to understand the text and your ability to find specific information that fits grammatically and contextually into the sentence.

Key Features:

• Sentence with gaps: You are given a sentence with one or more blanks.
• Word/phrase choices: You need to fill in each blank with a word or phrase taken directly from the passage.

Types of Sentence Completion:

1. Fill in the blanks with one word: Sometimes, the missing word is just a single word (such as a noun, verb, or adjective).

2. Fill in the blanks with one or more words: In some cases, you may need to use more than one word from the passage to complete the sentence.

3. Word limit: Often, there is a word limit (e.g., “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS”). You should not exceed this limit when filling in your answer.

How to Approach Sentence Completion:

1. Understand the context: Read the sentence carefully and try to understand the overall meaning of the sentence. Look at the part of the sentence before and after the gap to see if there are any clues about the type of word (e.g., noun, verb) or information needed.

2. Skim the passage for relevant information: Quickly read through the passage and look for the part that contains the relevant information. Use keywords from the sentence to help guide your search.

3. Focus on meaning and grammar: When you find the word or phrase in the passage that fits, make sure it both makes sense in the context of the sentence and fits grammatically. For example, if the sentence is talking about an event that happened in the past, the missing word may need to be a past-tense verb.

4. Pay attention to synonyms and paraphrasing: Sometimes the word in the passage may be a synonym or paraphrased version of the word needed to complete the sentence. Don’t be too literal; focus on the overall meaning.

5. Check the word limit: Ensure that you don’t exceed the word limit specified in the instructions.

Example:

Sample Sentence Completion Test 1

Sample Sentence Completion Test 2

Tips:

• Don’t add extra words: Stick to the word limit (usually one or two words).
• Be careful with spelling: If you misspell a word, even if it’s the correct answer, it could be marked wrong.
• Look for clues: The passage will often provide hints or paraphrase the sentence you need to complete, so look for keywords and context to guide you.