Overview Sentence completion questions make up the first eight questions out of the larger comprehension sections so they constitute a large portion of your overall score on the SAT Reading test ID: 713857
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Slide1
SAT Prep
Sentence CompletionSlide2
Overview
Sentence completion questions make up the first eight questions out of the larger comprehension sections, so they constitute a large portion of your overall score on the SAT Reading test
.
This section is arranged from easiest to hardest on the SAT
Rather than learning every possible SAT vocabulary word, you can use your knowledge of word charges, prefixes and suffixes, and keywords or context clues to make an educated guess.Slide3
Example:
“Leaning
back and sipping a cup of coffee, he watched ______________ as the manager fired his best friend.’’’
A
)
Nonchalantly
B)Heterogeneously
C
) Malleably
D
) Perpetually
E
) MalevolentlySlide4
Technique 1: Word Charges
Words are “charged” with either a positive or negative tone or connotation, and sometimes with a neutral tone.
The word BRAZEN is negative in tone
The word WINSOME is positive in tone
What about the word BESTOW?
What about OPPRESSION? Slide5
Technique 1: Word Charges
Assign the answer choices charge labels and identify the charge of the missing or blank word(s). This means that you should indicate the charge with a +, -, or N for neutral.
Match some of the choices to the missing word. If the charge is incorrect, eliminate the answer choice as a possibility
For two-blank questions, first identify the charges of the answer choices and the blanks, and then determine the relationship between the charges of the blanks. That is, one should be positive and the other negative, or vice-versa
.Slide6
Let’s try one:
The addition of descriptive details to the basic information serves to ------- the book by producing a fuller account.
(
A) invalidate
(
B) objectify
(
C) incite
(
D) celebrate
(
E) enrichSlide7
Explanation:
To "enrich" something is to expand or enhance it. Choice (E) is correct because adding "descriptive details" to "basic information" would enrich a book. This interpretation is reinforced by the conclusion of the sentence, which refers to "a fuller account" as a result of the addition.
The only positively charged words on the list are “celebrate” and “enrich,” of which “enrich” is the better option. Slide8
Technique 2: Prefixes and Suffixes
It’s much easier to teach you how to break apart a word to figure out its meaning than to teach you every word in the dictionary.
A “prefix” consists of the first few letters of a word that join together to create meaning. The word itself has a prefix: PRE means “before.”
A “suffix” consists of the last few letters of a word that join together to create meaning. A suffix can often change verb tense and part of speech (-
ed
, -
ly
).
The prefix and suffix is attached to a “stem” which is the middle of a word. Slide9
Take the following for example:
SUPERFICIAL
Prefix: Super (very)
Suffix: ficial (surface)
Definition
:
very near the surface; shallow or concerned about appearances. Slide10
Technique #3: Keywords
Use keywords to help you identify the relationships between the blank in a sentence and the other words in a sentenceSlide11
For example:
“
Although
I was unhappy with her performance, I nevertheless rated it _____________.”
The
keyword is “although,” which indicates an opposite relationship between “I was unhappy with her” and “rated [her performance] _______________.” You can then identify that the charge of the blank word will be positive (as the first idea is quite negative)Slide12
Another example:
“Many people think that the chef’s cooking is fabulous,
and
some even think that his abilities ______________ those of any chef in the world.”
The keyword is “and,” which indicates a similar-charge relationship between the idea “chef’s cooking is fabulous” and “his abilities ________________ those of any chef”Slide13
Let’s try one:
Although some think the terms "bug" and "insect" are ------- , the former term actually refers to ------- group of insects.
(
A) parallel . . an identical
(
B) precise . . an exact
(
C) interchangeable . . a particular
(
D) exclusive . . a separate
(
E) useful . . a uselessSlide14
Explanation
The word "although" indicates that the two parts of the sentence contrast with each other: although most people think about the terms "bug" and "insect" one way, something else is actually true about the terms. Choice (C) logically completes the sentence, indicating that while most people think the terms are "interchangeable," the term "bug" actually refers to a "particular" group of insects.Slide15
This one is harder:
Because King Philip's desire to make Spain the dominant power in sixteenth-century Europe ran counter to Queen Elizabeth's insistence on autonomy for England, ------- was -------.
(
A) reconciliation . .
Assured
(
B) warfare . .
Avoidable
(
C) ruination . .
Impossible
(
D) conflict . .
Inevitable
(
E) diplomacy . . simpleSlide16
Explanation:
The word "because" indicates that the information in the first part of the sentence (the part before the comma) explains the reason for the situation described in the second part. The first part states that what King Philip wanted (domination for Spain) "ran counter to" what Queen Elizabeth wanted (independence for England). Choice (D) logically completes the sentence: Given that there was such a fundamental disagreement between the two monarchs, "conflict" would likely be "inevitable," or unavoidable.Slide17
Here is a short list of opposite-charge keywords with which you should be familiar:
Although
But
Even
Yet
Still
Though
Despite
In spite of
Regardless ofSlide18
similarly-charged keywords you should know:
And
For
So
Therefore
Thus
Because
Due to
Since