SAT Test-Taking Tips: Sentence Completions

The sentence completions on the SAT make up about 1/3 of the Reading Comprehension portion. They go from easy, to medium, to hard. There are some strategies that apply to multiple choice questions that are also applicable here.

Multiple Choice Strategy:

• Keep the answer choices covered and try to place your word(s) into the blanks.  Then look for answer choice that is synonomous with your word.
• Use the process of elimination, but do not eliminate words you do not know.

Sentence Completion Strategy:

• Sentences are compound and the clauses either support/contrast each other or show a definition.
• Key words to demonstrate that sentences support each other:
  • so, and, because, since, therefore, etc..
• Key words to demonstrate that sentences contrast each other:
  •  although, rather, instead, but, despite, however,though, etc...
• Use the tone of the clause to determine the tone of the word to complete the sentence.  The word must have the same tone as the clause.
• When completing two blanks, do one at a time.  Both words must make sense in the sentence.
• Use context clues.
• If you can eliminate two choices, guess. Otherwise, skip the sentence and move on.
• Clues that indicate that a definition is sought are the presence of a colon (:) or a semicolon (;)

Do not dwell on any one question.  Remember, each question is worth only one point.  Colleges do not get sent information that relays whether the student could answer the hard questions correctly.  Do not take time away from the passage readings; which account for 2/3 of the reading comprehension questions.