11-Plus Verbal Reasoning: Complete the Sentence

Complete the Sentence

The Complete the Sentence section in 11-plus verbal reasoning tests requires students to select the most appropriate word or words to fill in the blanks in sentences. This task is designed to assess a student's vocabulary, comprehension, and grammatical skills.

Understanding the Task

In this section, students are presented with sentences that are incomplete. They must choose the correct word or phrase from a list of options to complete the sentence logically and grammatically. This requires a good understanding of the context in which the sentence is used, as well as an awareness of the meanings of the words provided.

Key Skills Tested

• Vocabulary: A broad vocabulary is essential for recognizing the best word choices.
• Contextual Understanding: Students must understand the overall meaning of the sentence to select the appropriate word.
• Grammar: Knowledge of grammar rules helps in choosing words that fit grammatically within the sentence structure.

Strategies for Success

To excel in this section, students can employ several strategies:

• Read the Entire Sentence: Before looking at the options, read the full sentence to grasp its meaning.
• Eliminate Clearly Wrong Answers: Narrow down the choices by eliminating words that do not fit the context.
• Consider Word Meanings: Think about the meanings of the remaining options and how they relate to the sentence.

Worked Example

Sentence: The weather was so hot that the ice cream began to _____ quickly.

Options: A) melt B) freeze C) solidify D) harden

Solution:

• Read the sentence: It describes a hot weather condition affecting ice cream.
• Eliminate options: B) freeze, C) solidify, and D) harden do not make sense in this context.
• Choose the best option: A) melt is the only logical choice, as it fits both the context and meaning.

By practicing these types of questions, students can improve their verbal reasoning skills and perform better in the 11-plus exams.