What the question looks like
A short paragraph (60-120 words) has one sentence missing, either at the end (paragraph conclusion) or in the middle. You choose the sentence that completes it most logically. Occasionally the question asks for the sentence that best summarises the paragraph.
Step-by-step approach
- Identify the paragraph's direction. Is it explaining a problem, presenting a contrast, describing a process or building to a conclusion?
- Look at the sentences on both sides of the blank. For a middle blank, the missing sentence must connect what comes before with what follows. Words such as At the same time or To protect their margins after the blank tell you what the missing sentence must contain.
- For an end blank, choose the natural consequence or conclusion of the last two sentences, without adding new topics.
- Eliminate: options that contradict the paragraph, introduce an unrelated idea, or make extreme claims (always, completely, all, banned).
What a correct option looks like
| Paragraph pattern | Correct completion |
|---|---|
| Problem described, then partial solution | A measured statement of what remains to be done |
| Initial resistance, then benefits discovered | A shift in behaviour as a result |
| A claim, then a qualification (yet, however) | A sentence that develops the qualification |
| Research findings mixed | A balanced conclusion, not an extreme one |
Worked example
"Electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions... Yet their environmental benefit depends heavily on how the electricity that charges them is generated. ______" The paragraph turns on the source of electricity. The completion must develop this point: "In a country that still relies largely on coal-fired power, the gains may be smaller than they first appear." Options saying EVs cause more pollution "in every country" are extreme and unsupported.
Common traps
- Choosing an option that is true in the real world but does not follow from the paragraph.
- Choosing a strong recommendation (should be banned) when the paragraph is merely descriptive.
- Missing a pronoun or link: the correct sentence often begins with This, Such, As a result and refers back to a specific idea.
Time target: 45-60 seconds per question. Read the paragraph once carefully; skimming leads to choosing a "true but irrelevant" option.