Sentence completion is one of the most common question types in English-language competitive tests worldwide — from graduate admissions exams like the GRE, to civil service, job-recruitment, and English-proficiency tests across different countries. Usually a sentence contains one or two blanks, which must be filled in using the given choices. These questions test your vocabulary and your grasp of the finer distinctions between similar-sounding words — the exact skill the GRE's Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence sections are built around.
A good vocabulary makes these questions much easier, but strong reading strategy matters just as much. Before choosing an answer, read the full sentence thoroughly. Figure out the logical clues it gives you — is the tone positive or negative? Does a word like "although," "but," or "whereas" signal a contrast? Then look for the choice that best fits that logic, even if you're not 100% sure of every word's exact definition.
This 40-question set was built for anyone building competitive-level English vocabulary — GRE candidates, general English-proficiency learners, and job-test candidates around the world alike. Every question includes a full explanation, not just the correct letter, so you learn the reasoning behind each answer rather than just memorizing it.
If you're specifically preparing for a civil service or public-sector job test in Pakistan — such as NTS, PPSC, FPSC, or CSS — this same format and difficulty level lines up closely with what you'll see on the English section of those exams too.
- ✔ Reading sentences for tone & logic
- ✔ Contrast signal words (although, whereas)
- ✔ Cause-and-effect sentence structure
- ✔ Two-blank sentence completion logic
- ✔ Advanced GRE-level vocabulary
- ✔ Elimination strategy for unfamiliar words
- ✔ Positive vs. negative tone clues
- ✔ Exam-ready vocabulary for global tests
Sentence Completion Test MCQs Set 1
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXTRead each sentence carefully and look for tone and contrast clues before checking the answer.
1. The _____ weather forced us to stay indoors.
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Correct Answer: D) inclement. Being forced indoors implies harsh weather -- "inclement" means stormy or severe, unlike the pleasant alternatives.
2. It will be hard to _____ Leonid now that you have so _____ him.
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Correct Answer: B) mollify - incensed. To calm ("mollify") someone is difficult once you've made them furious ("incensed") -- the two blanks show a cause-and-effect relationship.
3. In a fit of _____ she threw out the valuable statue simply because it had belonged to her ex-husband.
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Correct Answer: A) pique. "Pique" means a feeling of resentment or wounded pride -- exactly the petty anger that would drive someone to destroy something valuable over a personal grudge.
4. Harding was unable to _____ the results of the survey. although entirely unexpected, the figures were obtained by a market research firm with an _____ reputation.
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Correct Answer: B) discount - impeccable. Although the results were surprising, a firm with a flawless ("impeccable") reputation makes the figures hard to dismiss ("discount").
5. The success of the business venture _____ his expectations, he never thought that the firm would prosper.
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Correct Answer: B) belied. "Belied" means contradicted -- the success contradicted his pessimistic expectation that the firm would fail.
6. For centuries there was no _____ between their descendants, in fact _____ strife continued until modern times.
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Correct Answer: A) peace - internecine. The second clause explains the first: no peace existed because destructive, mutual ("internecine") conflict persisted.
7. The journalist _____ the efforts of the drug squad to control drug peddling, claiming that they had actually _____ the problem.
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Correct Answer: D) deprecated - exacerbated. "Deprecated" (criticized) fits a journalist blaming the drug squad for having "exacerbated" (worsened), not solved, the problem.
8. Their bantering talk seemed _____ , but in fact it masked an underlying _____.
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Correct Answer: B) amicable - antagonism. "But in fact" signals a contrast: friendly-seeming ("amicable") banter concealed real hostility ("antagonism").
9. Many so-called social playwrights are distinctly ______, rather than allowing the members of the audience to form their own opinions, these writers force a viewpoint on the viewer.
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Correct Answer: D) didactic. "Didactic" means intended to teach or moralize, matching writers who force a viewpoint instead of letting audiences decide for themselves.
10. His one vice was gluttony and so it is not surprising that as he aged he became increasingly _____.
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Correct Answer: A) emaciated. "Emaciated" means abnormally thin, often from illness or malnourishment.
Sentence Completion Questions 11–20
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT11. Our once thriving High School Nature Club is now _____, the programs have had to be cancelled due to lack of support.
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Correct Answer: A) defunct. "Defunct" means no longer functioning or existing, matching a club whose programs have been cancelled.
12. Having been chief accountant for so many years, Ms. George felt herself to be _____ and was unwilling to _____ control of the department after the merger.
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Correct Answer: D) indispensable - relinquish. Feeling essential ("indispensable") explains her reluctance to give up ("relinquish") control.
13. Because Elaine's father was a field entomologist who trekked over the continent studying insect infestations, and insisted on taking his young family with him, Elaine and her brother had an _____ childhood.
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Correct Answer: B) itinerant. "Itinerant" means traveling from place to place, matching a childhood spent following a field entomologist across the continent.
14. Literary criticism has in recent years become increasingly _____, it is almost impossible for the non-literary person to understand its analyses.
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Correct Answer: A) abstruse. "Abstruse" means difficult to understand, matching criticism that non-specialists can't follow.
15. Johnson was such an outstanding orator, that his contemporizes were too dazzled by his _____ to question his fundamental philosophy.
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Correct Answer: D) rhetoric. As an orator, Johnson's skilled use of language ("rhetoric") is what dazzled listeners, distracting them from his underlying ideas.
16. Moths are nocturnal pollinators, visiting scented flower during the hours of darkness, whereas the butterflies are _____ , attracted to bright flowers in the daytime.
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Correct Answer: A) diurnal. "Diurnal" means active during the day -- the direct contrast to the nocturnal moths described earlier in the sentence.
17. She was roundly condemned for her _____, she betrayed the woman to whom she owed her success.
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Correct Answer: B) perfidy. "Perfidy" means deceitfulness or betrayal, matching the act of betraying someone she owed her success to.
18. The progress of the disease is _____, it spreads stealthily without any symptoms in the early stages.
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Correct Answer: D) insidious. "Insidious" describes something that spreads gradually and harmfully without being noticed, matching a disease with no early symptoms.
19. Our grandfather was an entertaining _____, he used to _____ us with marvelous anecdotes that we, in our childlike simplicity, accepted unquestioningly.
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Correct Answer: C) raconteur - regale. A "raconteur" is a skilled storyteller, and to "regale" means to entertain with stories -- both fit a grandfather delighting children with anecdotes.
20. The quantum theory was initially regarded as absurd, unnatural and _____ with common sense.
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Correct Answer: C) incompatible. "Incompatible" means unable to coexist or align, fitting a theory seen as clashing with common sense.
Sentence Completion Questions 21–30
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT21. Despite his _____ reputation, the professor was surprisingly approachable and eager to help struggling students.
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Correct Answer: B) forbidding. "Despite" signals a contrast -- an intimidating ("forbidding") reputation is what would make his approachability surprising.
22. The negotiations remained _____ for weeks until both sides finally reached a compromise.
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Correct Answer: B) deadlocked. "Remained ... for weeks until finally" signals a long stalemate -- "deadlocked" means stuck with no progress.
23. Her _____ remarks during the meeting embarrassed her colleagues, who valued discretion above all else.
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Correct Answer: B) indiscreet. Colleagues who valued discretion would only be embarrassed by remarks that lacked it -- "indiscreet" means careless about revealing sensitive information.
24. The critic's review was so _____ that the author refused to read any further reviews of her work.
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Correct Answer: B) scathing. A harshly critical ("scathing") review would explain why the author avoided reading any more reviews.
25. Although the CEO's plan seemed _____ at first, it ultimately proved to be remarkably effective.
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Correct Answer: B) dubious. "Although ... seemed X ... ultimately proved effective" signals a contrast between an initial doubtful ("dubious") impression and the eventual success.
26. The scientist's findings were _____ by her peers, who found her methodology impossible to fault.
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Correct Answer: B) corroborated. Peers who found the methodology impossible to fault would confirm ("corroborate"), not dispute, her findings.
27. His _____ manner put the nervous interviewee at ease almost immediately.
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Correct Answer: B) affable. A friendly, easygoing ("affable") manner is what would put a nervous person at ease.
28. The committee's decision was _____ , reached only after months of heated debate and numerous revisions.
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Correct Answer: B) protracted. "Only after months of heated debate and numerous revisions" describes a decision-making process that was long and drawn-out ("protracted").
29. Even the harshest critics had to admit that the young violinist's performance was _____.
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Correct Answer: B) virtuosic. "Even the harshest critics had to admit" signals that the performance was undeniably exceptional -- "virtuosic" means displaying masterly skill.
30. The company's profits, once _____, have steadily declined over the past three years.
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Correct Answer: B) robust. "Once X ... have steadily declined" implies the profits were strong ("robust") before the decline began.
Sentence Completion Questions 31–40
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT31. Her explanation was so _____ that even the experts in the room struggled to follow her reasoning.
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Correct Answer: B) convoluted. If even experts struggled to follow the reasoning, the explanation must have been complicated and tangled ("convoluted").
32. The politician's promises turned out to be entirely _____, he never intended to fulfill any of them.
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Correct Answer: B) hollow. Promises he never intended to keep are empty ("hollow") ones.
33. The novelist's prose style is remarkably _____, weaving long, ornate sentences with vivid imagery.
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Correct Answer: B) baroque. Long, ornate, image-heavy sentences describe a "baroque" (highly elaborate) prose style.
34. Despite the team's _____ start, they rallied in the second half to win the championship.
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Correct Answer: B) inauspicious. "Despite ... rallied to win" signals a contrast between an unfavorable ("inauspicious") start and the eventual victory.
35. The old bridge, long considered _____, finally collapsed during the storm.
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Correct Answer: B) precarious. "Long considered X ... finally collapsed" fits a structure that had already been seen as unstable ("precarious") before it eventually failed.
36. The diplomat's _____ response defused what could have become a serious international incident.
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Correct Answer: B) measured. A calm, carefully controlled ("measured") response is what would defuse tension rather than escalate it.
37. His argument, though initially _____, fell apart under closer scrutiny.
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Correct Answer: B) persuasive. "Though initially X ... fell apart under scrutiny" signals a contrast: it seemed convincing ("persuasive") at first before being disproven.
38. The refugees were grateful for the _____ assistance provided by volunteers from around the world.
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Correct Answer: B) generous. Gratitude for the assistance fits help that was freely and abundantly given ("generous").
39. The professor's lectures were famously _____, students often left more confused than when they arrived.
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Correct Answer: B) obscure. Students leaving more confused than they arrived points to lectures that were unclear ("obscure") rather than illuminating.
40. The merger was expected to _____ the two companies' resources, but instead it created redundant, overlapping departments.
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Correct Answer: B) consolidate. "Expected to X ... but instead created redundant, overlapping departments" signals the goal was to combine and streamline ("consolidate") resources, which the merger failed to do.
💬 How many did you get right? Let us know your score in the comments, and tell us if you'd like more GRE-style vocabulary sets.
- Sentence Completion MCQs Set 2
- Sentence Completion MCQs Set 3 — Coming Soon
- English Vocabulary MCQs for Competitive Exams — Coming Soon
- Analogy Test MCQs with Answers — Coming Soon
- GRE Vocabulary Word List with Meanings — Coming Soon
- Antonyms & Synonyms MCQs Practice Test — Coming Soon
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sentence completion test?▾
A sentence completion test presents a sentence with one or two blanks and asks you to choose the word or words that best fit the meaning and tone of the sentence. It measures vocabulary strength and your ability to read for logical clues such as contrast words, cause-and-effect structure, and positive or negative tone.
How can I improve my vocabulary for sentence completion questions?▾
Read the full sentence before looking at the choices, and try to predict your own word first. Pay attention to signal words like "although," "but," "whereas," and "in fact," which tell you whether the blank should agree with or contrast the rest of the sentence. Regular practice with sets like this one, combined with building a working vocabulary of commonly tested words, is the fastest way to improve.
Are these questions similar to GRE Text Completion?▾
Yes, in style. These single-blank, four-option questions test the same skill the GRE's Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions test -- selecting advanced vocabulary that fits the logic and tone of a sentence. They are a useful warm-up for GRE Verbal Reasoning prep, though the real GRE Sentence Equivalence format asks you to pick two correct answers from six choices rather than one from four.
Is this test useful for NTS, PPSC, and CSS preparation?▾
Yes. Sentence completion is a standard part of the English section in NTS, PPSC, FPSC, and CSS tests in Pakistan. This set is built directly from that exam style and difficulty, making it directly relevant for those exams as well as for general vocabulary building.