6

 Apply your knowledge of prefixes, word stems, and suffixes to select the best vocabulary item..  Note that some words are often used together in set expressions.[r]

Tips and exercises for Part I: Incomplete Sentences 8 tips:

 Prepare yourself for formal written English

 Decide if the question requires of vocabulary or grammar

 Consider the overall meaning of a sentence to determine a missing vocabulary item

 Apply your knowledge of prefixes, word stems, and suffixes to select the best vocabulary item

 Note that some words are often used together in set expressions

 Identify the missing part of speech to determine the correct grammatical form

 Look for grammatical relationships between parts of the sentence  Try to develop your knowledge of vocabulary

Tip 1: Prepare yourself for formal written English Look at the examples of different levels of formality Informal English: Formal English:

I’m sorry I can’t come……… I regret that I will be unable to attend Please call back………… I look forward to your reply

Can you give me a hand with this……I would appreciate your assistance in this matter Look at the different language used in the following two announcements, one spoken and one written:

A spoken extract from a staff meeting:

There aren’t enough parking spaces for everyone going to the party at the hotel on Wednesday night, so they’re arranging a shuttle bus to pick us up and drop us off there Please use the bus so that the hotel has enough room for their own guests

A written communication from a hotel:

Because the hotel does not have sufficient parking spaces for everyone attending the reception on Wednesday evening, we have arranged a shuttle bus to bring guests to the hotel entrance We ask that you take advantage of this service so that we may accommodate our overnight guests

Exercise: Using informal and formal English Informal English Formal English

1 Enough Please use Going to The party

5 Has enough room for

Tip 2: Decide if the question requires of vocabulary or grammar

Ex 1:

Everyone should have periodic eye examinations to make sure any problems are quickly… A produced

B responded C discovered D prepared Ex 2:

Everyone should have periodic eye examinations to make sure any problems are quickly… A discovering

B discover C discovered D to discover Ex 3:

The publishers suggested that the envelopes be sent to……… by courier so that the film can be developed as soon as possible

A they B their C theirs D them Ex 4:

Conservatives predict that government finances will remain………during the period of the investigation

A authoritative B summarized C examined D stable Ex 5:

Updating your skills is the only way to remain…… in today’s job market, according to economist Chun Ho Suk

A competitor B competition C competitive D competed Ex 6:

Not only did the suppliers send the wrong………….for the machine, but they also sent them to the wrong department

A particles B components C technicians D principles

Tip 3: Consider the overall meaning of a sentence to determine a missing vocabulary item

The firm……… Mr.Morrison as its accountant after it was learned that he had not been mishandling funds

A reinstated B distracted C determined D reprimanded

Exercise: Thinking about the overall meaning of the sentence

1 Our studies show that increases in worker productivity have not been adequately rewarded by significant increases in………

A Compensation B Commodity C Compilation D Complacency

2 Two assistants will be required to……reprters’names when they arrive at the press conference

A remark B check C notify D ensure

3 The Trade Ministry’s report asserts that the growing……….of skilled labor is limiting business expansion

A opportunity B scarcity C danger D enlargement

4 Even when two parties seem radically opposed to one another, an………negotiator can help find common ground

A incompetent B authentic C effective D appreciative

Tip 4: Apply your knowledge of prefixes, word stems, and suffixes to select the best vocabulary item

Prefix: a letter or group of letters at the beginning of a word Stem: the main part of a word

Suffix: a letter or group of letters at the end of a word Prefixes:

Mono- Multi- Pre- Syn- Tri- Re- Un- Fore-Under Co-Suffixes -er -ful -less -ly -ness -ion

Exercise: Practice with prefixes: Prefixes Word endings Re- -portation Pre- -estimated Fore- -colored Under- -necessary Bi- -operation Co- -lingual Multi- -see Trans- -cycle Un- -dictable Sentences:

1 Fluctuations in the stock market are not always……… We failed to …………the effect of the new shopping center on traffic

patterns

3 Public…………can be used to get to the conference center

4 Ms Curtis was dissatisfied because she felt her abilities were…………by her supervisor

5 An advertisement has been placed for a……….secretary

6 The management apologizes for any inconvenience and asks for your………… while the construction is in progress

7 Taking notes during the slide presentation is……… because handouts will be distributed at the end

8 A……… sign would attract attention to the new restaurant better than a black-and-white sign

Tip 5: Note that some words are often used together in set expressions

Certain combinations of words typically occur in English Keep in mind that an Incomplete Sentence question may be assessing your knowledge of English language usage

Ex 1:

Mr.Dupre has asked me to send his……….regards to you and your staff A warm

B firm C close D good

The word regards is usually used with the words warm or best While close and good might seem to make sense, they are not used to modify regards

Ex 2:

He has………….a great deal of time on this project A passed

B spent C cost D paid

The word time can be used with passed or spent, but the meanings of the two expressions are different To pass time means to let the time go by while you are relaxing or waiting This word would not make sense in the above sentence To spend a lot of time on something means that you use the time for a special purpose

Exercise: Choosing the missing word from a set expression

1 I am writing in………….to the position of events manager advertised in August’s Entertainment Monthly

A comment B account C notice D reference

2 Please call the dentist’s office at your………… convenience to make an appointment for your six month check up

A soonest B quickest C earliest D easiest

3 It is essential that we operate………… the parameters of time and a limited budget A among

B about C within D onto

4 Reservations for the fish restaurant recently opened by John Larchmont need to be……….several weeks in advance

C enlisted D made

5 The success……… the new manufacturing process has doubled the number of requests for the product

A to B of C for D by

6 We apologize for informing you of the change in location of the conference at such………notice

A brief B tight C short D small

Tip 6: Identify the missing part of speech to determine the correct grammatical form

Identifying the missing part of speech (noun,verb, adj, adv, preposition, conjunction, etc) can help you eliminate some of the choices If the missing word is a verb, for example, you can rule out the choices that are not verbs

Ex:

Please………… your face with a mask when using welding materials A protection

B protect C protecting D protective

Exercise: Identifying missing parts of speech

1 In order for the conference to run smoothly, we will need hundreds………… volunteers ( )

2 The need for skilled workers in the manufacturing trade will………dramatically over the next decade ( )

3 West Street has the city’s…… concentration of art galleries, museums and restaurants ( )

4 The RBI Corporation has………….maintained that its greatest growth potential lies overseas ( )

5 The airline industry announced yesterday that it had canceled a $3.5 billion……….for jet airplanes ( )

Exercise: Completing sentences

Now complete the same sentences from Exercise B using words of your own

1 In order for the conference to run smoothly, we will need hundreds………… …… volunteers

2 The need for skilled workers in the manufacturing trade will………dramatically over the next decade

3 West Street has the city’s………… … concentration of art galleries, museums and restaurants

4 The RBI Corporation has………….maintained that its greatest growth potential lies overseas

5 The airline industry announced yesterday that it had canceled a $3.5 billion……….for jet airplanes

6 The audience is reminded that neither cameras………… … recording equipment will be permitted in the auditorium

Tip 7: Look for grammatical relationships between parts of the sentence

When you are choosing the correct grammatical form to complete the sentence, look at how the parts of the sentence fit together Information from one phrase often affects other parts of the sentence

Ex:

The notebook computer is the ……….profitable of all the products that are presently on sale

A as B so C more D most Ex:

Mrs.Hayashi………from her trip to Jakarta late yesterday evening A return

B returned C returns D be returned

Exercise: Recognizing the grammatical relationships in the sentence.

1 Mr.Kobayashi spoke quite……….while he was making his sales presentation A exciting

B excitable C excitedly D excitement

2 Over the next two years, production at the Landsbury plant………….to double in order to meet increased demand

D was needing

3 The new computers we are installing are far more powerful………… those we are currently using

A as B than C and D so

4 Regrettably, Mr.Jenkinson was found to be……… good at his work nor easy to get along with

A either B nor C both D neither

5 While you are in the building, please wear your identification badge at all times so that you are………… as a company employee

A recognize B recognizing C recognizable D recognizably

Tip 8: Try to develop your knowledge of vocabulary Keep a Reading Vocabulary Notebook

One of the best ways to increase your reading proficiency is to find reading materials that you enjoy and to read for pleasure as often as you can in order to increase your understanding of English grammar and vocabulary

For example:

New vocabulary Part of speech Meaning Example sentence