Mastering Text Completion of GRE Verbal Reasoning

Text completion questions are set to evaluate the efficacy of self-elucidation from the synopsis of the questions with cogent comprehension. Text Completion questions in the GRE verbal reasoning contain a passage composed of sentences with one to three blanks. There are three answer choices per blank, or five answer choices if there is a single blank. There is a single correct answer, consisting of one choice for each blank. The examinee receives no credit for partially correct answers. So, text completion questions are to be dealt with keen attention to stipulated strategies:

Read & Predict

Reading is the first fuel to start the journey through text completion. The given question is to be read entirely at the beginning with a view to yielding a concise conception which triggers to find a word predicted as a hint to fill the blank making appropriate sense. Text completion always contains a part of the sentence which tells what the blank is about which aids to match the word from prediction with the given answer options.

Value the Vocabularies

Vocabularies are to be enriched to predict the relevant and right word to fill the blank.  Vocabulary is the versatility by which verbal section can attain the elegant vivacity. One has to value the vocabs by regular practice and application with a view to making sense to fill the blanks with correct answers. Word roots should be emphasized to deal with vocabularies in multiple choice questions.

Detection of Directives

In text completion, one can encounter words or phrases in the given passages functioning as directives by giving synonymous or antonymous signals to go in forward or reverse direction respectively where logical and coherent sentences are constructed to show the way onward. The proper prediction efficacy is dependent on the detection of the directives.

•   Forward Direction

The directives drive the question in a forward direction without any shift in meaning with synonymous vibes linked with blank, apposition, portions presented to show cause and effect e.g: indeed, and, consequently, given that, because, as a result of, since, therefore etc. Moreover, the text completion questions go onward in the same directions where few punctuations e.g: colon, semicolon, dash are set to explain the fact in detail with proper support.

• Backward Direction

A reverse ambiance is set which enables us to predict the word to be adapted to the transition of a sentence in the backward direction. The directives drive the question in such direction with shifts in meaning with antonymous vibes linked with blank, reverse apposition, the shift in time and perception, portions presented to reflect the reverse position e.g: but, however, albeit, although, on the other hand, in spite of, in lieu of etc. It is to be noted that the reverse or negative direction can be forwarded or modified in a positive direction in presence of notes of negative assertions (e.g: no, not, doesn’t, never etc.) set adjacent to the option words.

Split the Sentences

Text completions contains one or multiple sentences as a passage or paragraph which may make the reading sense convoluted. So, the whole text completion is to be segmented into sections and each section is to be dealt separately to make sense filling the blank or blanks. The level of efficacy in understanding part of passage as small sentences aids to be railed choosing right options and doing proper prediction. The cognition of split sections of each question will aid get rid of the deal with convoluted vocabulary words which are important to reflect the gist. This strategy of splitting helps one to be focused with a centralized view on the principal portion regarding the blank to be filled.

Eliminate to Elucidate

One needs to eliminate irrelevant & illogical answer choices and extra words and lines. Elimination of the extraneous information with respect to the urge of the blanks constructs a simplified synopsis. It helps to deal with the gist maintaining a smart sense of test time.  Firstly, the supporting information is to be eliminated on the basis of importance and then we can have our prediction from the synopsis. Even, if we can not predict a word for the blank we can match and plug the answer choices in the blank to judge the message given the passage on the basis of relevancy, compatibility, and signals of directives. The irrelevant and absurd choices are to be eschewed asap and select the word stipulatedly fits the blank.

Polarity of Perception

The context or synopsis of the question’s message and information gives a polarized perception and visualization which is whether positive or negative in vibe. The clarification of the positivity or negativity reflected aids to predict the sensible word to represent the blank and to eliminated the choices having opposite meaning of anticipation.

Underscore the Unknown  

There is no negative marking in the GRE test. So we do not need to be afraid to select any answer choice to fill the blank but we need to be more concerned then with the words we know properly. We use this clear knowledge dealing with the questions where the unknown words may be the correct answers for the blanks left as remaining after the process of reading, perception, elucidation, and elimination. The proper knowledge of parts of speech to deal with the vocabs correctly is an urge here. We can also get helped by the word roots which help us to differentiate between positive and negative ambiance. The unknown with difficulties is so underscored to deal with ascending confidence.

Relate Multiple Blanks

 In two or three blanks text completion questions, we need to relate the blanks with one another with respect to the message given by the passage. The order of lines in text completion questions is not mandatory to be maintained. One does not need to begin with the first blank and finish by finding an answer option that fits the last blank. In GRE text completion one can fill the blanks without maintaining order to ensure the entire thing makes sense all together sustaining the relevant and logical links among the sentences. The motive is to simplify the message given in the passage to have lucidity on the structure of the sentence with a view to figuring out the link and relationships of blanks. The link among the blanks works as the clues for one another symbiotically.

Practice premises to pace the navigation

• My Study Notebook (www.mystudynotebook.com): A website to practice and test in a customized way in a computer with comprehensive explanations aiding to build logical thinking capability in a gradual way of lively lessons.
• ETS Power Prep II: A software provided by ETS to have free practice tests to prepare for the computer-delivered GRE general test excelling perpetually.
• GRE 5 lb Manhattan Prep: The books gives 2000+ realistic practice problems in book and online to get the vibe of cracking any event and argument with logic and critical thinking.

The inborn intuition to insert the instant word of relevant imagination is to set to start the journey by text completion with the process of entire reading of attention, elucidating elimination, valuing the vocabs, splitting the sentences, concerning about signal words of directions, relating the blanks in an efficient way through GRE verbal reasoning.