What sentence completion is: In a sentence-completion task you finish a sentence about a reading text so that the finished sentence matches what the text says.
Sometimes you choose the right ending (a/b/c); sometimes you complete it with the exact words from the text. Either way, the finished sentence must be true according to the text — not just true in general.
The exam instruction you'll see: In the real English Paper 2 exam, this question type is introduced by an instruction like:
“Find the words that complete the following sentences. Answer using the words as they appear in the text.”
What you have to do: Complete each sentence using the text — copy the exact words, or choose the ending the TEXT supports (meaning must match the text, not merely sound grammatical). Each option is used once.
- to complete the sentence
- to finish a sentence so it matches the text
- the sentence stem
- the beginning of the sentence that you have to finish
- the (correct) ending
- the words that finish the sentence correctly
- according to the text
- based on what the text actually says, not your own ideas
- true according to the text
- matching exactly what the passage states
- a statement
- a sentence that claims something is the case
True in the text, not just true: An ending can sound sensible and still be wrong — because the text doesn't actually say it. The finished sentence must match this text, not your general knowledge.
The golden rule: copy, don't paraphrase: Paper 2 Reading is a treasure hunt, not an essay. The answer is already in the text — your job is to find it and copy it.
When a question says "using the words as they appear in the text", you must copy the exact word or phrase. Paraphrasing scores ZERO — even if your version means the same thing.
| Golden rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Copy the exact words | Find the word/phrase in the text and copy it. Don't reword it. |
| Keep it complete, add nothing | Give the whole answer — but add NO extra or irrelevant words. |
| True/False needs a quote | Tick True or False AND quote the text word-for-word to justify it. |
| Spelling slips are OK | A small spelling mistake is fine if the meaning is still clear. |
| One answer per box | In multiple choice, put exactly ONE answer in the box. |
This scores
- Copies the exact word/phrase from the text.
- Gives the complete answer and nothing extra.
- True/False: ticks the box AND quotes the text.
- Puts exactly one answer in a multiple-choice box.
This scores ZERO
- Paraphrases when the text words were required.
- Adds extra, wrong information that contradicts the right part.
- True/False: ticks the box but gives no quote.
- Puts two answers in one multiple-choice box.
Extra wrong words can lose the mark: Don't 'pad' your answer. If you copy the correct phrase and tack on something the text doesn't support, the extra wrong information can cancel the mark. Copy what's needed — then stop.
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A reliable completion routine: Read the stem, find what the text says about it, copy or choose the matching ending, then check the whole sentence is true per the text before moving on. Five quick steps.
Complete the sentence — 5 steps
1
Read the stem
Read the beginning of the sentence. What is it about, and what does it need to be finished?
2
Find it in the text
Scan the text for the line that talks about the same thing as the stem.
3
Copy or choose the ending
Copy the text's exact words into the gap, or pick the ending that matches that line.
4
Check it's true
Read the whole finished sentence — is it true according to the text, and does it fit grammatically?
5
Move on
Once it's true and fits, move to the next one. Don't keep second-guessing a verified answer.
Read stem → Find in text → Copy/Choose → Check true → Move on
Match the stem to the text line: The stem points you at one idea in the text. Find the line about that idea first; the correct ending will be the one that agrees with that exact line — and where you can, lift the words straight from it.
A sentence completion in action: Here is a short text — the kind Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. The text stays in front of you, so you complete the sentence from what it says. Read it once for the gist, then we'll complete one sentence together.
Aisha and the animal shelter: Aisha is sixteen and, for the past year, she has spent her Saturday mornings volunteering at an animal shelter. There she walks the dogs, cleans the cages and helps feed the cats that have been abandoned.
At first she did it only to collect community-service hours for school. However, she now says it is the best part of her week. Thanks to this experience she has decided that, when she is older, she wants to study to become a vet so she can look after sick animals.
- to volunteer
- to do work for free, to help others
- an animal shelter
- a place that looks after lost or abandoned animals
- abandoned
- left behind by an owner who no longer cares for it
- community service
- unpaid work done to help the local community
- a vet (veterinarian)
- a doctor who treats animals
Completing one sentence
One sentence, step by step
- Read the stem — "At first, Aisha started volunteering only to _____."
- Find it in the text. Scan for "at first": "At first she did it only to collect community-service hours for school."
- Copy the ending & check it's true — "…collect community-service hours for school." Read the whole sentence: it is true per the text and fits the grammar. You copied the text's exact words, so a marker can't fault it.
Watch the time shift: A favourite trap: an ending that is true later in the text but not for the part the stem asks about. Aisha now loves it — but the stem says "at first", so the correct ending is the community-service one. Match the exact part of the text.
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Where completion marks are lost: Completion marks are lost to endings that are true in general but not in the text, endings that don't fit grammatically, paraphrasing when the text words were required, and padding the answer with extra wrong words. Compare the two columns.
Good practice
- Copy the text's exact words into the gap.
- Read the whole finished sentence to confirm it's true per the text.
- Make sure the ending fits the stem grammatically.
- Give a complete answer — then stop, adding nothing extra.
Typical errors
- Paraphrase when the text's own words were required.
- Choose an ending that's true in general but not stated in the text.
- Match an ending that's true for a different part of the text.
- Pad the answer with extra, irrelevant words that lose the mark.
Sensible isn't the same as true: The trickiest wrong endings are plausible — they sound reasonable. But unless this text says it, it's wrong. Always anchor the ending to the exact line the stem points to, and copy from it.