What sentence completion is: In sentence completion (compléter des phrases) you finish a sentence about the text so that it matches what the text says. The classic instruction is « Complétez les phrases suivantes avec des mots du paragraphe » — sometimes limited to « un maximum de trois mots par phrase ». Sometimes instead you choose the right ending from a word-bank list (« reliez chaque début de phrase à la fin correspondante »). 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 French Paper 2 exam, this question type is introduced by an instruction like:
«Trouvez les mots qui complètent les phrases suivantes.» → Find the words that complete the following sentences.
«Choisissez la fin appropriée de la liste pour terminer chaque phrase.» → Choose the appropriate ending from the list to complete each sentence.
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.
- compléter la phrase
- to complete the sentence
- le début de la phrase
- the sentence stem (its beginning)
- la fin correcte
- the correct ending
- selon le texte
- according to the text
- vrai selon le texte
- true according to the text
- avec des mots du paragraphe
- with words from the paragraph (you reuse the text's words)
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 completed sentence must match this text, not your general knowledge.
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Two shapes you'll meet: Sentence completion comes in two shapes. In one you complete from the text with its own words (« Complétez… avec des mots du paragraphe », often « un maximum de trois mots par phrase »); in the other you match a stem to its ending from a word-bank list (« reliez chaque début de phrase à la fin correspondante »). In both, the completed sentence must be true according to the text.
| Forme | Ce que tu fais |
|---|---|
| Compléter avec des mots du texte | tu remplis le blanc avec les mots exacts du paragraphe |
| …« un maximum de trois mots par phrase » | respecte la limite : trois mots maximum |
| Relier début + fin (banque de mots) | tu choisis dans la liste la fin qui termine correctement la phrase |
| La phrase complète doit… | être vraie selon le texte (pas seulement en général) |
| La grammaire compte-t-elle ? | oui — la fin doit s'emboîter grammaticalement dans la phrase |
Read the whole sentence: Always read the whole completed sentence, not just the ending. It has to be true per the text and fit grammatically with the stem you were given. In the word-bank form there are usually more endings than stems — extras are distractors.
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A reliable completion routine: Read the stem, find what the text says about it, choose or write 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 completed?
2
Find it in the text
Scan the text for the line that talks about the same thing as the stem.
3
Choose or write the ending
Pick the ending from the list, or complete it with the text's own words (respect any word limit).
4
Check it's true
Read the whole completed 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.
Lis le début → Trouve dans le texte → Choisis/Écris → Vérifie que c'est vrai → Continue
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.
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 (tap Voir la traduction if you get stuck), then we'll complete one sentence together using the exact instruction « Complétez la phrase avec des mots du paragraphe ».
Élise et le refuge pour animaux: Élise a quinze ans et, depuis un an, elle consacre ses samedis matin au bénévolat dans un refuge pour animaux. Là-bas, elle promène les chiens, nettoie les cages et aide à nourrir les chats qui ont été abandonnés.
Au début, elle le faisait seulement pour obtenir des heures de service à la communauté pour le lycée. Pourtant, elle dit maintenant que c'est le meilleur moment de sa semaine. Grâce à cette expérience, elle a décidé que plus tard elle veut étudier la médecine vétérinaire pour soigner les animaux malades.
- le bénévolat / le bénévole
- volunteering / the volunteer
- le refuge pour animaux
- the animal shelter
- abandonné/e
- abandoned
- le service à la communauté
- community service
- la médecine vétérinaire
- veterinary medicine
Completing one sentence
Une phrase, pas à pas
- Read the stem — « Au début, Élise faisait du bénévolat seulement pour obtenir _________. »
- Find it in the text. Scan for « au début » : « Au début, elle le faisait seulement pour obtenir des heures de service à la communauté pour le lycée ».
- Complete it & check it's true — « …pour obtenir des heures de service à la communauté (pour le lycée). » Read the whole sentence: it is true per the text and fits the grammar — and it uses the text's own words.
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. Élise now loves it — but the stem says « au début », so the correct ending is the community-service one. Match the exact part of the text — and respect any « maximum de trois mots » limit.
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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, completing from memory instead of the text, or ignoring the word limit (« un maximum de trois mots »). Compare the two columns.
Bonnes pratiques
- Complete the sentence with the text's own words.
- Read the whole completed sentence to confirm it's true per the text.
- Make sure the ending fits the stem grammatically.
- Respect the limit — « un maximum de trois mots par phrase ».
Erreurs typiques
- Complete with something true in general but not stated in the text.
- Choose an ending that doesn't fit the grammar of the stem.
- Complete the sentence from memory rather than the text.
- Match an ending true for another part of the text, not the part asked about.
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.