What sentence completion is: In sentence completion (Sätze ergänzen) you finish a sentence about the text so that it matches what the text says. Sometimes you choose the right ending (a/b/c); sometimes you complete it with words from the text. Either way, the finished sentence must be true according to the text — not just true in general.
- den Satz ergänzen
- to complete the sentence
- der Satzanfang
- the sentence stem (its beginning)
- das richtige Ende
- the correct ending
- dem Text zufolge
- according to the text
- richtig laut Text
- true according to the text
- eine Aussage
- a statement / claim
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.
Two formats you'll meet: Sentence completion comes in two shapes. In one you get a stem plus endings (a/b/c) and pick the right one; in the other you complete from the text in your own words or with words from it. In both, the completed sentence must be true according to the text.
| Format | Was du machst |
|---|---|
| Satzanfang + Enden (a/b/c) | du wählst das Ende, das zum Text passt |
| Mit dem Text ergänzen | du ergänzt den Satz mit Wörtern oder Ideen aus dem Text |
| Der ganze Satz muss… | richtig laut Text sein (nicht nur im Allgemeinen) |
| Woher kommt die Antwort? | aus dem Text — der Text liegt vor dir |
| Spielt die Grammatik eine Rolle? | ja — das Ende muss grammatisch in den Satz passen |
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.
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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 that matches that line, or complete it with the text's words.
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.
Read stem → Find in text → Choose/Write → 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.
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 Übersetzung anzeigen if you get stuck), then we'll complete one sentence together.
Daniel und das Tierheim: Daniel ist fünfzehn Jahre alt und engagiert sich seit einem Jahr jeden Samstagvormittag ehrenamtlich in einem Tierheim. Dort geht er mit den Hunden spazieren, putzt die Käfige und hilft, die Katzen zu füttern, die ausgesetzt wurden.
Am Anfang machte er das nur, um Stunden für den Sozialdienst der Schule zu sammeln. Inzwischen sagt er jedoch, dass es der beste Teil seiner Woche ist. Dank dieser Erfahrung hat er beschlossen, dass er später Tiermedizin studieren möchte, um sich um kranke Tiere zu kümmern.
- sich ehrenamtlich engagieren
- to volunteer
- das Tierheim
- the animal shelter
- aussetzen — ausgesetzt
- to abandon — abandoned
- der Sozialdienst
- community / social service
- Tiermedizin studieren
- to study Veterinary Medicine
Completing one sentence
Ein Satz, Schritt für Schritt
- Read the stem — „Am Anfang wurde Daniel ehrenamtlich tätig, _________.“
- Find it in the text. Scan for „Am Anfang“: „Am Anfang machte er das nur, um Stunden für den Sozialdienst der Schule zu sammeln.“
- Choose the ending & check it's true — „…um Stunden für den Sozialdienst der Schule zu sammeln.“ Read the whole sentence: it is true per the text and fits the grammar.
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. Daniel now loves it — but the stem says „Am Anfang“, 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, or completing from memory instead of the text. Compare the two columns.
Gute Praxis
- Choose the ending that the text actually supports.
- Read the whole completed sentence to confirm it's true per the text.
- Make sure the ending fits the stem grammatically.
- Complete from the text in front of you, not from memory.
Typische Fehler
- Pick an ending that is 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.