Grammar-based sentence completions - TOEIC

While "debated" can also be used as a verb, in this case it is the correct adjective to describe the "topic" of Paul Williamsonbergfriend's disappearance. It is important to recognize the way in which a word with more than one possible application is being used in a given sentence.

The best choice is "staggering." Since the article used in this sentence is "a" instead of "an," we know that the next work in the sentence has to start with a consonant and not a vowel, which eliminates "amazing" and "enormous" even though both of these words make sense logically. The other choice, "distressing" implies that it makes you upset, which does not make sense in this context. The best choice is "staggering" which means large and overwhelming.

The correct choice is the word "highest." We know that this is the correct choice because there the word "the" precedes the blank, so we know that we are talking about a superlative, and the superlative form is "highest." It is not higher or high because they are not the superlative forms of the word. While "most" is also a superlative, it is not the best choice since we are talking about performance in sales, and performing the highest makes more sense than performing the most.

Here, two independent clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction, it is up to you to choose the one that most accurately reflects the shift in the sentence. The first clause makes the blunt statement that "stock positions will not be refunded," not exactly reassuring for concerned stockholders. The second clause then changes the tone by offering reassurance. Therefore, "but" is the correct coordinating conjunction.

The correct answer is and because and is a conjunction that is used to connect words and ideas. But is used to express contradictions and So means "to the degree which something is stated". It is not correct because it is a preposition. In this sentence the speaker is connecting pasta and apple pie because they are two things that the speaker likes.

Or is the correct answer because we are linking two alternative ideas, the speakers two completely different options. And is used to connect similar ideas, but going to the park or the movies are two different options. While is used to express when two or more things are happening at the same time, but in this sentence the speaker can only choose one option.

The correct answer is "so." This is because the word "so" implies causation. The rain caused the subjects of this sentence to make a choice. We are not linking the two ideas, which would require the word "and" and we are not providing a contrast, which would require the word "but." The word "for" should not be used in this sentence because we are not providing an explanation in the second clause of the sentence.

The correct answer is "nor." This conjunction is used when two things are presented in the negative sense, in combination with the word "neither." "And" "for" and "or" are all incorrect when used in combination with the word "neither."

The correct answer is "or." This is because the subject of the sentence is making a choice between two things in a positive sense. The other conjunctions do not work to provide the contrast that this sentence requires.

The correct answer is "nor." This is the only conjunction that is appropriate to be used when paired with the word "neither," making two ideas negative. This sentence refers to two people, neither of whom has left the country, so "nor" is the best choice.

The correct answer is "or." This sentence presents a choice between two things--a computer or a television. The biggest clue that "or" is the correct conjunction is the word "either." The other conjunctions are not appropriate in this sentence.

The correct answer is "and." This is the best choice because the conjunction "and" joins ideas together. The phrase, "men who had played for years as well as men who were still in college" indicates that both types of people were involved, not just one. Some key words are "as well as," a phrase meaning the same thing as "and." For those reasons, the best choice is "and."

The best choice is "but." We know that this sentence requires the word "but" because there is a contrast--at first the speaker thought one thing, but then changed her mind. The other options link sentences in different ways that aren't appropriate in this sentence.

The correct answer is "or." We know that the speaker is making a choice between two things, and cannot do both activities since they both take place at 7:00pm, which is why the answer is not "and." The conjunctions "but" and "so" do not make sense in this sentence. The best choice is "or."

The correct answer is "but." In this sentence, the meaning of "but" can be understood the same way as the word "however." This sentence has a contrast--the subject wants to do something but cannot. If the sentence conveyed an alternative we might consider "or" but this sentence does not. The only conjunction that shows this contrast in meaning is "but," so it is the best choice.

The correct answer is "so." The conjunction "so" shows a cause and effect relationship, which is the case in this sentence: the subject was in the sun too long, which caused a sunburn. The word "so" is similar in meaning to the word "therefore." The sentence would not make sense if the other conjunctions ("or", "but", and "for") were placed in the blank. That is why the best choice is "so."

Here, a "call" is a thing made with a phone, not the direct verb of the clause. The context that is important here is the phone. "Call" is the only noun listed that is related to a telephone.

The correct answer is "exam." We know from the sentence that the subject was trying to pass something but failed. The nouns "experiment" and "estimation" are not things that can be passed. An "attempt" is a try, and although the subject did try to pass the exam, he was not successful. The best answer is "exam."

The best choice is "disruption;" a word meaning a disturbance or commotion, which is what would occur if someone dropped plates in a quiet restaurant. "Tranquility," meaning an environment of calm, is the opposite of what would happen. "Separation" is a state of being moved apart, as is "break," so both of these choices do not make sense in this sentence. The best choice is "disruption."