Sentence completion exercises are a crucial component of English language learning and assessment. They test not only your vocabulary but also your understanding of grammar, particularly the correct usage of verbs in various contexts.
Mastering verb usage in these exercises can significantly improve your overall English proficiency, enhancing both your reading comprehension and your ability to express yourself accurately and effectively. This article provides a comprehensive guide to sentence completion exercises focusing on verbs, designed to help learners of all levels.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition: Sentence Completion with Verbs
- Structural Breakdown
- Types of Verbs in Sentence Completion
- Verb Tenses and Sentence Completion
- Examples of Sentence Completion with Verbs
- Usage Rules for Verbs in Sentence Completion
- Common Mistakes in Verb Usage
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Definition: Sentence Completion with Verbs
Sentence completion exercises are tests designed to assess a person’s vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension skills. In the context of verbs, these exercises require you to fill in a blank space in a sentence with the most appropriate verb form.
This involves understanding the sentence’s overall meaning, identifying the subject, and selecting a verb that agrees with the subject in number and tense. These exercises are commonly used in standardized tests like the SAT, GRE, and TOEFL, as well as in general English language assessments.
The goal is not just to find any verb that fits grammatically, but to choose the verb that best completes the sentence’s meaning and maintains its logical flow. This requires a solid understanding of verb tenses, verb types (action, linking, auxiliary), and the nuances of English syntax.
Furthermore, the context provided by the rest of the sentence is crucial; it provides clues about the required tense, voice (active or passive), and mood (indicative, imperative, or subjunctive).
Structural Breakdown
Sentence completion exercises with verbs typically follow a specific structure. You are presented with a sentence containing one or more blanks.
Your task is to select the correct verb form from a set of options or, sometimes, to provide the verb yourself. The structural elements that influence the correct verb choice include:
- Subject: Identify the subject of the sentence. The verb must agree with the subject in number (singular or plural).
- Tense: Determine the appropriate tense based on the context. Look for time markers (e.g., yesterday, tomorrow, now) or clues within the sentence that indicate past, present, or future time.
- Voice: Decide whether the verb should be in the active or passive voice. Consider whether the subject is performing the action (active) or being acted upon (passive).
- Mood: Understand the mood of the sentence (indicative, imperative, or subjunctive). The subjunctive mood is often used in hypothetical situations or expressions of wishes.
- Contextual Clues: Analyze the surrounding words and phrases for clues about the meaning and intended verb form.
Let’s illustrate this with an example: “The scientist __________ (conduct) research in the lab every day.” Here, the subject is “scientist” (singular), the time marker is “every day” (present tense), and the context suggests a routine action. Therefore, the correct verb form is “conducts.”
Types of Verbs in Sentence Completion
Understanding the different types of verbs is crucial for success in sentence completion exercises. Verbs can be broadly categorized into action verbs, linking verbs, and auxiliary verbs.
Action Verbs
Action verbs describe actions, activities, or processes. They indicate what the subject of the sentence is doing.
These verbs can be transitive (taking a direct object) or intransitive (not taking a direct object).
Examples of action verbs include: run, jump, eat, write, read, study, teach, learn, build, and create.
Linking Verbs
Linking verbs connect the subject of the sentence to a noun or adjective that describes or identifies the subject. They do not express an action but rather a state of being or a condition.
The most common linking verb is to be (am, is, are, was, were, been, being). Other linking verbs include: become, seem, appear, look, feel, taste, smell, and sound.
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are used in conjunction with main verbs to form different tenses, moods, and voices. They “help” the main verb express its meaning.
Common auxiliary verbs include: be (am, is, are, was, were, been, being), have (has, had, having), and do (does, did). Modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) also function as auxiliary verbs.
Verb Tenses and Sentence Completion
Mastering verb tenses is essential for accurately completing sentences. English has twelve main verb tenses, each expressing a different time frame and aspect of an action or state.
Simple Tenses
The simple tenses are the simple present, simple past, and simple future.
- Simple Present: Used for habitual actions, general truths, and facts. Example: “The sun __________ (rise) in the east.” (Answer: rises)
- Simple Past: Used for completed actions in the past. Example: “I __________ (visit) Paris last year.” (Answer: visited)
- Simple Future: Used for actions that will happen in the future. Example: “She __________ (travel) to Japan next month.” (Answer: will travel)
Continuous Tenses
The continuous tenses, also known as progressive tenses, describe actions in progress at a specific time. They include the present continuous, past continuous, and future continuous.
- Present Continuous: Used for actions happening now or around now. Example: “They __________ (watch) TV at the moment.” (Answer: are watching)
- Past Continuous: Used for actions in progress at a specific time in the past. Example: “He __________ (study) when I called.” (Answer: was studying)
- Future Continuous: Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. Example: “I __________ (work) at 8 PM tomorrow.” (Answer: will be working)
Perfect Tenses
The perfect tenses indicate that an action is completed before a specific time. They include the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect.
- Present Perfect: Used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present or have a result in the present. Example: “We __________ (live) here for five years.” (Answer: have lived)
- Past Perfect: Used for actions completed before another action in the past. Example: “She __________ (finish) her work before he arrived.” (Answer: had finished)
- Future Perfect: Used for actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future. Example: “By next year, I __________ (graduate) from college.” (Answer: will have graduated)
Perfect Continuous Tenses
The perfect continuous tenses emphasize the duration of an action that started in the past and continues to a specific time. They include the present perfect continuous, past perfect continuous, and future perfect continuous.
- Present Perfect Continuous: Used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present, emphasizing duration. Example: “It __________ (rain) all morning.” (Answer: has been raining)
- Past Perfect Continuous: Used for actions that continued up to a specific time in the past. Example: “He __________ (wait) for hours before the bus arrived.” (Answer: had been waiting)
- Future Perfect Continuous: Used for actions that will continue up to a specific time in the future. Example: “By the end of the year, she __________ (study) English for ten years.” (Answer: will have been studying)
Examples of Sentence Completion with Verbs
Let’s explore various examples of sentence completion exercises focusing on different verb types and tenses. These examples will help illustrate how to identify the correct verb form in different contexts.
Action Verb Examples
Here are some examples focusing on action verbs. Note how the context of the sentence guides the choice of the appropriate verb.
The following table provides examples of sentence completion exercises using action verbs. Each example demonstrates a different tense or aspect of action verbs in context.
These examples include hints about the answer, and the correct answer itself.
| Sentence | Hint | Correct Answer |
|---|---|---|
| The children __________ (play) in the park every afternoon. | Habitual action, present tense. | play |
| Yesterday, I __________ (watch) a fascinating documentary. | Completed action in the past. | watched |
| She __________ (write) a novel next year. | Future action. | will write |
| They __________ (build) a house when the storm hit. | Action in progress in the past. | were building |
| He __________ (eat) all the cookies before I arrived. | Action completed before another action in the past. | had eaten |
| We __________ (study) for the exam all week. | Action continuing to the present. | have been studying |
| The cat __________ (chase) the mouse around the house. | General action, present tense. | chases |
| Last night, the dog __________ (bark) loudly at a stranger. | Specific past action. | barked |
| By the time we arrive, they __________ (leave). | Future action completed before a specific time. | will have left |
| The chef __________ (cook) a delicious meal for the guests. | Present tense, describing a profession. | cooks |
| The artist __________ (paint) a beautiful landscape last summer. | Past tense, specific time. | painted |
| The musician __________ (perform) at the concert next month. | Future tense, planned event. | will perform |
| The students __________ (learn) about history in class. | Present continuous, ongoing activity. | are learning |
| The team __________ (practice) for the championship yesterday. | Past continuous, action in progress. | were practicing |
| The company __________ (develop) a new product for years. | Present perfect continuous, duration. | has been developing |
| The engineers __________ (design) the bridge before construction began. | Past perfect, completed before another past action. | had designed |
| The programmer __________ (code) the software by next week. | Future perfect, completed by a future time. | will have coded |
| The teacher __________ (explain) the lesson to the students. | Present tense, general action. | explains |
| The gardener __________ (plant) flowers in the garden. | Past tense, specific event. | planted |
| The writer __________ (publish) a book next year. | Future tense, planned release. | will publish |
| The birds __________ (fly) south for the winter. | Habitual action, present tense. | fly |
| She __________ (sing) beautifully at the concert last night. | Specific past event. | sang |
| They __________ (dance) at the party tomorrow night. | Future event, planned. | will dance |
| He __________ (work) on the project when the power went out. | Past continuous, interrupted action. | was working |
| We __________ (travel) to Europe next summer. | Future plan, definite. | will travel |
| The baby __________ (cry) all night last night. | Past action, continuous. | cried |
| The audience __________ (listen) attentively to the speaker. | Present action, happening now. | is listening |
Linking Verb Examples
Linking verbs connect the subject to a descriptive word or phrase. The most common linking verb is “to be” in its various forms.
The following table provides examples of sentence completion exercises using linking verbs. Each example demonstrates a different tense or aspect of linking verbs in context.
These examples include hints about the answer, and the correct answer itself.
| Sentence | Hint | Correct Answer |
|---|---|---|
| She __________ (be) a talented musician. | Present tense, describing a quality. | is |
| The food __________ (taste) delicious. | Present tense, describing a sensation. | tastes |
| They __________ (be) happy to see us. | Past tense, describing a state. | were |
| He __________ (seem) tired after the long journey. | Past tense, describing an appearance. | seemed |
| It __________ (be) going to rain soon. | Future tense, prediction. | is |
| The situation __________ (become) worse. | Present perfect, indicating a change. | has become |
| The sky __________ (look) cloudy this morning. | Present tense, describing an appearance. | looks |
| The flowers __________ (smell) fragrant. | Present tense, describing a sense. | smell |
| The music __________ (sound) beautiful last night. | Past tense, describing an auditory experience. | sounded |
| The coffee __________ (be) too hot to drink. | Past tense, describing a state. | was |
| The answer __________ (be) correct. | Present tense, stating a fact. | is |
| The children __________ (be) excited about the trip. | Past tense, describing a feeling. | were |
| The project __________ (seem) difficult at first. | Past tense, describing an initial impression. | seemed |
| The weather __________ (be) nice last week. | Past tense, describing a condition. | was |
| The cake __________ (taste) sweet and rich. | Present tense, describing a flavor. | tastes |
| The room __________ (be) quiet and peaceful. | Past tense, describing an atmosphere. | was |
| The solution __________ (appear) simple. | Past tense, describing an appearance. | appeared |
| The situation __________ (be) under control now. | Present tense, describing a state. | is |
| The test __________ (be) easy. | Past tense, describing a quality. | was |
| The food __________ (be) delicious. | Past tense, describing a taste. | was |
| The movie __________ (be) interesting. | Past tense, describing a quality. | was |
| The lesson __________ (be) informative. | Past tense, describing a quality. | was |
| The story __________ (be) captivating. | Past tense, describing a quality. | was |
| The experience __________ (be) unforgettable. | Past tense, describing a quality. | was |
| The journey __________ (be) long. | Past tense, describing a quality. | was |
Auxiliary Verb Examples
Auxiliary verbs, or helping verbs, combine with main verbs to form tenses, voices, and moods. They are crucial for constructing complex sentences.
The following table provides examples of sentence completion exercises using auxiliary verbs. Each example demonstrates a different tense or aspect of auxiliary verbs in context.
These examples include hints about the answer, and the correct answer itself.
| Sentence | Hint | Correct Answer |
|---|---|---|
| I __________ (be) studying when you called. | Past continuous tense. | was |
| She __________ (have) finished her work by then. | Past perfect tense. | had |
| They __________ (do) not want to go. | Negative form, present tense. | do |
| We __________ (be) going to the party tonight. | Future intention. | are |
| He __________ (can) speak three languages. | Ability, present tense. | can |
| You __________ (should) study harder. | Advice, present tense. | should |
| It __________ (be) raining all day. | Present perfect continuous. | has been |
| He __________ (have) been working on the project for months. | Present perfect continuous, emphasizing duration. | has |
| They __________ (will) arrive tomorrow. | Future tense. | will |
| She __________ (must) leave now. | Obligation, present tense. | must |
| I __________ (might) go to the concert. | Possibility, present tense. | might |
| We __________ (have) to finish the report by Friday. | Necessity, present tense. | have |
| He __________ (be) invited to the wedding. | Passive voice, past tense. | was |
| The book __________ (be) written by a famous author. | Passive voice, present tense. | is |
| The letter __________ (be) delivered yesterday. | Passive voice, past tense. | was |
| The package __________ (be) sent tomorrow. | Passive voice, future tense. | will be |
| The house __________ (be) built last year. | Passive voice, past tense. | was |
| The food __________ (be) cooked by the chef. | Passive voice, present tense. | is |
| The song __________ (be) sung beautifully. | Passive voice, past tense. | was |
Examples by Tense
This section provides sentence completion exercises categorized by verb tense, offering a focused practice on each tense.
The following table provides examples of sentence completion exercises organized by verb tenses (Simple, Continuous, Perfect, Perfect Continuous). Each example demonstrates a different tense in context.
These examples include hints about the answer, and the correct answer itself.
| Tense | Sentence | Hint | Correct Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | The train __________ (leave) at 8 AM every day. | Habitual action. | leaves |
| Simple Past | I __________ (see) a movie last night. | Completed action in the past. | saw |
| Simple Future | They __________ (travel) to Europe next summer. | Future plan. | will travel |
| Present Continuous | She __________ (work) on her computer now. | Action happening now. | is working |
| Past Continuous | He __________ (study) when the phone rang. | Action in progress in the past. | was studying |
| Future Continuous | I __________ (sleep) at 10 PM tomorrow. | Action in progress at a specific future time. | will be sleeping |
| Present Perfect | We __________ (live) here for five years. | Action started in the past and continues to the present. | have lived |
| Past Perfect | She __________ (finish) her homework before she went to bed. | Action completed before another action in the past. | had finished |
| Future Perfect | By next year, I __________ (graduate) from college. | Action to be completed before a specific time in the future. | will have graduated |
| Present Perfect Continuous | It __________ (rain) all morning. | Action started in the past and continues to the present, emphasizing duration. | has been raining |
| Past Perfect Continuous | He __________ (wait) for hours before the bus arrived. | Action continued up to a specific time in the past. | had been waiting |
| Future Perfect Continuous | By the end of the year, she __________ (study) English for ten years. | Action that will continue up to a specific time in the future. | will have been studying |
| Simple Present | The sun __________ (rise) in the east. | General truth. | rises |
| Simple Past | I __________ (visit) my grandparents last weekend. | Specific past event. | visited |
| Simple Future | They __________ (move) to a new city next year. | Future plan. | will move |
| Present Continuous | They __________ (eat) dinner right now. | Action happening at the moment. | are eating |
| Past Continuous | She __________ (cook) when the guests arrived. | Background action in the past. | was cooking |
| Future Continuous | He __________ (work) on the project tomorrow afternoon. | Future action in progress. | will be working |
| Present Perfect | I __________ (read) that book already. | Action completed at an unspecified time before now. | have read |
| Past Perfect | We __________ (see) the movie before you recommended it. | Action completed before another past action. | had seen |
Usage Rules for Verbs in Sentence Completion
To accurately complete sentences with verbs, you must adhere to certain grammatical rules. These rules govern subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, voice (active/passive), and mood (indicative/subjunctive).
Subject-Verb Agreement
The verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.
This is one of the most fundamental rules in English grammar.
Examples:
- Singular: The dog barks.
- Plural: The dogs bark.
Maintaining Consistent Tense
Within a sentence or paragraph, maintain a consistent verb tense unless there is a clear reason to change it. Shifting tenses unnecessarily can confuse the reader and disrupt the flow of the text.
Example:
- Incorrect: I went to the store, and I will buy some milk.
- Correct: I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
Active vs. Passive Voice
In the active voice, the subject performs the action. In the passive voice, the subject receives the action.
Choose the voice that best suits the meaning and emphasis of the sentence.
Examples:
- Active: The cat chased the mouse.
- Passive: The mouse was chased by the cat.
Indicative vs. Subjunctive Mood
The indicative mood states facts or asks questions. The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, possibilities, or hypothetical situations.
The subjunctive mood often uses the base form of the verb.
Examples:
- Indicative: He is here.
- Subjunctive: I suggest that he be here.
Common Mistakes in Verb Usage
Several common mistakes can occur when using verbs in sentence completion exercises. Being aware of these errors can help you avoid them.
Here are some common mistakes with correct vs. incorrect examples.
| Mistake | Incorrect Example | Correct Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject-verb agreement | The students is studying hard. | The students are studying hard. |
| Incorrect tense | I will went to the store yesterday. | I went to the store yesterday. |
| Misuse of auxiliary verbs | She not likes coffee. | She does not like coffee. |
| Incorrect verb form after modals | You should went to the doctor. | You should go to the doctor. |
| Confusion of active and passive voice | The window was broke by the wind. | The window was broken by the wind. |
| Misuse of gerunds and infinitives | I enjoy to swim. | I enjoy swimming. |
| Incorrect use of conditional sentences | If I would have known, I would have helped. | If I had known, I would have helped. |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with these practice exercises. Each exercise focuses on a specific aspect of verb usage in sentence completion.
Exercise 1: Identifying Correct Verb Tenses
Choose the correct verb tense to complete each sentence.
| Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| By the time we arrived, they __________ (leave). | a) left b) have left c) had left d) will leave | c) had left |
| She __________ (study) English for five years now. | a) studies b) is studying c) has studied d) studied | c) has studied |
| I __________ (visit) Paris last summer. | a) visit b) am visiting c) visited d) will visit | c) visited |
| They __________ (build) a new house next year. | a) build b) are building c) will build d) built | c) will build |
| He __________ (work) when the phone rang. | a) works b) is working c) was working d) worked | c) was working |
| We __________ (live) here since 2010. | a) live b) are living c) have lived d) lived | c) have lived |
| She __________ (finish) her work before the deadline. | a) finishes b) is finishing c) had finished d) will finish | c) had finished |
| By next year, I __________ (graduate) from college. | a) graduate b) am graduating c) will graduate d) will have graduated | d) will have graduated |
| It __________ (rain) all day yesterday. | a) rains b) is raining c) rained d) has been raining | c) rained |
| They __________ (travel) around the world next year. | a) travel b) are traveling c) will travel d) traveled | c) will travel |
Exercise 2: Subject-Verb Agreement
Choose the correct verb form to ensure subject-verb agreement.
| Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| The dog __________ (bark) loudly at night. | a) bark b) b
ark |