englishforeveryone.

org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 1
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) Rather than be melancholy all winter, Jim should try to
be more ______. 7) The boy is not ______ - he is ______ - and therefore
A) energetic should not be tried in court as an adult.
B) jovial A) puerile…young
C) heterogeneous B) mature…juvenile
D) depraved C) experienced…inveterate
E) depressed D) young…fledgling
2) Elise always envisioned the monastery as an austere A) youthful…established
place of worship; however, upon visiting it, she found it 8) Mr. Plainview is a man of secrecy. He deals with the mob
surprisingly ______. and other ______ organizations, and regularly
A) comfortable participates in their ______ activities.
B) simple A) clandestine…unlawful
C) barren B) anarchistic…fraudulent
D) strict C) amiable …illegitimate
E) ornate D) disdainful…scrupulous
3) Although it is necessary to carry a relatively large E) illegal…exhilarating
number of provisions when traversing the Australian 9) Even the most ______ gambler stops betting when he or
Outback, it is ______ that you keep your pack from she runs out of money.
becoming too ______. A) intelligent
A) crucial…ponderous B) circumspect
B) important…convoluted C) cautious
C) imperative…compact D) hazardous
D) helpful…elongated E) foolhardy
E) mandatory…insulated
10) The ______ icicles hardly cast a shadow.
4) After living a life of depravity and transgression, the A) diaphanous
offender felt so ______ that he declared he would B) auspicious
become a priest, and devote the remainder of his life to C) malleable
______. D) muddled
A) melancholy…sadness E) opaque
B) tentative…shame
C) stolid…repentance 11) Upon hearing the ______ argument for the opposition,
D) terrible…sin Mr. Algene felt ______ that he would win the debate.
E) contrite…atonement A) dubious…uncertain
B) substantial…sure
5) He vowed to embrace a newfound ______ once the trial C) deplorable…convinced
began; nonetheless the accused resorted to his typical D) tenuous…confident
manner of ______ as soon as he took the stand. E) hardy…positive
A) ingenuousness…naïveté
B) mendaciousness…deceitfulness 12) The lifestyle of a Cenobite is ______; one must devote
C) passion…exuberance oneself to religious exercise, self discipline, and
D) candor…duplicity abstention from material satisfaction.
E) residence…decrepitude A) dull
B) ascetic
6) Despite some members of the Board of Education C) lachrymose
admitting to the ______ of his argument, Proposition D) prodigal
G6 was still denied by a vote of 4 to 3. E) harsh
A) brusqueness
B) truculence
C) negligence
D) cogency
E) force
 Answers and Explanations
1) B
The context clue rather at the beginning of the sentence
indicates that a contrast is coming. Since Jim should try
to be the opposite of melancholy, try to think of the best
antonym for melancholy, which is (B) jovial.
(A) energetic is tempting, but is not the best choice
because it implies that someone has energy, and it is
possible that a person can have energy and still be
melancholy.
2) E
The context clues although and surprisingly indicate
that what Elise envisioned about the monastery will be
wrong. She envisioned it being austere. Therefore, we
need to find the best antonym for austere, which is (E)
ornate.
(A) comfortable is tempting, because it may seem
surprising that a monastery would be comfortable.
However, this is not the best contrast for Elise’s
expectation. (D) strict and (C) barren are also tempting,
because it may be commonly believed that all
monasteries have these characteristics. However, this is
not necessarily true; it is possible that some monasteries
are different. Furthermore, if these answer choices were
indeed correct, it would not be surprising.
3) A
The context clue although indicates that a contrast is
coming. Although it is necessary to carry a large and
(probably) heavy pack when hiking across the outback,
it is important that the pack is not too large and heavy.
The words that best complete this sentence are (E)
crucial…ponderous. Crucial means very important, and
something that is ponderous is very heavy, bulky, or
unwieldy.
(A) helpful…elongated is tempting, because helpful is a
good fit for the first space, and elongated seems like it
could be correct. However, it is too specific. If
something is elongated, it is long and slender, not
ponderous.
4) E
The offender lived a life of depravity and
transgression, or immoral behavior and law breaking. If
he or she then decides to become a priest, it is clear that
they would like to change who they were in the past.
Therefore, (E) contrite…atonement is the best answer.
The offender feels sorry and remorseful, so they would
like to pay for their bad behavior by living a life of
penitence or compensation for bad behavior.
5) D
The context clue nonetheless indicates that we need to
find words with opposite meanings. The accused said
they were going to do one thing, but ended up doing the
opposite thing. (D) candor…duplicity is the best choice
here. The accused vowed to be frank, open, or honest,
but nonetheless resorted to deceit and deception.
6) B
The context clue despite indicates that a contrast is
coming. The Board of Educators admitted to
something, but still denied the proposition. The context
clue tells you that they must have admitted to
something positive about the proposition. Therefore,
(D) cogency, a quality of something compelling or
convincing, is correct.
(E) force is tempting, but is not the best choice because
an argument can be forceful, but still lack cogency.
7) B
In this sentence we need to find two words that are
opposites; the boy is not ______ – he is the opposite,
and so should be tried as an adult. If he should be not be
tried as an adult, he must be young, or immature.
Therefore, the opposite of this should fill the first space.
(B) mature…juvenile do this nicely.
(E) experienced…inveterate is tempting - experienced
is a nice fit for the first space, and inveterate seems like
it could mean inexperienced, given the prefix in and the
root veteran. However, inveterate does not mean
inexperienced. It means ingrained, or settled in ones
way, so it is not a good fit for the second space.
8) A
The word secrecy indicates that the organization Mr.
Plainview deals with are secret. Therefore, we need to
find an answer choice that best shows this. (A)
clandestine…unlawful is clearly the best answer here.
Clandestine means secret or covert. The mob is an
organization that practices unlawful activities, so
unlawful is a good fit for the second space.
(E) illegal…exhilarating is tempting because illegal fits
the first space. However, adventurous does not fit the
second space. Although the activities of mobsters and
secret organizations are often portrayed as exhilarating
in popular culture, this is not necessarily the case in
many such organizations; some their activities are
actually mundane and depressing.
9) E
(E) foolhardy is the correct answer, because someone
who is foolhardy is reckless or foolish. Even a reckless
or foolish gambler must stop betting when they run out
of money to bet with.
(A) intelligent is tempting, but remember that a gambler
must stop betting regardless if they are intelligent or
not, so the answer adds nothing new to the completed
sentence.
Even if you aren’t sure what a Cenobite is, this is not
essential to answer the question correctly. Whatever a
Cenobite is, you know that they must devote
themselves to religious exercise, self discipline, and
abstention from material satisfaction. Therefore, you
should look for an answer that best fits this definition.
The correct answer is (B) ascetic which fits rather
nicely.
Although this lifestyle probably seems (A) dull or (E)
harsh to most people, it is not necessarily so for
Cenobites. Try not to be fooled into choosing an
incorrect answer because it reflects a commonly held
opinion that is not universally true.

10 ) A

Some icicles are transparent – they are so clear that they

will not cast a shadow because light is able to pass
through them. So, you should look for a word that
means transparent. (A) diaphanous is a good synonym
for transparent, and is the correct answer.

If you do not know the meaning of diaphanous, try

eliminating some of the answer choices which you do
know the meaning of. (C) malleable means flexible or
pliable so it is not correct. (D) muddled means mixed
up or cluttered, and (E) opaque means unclear or
cloudy – a good antonym for transparent. So, neither of
these are good answer choices. Even if you don’t know
the meaning of (B) auspicious, you can narrow your
answer choices to two, and make your best guess. At
least now you have a 50% chance of answering the
question correctly.

11 ) E

After reading this sentence, you should see that the first
clause causes the second clause to be true. In order to
maintain this relationship, two antonyms are needed If
the argument for opposition is tenuous, it is weak or
shaky. This should make Mr. Algene feel confident.
Therefore, (D) tenuous…confident is the correct
answer.

Answers (A) dubious…uncertain, (B)

substantial…sure, and (E) hardy…positive all fail to
show the correct relationship between the first and
second clauses. In (C) just because the argument for the
opposition is deplorable does not necessarily mean it is
bad. Therefore, Mr Algene has no reason to be
convinced that he would win the debate.

12 ) A
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 2
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) The orators speech was too ______; it would have 7) With such a(n) ______ personality, it is difficult to
been more succinct if she avoided discussing ______ imagine what made Amanda feel so melancholy.
subjects. A) ebullient
A) complicated…germane B) exciting
B) prolix…tangential C) passionate
C) resplendent…pertinent D) irascible
D) terse…florid A) seditious
E) convoluted…complex
8) Being the ______ host that she was, Anika made sure
2) Don was the most ______ individual I had ever met; to approach each lodger with ______ disposition.
good fortune eluded him at every turn. A) convivial…an affable
A) contentious B) churlish…a reputable
B) auspicious C) engaging …a specious
C) ignominious D) amiable…a scrupulous
D) venerable E) wicked…benign
E) hapless
9) Although Mary expressed much ______ at not being
3) Toward the end of her days, Jennings longed to allowed to cook dinner in her own house, she seemed
experience something ______, but she had already rather ______ when dinner was finally ready.
done so much in her life that nothing seemed to move A) belligerence…angry
or excite her. B) indignation…satisfied
A) banal C) sedition…passionate
B) final D) benevolence…malignant
C) unbelievable E) magnanimity…ashamed
D) fantastic
10) Unlike other, less ______ species, the ______
E) novel
Kinkajou thoroughly inspects its food before
4) Due to the workers’ ______ and unremitting work consuming it.
ethic, the bridge was built in under one month. A) prudent …reckless
A) assiduous B) restive…dangerous
B) laborious C) careful…indifferent
C) stolid D) discriminating…fastidious
D) pedantic E) delicate…voracious
E) jovial
11) Instead of concerning themselves with minor
5) It is not a good idea to befriend ______ animals; they transgressions, the police concentrate on the most
are exposed to foreign environments and therefore ______ offenses.
may carry diseases that the human immune system has A) efficacious
not evolved to combat. B) egregious
A) domesticated C) deliberate
B) ponderous D) furtive
C) feral E) uncouth
D) indigenous
12) The play was so ______ that the crowd jeered the
E) endangered
actors while on stage, and we left immediately.
6) Although my sister’s ______ with the rock star A) mediocre
seemed ridiculous, she actually ______ her dream of B) execrable
going on a date with him last night. C) laudable
A) obsession…engaged D) obscure
B) fixation…participated in E) austere
C) affair…succumbed to
D) infatuation…fulfilled
E) fascination…obliterated
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________

●
Advanced Sentence Completion 3
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) Unfortunately, he had not had time to fully ______ his 7) To her teacher’s surprise, as soon as Delia met her
idea - it was too ______ and could not accompany the new friends she abandoned her typical reticence and
final revision of the plan. adopted a new, ______ personality.
A) explain…dogmatic A) reproachful
B) appreciate…prolix B) deplorable
C) contemplate…advanced C) asinine
D) develop…inchoate D) irascible
E) espouse…revolutionary A) garrulous

2) ______ behavior did not appease the general; rather, it 8) In order to keep the audience’s attention, students
substantiated his belief that the best soldiers must act were advised to avoid ______ discussion, and to
______ from time to time. speak only about subjects ______ to their report.
A) Obsequious…defiantly A) brusque…mandatory
B) Mendacious…deceptive B) digressive…tangential
C) Maligned…seditious C) irrelevant …germane
D) Ubiquitous…deliberately D) disinterested…impartial
E) Brazen…overconfident E) melancholy…jovial

3) Although Ben is a hard worker, he always ______ to 9) After being approached by a mendicant in the street,
his every impulse; he would be more productive if he Jaime knew he had ventured beyond the border which
wasn’t so ______. circumscribed the ______ part of town.
A) gives in…contemporary A) pleasant
B) succumbs…demure B) affluent
C) permits…idiosyncratic C) costly
D) appeals…pedantic D) magnanimous
E) yields…capricious E) altruistic

4) The school would not tolerate Jane’s arrogant 10) Toxins released into the town’s drinking water have
insolence; her ______ behavior got her expelled. had a ______ effect on the overall health of its
A) assiduous inhabitants.
B) contemptuous A) deleterious
C) stolid B) strange
D) deferential C) potent
E) humble D) innocuous
E) ravenous
5) Although Meg is usually quite amiable to newcomers,
she cast Billy a cold, ______ stare. 11) Rowan gasped at pictures of the ______ living
A) indifferent conditions found in third world countries.
B) inimical A) squalid
C) sick B) impeccable
D) rebellious C) sordid
E) vengeful D) immaculate
E) boorish
6) The nurse had become ______ the administration of
injections; nevertheless, she carried out her job with 12) His ______ attitude towards the surrounding chaos
______ deliberation. made me appreciate the advantages of stoicism.
A) infatuated with…disinterested A) constant
B) inured to…painstaking B) temperamental
C) disgusted with…voracious C) impetuous
D) used to…perfunctory D) impassive
E) concentrated on…conceited E) transfixed
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 4
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) Onlookers shuddered at the particularly ______ nature
of the transgression; it was evident that something 7) Mr. Thompson’s avaricious reputation belies his
must be done to ______ such incidents from ever newfound penchant for philanthropy and ______
happening again. donation.
A) monstrous…preclude A) derisive
B) temperamental…halt B) insouciant
C) homicidal…precipitate C) altruistic
D) atrophied…extenuate D) venerable
E) typical…prevent A) wealthy
2) Rather than give in to the fact that her son had no gift 8) He could not even be persuaded to break from his
for tennis, she entertained the notion that his talent normal routine on Christmas day; it is difficult to
was simply ______ in its exposition. imagine a more ______ personality.
A) manifest A) dilettantish
B) reclusive B) passionate
C) suppressed C) perturbed
D) timid D) flaky
E) latent E) obstinate
3) The ______ judge would not be swayed by emotion 9) While it is true that hard times occasionally enhance
nor predilection; he attended to nothing more than the the moral integrity of certain individuals within a
facts as they were presented. population, this was ______ the case; the ______
A) lethargic band of fugitives looted every town they came to, and
B) insouciant eradicated anyone that dared inhibit their progress,
C) disinterested irrespective of reason or plea.
D) partial A) clearly not… depraved
E) scholarly B) arguably not…vituperative
4) Although the sunset was splendid that evening, Akira C) obviously… munificent
knew that its beauty was ______, and that all good D) potentially… rebellious
things must come to an end. E) possibly… hellish
A) ephemeral 10) Rather than ______ the ______ rations, the army
B) tenuous platoon donated them to charity.
C) fragile A) abandon…delicious
D) transitory B) consume…spoiled
E) brittle C) discard…superfluous
5) She considered the title of the book rather D) uncover…hidden
contradictory by nature: “A(n) ______ History of the E) plunder…extra
World.” 11) The ______ prisoner did not comply with a single
A) Protracted one of the general’s orders; he refused to succumb to
B) Involved the ______ that is an integral aspect of incarceration.
C) Unabridged A) peevish…lifestyle
D) Comprehensive B) acquiescent…oppression
E) Compendious C) hateful…submission
6) It is not uncommon to envision the domicile of a D) obdurate…subordination
clergyman as _____, but upon visiting the residence E) furious…patriotism
of her priest, Martha was not expecting to find such 12) The unusually ______ child would rather spend her
_____ accommodations. time contemplating moral philosophy than chasing
A) austere…florid other children on the playground.
B) elaborate…baroque A) precocious
C) unadorned…caustic B) restive
D) rustic…plain C) oblivious
E) modern…contemporary D) studious
E) aggressive
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 5
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) While most corporations maintain a balance sheet – a 7) While ______ number of modern-day individuals live
ledger with up-to-date records of their current ______ alarmingly sedentary lives, there remains a ______
situation - some less ______ businesses neglect this minority who enjoy the salient benefits of local motion.
responsibility, allowing their assets and liabilities to go A) an increasing…peripatetic
undocumented. B) a falling…stationary
A) economic…contentious C) a rising…migratory
B) monetary…calculating D) a pitiful…laudatory
C) fiscal…mathematical E) a declining…mobile
D) financial…scrupulous 8) The little boy had trouble controlling his ______ nature
E) legal…dependable during the sermon, and his mother urged him to sit still.
2) The archeologists studied the hieroglyphic for days, and A) dilettantish
still were not able to decipher its ______ meaning. B) restive
A) covert C) perturbed
B) bizarre D) enlightened
C) suppressed E) desperate
D) auspicious 9) While pure gold is the most ______ metal, iron requires
E) enigmatic considerably more effort to pound into a sheet.
3) Although it is difficult to grasp how such ______ A) valuable
expanse could support any life - for all life must have B) complete
access to at least one source of water, the Banded Gila C) precious
Monster continues to thrive along the ______ plains of D) malleable
the Mohave Dessert, and baffle ecologists around the E) sturdy
globe.
10) Although most predicted Phillip I to ______ his father,
A) a barren…lush he was more ______, and surprised them by reversing
B) an uninhabited…rugged several of his father’s more malevolent policies.
C) a desiccated…arid
A) dislike…likeable
D) a remote…windswept
B) resemble…magnanimous
E) an isolated…desolate
C) mirror…influential
4) The ______ succession of events imbued the play with a D) surpass…measured
______ quality, devoid of rhythm and harmony. E) outlive…intelligent
A) incongruous…chaotic 11) The extreme ______ of his stock portfolio translated
B) various…strange into a ______ display of emotion: on lucrative days he
C) ordinary…musical felt ecstatic; on losing days he acted despondent.
D) seamless…disjointed
A) aggressiveness…consistent
E) orthodox…typical
B) nature…passionate
5) Although the average citizen ______ has enough money C) position…crazy
to provide for their own families, incidents of ______ D) variation…pacific
donations among members of the lower class are not as E) volatility…mercurial
uncommon as one may think.
12) While it is true that many Holocaust victims felt
A) barely…widespread ______ during their incarceration, they did not let this
B) hardly…avaricious lack of ______ destroy their spirit.
C) scarcely…magnanimous
A) despondent…hope
D) usually…negligent
B) weakened…sadness
E) typically…malignant
C) passionate…feeling
6) Most were expecting him to fumble the ball, but he D) enervated…health
proved them ______ by making a surprisingly ______ E) desperate…emotion
catch and running in for a touchdown.
A) incorrect…simple
B) mistaken…uncoordinated
C) wrong…adroit
D) erroneous…good
E) accurate…adept
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 6
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) Despite the strong temptation to become ______, 7) The hyena’s fur has a ______ appearance, thus enabling
Magdalena was never content – a characteristic which this predator to better blend in with its dappled
enabled her to win six consecutive championships. surroundings.
A) forthright A) mottled
B) passive B) superficial
C) complacent C) baroque
D) submissive D) disorganized
E) careless A) orderly
2) If not for his ______ disposition, Odysseus may have 8) Many families had survived the depression; nevertheless
never been inclined to ______; he may have lived a they were forced to adopt increasingly ______ spending
life of diffidence and servility. habits to make ends meet.
A) arrogant…destiny A) prodigal
B) enthusiastic…rule B) calculated
C) supercilious…leadership C) detrimental
D) meek…laziness D) desperate
E) subordinate…sublimation E) parsimonious
3) Although Mary espoused the virtues of ______ 9) Although President Roosevelt was rendered paralyzed
judgment and fair play, she could not manage such a from the waist down in 1922, he refused to ______ his
______ demeanor at her son’s first baseball game. ______ disposition, even if this meant he occasionally
A) good…simple had to crawl.
B) impartial…disinterested A) abandon…ambulatory
C) neutral…trite B) adopt…stationary
D) subjective…disciplined C) accept…immobile
E) detached…humble D) relinquish…fixed
E) discard…iconic
4) The only instance in which he was able to grasp the
______ nature of his ______ was when he was led, 10) Nucleosynthetic plants have been known to emit
bound and gagged, to the gallows. ______ gasses into the atmosphere; those living in close
A) jovial…game proximity to these plants may exhibit a range of
B) suspect…crime deleterious physical developments in later life.
C) shameful…actions A) pungent
D) shallow…indiscretion B) innocuous
E) grievous…transgression C) noxious
D) benign
5) Once a year, the prevailing arctic winds are reduced to
E) arid
a ______ zephyr, and for a few exceptional hours this
dynamic environment becomes ______ and calm. 11) Although the Spartan populace adopted a ______
A) gentle…quiescent manner of speech and had come to ______ prolixity,
B) mild…lethargic they managed to retain the quintessential aspects of
C) placid…cacophonous verbal communication.
D) cool…motionless A) curt…consider
E) amicable…peaceful B) terse…promote
C) dire…suspend
6) After their most recent audit, it was found that many of
D) laconic…abhor
the corporation’s documents had been forged, and
E) verbose…detest
several of their accounting records appeared to be
______. 12) Despite several attempts to strike up conversation with
A) negligible Joe, his ______ disposition prevented even the most
B) mendacious engaging interlocutor from eliciting more than a
C) vacuous handful of words from him.
D) adulterated A) brusque
E) veracious B) egregious
C) protracted
D) fervid
E) unnerving
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________

●
Advanced Sentence Completion 7
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) Creon, King of Thebes, had always been partial to 7) While it may be true that patience is a virtue, ______
______ ; he was known to publically display his has been occasionally known to yield favorable
riches, and shower his subjects with lavish jewels and results.
gold coins. A) haste
A) inspiration B) speed
B) expense C) determination
C) retribution D) perseverance
D) ostentation A) concentration
E) modesty 8) The family had fallen on hard times; they were forced
2) ______ metals do not contain any foreign bodies; they to adopt more ______ spending habits to make ends
are slightly more ______, and harder to come by. meet.
A) Pure…ubiquitous A) prodigal
B) Unadulterated…sparse B) calculated
C) Uncommon…salient C) fixed
D) Lucid…opaque D) desperate
E) Flawless…corrupt E) parsimonious
3) Attila, the ______ emperor of the Huns, ruled his land 9) Although the stunt man had broken both his legs, he
with an iron fist, and had a reputation for being the refused to ______ his ______ manner, even if it meant
epitome of cruelty and rapacity. he had to crawl.
A) powerful A) abandon…ambulatory
B) benevolent B) adopt…itinerant
C) nefarious C) apply…irascible
D) pacific D) banish…stationary
E) uncouth E) discard…iconic
4) Today Dr. Lehr gave a(n) ______ lecture, on the 10) Nuclear power plants have been known to emit
philosophical doctrine of existentialism, to our ______ gasses into the atmosphere; those living in
freshman class. The topic was too esoteric, and should close proximity may exhibit deleterious side-effects in
have been simplified for such a ______ audience. later life.
A) arcane…inveterate A) pungent
B) recondite…well trained B) innocuous
C) transparent…lucid C) noxious
D) abstruse…fledgling D) benign
E) plain…sophisticated E) arid
5) Peanut butter is similar to oil; it has a ______ 11) She was amazed to see the ______ hustle and bustle
consistency. of the day fade into the ______ quiet of the night.
A) salubrious A) hectic…dormant
B) mawkish B) passionate…cacophonous
C) savory C) irate…mundane
D) viscous D) lively…belligerent
E) sinewy E) sedentary…mercurial
6) She shook his hand, not with ______, but with a sort 12) Ted was never inclined to verbosity; he was so
of shyness or modesty. He did not know whether she ______ that not even the most engaging interlocutor
was behaving disingenuously, or whether she always could elicit more than a few words of him.
greeted new people with such outward ______ . A) laconic
A) force…dignity B) patient
B) passion…defiance C) hesitant
C) vigor…deference D) solemn
D) reservation…veneration E) serious
E) dignity…disrespect
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 8
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) While some assert that America’s marked ______ to the 7) Based on his ______ of biblical textual evidence, Yohanan
Metric System is based on an inherent dislike of Ahroni was able to ______ the site of Ramat Rachel - an
decimals, others argue that it stems from ______, and a important Iron Age ruin between Jerusalem and
general affinity for American tradition. Bethlehem which was first excavated in 1954.
A) devotion…abhorrence A) discovery…outline
B) loyalty…reliability B) history…distinguish
C) aversion…patriotism C) study…remember
D) attraction…nationalism D) reading…detect
E) repulsion…betrayal E) interpretation…identify
2) Unless a precedent has already been set in a previous 8) While Queen Elizabeth I knew that Spain could ______
trial, the outcome of a novel case may be ______, and England because of England’s poor economy and social
serve as a ______ in subsequent situations. ______, King Phillip refrained from doing so for religious
A) precedential…guide reasons.
B) useful…right A) defeat…prosperity
C) favorable…compass B) crush…instability
D) beneficial…obstacle C) obliterate…strength
E) partial…model D) support…injustice
3) Many regarded his work as ______; consequently he was E) conquer…hierarchy
______ by the church. 9) Davis has vowed to refrain from assailing his opponent
A) influential…accepted with ______ language and diatribe when arguing his
B) simple…excommunicated position, however it appears he has ______ his promise
C) immoral…acclaimed from the harrowed expression on the face of his
D) heretical…outcast interlocutor.
E) unorthodox…lauded A) shrewd…upheld
4) Due to the prevalence of ______ content on the internet, B) caustic…broken
such as viruses and malignant spyware, a(n) ______ C) harsh…kept
number of computers are being equipped with firewalls D) soothing…honored
and anti-virus software. E) vituperative …maintained
A) deleterious…increasing 10) The popular ______, “Practice makes perfect,” is a mere
B) harmful…decreasing ______, for I have practiced playing the violin for years
C) shameful…rising and have yet to master a single piece.
D) humorous…growing A) axiom…platitude
E) sophisticated…slowing B) saying…novelty
5) Rather than compromise his reputation for ______, the C) statement…aphorism
bishop revealed the deceitful nature of his plan, and D) sentence…phrase
retired from his position at the church prematurely. E) utterance…maxim
A) probity 11) Although Maria usually dons ______ garments, she was
B) wisdom feeling inspired and decided to wear an ______ outfit to
C) justice the art opening.
D) fidelity A) cheap…expensive
E) devotion B) frilly…elaborate
6) Regardless of the carrying capacity of a given ecosystem, C) lousy…great
a(n) ______ of predators will almost always result in D) decorative…ugly
mass migration. E) plain…extraordinary
A) reduction 12) Although the region was thoroughly ______ in 1901, the
B) paucity alleged wonders were never ______.
C) upturn A) searched…abandoned
D) overabundance B) explored…misplaced
E) contraction C) studied…located
D) constructed…built
E) excavated…unearthed
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 9
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.

1) Seppuku, the ritual suicide by disembowelment, was a

7) The prospect of atmospheric reentry was ______ for the
______ act performed by Chinese Samurai in order to
crew of Apollo 13, yet they managed to ______ this
avoid the ______ of being captured by the enemy, and
obstacle and perform a successful oceanic landing.
being cast into a life of ignominy.
A) poor…circumvent
A) disgusting…disrespect
B) unlikely…overcome
B) loyal…treachery
C) probable…subvert
C) impulsive…integrity
D) uncertain…detect
D) challenging…shame
A) doubtful …identify
E) voluntary…disgrace
8) While it is true that some beavers have the ______ to build
2) While some political ______ tend not to have any viable
dams, others are ______ to participate in such activity.
solution, others are not so ______, and can be resolved in
a relatively short period of time. A) propensity…disinclined
B) tendency…predisposed
A) issues…easy
C) antipathy…used
B) problems…simple
D) penchant…inured
C) quagmires…complicated
E) inclination…accustomed
D) predicaments…ephemeral
E) explanations…complex 9) Since Justin had already attempted to persuade his parents
to buy him a new pet several times in the past, he ______
3) Jared often espoused the virtue of ______; likewise, he
himself to playing with his old dog, Max.
was frequently rewarded by the blessings of good karma.
A) relegated
A) munificence
B) relinquished
B) patience
C) entertained
C) avarice
D) reconciled
D) perseverance
E) compromised
E) charisma
10) Unless something is done to ______ the emission of
4) His was not a hasty but rather a ______ approach;
harmful greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, the earth
however ______ he came to make his move he was
may have to ______ a future of global warming.
almost always able to anticipate the actions of his
opponent. A) prevent…avoid
B) limit…embrace
A) slow…rapidly
C) curtail…accept
B) patient…determinedly
D) precipitate…comply with
C) precipitous…gradually
E) slow…admit
D) leisurely… carefully
E) calculating…ploddingly 11) From promotion to advertising, Mark exhibits a firm
grasp of ______ in corporate operation.
5) Despite the increased time most people have ______ the
internet, there has been a ______ in the popularity of A) marketing
several television shows. B) budgeting
C) purchasing
A) spent on…decline
D) manufacturing
B) given to…dip
E) engineering
C) devoted to…growth
D) taken from…fluctuation 12) While some divers consider the scuba tank ______,
E) allotted to…rise others prefer to make their decent absent the burden of
this ponderous apparatus.
6) Most politicians are ______ to admit the benefits of
increased campaign funding; likewise, most voters are A) necessary
unwilling to ______ it. B) a nuisance
C) harmless
A) scared…see
D) protocol
B) ready…acknowledge
A) a boon
C) reluctant…expose
D) silly…denounce
E) hesitant…outlaw
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________

●
Advanced Sentence Completion 10
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.

1) If not for her keen insight and remarkable ______, 7) In order to dissociate a soldier from the ______ operations
Audrina would not have been able to ______ the he or she must carry out, the Military has infused their
outcome of the war and head eastward. language with countless innocuous ______, such as
A) prescience…predict “Target acquired”, “Threat eliminated,” and “Mission
B) clairvoyance…guess accomplished.”
C) hindsight…calculate A) disastrous…sayings
D) recollection…forecast B) mindless…postulates
E) foresight…calculate C) violent…euphemisms
2) Storm clouds mounted, and rain threatened to spoil the D) brutal…slogans
ceremony; consequently, it had to be ______. E) harmful…mottos
A) protracted 8) The coach lacked coordination and solid communication
B) limited skills; likewise, his team was altogether ______.
C) altered A) undisciplined
D) reconfigured B) independent
E) truncated C) cohesive
3) Very much is known about the philosopher Descartes; D) disjointed
however, while drawing from his singular writing style, it E) incapable
is often difficult to______ some of his finer ______. 9) Despite his aptitude, experience, and wide range of skills,
A) categorize...details the corporation ______ his application for CEO.
B) appreciate…thoughts A) deferred
C) grasp…points B) rejected
D) understand…lectures C) discarded
E) value…lessons D) abandoned
4) Marcel Duchamp’s ______ “Fountain” first exhibited in E) compromised
1917, was not only a audacious display of courage, but 10) Unless the corporation ______ a new product in the next
also a ______ piece which symbolized the progression of quarter, their revenues will continue to ______, and they
art into the modern world. may be forced to file bankruptcy.
A) iconic…simplistic A) invents…decline
B) daring…groundbreaking B) discovers…decrease
C) interesting…banal C) purchases…swell
D) exciting…contemporary D) manages…dip
E) renowned…attractive E) releases…suffer
5) Although the witness had been offered several ______, 11) If not for their ______ play and quick thinking, the team
his testimony was ______, and did not show any sign of would have surely ______.
prejudice. A) adroit…lost
A) bribes…impartial B) skillful…won
B) blandishments…biased C) tenacious…been defeated
C) ideas…fair D) severe…been victorious
D) propositions…determined E) reticent…challenged
E) chances…reasonable 12) “The Ballerina,” ______ for its high level of ______ and
6) Motivation, no matter how ostensibly well-founded, craftsmanship, is the sculpture for which Degas is most
involves an aspect of ______, and the desire to get ahead. well known.
A) passion A) marked…patience
B) inspiration B) renowned…artistry
C) truth C) recognized…complexity
D) altruism D) criticized…effort
E) selfishness E) celebrated…cunning
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 11
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) Despite their ______ appearance, the travelers turned out
to be surprisingly ______.
7) In order to dissociate soldiers from the ______ operations
A) simple…genial
he or she must carry out, the Military has infused their
B) exhausted…enthusiastic
language with countless innocuous ______, such as
C) worn…original
“Target acquired,” “Threat eliminated,” and “Mission
D) warm…caustic
accomplished.”
E) sweet…callous
A) disastrous…sayings
2) Surprised by a will which had been previously regarded B) mindless…postulates
with neglect, and in extreme cases burlesque, the first C) violent…euphemisms
wave of rebellion elicited ______ from the French D) brutal…slogans
elitists; while on the other hand the second was largely E) harmful…mottos
______.
8) The coach lacked coordination and solid communication
A) franticness…ridiculed
skills; likewise, his team was altogether ______.
B) indifference… acknowledged
C) shock…ignored A) undisciplined
D) hysteria…unnoticed B) independent
E) panic…overlooked C) cohesive
D) disjointed
3) Sociologists report a(n) ______ traditional modes of child E) incapable
upbringing; children of the 21st century devote far less
time to face-to-face interaction and extracurricular 9) Despite his aptitude, experience, and wide range of skills,
activities. the corporation ______ his application for CEO.
A) departure from A) deferred
B) adherence to B) rejected
C) understanding of C) discarded
D) suspension of D) abandoned
E) partnership with E) compromised
4) Marcel Duchamp’s ______ “Fountain” first exhibited in 10) Unless the Corporation ______ a lucrative product in the
1917, was not only a audacious display of courage, but next quarter, their revenues will continue to ______, and
also a ______ piece which symbolized the progression of they may be forced to file bankruptcy.
art into the modern world. A) invents…decline
A) iconic…simplistic B) discovers…decrease
B) daring…groundbreaking C) purchases…swell
C) interesting…banal D) manages…dip
D) exciting…contemporary E) releases…suffer
E) renowned…attractive 11) If not for the ______ play and quick thinking of his
5) Although having been offered several ______, his teammates, the game would have been a ______.
testimony was ______, and did not show any sign of A) consumer
prejudice. B) seller
A) bribes…impartial C) private
B) blandishments…biased D) vendor
C) ideas…fair E) retailer
D) propositions…determined 12) “The Ballerina,” ______ for its high level of ______ and
E) chances…reasonable craftsmanship, is the sculpture for which Degas is most
6) Motivation, no matter how ostensibly well-founded, well known.
involves an aspect of ______, and the desire to get ahead. A) marked…patience
A) passion B) renowned…artistry
B) inspiration C) recognized…complexity
C) truth D) criticized…effort
D) altruism E) celebrated…cunning
E) selfishness
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 12
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.
1) To criticism involving the insufferable verbosity of his
“Logical Atomism,” Russell replied that his logically 7) Despite a marked increase in the number of voters
perfect language was for ______ purposes useless; he registered, the most recent election numbers indicate
was well aware of its intolerable ______ in addition to its ______ in voter turnout.
having a vocabulary largely private to one speaker. A) an increase
A) practical…effectiveness B) a discrepancy
B) reasonable…poignancy C) a decline
C) pragmatic…prolixity D) a disruption
D) utilitarian…composition E) an effect
E) intensive…circumlocution 8) Given the substantial cutbacks in social welfare funding,
2) As organization and unity of the Inca steadily ______, the plans for the new initiative to curb homelessness must be
incentive of the Spanish - as well as the British - soldiers ______ .
waxed; it was only a matter of time before the still A) absolved
largely outnumbered armies came to ______ an entire B) truncated
race. C) remanded
A) deteriorated…vanquish D) stifled
B) increased…exterminate E) capped
C) amassed…eliminate
9) Due to substantial fluctuations in altitudinal and
D) weakened… ostracize
barometric pressure readings, the pilot lost her bearing and
E) declined…extinguish
rapidly became ______; after a final evaluation of the
3) If not for their audacious overthrow of the larger, more situation, she deemed it ______ to start heading for the
advanced civilization, the Mongol empire would have nearest viable runway.
been lost, and their remarkable acts of ______
A) shaky…important
obliterated.
B) anxious…fair
A) bravery C) intoxicated…wise
B) ingenuity D) bewildered…safe
C) competence E) disoriented…prudent
D) tradition
E) creativity 10) The warring tribes were weary of conflict; both were
eager to forge a peaceful ______.
4) When ______ about a key foible in his theory, the piqued
A) negotiation
Rodman took umbrage, and ______ his opponent for ever
B) victory
asking such a question.
C) insurgency
A) questioned…berated D) resolution
B) asked…disliked E) feud
C) appealed…scolded
D) engaged…acquiesced 11) Tyrants demand that others do their wishes, while ______
E) challenged…loathed take a softer approach, considering the individual
interests of all others.
5) In every aspect of ______, from invention to
manufacture, Becca is aware of the importance of A) dictators
maintaining ______, and takes necessary steps to ensure B) socialists
that not one imperfection goes unchecked. C) diplomats
D) fascists
A) operation… superiority
E) communists
B) production… excellence
C) organization…quality 12) Because the test has been deemed inaccurate, the ______
D) commission…standards we obtained are ______.
E) business…values A) findings…valuable
6) Genuine inspiration is the artist’s ultimate ______. B) failures…interesting
C) readings…inestimable
A) assistant
D) results…inconclusive
B) motivation
E) outcomes…worthwhile
C) menace
D) persuasion
E) associate
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________

●
Advanced Sentence Completion 13
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.

1) In a ______ country, private individuals have the right to 7) Dr. Goli took note of any ______ blemishes on the
own property; conversely, under ______ leadership, patient’s skin; abnormalities on the skin are often______
private ownership is forbidden. of skin cancer.
A) free…corrupt A) strange…symptoms
B) republic…socialist B) typical…clues
C) democratic…communist C) interesting…signs
D) independent…monarchial D) tough…indications
E) egalitarian…capitalist E) darkened…causes
2) The expedition was ______ with ______; it rained every 8) Although Maria usually dresses in ______ garments, she
day, someone broke their ankle, and sickness plagued the was feeling inspired and decided to wear an ______ outfit
crew from day one. to the art opening.
A) rife…misdirection A) cheap…expensive
B) rampant…catastrophe B) frilly…elaborate
C) fraught …misfortune C) lousy…great
D) stuffed…calamity D) decorative…ugly
E) full…despair E) plain…extraordinary
3) In ______ tropical atolls, there are sometimes hundreds 9) Despite his effort to combat his fear of heights, the
of species of fish in search of precious sustenance; the alarming speed at which the roller coaster dipped and
______ resources can be intense. turned ______ John.
A) teeming…garnering of A) excited
B) dense…exploitation of B) terrified
C) crowded…interest in C) surprised
D) barren…competition for D) angered
E) overpopulated…disdain of E) pleased
4) Despite the unfavorable attention brought on by the 10) Although the revision process can be ______, it is
media, the press had a(n) ______ effect on the campaign. important to make sure your work gets ______ for even
A) positive the most insignificant errors.
B) negative A) painful…looked at
C) inert B) tedious…proofread
D) amplified C) annoying…examined
E) equal D) careful…authored
5) It is no secret that prison can be rather ______; grim E) discerning…edited
conditions and severe treatment have been known to 11) Josh lets his ______ get the best of him; he ______
______ even the most hardened criminals. completed his project, resulting in a sloppy presentation.
A) cruel…instigate A) prudence…patiently
B) harsh…deter B) meter…slowly
C) difficult…encourage C) impatience…hastily
D) strange…prevent D) emotion…cautiously
E) hard…influence E) preciseness…carefully
6) Although Kate’s report on the effects of electromagnetic 12) After years of divergence, Sadie and Patrick finally found
radiation was lengthy, the presentation she held was their lives running along a ______ course.
rather ______ . A) different
A) succinct B) parallel
B) neutral C) congruent
C) banal D) uniform
D) verbose E) opposite
E) lofty
 englishforeveryone.org Name________________
Date________________
●
Advanced Sentence Completion 14
Directions: Choose the best word(s) to complete each sentence.

1) The fleet of planes was only example of the company’s 7) Michelle detested John’s ______ nature; he constantly
many ______; they also owned valuable equipment, boasted ______ claims that left no one fooled.
other vehicles, and land. A) ostentatious…pompous
A) finances B) excitable…various
B) shareholders C) bombastic…specious
C) interests D) laughable…audacious
D) debts E) ebullient…predictable
E) assets 8) A good example of ______ beneficial symbiosis is the
2) Though electric refrigerators have become ______ during clownfish and the sea anemone; the clownfish receives
recent years, in many places foods are still preserved protection from its enemies and in exchange feeds the
using ______. anemone by gathering nutrients and leaving nutritional
A) commonplace…machines waste on its tentacles.
B) prevalent…electronics A) dually
C) feasible…ice B) collectively
D) prominent…freezers C) unilaterally
E) ubiquitous…cellars D) mutually
3) Mary is an independent and innovative thinker, therefore E) cooperatively
it is best to grant her a good deal of ______ with regard 9) In cool murky environments, the absence of ______
to the direction of her research. precludes algae from performing photosynthesis,
A) preoccupation rendering it unable to produce energy.
B) leverage A) prey
C) interest B) light
D) autonomy C) oxygen
E) assistance D) food
4) The ______ of meat in your refrigerator doesn’t E) air
necessarily indicate that you are______. 10) Greta felt ______; she couldn’t decide between watching
A) presence…herbivorous her favorite movie and taking a long walk.
B) absence…vegetarian A) conflicted
C) amount…omnivorous B) transient
D) color…carnivorous C) vulnerable
E) flavor…ravenous D) decisive
5) Due to the ______ of new media technology, many E) humbled
people predict newspapers will soon be ______ . 11) Although it was not uncommon for members of the upper
A) rise…obsolete class to dine with ______, they usually ______ doing so
B) increase…ubiquitous in the presence of other nobles.
C) prevalence…commonplace A) serfs…refrained from
D) death…anachronistic B) peasants…engaged in
E) incline…widespread C) lords…took part in
6) Towards the end of the first semester of junior year, Sarah D) nobles…abstained from
was ______ with work ; she had to write two papers, take E) commoners…neglected
five exams, and give an oral presentation. 12) Despite their ______ reputation as pedants and
A) satisfied charlatans, the sophists were also known to be the first
B) inundated group to ______ critical thinking among the masses.
C) assailed A) trendy…popularize
D) aggrandized B) ignoble…engender
E) unnerved C) lowly…create
D) dubious…spread
E) abject…promulgate
englishforeveryone.org

Advanced Sentence Completion Answer Key

Worksheet #1 Worksheet #2 Worksheet #3 Worksheet #4 Worksheet #5

1. B 7. B 1. B 7. A 1. D 7. A 1. A 7. C 1. D 7. A
2. E 8. A 2. E 8. A 2. A 8. C 2. E 8. E 2. E 8. B
3. A 9. E 3. E 9. B 3. E 9. B 3. C 9. A 3. C 9. D
4. E 10. A 4. A 10. D 4. B 10 . A 4. A 10. C 4. A 10. B
5. D 11. D 5. C 11. B 5. B 11 . A 5. E 11. D 5. C 11. E
6. D 12. B 6. D 12. B 6. B 12 . D 6. D 12. D 6. C 12. A
Worksheet #6 Worksheet #7 Worksheet #8 Worksheet #9 Worksheet #10

1. C 7. A 1. D 7. A 1. C 7. E 1. E 7. B 1. A 7. C
2. B 8. E 2. B 8. E 2. A 8. B 2. C 8. A 2. E 8. D
3. B 9. A 3. C 9. A 3. D 9. B 3. A 9. D 3. C 9. B
4. E 10. C 4. D 10. C 4. A 10 . A 4. E 10. C 4. B 10. E
5. A 11. D 5. D 11. A 5. C 11 . E 5. E 11. A 5. A 11. A
6. B 12. A 6. C 12. A 6. D 12 . E 6. C 12. A 6. E 12. B
Worksheet #11 Worksheet #12 Worksheet #13 Worksheet #14

1. B 7. * 1. C 7. C 1. C 7. A 1. E 7. C
2. C 8. * 2. A 8. D 2. C 8. E 2. E 8. D
3. A 9. * 3. A 9. E 3. A 9. B 3. D 9. B
4. * 10. * 4. A 10. D 4. A 10 . B 4. B 10. A
5. * 11. * 5. B 11. C 5. B 11 . C 5. A 11. A
6. * 12. * 6. B 12. D 6. A 12 . B 6. B 12. B