GRE Test Text Completion

GRE Text Completion Questions Explained!

Candidates who want to study in the premier colleges of the USA have to take the GRE. The score you receive in this examination is a representation of your academic knowledge, which you have acquired during your high school years. However, it also indicates your critical and analytical skills. It is a combination of these two talents that will ensure a successful college career for you.In order to help you, and the admissions authorities of colleges, in understanding your capabilities, the ETS has devised the Verbal Reasoning section in the GRE. Out of the three sub-sections of GRE verbal, thetext completion is an essential unit. Thus, to help you understand the text completion questions that you will come across in the examination, the various features and structure of this sub-section, have been explained in the following section of the article.Understanding the Text Completion Sub-sectionThe primary objective of the text completion questions is to understand, how well you can analyze and interpret the meaning of the statements provided. The sentence (or sentences) in this type of questions comprises one or more blanks. You will have to choose the correct answer from the given choices. The correct answer will make the meaning of the statement (or statements) complete. The main features of thesequestions are as follows:

  • The questions are usually in the form of one statement. However, sometimes the question can be in the form of a small paragraph of maximum 5 statements. There can be 1 to 3 blanks in a statement. In case of a single blank, there will be 5 options and in the case of more than one blank, there will be 3 options for each blank.
  • While answering the questions with multiple blanks, deal with each blank separately as the answer to one blank does not automatically indicate the answer to the next blank.
  • There are no marks awarded for giving a partially correct answer. In case of multiple blanks, you will have to answer all of them correctly to receive credit for the question.

The above mentioned list outlines not only the structure of the text completion questions, but also provides some tips to help you answer these questions efficiently. However, you will be able to understand this sub-section better, if you study the sample question provided in the following section of the article.Sample QuestionAn example always provides more explanations than the description of the question. Bereavement counseling leads to loss of human relations, which is strengthened by grieving for the lost one together and thus, results in the —— of community feelings.A. developmentB. strengtheningC. exclusionD. destructionE. nuancesAnswer: DAnswering strategy:The statement here is regarding the result of ‘bereavement counseling’. According to the author, ‘bereavement counseling’ results in human beings growing distant from one another, because when people would mourn the loss of a dear one together, it would make the bond between people stronger. Thus, the term used to fill the blank to portray a notion of loss. Among the choices given, ‘destruction’ is the best choice, because it brings out this sense of ‘loss’ most pertinently. The terms ‘development’ and ‘strengthening’ mean exactly the opposite of what the author is trying to explain through the statement. Hence, none of them can be used here. The term ‘exclusion’ means to prevent something and does not carry a notion of loss. Hence, ‘exclusion’ too cannot be used here. The term ‘nuance’ means a hint or a shade and this too has no notion of loss. Thus, the word ‘nuances’ also cannot be used here.Link to Help You Practice Text Completion QuestionsThe sample question above will give you an idea of the type of questions you will come across in the GRE. It also provides an answering strategy, to help you understand the process for answering the questions. If you want more such sample questions then click on the following link:http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/verbal_reasoning/text_completion/sample_questions So check out the link, and try solving as many of these questions as you can, because you can ace this section only with practice!