3.2 Sentence Completion (9 Questions)
Key Takeaways
- Sentence-completion items (items 1-9, 9 questions) test reading comprehension through signal words: a conjunction or transitional phrase tells you whether the blank continues or reverses the direction set by the rest of the sentence.
- Contrast signals (despite, although, however, nevertheless, yet, but) reverse the expected direction; continuation signals (moreover, furthermore, similarly, likewise, in addition) preserve it; cause/effect signals (therefore, consequently, because, thus, hence) imply the blank follows from the prior clause.
- Use the four-step strategy: locate the signal word, classify it as contrast or continuation, predict the blank's valence before reading the choices, then select the option that matches the prediction.
- Two common traps are missing the signal entirely (and so picking a word that fits local context but ignores the reversal) and forgetting the blank itself can be the signal word, in which case all four choices are transitional words.
3.2 Sentence Completion (9 Questions)
Why Sentence Completion Matters for Court Interpreters
The exam's sentence completion items (9 questions, items 1-9 of the written test) present a sentence with one blank and four word choices. The task is to choose the word that best fits the blank given the logical structure of the sentence. These items are not pure vocabulary - they test reading comprehension and the ability to detect the logical relationship the sentence sets up. For interpreters, this skill is operational: a witness who says "Although I was afraid, I opened the door" is signaling concession, and the interpreter must preserve that signal in the target language. Misreading the signal changes the meaning.
How the Item Works
Each sentence contains a signal word - a conjunction, adverb, or transitional phrase - that tells you whether the blank continues in the same direction as the rest of the sentence or reverses it. The four answer choices are usually plausible in isolation; only one fits the signal.
The Signal-Word Strategy
- Locate the signal word (often near the blank or at the start of the sentence).
- Classify the signal as contrast (reverses direction) or continuation (same direction). Cause/effect is a subtype of continuation: the blank is the consequence of the prior clause.
- Predict the valence of the blank before reading the choices: if the rest of the sentence is positive and the signal is contrast, the blank is negative; if the signal is continuation or cause/effect, the blank is the same valence as the rest.
- Choose the option that matches the predicted valence. Eliminate any option whose valence conflicts with the prediction before deciding among the remainder.
Signal-Word Reference Table
| Signal Type | Common Words | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | despite, although, though, even though, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, yet, but, still, in contrast, on the contrary | Reverses the expected direction |
| Cause / Effect | therefore, consequently, because, since, thus, hence, as a result, so | Continues in the implied direction |
| Continuation / Addition | moreover, furthermore, additionally, similarly, likewise, in addition | Continues in the same direction |
| Emphasis / Example | for example, for instance, specifically, in fact, indeed | Exemplifies the prior claim |
A contrast signal means the blank's valence is opposite to the clause it modifies. A cause/effect or continuation signal means the blank's valence is the same.
Worked Example 1 (Contrast)
"Despite the defense attorney's passionate plea for leniency, the judge ______ the maximum sentence."
Signal: Despite (contrast). The clause "passionate plea for leniency" sets up an expectation of a reduced sentence; despite reverses that. Predict: the judge did something severe. Among the choices - reduced, withdrew, dismissed, imposed - only imposed (the maximum sentence) matches the predicted severity.
Worked Example 2 (Continuation)
"The witness's testimony was consistent with her earlier statement; moreover, it was ______ by the surveillance video."
Signal: moreover (continuation). The first clause is positive (consistent); continuation means the blank is also positive. The surveillance video supported the testimony. Among the choices - contradicted, corroborated, irrelevant, overshadowed - only corroborated preserves the continuation.
Worked Example 3 (Contrast - Embedded)
"Although the officer observed the vehicle swerving, the breathalyzer test ______ the driver's intoxication."
Signal: Although (contrast). Swerving suggests intoxication; although reverses the implied conclusion. Predict: the breathalyzer did not confirm intoxication. Among the choices - confirmed, ignored, exaggerated, disproved - disproved fits the predicted negative result. ("Ignored" is also negative in a loose sense but does not describe a test result; the test produced a contradicting reading, which is "disproved," not "ignored.")
Worked Example 4 (Cause/Effect, Signal in the Blank)
"The DNA evidence was conclusive; ______, the jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning a guilty verdict."
Here the blank itself is the signal. The first clause (conclusive evidence) makes the short deliberation a logical consequence. Among the choices - however, consequently, nevertheless, conversely - only consequently expresses the cause/effect relation. Note how the four choices are all transitional words; the task is to identify the logical relation, not to fill a content word.
Common Traps
- Missing the signal. A test-taker who reads only the clause containing the blank picks a word that fits the local context but ignores the signal's reversal. Always locate the signal first.
- Forgetting that the blank itself can be the signal. Some items place the signal word in the blank (Worked Example 4). The four choices are all transitional words; the task is to identify the logical relation between the clauses.
- Confusing "despite" with "because." Both subordinate one clause to another, but "despite" reverses and "because" continues. A quick test: mentally replace the signal with "because" and see if the sentence still makes sense; if it does not, it is a contrast signal.
- Choosing by sound. Some distractors sound formal and impressive but do not fit the logic. Logic always wins over elegance. Predict the valence first; only then read the options.
Takeaways
- The signal word is the key; locate it before anything else.
- Contrast reverses the valence; continuation and cause/effect preserve it.
- Predict the blank's valence before reading the options to immunize yourself against plausible-sounding distractors.
- When the blank is itself a transitional word, classify the relationship between the two clauses and choose the transitional word that expresses it.
Despite the defense attorney's passionate plea for leniency, the judge ______ the maximum sentence.
The witness's testimony was consistent with her earlier statement; moreover, it was ______ by the surveillance video.
Although the officer observed the vehicle swerving, the breathalyzer test ______ the driver's intoxication.