Part 5 Incomplete Sentences

UNIT 17
Objective: 1) Identifying the parts of speech
2) Using your time wisely

Tactic #1
First decide what part of speech is needed. Recognizing the part of speech (noun, verb, adjective,
etc.) that is needed to fill the blank can help you to choose the correct answer.

1. Language building: Know what you are looking for (main parts of speech)
A. Read sentences 1-6 and note the part of speech of the word that is missing (noun, verb,
adjective or adverb).
1. The guests were amazed by the ...... statues in the garden.
2. Ms. Watkins was ...... pleased with her retirement present.
3. While Jane was at college, she ...... to her sister every week.
4. The project team found it very difficult to hide their ...... over the rejection.
5. The report suggested there was an immediate need to improve cost ......
6. The delegates seemed to find the presentation very ......

B. The complete questions are shown below. Quickly skim the answers to find the part of
speech you noted above.

1. The guests were amazed by the ...... statues 4. The project team found it very difficult to
in the garden. hide their ...... over the rejection.
(A) color (A) disappoint
(B) colorful (B) disappointing
(C) colors (C) disappointedly
(D) colorfully (D) disappointment
2. The rise in steel prices has resulted in a ...... 5. I heard that the board gave our project
increase in our production costs. proposal a very ...... review.
(A) considerably (A) favor
(B) consideration (B) favorable
(C) considerable (C) favoring
(D) considers (D) favorably
3. While Jane was at college, she ...... to her 6. The delegates seemed to find the
sister every week. presentation very ...... .
(A) writing (A) interests
(B) written (B) interest
(C) write (C) interesting
(D) wrote (D) interestingly

Tactic #2
Manage your time. Wisely Answer the easy questions first, very quickly. After you have answered
all the easy ones come back and spend a maximum of 20 seconds each on the rest.

Unit 17 | Reading Part 5 Incomplete Sentences 52

 Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
2. Test tactic: The 2-pass method
The 2-pass method is a way to help you use your time more effectively. Go through the
questions twice. On the first pass, quickly answer the easy questions. On the second pass, go
back and spend a bit more time on the more challenging questions. In total, spend no more
than about 30 seconds on a question. The exercise below helps you practice the 2-pass
method.
First pass: Answer the easy questions - 1:00 minute (max. 10 seconds per question).
Take one minute to read the six sentences below. Choose the best answer to each one. If you
don't know the answer within 10 seconds, move on to the next question.
1. Ms. Jennings suggests we ...... our sales 4. If shipping costs are not fully
profits by simplifying our distribution covered, ...... for delivery will be the
system. responsibility of the recipient.
(A) to increase (A) pay
(B) increase (B) payment
(C) increases (C) paid
(D) increasing (D) to pay
2. To ...... an outside call, please dial "9", 5. ...... an emergency, press the red
then the number you wish to reach. alarm button.
(A) ring (A) In case of
(B) telephone (B) When
(C) reach (C) If
(D) place (D) Due to
3. What time does the courier come ...... the 6. The director was very ...... in the
office in the evenings? quality of his accommodations.
(A) with (A) disappointed
(B) on (B) disappointment
(C) by (C) disappointing
(D) for (D) disappoints

Second pass: Answer the challenging questions – max. 20 seconds per question.
Go back and answer the questions you didn't answer on the first pass. If you don't know the
answer within 20 seconds, guess and move on. Answer as quickly as possible, but don't leave
any questions unanswered.

Tactic #3
Don't waste time on questions you don't know. Spending more than 30 seconds on a Part 5 question
probably won't help you. If you don't know the answer, guess and move on.

3. Tactic practice
A. Read sentences 1-4 and decide the part of speech of the missing word and think of a word
that would fit.
1. It has long been ............. that small 3. Due to disappointing sales, the money .............
downturns in the US economy can have a for new computers was unavailable.
global impact. 4. The city welfare fund collects donations to aid
2. The sales clerk ............. charged me twice the local ............. ; including underprivileged
for the light bulbs I bought. citizens.

Unit 17 | Reading Part 5 Incomplete Sentences 53

 Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
B. Choose the correct answer for questions 1 – 4 on page 53.
1. (A) know (C) knowing 3. (A) require (C) requiring
(B) known (D) knows (B) requires (D) required
2. (A) mistake (C) mistaken 4. (A) needing (C) need
(B) mistook (D) mistakenly (B) needful (D) needy

Mini-test
Now apply what you have learnt at the actual test speed with questions 1-12.
Recommended Time: 6 minutes (or less)
Try the 2-pass method to help you make the most of the time available. Try to spend no more than
about 30 seconds on each item. If you don't know the answer, guess and move on.
1. Young adults who are ...... with their use of 6. The ...... is likely to have serious
credit may find themselves trouble sooner repercussions in future negotiations.
than they expect. (A) incident
(A) careless (B) incidence
(B) uncaring (C) incidentally
(C) carelessly (D) incidental
(D) uncared
7. Doan Trang was selected to ...... the
2. The attorney was warned against trying to company at the annual conference.
...... the young witness. (A) represent
(A) influential (B) representing
(B) influence (C) representative
(C) influentially (D) representational
(D) influencing
8. Customers requesting a refund must be
3. Inexperienced investors are ...... to enter this prepared to wait ...... 4-6 weeks for the
new market with caution. request to be processed.
(A) advice (A) rough
(B) advisory (B) roughly
(C) advised (C) rougher
(D) advising (D) roughest
4. The journalist refused ...... the federal 9. The plot of the movie is too ...... ; its
investigator the names of his sources. conflicts are either forced or simplistic.
(A) tell (A) predict
(B) told (B) predictable
(C) telling (C) predicting
(D) to tell (D) predictability
5. All the components for Hanson in scooters
are ...... right here in this state.
(A) to manufacture
(B) manufactures Go on to the next page
(C) manufacturing
(D) manufactured

Unit 17 | Reading Part 5 Incomplete Sentences 54

 Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
10. Adam Antoniotti is generally
1 (A) (B) (C) (D)
considered to be one of the most
2 (A) (B) (C) (D)
...... designers in the fashion
3 (A) (B) (C) (D)
industry today.
4 (A) (B) (C) (D)
(A) impression
5 (A) (B) (C) (D)
(B) impressively
6 (A) (B) (C) (D)
(C) impressive
7 (A) (B) (C) (D)
(D) impressing
8 (A) (B) (C) (D)
9 (A) (B) (C) (D)
11. Mr. Yamada is ...... that the
10 (A) (B) (C) (D)
consultant's recommendation will
11 (A) (B) (C) (D)
help the situation.
12 (A) (B) (C) (D)
(A) convince
(B) convinced
(C) conviction
(D) convincing
12. To enter information on the
spreadsheet you will ...... a cell by
clicking on it and then type your
data.
(A) select
(B) selecting
(C) to select
(D) selection

Unit 17 | Reading Part 5 Incomplete Sentences 55

 Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
UNIT 18
Objective: Improving your knowledge of pronouns

Tactic #1
Decide whether the missing word is a subject or an object. Often the sentence in the test will
feature both a subject and one or more objects. Decide whether the blank is replacing a subject or an
object and choose the correct pronoun.

1. Language building: Subject/object personal pronouns

A. For each of the following sentences decide whether the missing word is a subject (S) or
object (O).
her
1. Ms. Smithers will attend the function, but her sister will not be coming with ......... O
he took extensive notes.
2. The president gave a presentation while .......... S
it O
3. I bought my wife a watch but she told me .......... didn't fit properly. 
4. When Jack arrived at the meeting, the other members were already waiting for ......him 
O
he
5. The letter from Mr. Bildy's bank requested that .......... verify some personal details. S
them
6. The members were upset that dinner hadn't been arranged for ..........  O

B. Choose the best pronoun from the list below to complete each of the sentences above.

Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns

I he me him
you she you her 1 
we it us it 
they them 
Tactic #2
Often the answer choices will have both possessive adjectives (e.g. my) and pronouns (e.g. mine).
Look at the sentence to decide whether the blank is modifying a noun (possessive adjective) or
replacing it (possessive pronoun).

C. For each of the following sentences decide whether the missing word is a possessive
pronoun (P) or a possessive adjective (A).
mine
1. I would like to confirm that responsibility for the decision was .......... alone. P
2. Ms. Evans was given a gift to commemorate .......... years of service. 
your to do with as you like.
3. Once you sign the contract, the property will be .......... A
his A
4. The men have agreed to sell .......... half of the business.
your car.
5. I believe your shop is responsible for the damage to .......... A

6. Tom Baxter started the program last year, so all the credit should be .......... . 

D. Choose the best pronoun from the list to complete each of the sentences above.

Possessive Pronouns Possessive Adjectives

1 mine his my his
yours hers your her
ours its our its
theirs their

Unit 18 | Reading Part 5 Incomplete Sentences 56

 Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
Tactic #3
Beware of indefinite pronoun tested in the TOEIC test. Below are some common indefinite pronoun
uses tested in the TOEIC test.
Some(-one/-body/-where): used for sentences with a positive meaning
No(-one/-body/ -where): used to give a negative meaning to a positive sentence
Any(-one/-body/-where): often used for questions and sentences with a negative meaning
All, any, both, few, many, more, other, several, some: used as plural
Every, each, either, -one: used as singular

2. Test tactic: Indefinite pronouns

Use Tactic #2 to help you choose the answer choice for each sentence below.
Some
1. ........ of the things that local people make would be in high demand on (A) Some
the open market. (B) Another
2. .......... told me that I had to submit the request three weeks in advance. (C) Anybody
Somebody (D) Nobody
either
3. I can't think of .......... else we could find a better location for the new
branch. (A) either
4. John isn't riding his motorcycle because .......... of its tires are flat. (B) somebody
Both (C) anywhere
All
5. Please send .......... of your receipts to the payroll section for speedy (D) both
repayment. Many
6. The failed project has left us without .......... working capital for the
coming quarter. (A) all
(B) every
(C) any
(D) many

3. Tactic practice
Use the tactics you have learned to answer the following questions.
1. Please do not hesitate to contact us if 4. I’m afraid we do not have …………. Option
there is .......... else I can do to assist. but to complain to the union.
(A) anything (A) any
(B) anybody (B) each
(C) anywhere (C) some
(D) anyway (D) a lot
2. Ms. Bell has agreed to let us use the 5. Jane and her new assistant attended the
report .......... prepared. conference and ........... were amazed at the
(A) her huge turnout.
(B) she (A) either
(C) hers (B) each
(D) herself (C) both
(D) any
3. Our client is dissatisfied with the
severance package offered to .......... . 6. Unfortunately we cannot include ........... in
(A) he the list of presenters.
(B) himself (A) they
(C) his (B) their
(D) him (C) them
(D) themselves

Unit 18 | Reading Part 5 Incomplete Sentences 57

 Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
Mini-test
Now apply what you have learnt at the actual test speed with questions 1-12.
Recommended Time: 6 minutes (or less)
Try the 2-pass method to help you make the most of the time available. Try to spend no more than
about 30 seconds on each item. If you don't know the answer, guess and move on.
1. Ms. Janus was not sure that there was 7. Our agents have informed us that .......... of the
.......... we could have done to win the containers were damaged in transit.
account. (A) one
(A) everyone (B) several
(B) everything (C) any
(C) anything (D) much
(D) anyone
8. Our new line of women's fashions has proven
2. The director was very .......... to your ideas .......... to be a top seller.
for revising our sales approach. (A) its
(A) receiving (B) hers
(B) received (C) herself
(C) reception (D) itself
(D) receptive
9. ........ of the management staff realized the amount
3. In this situation I feel we must of time and effort that had gone into the job.
acknowledge .......... shared responsibility. (A) Every
(A) I (B) Any
(B) my (C) Few
(C) us (D) Someone
(D) our
10. In my opinion, .......... of the candidates is
4. The convention center is .......... the office particularly suitable for the position.
but on the other side of the river. (A) neither
(A) between (B) both
(B) against (C) all
(C) along (D) either
(D) near
11. No group meetings are .......... unless special
5. If your car is not fixed by the weekend you circumstances call for on-site evaluations of
can borrow .......... to pick up your mother. ongoing projects.
(A) mine (A) necessitate
(B) any (B) necessarily
(C) some (C) necessity
(D) other (D) necessary
6. Bickertons has put in bids for several 12. The results show that the decision to promote
.......... construction contracts as part of its .......... was entirely appropriate.
urban renewal plan. (A) you
(A) valuably (B) your
(B) values (C) yourself
(C) value (D) yours
(D) valuable

Unit 18 | Reading Part 5 Incomplete Sentences 58