TOEIC : Grammar-based sentence completions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for TOEIC

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

1 2 3 5 Next →

Example Question #41 : Grammar Based Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

I will either buy a computer _____________ a television; I cannot afford both.

Possible Answers:

nor

for 

or

and

Correct answer:

or

Explanation:

The correct answer is "or." This sentence presents a choice between two things--a computer or a television. The biggest clue that "or" is the correct conjunction is the word "either." The other conjunctions are not appropriate in this sentence.  

Example Question #2 : Conjunctions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

I am either going to yoga ___________ kickboxing class tonight, both of which take place at 7:00pm. 

Possible Answers:

or

so

but

and

Correct answer:

or

Explanation:

The correct answer is "or." We know that the speaker is making a choice between two things, and cannot do both activities since they both take place at 7:00pm, which is why the answer is not "and." The conjunctions "but" and "so" do not make sense in this sentence. The best choice is "or."

Example Question #3 : Conjunctions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

When I moved to a new city, I thought I would hate it, _________ I came to see it as a wonderful place.

Possible Answers:

but

so 

and

or

Correct answer:

but

Explanation:

The best choice is "but." We know that this sentence requires the word "but" because there is a contrast--at first the speaker thought one thing, but then changed her mind. The other options link sentences in different ways that aren't appropriate in this sentence.

Example Question #42 : Grammar Based Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

The hockey team was made up of amateurs __________ professionals; there were men who had played for years as well as men who were still in college.

Possible Answers:

or

and

but

or

Correct answer:

and

Explanation:

The correct answer is "and." This is the best choice because the conjunction "and" joins ideas together. The phrase, "men who had played for years as well as men who were still in college" indicates that both types of people were involved, not just one. Some key words are "as well as," a phrase meaning the same thing as "and." For those reasons, the best choice is "and."

Example Question #43 : Grammar Based Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

I want to go to the movies, ________ my parents won't let me. 

Possible Answers:

or

and

but

so

Correct answer:

but

Explanation:

The correct answer is "but." In this sentence, the meaning of "but" can be understood the same way as the word "however." This sentence has a contrast--the subject wants to do something but cannot. If the sentence conveyed an alternative we might consider "or" but this sentence does not. The only conjunction that shows this contrast in meaning is "but," so it is the best choice.

Example Question #41 : Grammar Based Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

I stayed in the sun too long, _______ I got a sunburn. 

Possible Answers:

for

or

so

but

Correct answer:

so

Explanation:

The correct answer is "so." The conjunction "so" shows a cause and effect relationship, which is the case in this sentence: the subject was in the sun too long, which caused a sunburn. The word "so" is similar in meaning to the word "therefore." The sentence would not make sense if the other conjunctions ("or", "but", and "for") were placed in the blank. That is why the best choice is "so."

1 2 3 5 Next →
Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors