TOEIC Preparation Week 6 Reading Section Part V: Sentence - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TOEIC Preparation

Week 6

Reading Section

Part V: Sentence Completion

• 40 sentences
• One or more word missing
• Choose the correct option

from 4 choices Part VI: Passage Completion

• 3 passages
• 4 blanks per passage
• Choose the correct option

from 4 choices

Strategy

• Read each item and try to guess missing word
• Look for this word amongst answers
• Identify question type
• Look for relevant clues

Question Types

• Word choice
• Word forms
• Verbs
• Prepositions

Grammar

Common testing points & practice

Word Choice

• Testing: vocabulary, grammar
• Identify: 4 answer choices look alike or have

similar meanings

• Prepare: knowledge of word forms, functions,

meanings

Function Words

Enough/too So/such Most/most of the/almost/the most Yet/still/anymore/alrea dy Any/some Ever/never No/none/not After/afterwards Much/many Little/few Amount/number Alike/like Similar/the same Between/among

Practice

1. The suitcase was (so/such) heavy that I couldn’t lift it. 2. (Most/most of the/almost/the most) people enjoy music. 3. Has he arrived (yet/still/anymore/already)? 4. There aren’t (any/some) rooms available. 5. Have you (ever/never) gone skydiving? 6. There is (no/none) coffee in the pot. 7. We’ll go to the theatre first and dinner (after/afterwards). 8. (Little/few) research has been done in that field. 9. The two languages are (like/alike) in many respects.

• 10. The man divided his estate (between/among) his children.

Connecting Words

Connecting two parts of a sentence:

• Cause-effect (because, since, therefore, as…)
• Contrast (however, nevertheless, yet, but, while,

whereas, although, even though, despite, in despite of…)

• Alternatives (or, nor)
• Development (moreover, furthermore…)
• Timing (after, before…)

Connecting Words

Connecting two elements within a sentence:

• Similar (and, both… and…, not only… but

also…)

• Contrast (but, yet…)
• Alternatives (or, either… or …, neither… nor…)

Practice

A) Nor B) and C) or D) but E) so

• 1. My desk is usually messy, ___ yours is clean.
• 2. I don’t think we should discuss it now, ___ do

I think we should vote on it.

• 3. You can use the front door ___ the side door.
• 4. We ran out of paper, ___ we had to borrow

some.

Practice

A) Both B) either C) but also D) nor E) or

• 1. She plans to buy ___ or a small truck
• 2. I studied English not only in the US ___ in the

UK.

• 3. We visited ___ Houston and Dallas.
• 4. Neither a tennis court ___ a squash court is

available for Saturday.

Word Forms

Testing: grammar Identify: 4 answer choices are different forms of the same base word Practice: parts of speech, word endings

Parts of speech

Common noun endings

• tion

information

• ence

experience

• ance

acceptance

• ity

creativity

• ness

happiness

• ery

recovery

• ship

friendship

• ism

industrialism

• logy

biology

• ment experiment

Common noun endings (people)

• er

writer

• or

governor

• ist

psychologist

• ee

retiree

• ic

comic

• ian

technician

Parts of speech

Common adjective endings

• ate

moderate

• ous
• minous
• al

normal

• ing

interesting

• ed

bored

• able

comfortable

• ible

sensible

• ile

fertile

• y

sunny

• ic

economic

• ical

logical

• ial

remedial

• less

hopeless

• ful

colourful

• ive

competetive

Common verb endings

• ize

sanitize

• en

lengthen

• er

recover

• ify

notify

• ate

incorporate

Practice

A) advice B) advise C) advisor D) advisable

• 1. What do you _____ me to do?
• 2. You should ask Paul for some _____.
• 3. Do you think that changing jobs is _____?

Practice

A) Politics B) political C) politicians D) politically

• 1. What this country needs is honest _____.
• 2. I never discuss religion or _____ at dinner.
• 3. She had less _____ experience than him.

Practice

A) Lost B) losing C) lose D) loss

• 1. Will your insurance cover your _____?
• 2. When did you _____ your watch?
• 3. I was unable to retrieve the _____ data.

Verbs

• Testing: grammar
• Identify: 4 answer choices are different forms
• f the same verb
• Practice: tenses, voices, conjugation

Tenses

Review uses + form:

• Present simple / continuous / perfect
• Past simple / continuous / perfect
• Future simple / continuous / perfect

Conditionals

1st conditional: present simple + future simple If John is at the meeting, we will ask him… 2nd conditional: past simple + would + simple form If John were here, we would ask him… 3rd conditional: past perfect + would have + pp If John had been here, we would have asked him…

Active vs Passive

When an action is done by something (subject) to something else (object)… Subject = present participle (-ing) Object = past participle (-ed) The professor’s talk fascinated the audience. à The talk was fascinating (to the audience) à The audience was fascinated (by the talk)

Practice

Work in pairs. Write one sentence using:

• Present simple / continuous / perfect
• Past simple / continuous / perfect
• Future simple / continuous / perfect
• 1st / 2nd / 3rd conditional

Gerund vs Infinitive vs Simple Form

Gerunds are verbal nouns (-ing) Swimming is good exercise Infinitives can also be used as verbal nouns (to) My brother wants to get a pilot’s licence Simple forms are used after certain verbs Jerry makes his children do some chores

Gerund vs Infinitive vs Simple Form

Verbs followed by gerund

Admit Anticipate Appreciate Avoid Can’t help Consider Delay Deny Discuss Dislike Enjoy Finish Go Justify Keep Mind Miss Practice Risk Stop Suggest Understand

Verbs followed by infinitive Afford Agree Aim Arrange Ask Choose Decide Deserve Know (how) Learn (how) Seem Stop Vote Would like

Gerund vs Infinitive vs Simple Form

Verbs followed by object + infinitive Allow Ask Cause Choose Convince Get Help Instruct Invite Permit Persuade Prepare Need Remind Require Teach (how) Tell Use Warn Verbs followed by simple form

Have Help Let Make Would rather

Practice

1. By (sign) this contract, you are agreeing (deliver) these goods to us by the end of the month. 2. The president decided (implement) a new system. 3. I enjoy (cook) but I dislike (clean up). 4. These boots are perfect for (hike). 5. A sudden noise made the golfer (miss) his shot. 6. I need (practice) (speak) Spanish before I travel. 7. It is important (be) on time for your interview. 8. Kim invited me (go) (shop) with her. 9. The clerk denied (take) the money.

• 10. When I have the mechanic (fix) my brakes, I’ll get him

(change) my oil as well.

Prepositions

• Testing: grammar
• Identify: 4 answer choices are different

prepositions

• Prepare: no simple rules, just examples in

context BUT some nouns, adjectives, verbs always followed by the same prepositions.

Practice

1. As the quality __ this product has improved, the demand __ it has grown. 2. This suit made __ wool is superior __ the other one. 3. Diana is planning to move __ the office next __ mine. 4. The explosion was the result __ a combination __ several factors. 5. This car might not be suitable __ a family, but it is perfect __ a single person. 6. The development __ a good bookkeeping system was essential __ modern business. 7. Zambia is the source __ over 15% of the world’s supply __ cobalt. 8. Together __ his aides, the chancellor arrived __ the airport. 9. We have found a solution __ part __ the problem.

• 10. Instead __ guessing blindly, you should make an educated guess.

Summary

4 main question types:

• Word choice
• Word form
• Verbs
• Prepositions

Identify what you struggle with and practice before next week’s examples!