GED Language Arts (RLA) : Completing Sentences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GED Language Arts (RLA)

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Completing Sentences

1 Learning a new musical instrument can be frustrating, challenging, rewarding, and exhilarating. 2 While some experts recommend jumping in on your own [Question 1]. 3 For example [Question 2] or you might pay a pianist to show you scales. 4 It’s important to remember that [Question 3] the payoff will be well worth it. 5 If you find yourself on the brink of giving up [Question 4]. 6 Of course, some instruments have a steeper learning curve [Question 5]. 7 Learning the bagpipes, for instance, may be a process that [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 3?

Possible Answers:

one might ask a guitar player to teach basic chords and strumming techniques

, one might ask a guitar player to teach you basic chords and strumming techniques,

, you might ask a guitar player to teach you basic chords and strumming techniques, 

, you might ask a guitar player to teach you basic chords and strumming techniques

: you might ask a guitar player to teach you basic chords and strumming techniques,

Correct answer:

, you might ask a guitar player to teach you basic chords and strumming techniques, 

Explanation:

Since “For example” is an introductory clause, it must be followed by a comma. Since “you might pay a pianist to show you scales” is an independent clause preceded by a conjunction, a comma must come before “or.” Considering both these rules, only “, you might ask a guitar player to teach you basic chords and strumming techniques,” works grammatically.

Example Question #12 : Completing Sentences

1 Learning a new musical instrument can be frustrating, challenging, rewarding, and exhilarating. 2 While some experts recommend jumping in on your own [Question 1]. 3 For example [Question 2] or you might pay a pianist to show you scales. 4 It’s important to remember that [Question 3] the payoff will be well worth it. 5 If you find yourself on the brink of giving up [Question 4]. 6 Of course, some instruments have a steeper learning curve [Question 5]. 7 Learning the bagpipes, for instance, may be a process that [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 4?

Possible Answers:

, while the learning process may be exasperating,

; while the learning process was exasperating,

while the learning process is exasperating

: while the learning process could have been exasperating

the learning process is exasperating,

Correct answer:

, while the learning process may be exasperating,

Explanation:

Sentence 4 is constructed in a way that suggests that the missing piece is a parenthetical clause. Such clauses are always separated from the main body of the sentence by commas and are always dependent clauses. With this in mind, the only option that works grammatically is “, while the learning process may be exasperating,”.

Example Question #13 : Completing Sentences

1 Learning a new musical instrument can be frustrating, challenging, rewarding, and exhilarating. 2 While some experts recommend jumping in on your own [Question 1]. 3 For example [Question 2] or you might pay a pianist to show you scales. 4 It’s important to remember that [Question 3] the payoff will be well worth it. 5 If you find yourself on the brink of giving up [Question 4]. 6 Of course, some instruments have a steeper learning curve [Question 5]. 7 Learning the bagpipes, for instance, may be a process that [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 5?

Possible Answers:

, imagine yourself, performing your favorite song, to an audience of admiring fans

imagine yourself; you are performing your favorite song to an audience of admiring fans

, imagine yourself performing your favorite song to an audience of admiring fans

imagine yourself: performing your favorite song to an audience of admiring fans

, imagine yourself: performing your favorite song to an audience of admiring fans

Correct answer:

, imagine yourself performing your favorite song to an audience of admiring fans

Explanation:

Other than a comma to separate the first half of the sentence (a dependent clause) from the second half (an independent clause), no punctuation is necessary here. It’s good to note that the use of second person (“you” and “your”) is fine in this context, since it appears consistently in the rest of the passage.

Example Question #14 : Completing Sentences

1 Learning a new musical instrument can be frustrating, challenging, rewarding, and exhilarating. 2 While some experts recommend jumping in on your own [Question 1]. 3 For example [Question 2] or you might pay a pianist to show you scales. 4 It’s important to remember that [Question 3] the payoff will be well worth it. 5 If you find yourself on the brink of giving up [Question 4]. 6 Of course, some instruments have a steeper learning curve [Question 5]. 7 Learning the bagpipes, for instance, may be a process that [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 6?

Possible Answers:

then others’ ones

None of these other choices.

than others

than other ones

then others

Correct answer:

than others

Explanation:

Although the sentence is simply constructed, it’s easy to confuse the correct answer. Comparisons are always made with “than,” never “then.” Likewise, “others” is sufficient; “other ones” and “others’ ones” is unnecessarily redundant.

Example Question #15 : Completing Sentences

1 Learning a new musical instrument can be frustrating, challenging, rewarding, and exhilarating. 2 While some experts recommend jumping in on your own [Question 1]. 3 For example [Question 2] or you might pay a pianist to show you scales. 4 It’s important to remember that [Question 3] the payoff will be well worth it. 5 If you find yourself on the brink of giving up [Question 4]. 6 Of course, some instruments have a steeper learning curve [Question 5]. 7 Learning the bagpipes, for instance, may be a process that [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 7?

Possible Answers:

earns you applause when you’d finally stopped playing

, earning you applause, when you finally stop playing

only earning you applause when you finally stop playing

only earned you applause when you’ll finally stop playing

will only earn you applause when you finally stop playing

Correct answer:

will only earn you applause when you finally stop playing

Explanation:

This tongue-in-cheek conclusion only works grammatically with the future tense: “will only earn you applause when you finally stop playing.” All of the other choices will result in a mixed construction, which is incorrect. No punctuation is necessary in this part of the sentence, either.

Example Question #16 : Completing Sentences

1 Reason and emotion are often seen [Question 1] in other words, people believe the two can’t coexist. 2 Pure rationality is often considered [Question].3 Emotion, on the other hand [Question 3]. 4 However, scientists have recently discovered that the reason-emotion binary is in fact a false dichotomy. 5 [Question 4] the two are not mutually exclusive, and emotion often aids reason in filtering out poor, dangerous, or distracting choices. 6 This symbiosis is particularly obvious in decision making [Question 5]. 7 All in all, one should strive to make choices using [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 1?

Possible Answers:

diametrically opposed, forces;

as diametrically opposed forces,

diametrically opposing forces

diametrically opposed, like forces,

as diametrically opposed forces;

Correct answer:

as diametrically opposed forces;

Explanation:

Both halves of this sentence are independent clauses (complete sentences in their own right). This means that either a period or a semicolon is required to separate them. It’s also important to note that reason and emotion aren’t themselves doing any opposing; they’re oppositional forces.

Example Question #17 : Completing Sentences

1 Reason and emotion are often seen [Question 1] in other words, people believe the two can’t coexist. 2 Pure rationality is often considered [Question].3 Emotion, on the other hand [Question 3]. 4 However, scientists have recently discovered that the reason-emotion binary is in fact a false dichotomy. 5 [Question 4] the two are not mutually exclusive, and emotion often aids reason in filtering out poor, dangerous, or distracting choices. 6 This symbiosis is particularly obvious in decision making [Question 5]. 7 All in all, one should strive to make choices using [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 2?

Possible Answers:

, cautious, civilized, and controlled.

cautious, civilized, and controlled.

to be cautious, civilized, and controlled.

being, cautious, civilized, and controlled.

being: cautious, civilized, and controlled.

Correct answer:

to be cautious, civilized, and controlled.

Explanation:

The only choice that results in a complete sentence here is “to be cautious, civilized, and controlled.” Using the gerund, “being,” results in a sentence fragment, as does leaving out the “to be” verb altogether.

Example Question #18 : Completing Sentences

1 Reason and emotion are often seen [Question 1] in other words, people believe the two can’t coexist. 2 Pure rationality is often considered [Question].3 Emotion, on the other hand [Question 3]. 4 However, scientists have recently discovered that the reason-emotion binary is in fact a false dichotomy. 5 [Question 4] the two are not mutually exclusive, and emotion often aids reason in filtering out poor, dangerous, or distracting choices. 6 This symbiosis is particularly obvious in decision making [Question 5]. 7 All in all, one should strive to make choices using [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 3?

Possible Answers:

; is considered to impede logic

; consider, impeded logic

, is considered to impede logic

, considers impeding logic

: considering the impeded logic

Correct answer:

, is considered to impede logic

Explanation:

In Sentence 3, “on the other hand” is a parenthetical clause that requires commas both before and after it. Reading closely for meaning, we can deduce that “emotion” itself is not engaged in the act of considering; rather, emotion is being considered in a certain way. With these two observations, we can narrow down the answer choices to the correct one, “, is considered to impede logic.”

Example Question #19 : Completing Sentences

1 Reason and emotion are often seen [Question 1] in other words, people believe the two can’t coexist. 2 Pure rationality is often considered [Question].3 Emotion, on the other hand [Question 3]. 4 However, scientists have recently discovered that the reason-emotion binary is in fact a false dichotomy. 5 [Question 4] the two are not mutually exclusive, and emotion often aids reason in filtering out poor, dangerous, or distracting choices. 6 This symbiosis is particularly obvious in decision making [Question 5]. 7 All in all, one should strive to make choices using [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 5?

Possible Answers:

That is to say,

However,

Whereas

Furthermore,

Yet

Correct answer:

That is to say,

Explanation:

Sentence 5 clarifies and restates the point made in Sentence 4. The only transitional phrase that makes sense in this context, then, is “That is to say.” All the other choices indicate different relationships between Sentences 4 and 5.

Example Question #20 : Completing Sentences

1 Reason and emotion are often seen [Question 1] in other words, people believe the two can’t coexist. 2 Pure rationality is often considered [Question].3 Emotion, on the other hand [Question 3]. 4 However, scientists have recently discovered that the reason-emotion binary is in fact a false dichotomy. 5 [Question 4] the two are not mutually exclusive, and emotion often aids reason in filtering out poor, dangerous, or distracting choices. 6 This symbiosis is particularly obvious in decision making [Question 5]. 7 All in all, one should strive to make choices using [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 6?

Possible Answers:

, happening upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes

; this calls upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes

, calling upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes

 that happens to call upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes

, which calls upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes

Correct answer:

, which calls upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes

Explanation:

While two of these options are technically grammatically correct, the best choice is “, which calls upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes.” The other grammatical option is to make the two halves of the sentences each independent clauses and separate them with a semicolon: “; this calls upon a complex series of both rational and intuitive processes.” This option, however, is clunkier and uses the imprecise pronoun “this.”

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