Completing Statements

About Completing Statements

A completing statements question gives a sentence with a word missing and asks which option completes it. The sentences worth practising are the ones where the missing word is fixed by a pair: no sooner is finished by than and by nothing else, neither by nor, and so that by that. Where a pair is involved the answer is not a matter of judgement at all.

What you need to understand

Some words come in fixed pairs, and the first half decides the second: no sooner with than, hardly with when, scarcely with when, neither with nor, either with or, both with and, not only with but also.

Such and so are both completed by that, but they attach to different things: such goes before a noun phrase, so before an adjective or an adverb.

Lest is followed by should, and would rather is followed by than.

When a sentence opens with a negative such as no sooner or hardly, the verb comes before its subject: no sooner had the bell rung.

Each of, either of, neither of and one of are singular however long the phrase after them is, so they take a singular verb.

For takes a length of time and since a point in time, and a clause after the blank is a point in time.

How to work through these questions

Find the word that opens the pair. It is usually at the start of the sentence or just before the blank.

Recall the word that closes that pair, and check whether it is already in the sentence. If it is, the blank is somewhere else and the pair is not the clue.

Match the closing word to the options rather than reading the sentence for sense. The partner of the opener is fixed.

Check the grammar of the completed sentence: does the verb agree with its subject, and is the word order right after an opening negative?

If the sentence contains each of, either of or neither of, check that the verb is singular.

Read the completed sentence once through to confirm that nothing else has been left wrong.

Mistakes that cost marks

Confusing than with then, which turns a comparison into a time word.
Using when after no sooner, or than after hardly. No sooner takes than; hardly and scarcely take when.
Using or after neither, or nor after either. The two pairs are not interchangeable.
Missing the inversion after an opening negative, so that the subject is put before the verb where it should follow.
Giving a plural verb to a subject beginning with each of or neither of.
Choosing by sound. These sentences are built so that more than one option sounds plausible, and only the pair decides.

Worked example

No sooner had the bell rung ___ the students rushed out. Choose the option that completes the sentence: than, then, when, that.

Find the opener: no sooner, at the beginning of the sentence.
Recall the word that closes it. No sooner is a comparative and is followed by than, as in no sooner than.
Check that than is not already in the sentence, which it is not, so the pair is the clue.
Reject then, which is a word of time and not of comparison, and when, which belongs with hardly and scarcely.
Reject that, which completes such and so rather than no sooner.
The completed sentence reads: No sooner had the bell rung than the students rushed out. The verb had stands before its subject the bell, which is the inversion a sentence opening with a negative requires.

Answer: than

Practice questions with answers

A few Completing Statements questions with the full solution shown, so you can see how the method is applied before you attempt the timed set.

Question 1

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: It was ___ a cold day that we stayed indoors.

A so
B too
C very
D such

Answer: Option D — with explanation

The blank is decided by the pair this sentence opens with: what stands there is 'such'.\nEach of the other options belongs to a different pair - the one it is paired with is not the word on the other side of this blank. Common mistakes - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: so - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: too - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: very

Question 2

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: Ten kilometres ___ a long distance to walk.

A have
B is
C were
D are

Answer: Option B — with explanation

The blank is decided by the pair this sentence opens with: what stands there is 'is'.\nEach of the other options belongs to a different pair - the one it is paired with is not the word on the other side of this blank. Common mistakes - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: are - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: were - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: have

Question 3

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: ___ had she finished speaking when the lights went out.

A Seldom
B No sooner
C Hardly
D Rarely

Answer: Option C — with explanation

The blank is decided by the pair this sentence opens with: what stands there is 'Hardly'.\nEach of the other options belongs to a different pair - the one it is paired with is not the word on the other side of this blank. Common mistakes - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: Seldom - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: Rarely - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: No sooner

Question 4

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: The furniture in the room ___ very old.

A have
B is
C are
D were

Answer: Option B — with explanation

The blank is decided by the pair this sentence opens with: what stands there is 'is'.\nEach of the other options belongs to a different pair - the one it is paired with is not the word on the other side of this blank. Common mistakes - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: are - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: have - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: were

Question 5

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: He is the man ___ I gave the money.

A to whom
B whom
C who
D which

Answer: Option A — with explanation

The blank is decided by the pair this sentence opens with: what stands there is 'to whom'.\nEach of the other options belongs to a different pair - the one it is paired with is not the word on the other side of this blank. Common mistakes - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: whom - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: who - this word belongs to a different pair, so it cannot fill this blank: which

Frequently asked questions

Which pairs are worth learning first?

No sooner with than, hardly and scarcely with when, neither with nor, either with or, both with and, not only with but also, such and so with that, and lest with should. Those cover nearly every question of this kind.

How do I remember than rather than then?

Than is used only in comparisons, then only in time. If the sentence is comparing two things — no sooner than, rather than, better than — the word is than.

Why does the verb come before the subject?

When a sentence opens with a negative such as no sooner or hardly, English puts the auxiliary before the subject: no sooner had the bell rung rather than no sooner the bell had rung.

What if the pairing word is already in the sentence?

Then the pair is complete and the blank is something else. In hardly had I reached the station when the train left, the when is already there and the blank holds the auxiliary.