FREE RLA Language Arts Completing Sentences Questions and Answers

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What transition word or phrase best fits the blank below?

Other relationship experts counsel that having high standards, _________________ accepting poor behavior, is the secret to a long and happy marriage.

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
"Having high standards" and "accepting poor behavior" are directly opposed ideas, so we need a contrasting transition: "not."
"While also" suggests that the two ideas should coexist at the same time, but that is not logical in the context of the sentence.
"As well as" and "moreover" incorrectly suggest addition. "Indeed" suggests emphasis and is both semantically and syntactically wrong.

1 Over the past few decades, an abundance of new cooking techniques [Question 1]. 2 A combination of internet tutorials, popular cooking shows, and celebrity chefs [Question 2]. 3 Today, professional and amateur cooks alike have access to information and tools that allow them to explore everything from fire-roasting vegetables [Question 3]. 4 Some chefs [Question 4], a strategy they say allows them to respect tradition while maintaining innovation. 5 Among these old techniques [Question 5] pickling, fermenting, and smoking, for instance. 6 Whether you’re interested in X, Y, or Z [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 5?

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
Since the beginning of Sentence 5 introduces a list, the correct punctuation mark is a colon. Since several techniques are being listed, the correct verb conjugation is "are" (present tense and plural). This eliminates all but one of the choices.

1 Over the past few decades, an abundance of new cooking techniques [Question 1]. 2 A combination of internet tutorials, popular cooking shows, and celebrity chefs [Question 2]. 3 Today, professional and amateur cooks alike have access to information and tools that allow them to explore everything from fire-roasting vegetables [Question 3]. 4 Some chefs [Question 4], a strategy they say allows them to respect tradition while maintaining innovation. 5 Among these old techniques [Question 5] pickling, fermenting, and smoking, for instance. 6 Whether you’re interested in X, Y, or Z [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 2?

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
Note that the subject of this sentence is "combination," a singular noun that requires the verb "is." This allows us to rule out all but two of the answers. Of the remaining options, "is responsibly rising its popularity" is very awkward, leaving us with "is responsible for this rise in popularity."

What transition word or phrase best fits the blank below?

______________ some pundits believe global warming is a hoax, nearly all scientific experts agree that climate change is a very real and exigent threat.

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
The correct relationship between the two parts of these sentences is one of contrast. "Because" and "Seeing that" imply causation (i.e. pundits' disbelief leads to experts' agreement), which is not logical. "Not to mention" implies agreement or similarity." "Meanwhile" correctly implies a sort of contrast, but it does not fit the grammatical construction of the sentence.

What transition word or phrase best fits the blank below?

The corporate stalemate is being caused by greedy managers and recalcitrant employees alike; __________________, it is critical for both groups to work together.

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
Based on the content of this sentence, we need a transition that expresses a sentiment like "For this reason" or "therefore." In other words, we need a conclusion word or phrase. "As such" is the only choice among these answers that provides the conclusion.

1 Over the past few decades, an abundance of new cooking techniques [Question 1]. 2 A combination of internet tutorials, popular cooking shows, and celebrity chefs [Question 2]. 3 Today, professional and amateur cooks alike have access to information and tools that allow them to explore everything from fire-roasting vegetables [Question 3]. 4 Some chefs [Question 4], a strategy they say allows them to respect tradition while maintaining innovation. 5 Among these old techniques [Question 5] pickling, fermenting, and smoking, for instance. 6 Whether you’re interested in X, Y, or Z [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 1?

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
Knowing the correct diction for this sentence will help you eliminate choices. New cooking techniques can "proliferate," or spread, across the world; they cannot "peruse." "Profligated" is not a word; "profligate" means spendthrift. You should also note that "abundance," a singular noun, requires the verb conjugation "has" and not "have."

What transition word or phrase best fits the blank below?

Many marriage counselors suggest that open communication ________________ an active acceptance of imperfection leads to a healthy, vital partnership.

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
The relationship between "open communication" and "an active acceptance of imperfection" is one of agreement, so "in addition to" is the best choice. "In light of" incorrectly implies that "open communication" is subordinate to "active acceptance," and "in spite of" incorrectly implies contrast. "After all" and "especially" are both transitional phrases, but neither fits the grammatical construction of the sentence.

1 Over the past few decades, an abundance of new cooking techniques [Question 1]. 2 A combination of internet tutorials, popular cooking shows, and celebrity chefs [Question 2]. 3 Today, professional and amateur cooks alike have access to information and tools that allow them to explore everything from fire-roasting vegetables [Question 3]. 4 Some chefs [Question 4], a strategy they say allows them to respect tradition while maintaining innovation. 5 Among these old techniques [Question 5] pickling, fermenting, and smoking, for instance. 6 Whether you’re interested in X, Y, or Z [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 3?

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
Based on the middle of Sentence 3, we can see that we have a "everything from _________ to _______" construction. This construction can't have other prepositions substituted in it; you must use "from" and "to" to write it correctly. The construction also does not require any punctuation before the "to."

1 Over the past few decades, an abundance of new cooking techniques [Question 1]. 2 A combination of internet tutorials, popular cooking shows, and celebrity chefs [Question 2]. 3 Today, professional and amateur cooks alike have access to information and tools that allow them to explore everything from fire-roasting vegetables [Question 3]. 4 Some chefs [Question 4], a strategy they say allows them to respect tradition while maintaining innovation. 5 Among these old techniques [Question 5] pickling, fermenting, and smoking, for instance. 6 Whether you’re interested in X, Y, or Z [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 6?

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
The beginning of Sentence 6 is a dependent clause, so we know that the rest of the sentence must be an independent clause. We also know that the two must be separated with a comma. Lastly, "certainly it is being an exciting time as a chef" is too convoluted to be the best choice.

1 Over the past few decades, an abundance of new cooking techniques [Question 1]. 2 A combination of internet tutorials, popular cooking shows, and celebrity chefs [Question 2]. 3 Today, professional and amateur cooks alike have access to information and tools that allow them to explore everything from fire-roasting vegetables [Question 3]. 4 Some chefs [Question 4], a strategy they say allows them to respect tradition while maintaining innovation. 5 Among these old techniques [Question 5] pickling, fermenting, and smoking, for instance. 6 Whether you’re interested in X, Y, or Z [Question 6].

Which of the following phrases best completes Sentence 4?

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
Since the second half of Sentence 4 is a dependent clause, the missing part of the sentence must supply the subject and verb to make it an independent clause. The only choices here that do so are "are also resurrecting old techniques" and ", were also resurrecting old techniques." The latter choice is incorrect because of the comma and the past tense verb "were."

What transition word or phrase best fits the blank below?

Meredith wasn’t sure whether her physician had ordered the correct tests, ________________ she had a sneaking suspicion that she should consult a specialist instead.

Correct! Wrong!

Explanation:
Meredith's uncertainty is being contrasted with her sneaking suspicion here, so a contrasting word or phrase will be necessary to properly express the meaning of the sentence. (The appearance of "instead" in the sentence is a further hint that we're looking for a contrast word.) "In spite of" and "whereas" are contrast phrases, but they're the wrong part of speech for the sentence. "But" is the best choice here.

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