GRE Text Completion Set 1 Practice Questions with Answers

Twenty-five percent of the GRE Verbal Reasoning section consists of text completion tasks designed to evaluate your vocabulary and logic. This GRE Text Completion Set 1 Practice Questions with Answers guide provides the foundational skills needed to identify contextual clues and select the precise words that restore meaning to a passage. By engaging with these exercises, you can develop the analytical rigor required to navigate the complexities of the GRE Prep journey.

Concept Explanation

GRE Text Completion is a question type that requires test-takers to fill in missing words or phrases in a short passage to create a coherent, logical sentence. These questions typically feature one, two, or three blanks, and you must select the correct option for every blank to receive credit; no partial credit is awarded. Success depends on identifying "clue words" or "trigger words" that indicate the relationship between different parts of the sentence, such as contrast (e.g., "however", "despite"), similarity (e.g., "and", "furthermore"), or cause and effect (e.g., "because", "therefore"). Understanding high-level vocabulary is essential, but the ability to parse the syntax and logic of the sentence is what ultimately leads to the correct answer. You should read the entire passage first, predict a word for the blank, and then look for the choice that best matches your prediction.

Solved Examples

Review these worked examples to understand how to apply logic to text completion tasks.

1. Example 1 (Single Blank): The politician’s speech was surprisingly _______; despite his reputation for long-windedness, he finished his remarks in under five minutes.
   • (A) verbose
   • (B) laconic
   • (C) ephemeral
   Solution:
   1. Identify the clue: "despite his reputation for long-windedness." This indicates a contrast.
   2. Identify the proof: "finished... in under five minutes." This means he was brief.
   3. Evaluate choices: "Verbose" means wordy (opposite), "ephemeral" means short-lived (usually for events, not speech style). "Laconic" means using few words.
   4. Final Answer: (B) laconic.
2. Example 2 (Two Blanks): Although the company’s profits have been (i)_______ in recent months, the CEO remains (ii)_______ about the future, citing new product developments.
   • Blank (i): (A) surging, (B) stagnant, (C) volatile
   • Blank (ii): (D) pessimistic, (E) sanguine, (F) indifferent
   Solution:
   1. Analyze the structure: "Although" indicates a contrast between the current profit state and the CEO's attitude.
   2. Analyze the second half: The CEO cites "new product developments" as a reason for his attitude, suggesting a positive outlook. "Sanguine" means optimistic.
   3. Analyze the first half: If the CEO is optimistic despite the current situation, the profits must not be doing well. "Stagnant" (not growing) fits best.
   4. Final Answer: (B) stagnant and (E) sanguine.
3. Example 3 (Three Blanks): The scientist’s (i)_______ claims about the new discovery were initially met with (ii)_______ by her peers; however, as more data (iii)_______ her findings, the scientific community began to accept the theory.
   • Blank (i): (A) orthodox, (B) radical, (C) trivial
   • Blank (ii): (D) skepticism, (E) adulation, (F) indifference
   • Blank (iii): (G) refuted, (H) corroborated, (I) obscured
   Solution:
   1. Look for the pivot: "however" indicates a change from rejection to acceptance.
   2. Blank (iii): If the community began to accept the theory, the data must have supported it. "Corroborated" means supported.
   3. Blank (ii): If the theory was only accepted after more data, it must have been met with doubt initially. "Skepticism" fits.
   4. Blank (i): A discovery that meets initial skepticism is usually "radical" or non-traditional. "Radical" fits the context of a major new discovery.
   5. Final Answer: (B) radical, (D) skepticism, and (H) corroborated.

Practice Questions

Test your skills with the following GRE Text Completion Set 1 practice questions.

1. The book was so _______ that even the most dedicated readers found it difficult to finish the first chapter without falling asleep.
   • (A) stimulating
   • (B) soporific
   • (C) provocative
   • (D) lucid
   • (E) succinct
2. Despite the (i)_______ of the situation, the captain remained (ii)_______, ensuring that the crew stayed calm during the storm.
   • Blank (i): (A) serenity, (B) peril, (C) novelty
   • Blank (ii): (D) imperturbable, (E) frantic, (F) ambivalent
3. The critic’s review was (i)_______, providing a (ii)_______ assessment that highlighted both the film's technical brilliance and its narrative flaws.
   • Blank (i): (A) scathing, (B) balanced, (C) eulogistic
   • Blank (ii): (D) biased, (E) comprehensive, (F) cursory

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4. Because the witness’s testimony was (i)_______, the jury found it (ii)_______ to reach a verdict based on her statements alone.
   • Blank (i): (A) inconsistent, (B) compelling, (C) corroborated
   • Blank (ii): (D) effortless, (E) impossible, (F) straightforward
5. The professor was known for his (i)_______, often (ii)_______ on tangentially related topics for hours, which (iii)_______ the students who were trying to prepare for the exam.
   • Blank (i): (A) brevity, (B) garrulity, (C) reticence
   • Blank (ii): (D) digressing, (E) condensing, (F) focusing
   • Blank (iii): (G) enlightened, (H) frustrated, (I) mollified
6. While most people found the new law to be (i)_______, a small group of activists argued that it was (ii)_______ and would lead to the erosion of civil liberties.
   • Blank (i): (A) benign, (B) deleterious, (C) nefarious
   • Blank (ii): (D) innocuous, (E) pernicious, (F) salutary
7. The artist’s work was characterized by a (i)_______ style that (ii)_______ the traditional boundaries between sculpture and painting, creating a (iii)_______ experience for the viewer.
   • Blank (i): (A) conventional, (B) hybrid, (C) rigid
   • Blank (ii): (D) reinforced, (E) blurred, (F) established
   • Blank (iii): (G) predictable, (H) multifaceted, (I) monotonous
8. The diplomat’s (i)_______ manner was seen by some as a sign of (ii)_______, but his supporters viewed it as a necessary strategy for maintaining peace in the region.
   • Blank (i): (A) bellicose, (B) conciliatory, (C) dogmatic
   • Blank (ii): (D) strength, (E) weakness, (F) arrogance

Answers & Explanations

1. Answer: (B) soporific. The clue "falling asleep" directly points to something that induces sleep. "Soporific" means sleep-inducing. "Stimulating" and "provocative" are opposites, while "lucid" (clear) and "succinct" (brief) do not fit the context of sleepiness. Similar logic is often required in GRE Arithmetic word problems where you must translate descriptions into specific terms.
2. Answer: (B) peril and (D) imperturbable. "Despite" indicates a contrast. If the crew stayed calm, the situation must have been dangerous ("peril"). The captain's ability to stay calm is described as being "imperturbable" (unable to be upset or excited).
3. Answer: (B) balanced and (E) comprehensive. The review highlighted both "brilliance" and "flaws," which makes it "balanced." An assessment that covers multiple aspects of a work is "comprehensive."
4. Answer: (A) inconsistent and (E) impossible. If the jury could not reach a verdict based on the testimony, the testimony must have been flawed. "Inconsistent" fits the first blank, making it "impossible" (or at least very difficult) to rely on it.
5. Answer: (B) garrulity, (D) digressing, and (H) frustrated. The phrase "on tangentially related topics for hours" describes "digressing." A person who talks a lot (especially about unimportant things) possesses "garrulity." Students trying to study would be "frustrated" by this behavior.
6. Answer: (A) benign and (E) pernicious. "While" indicates a contrast. The activists believe the law leads to the "erosion of civil liberties," meaning they see it as "pernicious" (harmful). Therefore, most people must have seen it as harmless, or "benign."
7. Answer: (B) hybrid, (E) blurred, and (H) multifaceted. A style that sits between sculpture and painting is a "hybrid." Such a style "blurs" traditional boundaries. This results in a "multifaceted" (many-sided/complex) experience.
8. Answer: (B) conciliatory and (E) weakness. A diplomat aiming for peace would use a "conciliatory" (peacemaking) manner. Critics of such an approach often view it as "weakness," whereas supporters see it as a strategy.

1. Which word best completes a sentence describing a person who is extremely frugal to the point of being stingy?

• AMagnanimous
• BParsimonious
• CProfligate
• DMunificent

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Text Completion questions are on the GRE?

There are typically about 6 Text Completion questions per Verbal section, totaling 12 across the two scored sections. These range from single-blank to triple-blank formats.

Do I get partial credit for 2-blank or 3-blank questions?

No, the GRE does not award partial credit for Text Completion questions. You must select the correct word for every single blank in the question to earn the point.

Should I learn the definitions of all the GRE vocabulary words?

While a strong vocabulary is vital, you should also focus on learning how words are used in context. Using tools like an AI Flashcard Generator can help you memorize definitions and usage simultaneously.

What are "trigger words" in GRE Text Completion?

Trigger words are conjunctions or transitions that signal the logical direction of a sentence. Common triggers include "however," "although," "because," "similarly," and "despite."

Is Text Completion harder than Sentence Equivalence?

Many students find Text Completion harder because 2-blank and 3-blank questions require managing multiple logical relationships at once. However, both rely on the same core skills of vocabulary and context analysis.

How can I improve my score on triple-blank questions?

Practice identifying which blank is the easiest to solve first, as the blanks are often interdependent. You can use an AI Question Generator to create specific triple-blank drills to build this stamina.