Completing sentences means finishing an incomplete sentence in a grammatically correct and meaningful way.
๐งฉ How is a sentence completed?
A sentence can be completed by adding:
a word
a phrase
a clause
✍️ Example
Incomplete:
He studied hard so that ______
Complete:
He studied hard so that he might pass the exam.
Completing Sentences
Completing sentences can be completed with these three basic components-
Words or
Phrase or
Clause
They change according to the meaning and context
Rules of Completing Sentence
✅ Rule 1: Relative Pronouns
who / which / that / whom / when / where
๐น The verb after the relative pronoun agrees with the subject (number & person).
Pattern:
Subject + relative pronoun + correct verb
Example:
Incomplete: It is I who ______
Complete: It is I who am going abroad.
๐ Verb changes according to the real subject.
✅ Rule 2: so that / in order that
๐น Used to express purpose.
Pattern:
Main clause + so that / in order that + may / might / can / could + verb
Tense Rule:
Present → may / can
Past → might / could
Example:
Incomplete: The workers work hard so that ______
Complete: The workers work hard so that they may earn a decent salary.
✅ Rule 3: as if / as though
๐น Used to show imaginary or unreal situations.
Patterns:
1️⃣ Present meaning → past tense
2️⃣ Past meaning → past perfect
Examples:
Incomplete: She speaks as if ______
Complete: She speaks as if she were mad.
He behaved as though he had seen a ghost.
✅ Rule 4: so … that
๐น Shows result or effect.
Pattern:
Subject + verb + so + adjective + that + subject + cannot / could not + verb
Example:
Incomplete: I am so tired ______
Complete: I am so tired that I cannot stand up.
✅ Rule 5: If / Provided / Provided that / Providing that
๐น These express condition.
Pattern:
Future in main clause + present tense in if-clause
Example:
Incomplete: I will get tired if ______
Complete: I will get tired if I don’t eat regularly.
๐ Never use future tense after “if”.
✅ Rule 6: though / although
๐น Meaning of the two clauses must be opposite (contrast).
Example:
Incomplete: Though he worked hard ______
Complete: Though he worked hard, he could not succeed.
✅ Rule 7: since / as (reason)
๐น Here, the two clauses support each other (no contradiction).
Example:
Incomplete: As he knows English, ______
Complete: As he knows English, he may get a good job.
✅ Rule 8: since (with “It is / It has been”)
๐น If the first clause is present, the verb after since is past tense.
Pattern:
It is / has been + time + since + past tense
Example:
Incomplete: It is ten years since ______
Complete: It is ten years since I met him.
✅ Rule 9: since (with “It was”)
๐น If the first clause is past, the verb after since remains past, but main verb becomes present perfect.
Example:
Incomplete: It was ten years since ______
Complete: It has been ten years since I met you last.
✅ Rule 10: It is time / It is high time
๐น Use past tense, though meaning is present.
Example:
Incomplete: It is time ______
Complete: It is time we changed our schedule.
✅ Rule 11: Unless
๐น Unless means if not, so the main clause is negative.
Example:
Incomplete: Unless you obey your elders ______
Complete: Unless you obey your elders, you cannot succeed.
✅ Rule 12: I wish / Would that
๐น Expresses desire or regret.
Use were for all subjects.
Example:
Incomplete: I wish ______
Complete: I wish I were a king.
Would that he were alive!
✅ Rule 13: Before / After
๐น Follow sequence of actions.
Before:
Past perfect + before + past simple
Example:
I had read the letter before I burnt it.
After:
Past simple + after + past perfect
Example:
I burnt the letter after I had read it.
✅ Rule 14: No sooner had / Scarcely had
๐น Expresses immediate action.
No sooner … than
No sooner had + subject + past participle + than + past tense
Example:
No sooner had the doctor gone than the patient died.
Scarcely … when
Scarcely had + subject + past participle + when + past tense
Example:
Scarcely had he arrived at the station when the train left.
✅ Rule 15: so / therefore / hence
๐น These words show result or consequence.
The second clause must logically follow the first.
Example:
Incomplete: He was ill, so ______
Complete: He was ill, so he could not attend the class.
✅ Rule 16: Too … to
๐น Used to show that something is impossible because of excess.
Pattern:
Subject + verb + too + adjective + to + verb
Example:
Incomplete: He is too weak ______
Complete: He is too weak to walk alone.
✅ Rule 17: Hardly / Barely
๐น Similar to no sooner / scarcely
Used with inversion.
Pattern:
Hardly / Barely had + subject + past participle + when + past tense
Example:
Incomplete: Hardly had the bell rung ______
Complete: Hardly had the bell rung when the students left the room.
✅ Rule 18: As soon as
๐น Shows that one action happens immediately after another.
Pattern:
As soon as + past simple, past simple
or
As soon as + present simple, future simple
Example:
Incomplete: As soon as the rain stopped ______
Complete: As soon as the rain stopped, we went outside.
✅ Rule 19: Lest
๐น Means “for fear that”.
Always followed by should + verb.
Pattern:
Main clause + lest + subject + should + verb
Example:
Incomplete: He ran fast lest ______
Complete: He ran fast lest he should miss the train.
✅ Rule 20: Not only … but also
๐น Used to add extra information.
If Not only starts the sentence, inversion is needed.
Pattern:
Not only + auxiliary + subject + verb, but also + subject + verb
Example:
Incomplete: Not only did he work hard ______
Complete: Not only did he work hard but also he succeeded.
✅ Rule 22: Because / Because of
๐น Because → followed by a clause
๐น Because of → followed by a noun / phrase
Examples:
Incomplete: He could not attend the class because ______
Complete: He could not attend the class because he was ill.
Incomplete: He could not attend the class because of ______
Complete: He could not attend the class because of illness.
✅ Rule 23: In spite of / Despite
๐น Shows contrast (same meaning as although)
๐น Followed by noun / gerund, not a clause.
Example:
Incomplete: In spite of his poverty ______
Complete: In spite of his poverty, he was honest.
✅ Rule 24: As well as
๐น Verb agrees with the first subject, not the second.
Example:
Incomplete: He as well as his friends ______ present.
Complete: He as well as his friends is present.
✅ Rule 25: Either … or / Neither … nor
๐น Verb agrees with the nearest subject.
Example:
Incomplete: Either you or he ______ responsible.
Complete: Either you or he is responsible.
Incomplete: Neither the teacher nor the students ______ present.
Complete: Neither the teacher nor the students were present.
✅ Rule 26: Such … that
๐น Similar to so…that but structure differs.
Pattern:
Such + adjective + noun + that + clause
Example:
Incomplete: It was such a hot day ______
Complete: It was such a hot day that we could not go outside.
✅ Rule 27: Had better
๐น Followed by base verb, not “to”.
Example:
Incomplete: You had better ______ now.
Complete: You had better leave now.
✅ Rule 28: Used to
๐น Shows past habit.
Example:
Incomplete: He used to ______ in the village.
Complete: He used to live in the village.
✅ Rule 29: Would rather
๐น Used for preference.
Patterns:
Would rather + base verb
Would rather + subject + past tense
Examples:
Incomplete: I would rather ______ at home.
Complete: I would rather stay at home.
Incomplete: I would rather you ______ earlier.
Complete: I would rather you came earlier.
✅ Rule 30: Let / Make / Have (Causative verbs)
๐น Followed by object + base verb.
Example:
Incomplete: The teacher made the students ______
Complete: The teacher made the students write the homework.
✅ Rule 31: It + passive reporting verbs
๐น Common in formal writing.
Pattern:
It is said / believed / known + that + clause
Example:
Incomplete: It is said that he ______ very rich.
Complete: It is said that he is very rich.
✅ Rule 32: One of the + plural noun
๐น Verb after who/that is plural.
Example:
Incomplete: He is one of the students who ______ hardworking.
Complete: He is one of the students who are hardworking.
✅ Rule 33: The more … the more
๐น Shows proportional increase.
Example:
Incomplete: The more you read ______
Complete: The more you read, the more you learn.
✅ Rule 34: Without
๐น Followed by gerund (-ing).
Example:
Incomplete: He left the room without ______
Complete: He left the room without saying anything.
✅ Rule 35: As if / as though (with verb “be”)
๐น Always use were, not was.
Example:
Incomplete: He talks as if he ______ the boss.
Complete: He talks as if he were the boss.
Happy learning
