• Before looking at the answer choices, write down the word that comes to your mind while reading the sentence and choose the answer that is closest to your word.
  • Look for clues in the sentence that give you a sense of which word choices may fit. Clues may explain the missing word’s meaning; be another word that has a similar meaning; be a word with the opposite meaning; be a word that describes how the missing word makes someone feel; be an example of the missing word.
  • Focus on direction words in the sentence. These are words that put you in the direction of the point that is being made. Some words, such as and, so, and because, keep a sentence going in the same direction. Other words, such as, but, although, and instead send the sentence in a different direction.