Fillers in English Grammar

In this blog, we are going to discuss the Strategy on fillers.

What are fillers?

You will be given a sentence with One, Two or Three blanks with 4-5 options. In single fillers, there will be one word in each option. For double fillers, there will be two words while in triple fillers, three words will be provided in each option. In double and triple fillers, the options will be in sequence i.e. the first word for first blank and second word for second blank and the like.

Usage

• Elimination

• Grammar

• Comprehension

Strategy

Every question demands different strategies, still, the fundamentals are same i.e. eliminate the options using grammar and comprehension.

Direction: A sentence with one blank is given, indicating that something has been omitted. Choose the word that best fits the blank appropriately.

1. Usually, when the local festival is a week away, the number of customers in the shop ________.

A. Will have increased

B. Has increasing

C. Will be increased

D. Increases

E. Increased

Answer: D.

Solution:

• The use of the Adverb, ‘usually’ indicates the requirement of Simple Present Tense.
• The given sentence is in simple present tense and states a general fact, hence the latter half of the sentence with the blank will also be in the simple present tense.
• Since the subject in the latter part of the sentence is Singular, i.e., ‘the number’, the verb ‘increases’ will follow accordingly.
• Hence, option D is the correct answer.
•  

Note: The expression ‘the number’ is followed by a singular verb while the expression a number is followed by a plural verb.

2. You will have to undergo a _____ of tests before the interview.

A. large

 B. series

C. design

 D. booklet

E. delegation

Answer: B.

Solution:

• This needs to be attempted carefully.
• There is ‘a’ before the blank and plural ‘tests’ after the blank so the word in the blank should express a collective to make the sentence grammatically correct.
• Among the given options, the only series fits in grammatically as well as contextually.
• ‘A large of tests’ doesn’t make any sense.
• One doesn’t undergo a design of tests or a booklet of tests or a delegation of tests.
•  Hence, these are incorrect as well.

3. One has to be very _______ during the monsoons as the roads become slippery.

A. Smart

B. Cautious

C. Presentable

D. Prepare

E. Healthy

Answer: B.

Solution:

• ‘Cautious’ can be used to make the sentence meaningful which means alert or be careful.
• The context of the statement is that the monsoon is a bit troublesome due to slippery roads and need to be navigated with care.
• ‘Prepare’ uses the incorrect form of grammar.
•  ‘Smart’ may appear to be correct, but we need to choose the most suitable response which in this case is ‘cautious’.
• Hence, option B is the correct answer.

4. The judge used his _________ in settling the matter.

A. Know

B. Tactics

C. Discretion

D. Brains

E. Bias

Answer: C.

Solution:

• To settle a dispute, one needs to have a sound decision-making ability to be able to judge both sides.
•  Also, a judge is a free body to decide upon any issue.
• ‘Know’ is a verb which means to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.
• ‘Tactics’ refer to an action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end.
• A judge doesn’t need tactics to make a judgment.
• ‘Discretion’ means the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation.
• ‘Brains’ refer to intellectual capacity.
•  ‘Bias’ means inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.
• Hence option C is the correct response.

  

5. The Board members could not arrive at a unanimous _______ on the issue.

A. Judgement

B. Progress

C. Policy

D. Dissent

E. Action

Answer: A.

Solution:

• Judgement means the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions.
• Progress means advancement. Policy means a strategy or an approach.
• Dissent means lack of approval.
• Action means activity.
• The Board members are usually involved in making decisions/ judgements.
• “Unanimous” is an adjective which means (of two or more people) fully in the agreement.
• It can appropriately modify the noun ‘judgement’.
• No other word except ‘judgement’ makes sense in the given context.
• Hence, ‘judgement’ is the correct answer.

Direction: The following question carries one statement with one blank. Choose the most appropriate word from the options to fill the blank. 

1. The local goons tried to ________________ him into retracting his complain.

A. Scare

B. Stalls

C. Rendered

D. Forcing

E. Destroyed

Answer: A.

Solution:

• To retract means to withdraw a statement or accusation.
• The word “goon” is used to refer to a violent criminal who is paid to hurt or threaten people and, in this context, the concerned person will be forced to withdraw the complaint because of fear.
• Thus, “scare” is the appropriate word for the blank. The Infinitive “to” should be followed by the base form of the verb. Hence, options D and E can be eliminated.
• “Goons” is a plural subject, thus, a singular verb “stalls” cannot be used.
• “Render” is incorrect in the given context.
• Thus, option A is the correct answer.

2. The _______ of success depends completely on the amount of effort we put in.

A. Ranges

 B. Drop

C. Want

D. Possibly

E. Likelihood

Answer: E.

Solution:

• “Likelihood” means the state or fact of something’s being likely; probability.
• None of the other words except ‘likelihood’ will fit in the blank.
• This is because the statement uses the words ‘depends’ which indicates that something is determined by something else.
• This provides the base for a possibility.
• Thus, option E is the correct answer.

3. She lied blatantly, thus, driving the _________ of the police officers.

A. Visiting

 B. Attention

C. Duty

 D. Suspicion

E. Supplies

Answer: D.

Solution:

• “Blatantly” means in an open and unashamed manner.
• If someone lies outrightly, it will definitely make the police suspicious.
• So, option D is the correct answer.

4. When the elephants saw so much water in the lake, they ___________.

A. Happy

 B. Rejoiced

C. Declined

 D. Sentenced

E. Awaited

Answer: B.

Solution:

• Since the sentence talks about an incident that occurred in the past, the word in the blank must be in the past tense.
• This eliminates option A.
•  Among the other options, “rejoiced” (feel or show great joy or delight) is the best fit.

5. All the members had assembled _______ the chairman of the committee.

A. Although

B. Except

C. Because

 D. So

E. Notwithstanding

Answer: B.

Solution:

• None of the conjunctions but “except” fit in the passage.
• The sentence now means that the chairman of the committee was not present.