Grammar gap

Test tips

1. Read the clause AFTER the gap first: is the result good or bad, is it a command/suggestion or a past narrative? That eliminates half the options.
2. Identify the clause relation before looking at the options: cause (-아서, -는 바람에, -ㄴ 덕분에), purpose (-도록, -기 위해서), condition (-거든, -아/어야), concession (-더라도, -는데도), time (-자마자, -는 동안, -다가).
3. Classic traps: '-는 바람에' needs a bad result, '-ㄴ 덕분에' a good one; '-거든' and '-ㄹ 테니까' go with commands or suggestions; '-느라고' and '-는 바람에' never do.
4. Watch subject and tense: '-더니' usually describes someone else or something the speaker observed, '-았더니' the speaker's own action; '-았더니' cannot lead to a future result.
5. Look for signal words: '하마터면' → '-ㄹ 뻔하다', '마다 / 어렸을 때' → '-곤 하다', '미리' → '-아/어 놓다', '분명히' → '-ㄹ 리가 없다'.
6. Spend about 30–40 seconds per item; if unsure, plug each option into the sentence and read it silently to hear which one sounds natural.

Signal words and patterns

When you see these in a question, they point to the answer or to a trap.

• 하마터면
• -는 바람에
• -ㄴ 덕분에
• -거든
• -ㄹ 테니까
• -다 보면
• -는 대로
• -ㄹ까 봐
• 미리
• 분명히