# Missing Sentence

After a short informational lecture, small teams examine a scrambled list of summary sentences to identify which major takeaway was left out. Each team drafts the missing summary sentence and compares it against the presenter's original key.

**Time:** 20 minutes. UWT suggested 20-minute format for a focused 5-minute presentation; source notes up to 45 minutes for longer lectures.
**People:** 4 to 24. Parallel teams of 3 to 5 participants (up to 6 teams total; a single team of 4 or 5 at smallest group counts)

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Check comprehension and recall of key instructional points by reconstructing an omitted core message.
**Use it when:** Directly after an informational lecture, briefing, or technical presentation to verify understanding and reinforce main takeaways.
**Skip it when:** Skip when the session lacks distinct factual concepts or when participants lack a shared language for rapid analytical writing.

## Materials and tools

- One printed Missing Sentence Handout per team (or shared digital document for remote/hybrid teams)
- One blank index card or sheet of scratch paper per team (or shared digital slide for remote/hybrid teams)
- One pen or pencil per team
- One countdown timer visible to the facilitator

## Before participants arrive

1. Prepare a 5-minute informational presentation containing 5 discrete core points.
2. Write concise summary sentences for each core point, set aside one sentence as the missing key (for example: 'Small-group breakouts increase total participant speaking time'), and randomize the order of the remaining 4 sentences.
3. Print copies of the 4 randomized summary statements (without the missing sentence or answer key) so each team receives one handout, or load them into a shared digital document for online delivery.
4. Keep the original omitted sentence written on a private facilitator reference card or hidden slide.

## Say this to open

You just heard the briefing. On each table is a handout listing key summary sentences in random order. One vital core idea was intentionally omitted. Working in your teams, compare your notes, figure out what major concept is missing, and write that missing summary sentence on your team card.

## How to run it

### 1. Deliver presentation (5 minutes)

Present the prepared 5-minute informational briefing. Remind participants to listen actively and capture concise notes on the main takeaways.

### 2. Analyze and reconstruct (6 minutes)

Group participants into teams of 3 to 5 (maximum 6 teams). Distribute one handout, one blank card, and one pen or pencil to each group. Deliver the opening script. Teams cross-reference their notes against the handout statements, identify the omitted topic, and draft their candidate sentence on the card. If a team finishes early, prompt them to add one supporting detail sentence.

### 3. Hear team sentences (6 minutes)

Call on up to 6 teams in turn. Give each team 45 seconds to read their drafted sentence aloud without editorializing. Track which teams identified the targeted missing topic and note any unexpected valid interpretations.

### 4. Reveal key and debrief (3 minutes)

Reveal your original omitted sentence. Highlight where participant wording improved or matched the original meaning. Address any content misunderstandings exposed during sharing, then invite 1 or 2 quick participant reactions using the debrief questions.


## Debrief questions

- Which clue in your notes helped your team identify the missing concept?
- How did comparing notes change or refine your understanding of the talk?
- Where did a team's wording capture an angle that the original summary missed?

**Finished output:** A team-drafted index card containing the reconstructed summary sentence for the omitted presentation point.

## Remote

Deliver the presentation on video. Split participants into breakout rooms of 3 to 5 with access to an online document showing the disordered sentences. Each room types their candidate sentence into an assigned document cell. Rejoin the main room, display all submitted sentences simultaneously, and have selected rooms read theirs before showing the facilitator key.

## Hybrid

Deliver the lecture to both audiences simultaneously. In-person participants form room-based pods using paper handouts and cards. Remote attendees work in breakout rooms typing into a shared slide or document. During step 3, alternate between calling on an in-person pod and a remote breakout room to read their sentence aloud.

## Access and participation choices

- Provide a written transcript or reference outline of the presentation for participants who process visual text faster than spoken speech.
- Team members may opt into non-speaking roles such as note checker, time tracker, or scribe without making a formal disclosure.
- Any team or individual may choose to pass during the read-aloud step by saying pass.

## If the session gets stuck

**A team drafts a minor tactical detail rather than an overarching summary point.**

Remind the room that each statement on the handout summarizes an entire main point of the talk, so their missing sentence should do the same.

**A team finishes in two minutes and disengages.**

Ask them to draft a second sentence explaining the practical consequence of applying that missing concept.


## Terms used here

- Textra game: A Thiagi framework where participants engage actively with text, summaries, or job aids rather than relying solely on passive listening.

## Participant material: Sample Missing Sentence Handout (Facilitation Skills Topic)

Participant Instructions: Review this disordered list of summary sentences. One core concept from the 5-point presentation has been deliberately omitted. Compare your notes, determine the missing concept, and draft the missing summary sentence on your team card.

Summary Sentences (from a 5-point talk on facilitation skills):
1. Open-ended questions encourage participants to elaborate on real-world experience.
2. Written prompts give quieter participants time to organize thoughts before speaking.
3. Clear ground rules set early reduce defensive reactions during debate.
4. Visual summaries help groups track progress across complex agenda topics.

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in the Thiagi GameLetter (September 2009) in the Interactive Lecture feature by Sivasailam 'Thiagi' Thiagarajan.

Retained the exact mechanic of Missing Sentence from the September 2009 Thiagi GameLetter, where a lecture summary is randomized and stripped of one sentence for small teams to reconstruct. UWT adjusted timing to a clean 20-minute run for a 5-minute lecture (5 min presentation, 6 min teamwork, 6 min sharing, 3 min reveal/debrief) to give up to 6 teams realistic airtime. Team sizing allows 3 to 5 participants per group to cleanly accommodate all attendance levels between 4 and 24, including odd counts such as 5.

[thiagi.net](https://thiagi.net/archive/www/pfp/IE4H/september2009.html)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/tgl-september-2009/