diff --git a/packages/language-service/src/completions.ts b/packages/language-service/src/completions.ts
index a69571dee7..4225fbaa18 100644
--- a/packages/language-service/src/completions.ts
+++ b/packages/language-service/src/completions.ts
@@ -361,12 +361,18 @@ function elementCompletions(info: ng.AstResult): ng.CompletionEntry[] {
 
 function entityCompletions(value: string, position: number): ng.CompletionEntry[] {
   // Look for entity completions
+  // TODO(kyliau): revisit the usefulness of this feature. It provides
+  // autocompletion for HTML entities, which IMO is outside the core functionality
+  // of Angular language service. Besides, we do not have a complete list.
+  // See https://dev.w3.org/html5/html-author/charref
   const re = /&[A-Za-z]*;?(?!\d)/g;
   let found: RegExpExecArray|null;
   let result: ng.CompletionEntry[] = [];
   while (found = re.exec(value)) {
     let len = found[0].length;
-    if (position >= found.index && position < (found.index + len)) {
+    // end position must be inclusive to account for cases like '&|' where
+    // cursor is right behind the ampersand.
+    if (position >= found.index && position <= (found.index + len)) {
       result = Object.keys(NAMED_ENTITIES).map(name => {
         return {
           name: `&${name};`,
diff --git a/packages/language-service/test/completions_spec.ts b/packages/language-service/test/completions_spec.ts
index cf12cae2ff..63af0e4e07 100644
--- a/packages/language-service/test/completions_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/language-service/test/completions_spec.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@ import {TypeScriptServiceHost} from '../src/typescript_host';
 import {MockTypescriptHost} from './test_utils';
 
 const APP_COMPONENT = '/app/app.component.ts';
-const PARSING_CASES = '/app/parsing-cases.ts';
 const TEST_TEMPLATE = '/app/test.ng';
-const EXPRESSION_CASES = '/app/expression-cases.ts';
 
 describe('completions', () => {
   const mockHost = new MockTypescriptHost(['/app/main.ts']);
@@ -30,22 +28,22 @@ describe('completions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be able to get entity completions', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'entity-amp');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '&~{cursor}');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.ENTITY, ['&amp;', '&gt;', '&lt;', '&iota;']);
   });
 
   it('should be able to return html elements', () => {
-    const locations = ['empty', 'start-tag-h1', 'h1-content', 'start-tag', 'start-tag-after-h'];
-    for (const location of locations) {
-      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, location);
-      const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
-      expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.HTML_ELEMENT, ['div', 'h1', 'h2', 'span']);
-    }
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<~{cursor}');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
+    const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
+    expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.HTML_ELEMENT, ['div', 'h1', 'h2', 'span']);
   });
 
   it('should be able to return component directives', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'empty');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<~{cursor}');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.COMPONENT, [
       'ng-form',
@@ -56,13 +54,15 @@ describe('completions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be able to return attribute directives', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'h1-after-space');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<h1 ~{cursor}>');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.ATTRIBUTE, ['string-model', 'number-model']);
   });
 
   it('should be able to return angular pseudo elements', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'empty');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, `<~{cursor}`);
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.ANGULAR_ELEMENT, [
       'ng-container',
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ describe('completions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be able to return h1 attributes', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'h1-after-space');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<h1 ~{cursor}>');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.HTML_ATTRIBUTE, [
       'class',
@@ -83,7 +84,8 @@ describe('completions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be able to find common Angular attributes', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'div-attributes');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<div ~{cursor}>');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.ATTRIBUTE, [
       'ngClass',
@@ -95,13 +97,15 @@ describe('completions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be able to get the completions at the beginning of an interpolation', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'h2-hero');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<h2>{{ ~{cursor} }}</h2>');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.PROPERTY, ['title', 'hero']);
   });
 
   it('should not include private members of a class', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'h2-hero');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<h2>{{ ~{cursor} }}</h2>');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expect(completions).toBeDefined();
     const internal = completions!.entries.find(e => e.name === 'internal');
@@ -109,13 +113,15 @@ describe('completions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be able to get the completions at the end of an interpolation', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'sub-end');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '{{ti~{cursor}}}');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.PROPERTY, ['title', 'hero']);
   });
 
   it('should be able to get the completions in a property', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'h2-name');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '<h2>{{ hero.~{cursor} }}</h2>');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.PROPERTY, ['id', 'name']);
   });
@@ -184,7 +190,8 @@ describe('completions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should suggest $any() type cast function in an interpolation', () => {
-    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'sub-start');
+    mockHost.overrideInlineTemplate(APP_COMPONENT, '{{ ~{cursor} }}');
+    const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(APP_COMPONENT, 'cursor');
     const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(APP_COMPONENT, marker.start);
     expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.METHOD, ['$any']);
   });
@@ -235,27 +242,27 @@ describe('completions', () => {
 
   describe('in external template', () => {
     it('should be able to get entity completions in external template', () => {
-      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'entity-amp');
+      mockHost.override(TEST_TEMPLATE, '&~{cursor}');
+      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'cursor');
       const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(TEST_TEMPLATE, marker.start);
       expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.ENTITY, ['&amp;', '&gt;', '&lt;', '&iota;']);
     });
 
     it('should not return html elements', () => {
-      const locations = ['empty', 'start-tag-h1', 'h1-content', 'start-tag', 'start-tag-after-h'];
-      for (const location of locations) {
-        const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, location);
-        const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(TEST_TEMPLATE, marker.start);
-        expect(completions).toBeDefined();
-        const {entries} = completions!;
-        expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'div'}));
-        expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'h1'}));
-        expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'h2'}));
-        expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'span'}));
-      }
+      mockHost.override(TEST_TEMPLATE, '<~{cursor}');
+      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'cursor');
+      const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(TEST_TEMPLATE, marker.start);
+      expect(completions).toBeDefined();
+      const {entries} = completions!;
+      expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'div'}));
+      expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'h1'}));
+      expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'h2'}));
+      expect(entries).not.toContain(jasmine.objectContaining({name: 'span'}));
     });
 
     it('should be able to return element directives', () => {
-      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'empty');
+      mockHost.override(TEST_TEMPLATE, '<~{cursor}');
+      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'cursor');
       const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(TEST_TEMPLATE, marker.start);
       expectContain(completions, CompletionKind.COMPONENT, [
         'ng-form',
@@ -266,7 +273,8 @@ describe('completions', () => {
     });
 
     it('should not return html attributes', () => {
-      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'h1-after-space');
+      mockHost.override(TEST_TEMPLATE, '<h1 ~{cursor}>');
+      const marker = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'cursor');
       const completions = ngLS.getCompletionsAtPosition(TEST_TEMPLATE, marker.start);
       expect(completions).toBeDefined();
       const {entries} = completions!;
diff --git a/packages/language-service/test/language_service_spec.ts b/packages/language-service/test/language_service_spec.ts
index b9f9c5f031..46742f7cce 100644
--- a/packages/language-service/test/language_service_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/language-service/test/language_service_spec.ts
@@ -18,27 +18,28 @@ describe('service without angular', () => {
   const service = ts.createLanguageService(mockHost);
   const ngHost = new TypeScriptServiceHost(mockHost, service);
   const ngService = createLanguageService(ngHost);
-  const fileName = '/app/test.ng';
-  const position = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(fileName, 'h1-content').start;
+  const TEST_TEMPLATE = '/app/test.ng';
+  mockHost.override(TEST_TEMPLATE, '<h1> ~{cursor} </h1>');
+  const position = mockHost.getLocationMarkerFor(TEST_TEMPLATE, 'cursor').start;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     mockHost.reset();
   });
 
   it('should not crash a get diagnostics', () => {
-    expect(() => ngService.getSemanticDiagnostics(fileName)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(() => ngService.getSemanticDiagnostics(TEST_TEMPLATE)).not.toThrow();
   });
 
   it('should not crash a completion', () => {
-    expect(() => ngService.getCompletionsAtPosition(fileName, position)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(() => ngService.getCompletionsAtPosition(TEST_TEMPLATE, position)).not.toThrow();
   });
 
   it('should not crash a get definition', () => {
-    expect(() => ngService.getDefinitionAndBoundSpan(fileName, position)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(() => ngService.getDefinitionAndBoundSpan(TEST_TEMPLATE, position)).not.toThrow();
   });
 
   it('should not crash a hover', () => {
-    expect(() => ngService.getQuickInfoAtPosition(fileName, position)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(() => ngService.getQuickInfoAtPosition(TEST_TEMPLATE, position)).not.toThrow();
   });
 
   it('should not crash with an incomplete class', () => {
diff --git a/packages/language-service/test/project/app/app.component.ts b/packages/language-service/test/project/app/app.component.ts
index ad833ef051..768b8d11e7 100644
--- a/packages/language-service/test/project/app/app.component.ts
+++ b/packages/language-service/test/project/app/app.component.ts
@@ -15,16 +15,9 @@ export interface Hero {
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'my-app',
-  template: `~{empty}
-    <~{start-tag}h~{start-tag-after-h}1~{start-tag-h1} ~{h1-after-space}>
-      ~{h1-content} {{~{sub-start}title~{sub-end}}}
-    </h1>
-    ~{after-h1}<h2>{{~{h2-hero}hero.~{h2-name}name}} details!</h2>
-    <div><label>id: </label>{{~{label-hero}hero.~{label-id}id}}</div>
-    <div ~{div-attributes}>
-      <label>name: </label>
-    </div>
-    &~{entity-amp}amp;
+  template: `
+    <h1>{{title}}</h1>
+    <h2>{{hero.name}} details!</h2>
   `
 })
 export class AppComponent {
diff --git a/packages/language-service/test/project/app/test.ng b/packages/language-service/test/project/app/test.ng
index d6717b81b5..ba6fb35be3 100644
--- a/packages/language-service/test/project/app/test.ng
+++ b/packages/language-service/test/project/app/test.ng
@@ -1,7 +1,2 @@
-~{empty}
-<~{start-tag}h~{start-tag-after-h}1~{start-tag-h1} ~{h1-after-space}>
-  ~{h1-content} {{~{sub-start}title~{sub-end}}}
-</h1>
-~{after-h1}<h2>{{~{h2-hero}hero.~{h2-name}name}} details!</h2>
-<div><label>id: </label>{{~{label-hero}hero.~{label-id}id}}</div>
-&~{entity-amp}amp;
+<h1>{{title}}</h1>
+<h2>{{hero.name}} details!</h2>