Supplying the most contextually appropriate words to complete a passage.

In a fill-in-the-blanks question, one or two words are missing from a sentence. In a cloze test, several words are missing from a passage. Both test whether you can choose words that fit the meaning, the grammar, and the tone of the text.

What the blank may test

• Vocabulary: the word whose meaning suits the context.
• Grammar: subject-verb agreement, tense, and prepositions.
• Connectors: words such as however, therefore, and moreover that show how ideas relate.
• Collocations: words that are naturally used together, such as pay attention.

Clues to look for

• Contrast: words like but, unlike, and although signal that the missing word has an opposite meaning.
• Cause and effect: because, so, and therefore show that the blank must follow logically from the other idea.
• Part of speech: decide whether the blank needs a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.
• Tone: the word should suit the overall mood of the passage.

How to solve questions

1. Read the whole sentence or passage before looking at the options.
2. Predict a suitable word yourself using the clues.
3. Eliminate options that are wrong in grammar or meaning.
4. For cloze tests, solve the easiest blanks first, as they help with the harder ones.
5. Read the completed text again to check that it flows naturally.