A text with gaps and no options. One word goes in each, and it is nearly always a grammar word. It appears from A2 Key to C2 Proficiency, counting towards Reading at A2 and B1 and towards Use of English above that.
| Exam | Paper and part | Questions | Marks | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Key | Reading and Writing, Part 5 | Q25-30 | 6 × 1 | Reading |
| B1 Preliminary | Reading, Part 6 | Q27-32 | 6 × 1 | Reading |
| B2 First | Reading and Use of English, Part 2 | Q9-16 | 8 × 1 | Use of English |
| C1 Advanced | Reading and Use of English, Part 2 | Q9-16 | 8 × 1 | Use of English |
| C2 Proficiency | Reading and Use of English, Part 2 | Q9-16 | 8 × 1 | Use of English |
| Exam | Part | Gaps | Scored as |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Key | Part 5 | 6 (an email, sometimes with a reply) | Reading |
| B1 Preliminary | Part 6 | 6 | Reading |
| B2 First | Part 2 | 8 | Use of English |
| C1 Advanced | Part 2 | 8 | Use of English |
| C2 Proficiency | Part 2 | 8 | Use of English |
Typical answers are articles, prepositions, pronouns, relative words, auxiliaries, quantifiers, linkers and the second word of a fixed phrase or phrasal verb. Contractions and two words in one gap are not allowed, and spelling must be correct.
A complete open cloze task at B2 First level. Work it with the answers closed, then open the key.
For questions 9–16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0), and its answer, OF, is shown in the text.
Why do dreams disappear?
Most of us know the feeling (0) OF waking from a vivid dream, only to find that within a few minutes almost nothing of it is left. Scientists have spent years trying to work (9) why dreams fade so quickly, and one explanation has (10) do with the chemistry of the sleeping brain.
During the stage of sleep in (11) most dreaming takes place, the level of a chemical that helps us store new memories is unusually low. (12) a result, the brain is simply not ready to record what it is experiencing. The way we wake up matters too. People who wake slowly and lie still for a moment are far more likely to remember their dreams (13) those who jump out of bed the moment the alarm goes off.
If you would like to recall more of your dreams, the advice is straightforward. Keep a notebook beside your bed and write down whatever you can remember, (14) if it is only a single image or feeling. Try not to look at your phone first, (15) this seems to wipe out the memory almost instantly. After a week or two, most people find it becomes much easier, and many are surprised at (16) detailed their dreams turn out to be.
Answer key
9. out — ‘Work out’ is a phrasal verb meaning ‘find the answer to a problem’, and it is often followed by a question word such as ‘why’.
10. to — The fixed phrase is ‘have (something) to do with’, meaning ‘be connected with’. ‘Has’ is already in the text, so only ‘to’ is missing.
11. which — After a preposition (‘in’), a relative clause about a thing needs ‘which’. ‘That’ is not possible directly after a preposition.
12. As — ‘As a result’ is a linking phrase that introduces a consequence: the chemical level is low, so the brain does not record the dream.
13. than — The comparative ‘more likely’ needs ‘than’ to introduce the second group being compared.
14. even — ‘Even if’ introduces a condition that might seem unimportant but does not change the advice: write it down anyway.
15. because (also accepted: as, since, for) — The clause gives the reason for the advice, so a conjunction of reason is needed. ‘Because’, ‘as’ and ‘since’ are all correct here, and so is the more formal ‘for’.
16. how — ‘Surprised at how detailed’ uses ‘how’ + adjective to talk about the degree of something. ‘What’ cannot be followed directly by an adjective in this way.
The same task type at other levels: B1 Preliminary, C1 Advanced, A2 Key, C2 Proficiency.
More practice at every level is on the Cambridge Use of English samples page. The whole section in context is on the Cambridge Use of English page, and how it is marked is on the scoring page.
Written by Kirill O'Nayd
English test expert and educator at TestSucceed. He has spent years preparing candidates for Cambridge English Qualifications from A2 Key to C2 Proficiency, and taking apart how each paper awards its marks. See all TestSucceed preparation materials.