B2 First Exam Guide: Open Cloze
Reading & Use of English Paper
Contents
Overview
Context: Part 2 of the B2 First Reading and Use of English paper involves a text with eight gaps that test grammatical and lexico-grammatical knowledge.
Task: Candidates complete the gaps in a text without given word options, relying on their understanding of language structure and the text.
Objective: To assess candidates' grasp of grammatical forms such as articles, auxiliaries, prepositions, pronouns, verb tenses, and forms, as well as lexico-grammatical elements like phrasal verbs, linkers, and words within fixed phrases.
Scoring & Marks: The eight questions are worth eight points, so one point for each. There are 70 points available for the whole Reading & Use of English paper.
How to Approach
- Read Contextually: Read the words following and preceding each gap to understand the sentence structure and context.
- Focus on Agreement: Ensure grammatical agreement, especially when filling gaps with verbs.
- Complete Understanding: Keep the whole text in mind for a coherent understanding.
- One-Word Answers: Use only one word for each gap; avoid abbreviations and contractions.
Example Question
6. I wish you wouldn't make ___________ so many stories. I never know when to believe you!
Assessment Focus
This part tests the candidate's knowledge of both vocabulary and grammar, focusing on the ability to understand and apply language structures within a text.
Tips
- Regularly engage with a wide range of texts to build familiarity with different language patterns and structures.
- Practise with sentences that focus on different grammatical aspects, like articles or verb tenses, to deepen your understanding.
- Create your own open cloze tests using paragraphs from books or articles, then remove key words to challenge your understanding of the text's structure.
How It Looks
Student Suggestion
"Working on texts with missing words really helped me. I focused on understanding sentence structures and ensuring that my chosen words fit grammatically." - Elena Garc�a
Practice Exercises
We have a page on the site to practise: B2 First: Open Cloze Exercises
