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
![example Open Cloze question from B2 First example Open Cloze question from B2 First](../graphics/exam-section/b2-first-open-cloze.gif)
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 Garcķa
Practice Exercises
We have a page on the site to practise: B2 First: Open Cloze Exercises