Solving complicated cloze tests can be challenging, but with the right strategies and techniques, you can improve your ability to complete them accurately. Here are some tips and tricks to help you tackle difficult cloze tests:
Before filling in any blanks, read the entire passage to get a sense of the overall context and flow. This helps you understand the theme and tone of the passage, making it easier to predict the missing words.
Determine what part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.) is needed for each blank. This will narrow down your options and help you choose words that fit grammatically.
How to identify Parts of Speech
Use the words and sentences around the blanks to gather context clues. Words that are directly before and after the blank can provide hints about the missing word.
Try to predict the meaning of the missing word based on the context. Think about what word would logically fit in the blank and maintain the coherence of the passage.
Certain words often appear together in phrases or collocations (e.g., "make a decision," "strongly agree"). Recognizing these common combinations can help you identify the correct words to fill in the blanks.
Sometimes, thinking about synonyms or antonyms of nearby words can help you determine the correct word. For instance, if the passage talks about a positive aspect, a blank might need a word with a similar positive connotation.
If you have multiple choices for a blank, eliminate the options that clearly do not fit based on the context or grammar. This increases your chances of selecting the correct word.
Ensure that the words you choose maintain consistency in terms of tense, number (singular/plural), and subject-verb agreement. Inconsistencies can indicate that the wrong word has been chosen.