Cloze Test for SSC CGL – How to master it?

Cloze Test is an important topic in SSC CGL Exam. Cloze test carries 25 marks in SSC CGL Tier – 2 Exam. In Cloze test we are given with a passage in which a few blanks are given. Questions are more grammar based. Both contextual understanding and knowledge of basic grammar rules is important to score well in cloze test. So, let us see How to master Cloze Test for SSC CGL

A little more about Cloze test for SSC CGL

They are usually not big paragraphs. They can be characterised as small passages with many blanks. Passages are readable, not difficult, and easy to understand. But options can be confusing. You might feel that the options are quite close. Though this is not the case always. Grammar based questions can be a little tricky. Go through the previous years papers and find out what are the rules tested in the examinations till now. And you can plan your preparation accordingly.

Rules to approach Cloze test for SSC CGL

Here we provide you with some rules to how to sail smoothly through the Cloze test for SSC CGL.

1. Each Cloze test passage tests different rules at the same time. It can be determiner, preposition, correct verb form, helping verb, adjective, possessive noun, or conjunction etc. You need to have some understanding of basic grammar rules.
2. In case of contextual blanks, knowledge of vocabulary will help you choose the correct option. The blanks do not ask difficult words. So, decent vocabulary will suffice.
3. In some cases, phrases are also asked. Most of the phrases asked are well known and the correct answer can be easily identified. For ex, ‘look at’(means ‘to direct your eyes towards someone or something so that you can see them’). Options are not too close in such questions.
4. Elimination method can help in the questions where options are not too close which is the case in most of the questions. Do not get stuck with a question you are not able to solve. Sometimes, finding the word that fits in the next blank in return suggests the answer to the previous blank. And last but not least follow your intuitions. This does not work always but can help you score better if you have some prior knowledge.

Finally, practice more and more. Nothing is equivalent to practicing mocks when it comes to exams where any possible rule can be tested. More practice will help you to understand the variety of questions asked in the examination. Hope this will help you to solve the questions related to Cloze test for SSC CGL.

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Sample questions

(Directions 1 to 5): Read the following passage and fill in each blank with words chosen from options given.

As she started her lecture, Priya was aware that people were listening to him quite (1) ______________. Things seemed to be going quite well. (2) _________, halfway through the talk, she saw her friend, Shikha look (3) __________ his pal Sunita, roll her eyes and whisper in her ear. Priya (4) _____________ understood that Shikha, who had been upset ever since her promotion, was now (5) _______________ disturbance intentionally.

I. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank No.1.

A. Smoothly

B. Intently

C. Evenly

D. Clearly

II. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank No.2.

A. Wherever

B. Whenever

C. However

D. Moreover

III. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank No.3.

A. Opposite

B. Through

C. Of

D. At

IV. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank No.4.

A. Keenly

B. Urgently

C. Immediately

D. Cleverly

V. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank No.5.

A. Created

B. Creating

C. Creates

D. Create

Solution and Explanation:

Question	I	II	III	IV	V
Answer Key	B	C	D	C	B

I. The given blank will take the word ‘intently’ which means ‘in a way that gives all your attention to something’. If you look at other three options, they clearly do not fit in the sentence and if you know the meaning of the word ‘intently’ then you can be clearer about it. Hence, the answer is option B.

II. Given blank will take the adverb ‘however’ which is used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or seems to contradict something that has been said previously. Hence, the answer is option c).

III. The given blank will take the word ‘at’ as the phrase ‘look at’ means ‘move eyes to see someone/something’. Hence, the answer is option d).

IV. The given blank will take the word ‘immediately’. Other words do not fit in the blank. Hence, the answer is option c).

V. The given blank can be replaced with ‘creating’ as the helping verb ‘was’ takes a present or past participle after it, since the sentence talks about a event which was taking place in the past at that time so past continuous tense ‘was creating’ is used here. Hence, the answer is option b).

Let’s practice some more Cloze test questions

Primary school enrolment in India has been a success story, (1) __________ due to various programmes and drives to increase enrolment even in remote areas. With enrolment reaching at least 96 percent since 2009, and girls (2) ___________up 56 percent of new students between 2007 and 2013, it is clear that many (3) __________ of access to schooling have been (4) ____________. Improvement in infrastructure has been the (5)___________ behind achieving this and now in India 98 percent habitations have a primary school within one kilometre and 92 percent have an upper primary school within a three kilometre walking distance.

1.
A. Most
B. Properly
C. Totally
D. Optionally
E. Largely

Correct Answer: E

2.
A. Coming
B. Reaching
C. Counting
D. Making
E. Touching

Correct Answer: D

3.
A. Issue
B. Opportunities
C. Problems
D. Efforts
E. Exertions

Correct Answer: C

4.
A. Accustomed
B. Addressed
C. Met
D. Forwarded
E. Dissolved

Correct Answer: B

5.
A. Main
B. Forced
C. Force
D. Compulsion
E. Awareness

Correct Answer: C

This is everything about Cloze test for SSC CGL in this blog!. Download Oliveboard app for regular updates.

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That brings us to the end of the article. In this blog we apprised you the smart approach to tackle the cloze test which is an important topic in every competitive exam. All the very best and stay tuned with Oliveboard to master the english section.

Also read: How to approach Phrase Replacement section in SSC exams

SSC CGL Tier 2 English- Best Preparation Strategy with Past Paper Analysis

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