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IBPS ENGLISH · Cloze tests

Connect the clues. Complete the passage.

Choose words that fit both the grammar of a sentence and the meaning of the whole paragraph.

Learn the method ↓Try 8 questions

Worked examples · 8 original questions · Answers explained

BUILD A REPEATABLE METHOD

Four steps to a better answer.

Read the complete passage

Identify its topic and overall direction before looking at individual gaps. Later sentences can clarify an earlier choice.

Identify the job of the gap

Does the gap need a noun, verb, adjective, preposition or connector? Check the words immediately before and after it.

Follow the meaning

Decide whether the ideas show purpose, contrast, result, addition or sequence. A grammatically possible word may still express the wrong relationship.

Read it again with your answers

Check each completed sentence, then the flow of the whole paragraph. Do not solve eight gaps as eight unrelated sentences.

SEE THE THINKING

Two worked examples.

Grammar narrows the choice

The team is committed to ___ the service.

Would improve or improving fit?

Improving: “The team is committed to improving the service.”

In committed to, to is a preposition. A verb used after it takes the -ing form. Compare “The team wants to improve”, where to introduces an infinitive.

Meaning chooses the connector

The first trial failed, ___ the team redesigned the form.

Which connector shows the redesign as a result: so or although?

So: “The first trial failed, so the team redesigned the form.”

So links the result to the earlier problem. Although would make the second clause a concession and would change the intended relationship.

Common mistakes to avoid
Looking at one word only

Read the whole sentence and nearby sentences before deciding.

Treating synonyms as interchangeable

Words with similar meanings can require different structures: despite + noun, but although + clause.

Ignoring verb form

Prepositions commonly take an -ing form when followed by a verb; an infinitive marker takes the base form. Identify which use of to you have.

Skipping the final read

An answer can fit locally but make the paragraph’s overall sequence illogical.

PUT THE METHOD TO WORK

Try eight original questions.

Read the full eight-gap passage. For each gap, check form first, then the relationship between ideas. This is one original ESS learning passage, not a previous-year paper.

Untimed learning practice, not an official paper or full mock exam. One point per correct answer; no negative marking here. Show answer earns no point. Your score lasts for this page visit and does not predict an exam result.

Read the full questions below and expand each answer explanation. The interactive version needs JavaScript.

All 8 questions & answer explanations

Practice passage

A local museum introduced a quiet visiting hour (1) ___ make its galleries more comfortable for people who find crowded spaces difficult. Staff first asked visitors (2) ___ changes would help them most. Many requested fewer announcements and clearer signs. The museum responded (3) ___ lowering the volume of announcements and adding simple direction boards. Attendance during the quiet hour was small at first, (4) ___ it increased after local groups shared the information. Staff kept a record of comments so that they could (5) ___ recurring problems. They also trained volunteers to give assistance when it was (6) ___. The team avoided assuming that every visitor wanted the same kind of help. Instead, volunteers asked before offering it. After six weeks, the museum reviewed the feedback and decided to continue the programme. The manager said that making services accessible required (7) ___ attention rather than a single change. She encouraged staff to keep (8) ___ to visitors.

  1. Choose the best word for gap (1). Sentence from the passage: A local museum introduced a quiet visiting hour (1) ___ make its galleries more comfortable for people who find crowded spaces difficult.

    1. for
    2. despite
    3. because
    4. to
    5. although
    Answer 1 & explanation

    D. to

    To + base verb expresses purpose: introduced an hour to make the galleries more comfortable. For would need a different structure, such as “for making”; the other options do not fit this sentence.

  2. Choose the best word for gap (2). Sentence from the passage: Staff first asked visitors (2) ___ changes would help them most.

    1. where
    2. what
    3. whose
    4. when
    5. why
    Answer 2 & explanation

    B. what

    What changes would help asks about the changes visitors wanted. What modifies changes. Where, whose, when and why do not fit the intended question about helpful changes.

  3. Choose the best word for gap (3). Sentence from the passage: The museum responded (3) ___ lowering the volume of announcements and adding simple direction boards.

    1. to
    2. despite
    3. of
    4. for
    5. by
    Answer 3 & explanation

    E. by

    By + -ing describes the method of responding: by lowering the volume and adding signs. The two -ing phrases share the preposition by.

  4. Choose the best word for gap (4). Sentence from the passage: Attendance during the quiet hour was small at first, (4) ___ it increased after local groups shared the information.

    1. but
    2. unless
    3. because
    4. so that
    5. despite
    Answer 4 & explanation

    A. but

    But contrasts low initial attendance with the later increase. Unless expresses a condition, so that usually expresses purpose here, and despite cannot directly introduce the full clause “it increased”.

  5. Choose the best word for gap (5). Sentence from the passage: Staff kept a record of comments so that they could (5) ___ recurring problems.

    1. identification
    2. identifies
    3. identify
    4. identified
    5. identifying
    Answer 5 & explanation

    C. identify

    After the modal could, use the base verb identify. The meaning is to recognise recurring problems. The noun identification and the inflected verb forms do not fit after could.

  6. Choose the best word for gap (6). Sentence from the passage: They also trained volunteers to give assistance when it was (6) ___.

    1. need
    2. needs
    3. needing
    4. needed
    5. to need
    Answer 6 & explanation

    D. needed

    Was needed is the passive form: assistance was needed by visitors. The structure requires the past participle needed, not the base form or -ing form.

  7. Choose the best word for gap (7). Sentence from the passage: The manager said that making services accessible required (7) ___ attention rather than a single change.

    1. continually
    2. continuous
    3. continue
    4. continuation
    5. continuedly
    Answer 7 & explanation

    B. continuous

    The adjective continuous modifies the noun attention: ongoing attention is required. Continually is an adverb, continue a verb and continuation a noun. Continuedly is not the standard choice in this expression.

  8. Choose the best word for gap (8). Sentence from the passage: She encouraged staff to keep (8) ___ to visitors.

    1. listen
    2. listened
    3. listens
    4. to listen
    5. listening
    Answer 8 & explanation

    E. listening

    Keep + -ing means continue an activity: keep listening to visitors. The base form, past form, third-person form and to-infinitive do not fit this pattern.

MAKE THE LEARNING STICK

Review before moving on.

  1. Write each correct word into the passage and reread it.
  2. Name the clue for each gap: grammar, word meaning or paragraph relationship.
  3. Make one new sentence using by + -ing and one using could + base verb.

Use the IBPS exam routes and official sources for the current pattern, timings and marking rules. These lessons develop shared English skills; question types and requirements differ by exam and stage.

KEEP BUILDING YOUR SKILLS

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