How To Do Better In Cloze Passages

Cloze Passages can be fun as it is like fitting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle! Unfortunately, the sizeable chunk of text might be daunting to a primary schooler – how does one pick the right word amongst so many options, or worse, without any options at all?

Fret not, we have THREE tips to aid both lower and upper primary students unlock their next Cloze Passage!

Read the Entire Passage

You would be surprised at how many blanks can be filled from just a simple preliminary reading of the whole text. Many a times, students rush through their Cloze Passage without reading to understand, resulting in them picking answers that might be better suited for a later blank or missing a vital piece of information that would have helped them with an earlier blank. Reading through the text first prevents them from prematurely locking in their answers and trains them to look for vocabulary in context.

Look for Clues

Clues are found in the passage, embedded in the language of the passage. Sometimes, it presents itself as common phrases, other times through grammar rules. Being consistent in circling clues enables a student to exercise critical thinking. It provides them with a sure-fire way to double-check grammar rules and ascertain the validity of their answer, thus strengthening their confidence in tackling such questions.

Read Widely

Revision doesn’t always have to be a dull activity. For Cloze Passages, reading books and articles of interest are simple yet effective ways to improve a child’s grasp on typical grammar rules and sentence structures, as well as broaden their vocabulary bank. You can even DIY interesting Cloze Passages by picking out extracts from your child’s favourite novels or a general knowledge article about animals or even outer space. Replace applicable words with blanks and voilà, you have a simple cloze passage. Remember, practice makes progress!