ENR04 — Sentence Improvement & Cloze Test
📚 Chapter ENR04 · NDA Grammar LevelNDA Level
📌 Two Question Types — How They Work:
Sentence Improvement: A sentence is given with an underlined portion. Four options give alternative versions of the underlined part. One option is a genuine improvement (grammatically or stylistically); one option says “No improvement”. You must decide if the sentence needs fixing — and if so, which fix is correct.
Cloze Test: A passage of 5–10 sentences has blanks. Each blank has 4 word options. You must choose the word that fits best — based on grammar, meaning, and tone. The passage is always cohesive, so each answer connects to the surrounding sentences.
PART A — SENTENCE IMPROVEMENT
💡 Sentence Improvement Strategy — Three Steps:
Step 1 — Read the underlined part and ask: does it feel wrong? Name the type of error if possible.
Step 2 — Check option (d) “No improvement” first. If the original is correct, mark (d). Students lose marks by over-correcting correct sentences.
Step 3 — If improvement is needed, test each option by reading it in the full sentence. The correct option must not introduce a new error while fixing the old one.
A1 Tense Errors — Most Frequently Tested
Error
TENSE ERROR
Wrong tense with a time signal (since/ago/yesterday)
He has joined the academy three years ago.
"Ago" = specific past time → Simple Past required. Present Perfect cannot appear with "ago/yesterday/last year/in 2020". Corrected: joined.
Corrected
He joined the academy three years ago.
Error
TENSE ERROR
Will in time/condition clause
When he will arrive, we will begin the briefing.
After "when/if/unless/as soon as/before/after" in a future context, use Simple Present — never "will". The one-will rule: only the main clause keeps "will".
Corrected
When he arrives, we will begin the briefing.
Error
TENSE ERROR
Present Perfect with a definite past event
India has become independent in 1947.
"In 1947" is a named past time → Simple Past. Present Perfect is never used with definite past time markers.
Corrected
India became independent in 1947.
Error
TENSE ERROR
Should have + Past Participle (missed obligation in past)
He should submit the report yesterday.
"Yesterday" makes the obligation past. Past unmet obligation = should have + V3. Similarly: could have, would have, might have.
Corrected
He should have submitted the report yesterday.
Error
TENSE ERROR
No sooner…than / Hardly…when inversion and tense
Hardly he had returned when orders changed.
After "hardly/scarcely/no sooner" at sentence start, inversion is required: auxiliary before subject. Also: "no sooner…than" (not "when"); "hardly/scarcely…when" (not "than").
Corrected
Hardly had he returned when orders changed.
A2 Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
Error
AGREEMENT
Either…or / Neither…nor: verb agrees with nearer subject
Neither the CO nor the officers was informed.
Proximity rule: verb agrees with the subject NEARER to it. "officers" (plural) is nearer → "were". If singular is nearer, use singular verb.
Corrected
Neither the CO nor the officers were informed.
Error
AGREEMENT
Collective noun with singular verb
The committee have submitted its report.
Collective nouns (committee, army, jury, government, team) take a singular verb when they act as one unit. Only if members act individually: "The jury were divided." Note: "its" (singular possessive) confirms singular.
Corrected
The committee has submitted its report.
Error
AGREEMENT
‘One of’ construction
One of the soldiers were decorated for bravery.
"One of" + plural noun → singular verb. The subject is "One" (singular), not "soldiers". Exception: "One of those who + plural verb" is also standard in some constructions.
Corrected
One of the soldiers was decorated for bravery.
Error
AGREEMENT
‘Each/Every’ always takes singular verb
Each of the recruits were assigned a mentor.
"Each", "every", "everyone", "nobody", "either", "neither" always take singular verbs, regardless of what follows them.
Corrected
Each of the recruits was assigned a mentor.
A3 Preposition Errors
Error
PREPOSITION
Wrong preposition after adjective/verb (fixed prepositions)
He is married with an army officer.
"Married to" is the fixed preposition. Never "married with". Other traps: accused OF (not for); charged WITH (not of); differ FROM (not than); interested IN (not on).
Corrected
He is married to an army officer.
Error
PREPOSITION
Arrive at/in: point vs city
The convoy arrived to the forward base.
"Arrive" never takes "to". Use "at" for a specific point/building, "in" for a city or country. "Arrived to" is always wrong.
Corrected
The convoy arrived at the forward base.
Error
PREPOSITION
Between (two) vs Among (many)
The prize was distributed between the five best cadets.
"Between" = exactly two parties. "Among" = three or more as a group. Five cadets = plural group → "among".
Corrected
The prize was distributed among the five best cadets.
A4 Article Errors
Error
ARTICLE
Missing article before a unique/specific noun
He aspires to become president of India.
Official titles referring to a specific post use "the". Compare: "He was elected president" (predicative, no article) vs "He met the President" (specific reference).
Corrected
He aspires to become the President of India.
Error
ARTICLE
Wrong article: a vs an (based on sound, not spelling)
It was a hour-long operation.
"Hour" begins with a vowel SOUND (/aʊər/) → use "an". The rule is based on pronunciation, not spelling. Also: an honest man, an MBA, a university (y-sound), a European (y-sound).
Corrected
It was an hour-long operation.
Error
ARTICLE
Article with superlative (always ‘the’)
He is a best cadet in the batch.
Superlatives (best, largest, most) always use "the" — they refer to one specific, unique entity. "A best" is always wrong.
Corrected
He is the best cadet in the batch.
A5 Redundancy & Wordiness Errors
Error
REDUNDANCY
Redundant word (same idea twice)
They returned back to base after the patrol.
"Return" already means "go back". Adding "back" is redundant. Common redundancies: revert back, repeat again, past history, advance forward, future plans, completely unanimous, free gift, end result.
Corrected
They returned to base after the patrol.
Error
REDUNDANCY
Double negative (two negatives = positive, wrong here)
He did not say nothing during the inquiry.
In standard English, two negatives cancel each other. "Did not say nothing" = "did say something". Correct: "did not say anything" OR "said nothing". Never combine "not" with "nobody/nothing/nowhere/never".
Corrected
He did not say anything during the inquiry.
Error
REDUNDANCY
Both…as well as (double conjunction = redundant)
Both the general as well as the adjutant attended.
"Both…and" is the correct correlative. "Both…as well as" is redundant. Similarly: "Either…or" not "Either…or else"; "Neither…nor" not "Neither…or".
Corrected
Both the general and the adjutant attended.
A6 Voice Errors
Error
VOICE ERROR
Intransitive verb used in passive (impossible)
The accident was happened on the highway.
"Happen" is intransitive (no object) → can never be passive. Similarly: occur, arrive, die, fall, rise, appear, sleep, come, go — these can never be used in passive voice.
Corrected
The accident happened on the highway.
Error
VOICE ERROR
Imperative passive: Let + object + be + V3
Sentence improvement: "Open the window." → passive form
Imperative passive formula: Let + object + (not) + be + V3. "Open the window" → "Let the window be opened." "Do not touch the exhibits" → "Let the exhibits not be touched."
Corrected
Let the window be opened.
A7 Vocabulary & Idiom Errors
Error
VOCABULARY
Wrong word: confusable pair
He was adverse to taking unnecessary risks.
"Averse" = personally opposed/reluctant (a feeling). "Adverse" = unfavourable conditions (external). You are AVERSE to things; conditions are ADVERSE. Fixed phrase: "averse to + gerund/noun".
Corrected
He was averse to taking unnecessary risks.
Error
VOCABULARY
Wrong degree of comparison
He is the more capable of the three candidates.
"More" (comparative) = comparing two. "Most" (superlative) = comparing three or more. Three candidates → superlative "most". Also: avoid double comparatives like "more better" or "most tallest".
Corrected
He is the most capable of the three candidates.
Error
IDIOM/PHRASE
Wrong preposition in fixed phrase
He takes pride for his regiment’s traditions.
"Take pride IN" is the fixed idiom. Similarly: believe IN, interested IN, engaged IN, persist IN. These fixed prepositions cannot be substituted.
Corrected
He takes pride in his regiment’s traditions.
Error
VOCABULARY
Flaunt vs Flout (one of the most tested confusables in SI)
The recruit openly flaunted the dress code.
"Flaunt" = to show off/display. "Flout" = to disregard rules with contempt. You flaunt your medals; you flout the rules. Using "flaunt" in place of "flout" is one of the most common errors in formal English.
Corrected
The recruit openly flouted the dress code.
A8 Structure & Parallelism Errors
Error
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Dangling modifier (participial phrase without clear subject)
Walking into the tent, the orders were announced.
The participial phrase "Walking into the tent" must refer to the subject of the main clause. Orders cannot walk. The subject of the main clause must be the one doing the walking. Fix: make a person (CO) the subject.
Corrected
Walking into the tent, the CO announced the orders.
Error
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Not only…but also: parallel structure
He not only leads the team but also has great discipline.
"Not only…but also" requires parallel grammatical form. "leads" (verb) must be matched by another verb, not a verb phrase "has great discipline". Fix: replace with a single parallel verb "maintains".
Corrected
He not only leads the team but also maintains great discipline.
Error
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Misplaced modifier (word in wrong position changes meaning)
He only said he would try, not that he would succeed.
"Only" must be placed immediately before the word it modifies. "Only said" implies he said nothing else; "would only try" implies limited effort. Position of limiting adverbs (only, even, just, almost, merely) drastically changes meaning.
Corrected
He said he would only try, not that he would succeed.
Q1. Sentence Improvement: “He has been living in Delhi since ten years.”
- (a) since ten years ago
- (b) for ten years
- (c) since a decade
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (b) for ten years
(a) Wrong: ‘since ten years ago’ is non-standard; ‘ago’ and ‘since’ do not combine. (c) Wrong: ‘since a decade’ — ‘since’ requires a point in time, not a duration. (d) Wrong: the original is incorrect. (b) Correct: ‘Ten years’ is a duration (not a point) → use ‘for’. ‘Since’ requires a point: since 2014, since morning. ‘For’ requires a duration: for ten years, for a long time.
Q2. Sentence Improvement: “If he will work hard, he will succeed.”
- (a) would work
- (b) works
- (c) worked
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (b) works
(a) Wrong: ‘would work’ creates a Type 2 conditional (unreal/hypothetical) which changes the meaning to a hypothetical situation, not a real future condition. (c) Wrong: ‘worked’ also creates Type 2 conditional. (d) Wrong: ‘will’ in the if-clause is always wrong. (b) Correct: Type 1 conditional (real future) → if-clause uses Simple Present. Never use ‘will’ after ‘if/when/unless/as soon as’ in a future context.
Q3. Sentence Improvement: “The committee have submitted their report to the board.”
- (a) has submitted its
- (b) have submitted its
- (c) has submitted their
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) has submitted its
(b) Wrong: ‘have’ is wrong (committee = collective noun, singular) but ‘its’ is correct — partially right but verb is wrong. (c) Wrong: ‘has’ is correct but ‘their’ is wrong — if committee is singular, possessive must also be singular ‘its’. (d) Wrong: both the verb and pronoun are incorrect. (a) Correct: Committee acting as one unit → singular verb ‘has’ AND singular possessive ‘its’.
Q4. Sentence Improvement: “He is one of the officers who has been decorated.”
- (a) have been decorated
- (b) had been decorated
- (c) was decorated
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) have been decorated
(b) Wrong: Past Perfect changes the time reference unnecessarily. (c) Wrong: ‘was decorated’ changes tense and is not parallel with the context. (d) Wrong: the original has a subject-verb agreement error. (a) Correct: In ‘one of those who’ constructions, the relative pronoun ‘who’ refers to ‘officers’ (plural) → plural verb ‘have been’. Exception: ‘the only one who has’ (singular).
Q5. Sentence Improvement: “Hardly he had returned when the alarm sounded.”
- (a) had he returned
- (b) he returned
- (c) had he been returning
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) had he returned
(b) Wrong: no inversion and wrong tense (Simple Past, not Past Perfect). (c) Wrong: ‘had he been returning’ — Past Perfect Continuous is not used in the ‘hardly…when’ structure. (d) Wrong: the original lacks required inversion. (a) Correct: After ‘hardly/scarcely’ at sentence start: inversion (auxiliary before subject) + Past Perfect. ‘Hardly had he returned when…’ ✓
Q6. Sentence Improvement: “The recruit openly flaunted the dress code.”
- (a) flouted
- (b) flawed
- (c) displayed
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (a) flouted
(b) Wrong: ‘flawed’ is an adjective (not a verb) and changes the sentence structure. (c) Wrong: ‘displayed’ is not the correct word — you cannot ‘display’ a dress code. (d) Wrong: ‘flaunted’ means to show off/display proudly; the sentence requires the meaning of disregarding rules with contempt. (a) Correct: ‘Flout’ = to openly disregard a rule. ‘Flaunt’ = to show off. The recruit broke the rules → flouted.
Q7. Sentence Improvement: “Walking into the mess, the announcement was made.”
- (a) As the announcement was made
- (b) When the officer walked into the mess
- (c) While walking
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (b) When the officer walked into the mess, the announcement was made
(a) Wrong: rearranges the sentence but the dangling modifier problem returns — who walked? (c) Wrong: ‘while walking’ retains the dangling modifier; we still do not know who walked. (d) Wrong: original has a dangling participle error. (b) Correct: The participial phrase must have a clear subject. Adding ‘the officer’ as subject of the main clause fixes the dangler.
Q8. Sentence Improvement: “He returned back to the camp after the operation.”
- (a) returned again
- (b) returned
- (c) had returned
- (d) No improvement
Answer: (b) returned
(a) Wrong: ‘again’ adds a different meaning (doing it again) not intended. (c) Wrong: Past Perfect changes the tense relationship unnecessarily. (d) Wrong: ‘returned back’ is redundant — return already means to go back. (b) Correct: ‘Returned’ alone is sufficient. ‘Back’ is redundant with ‘return’. Other redundancies: revert back, repeat again, advance forward, completely unanimous.
PART B — CLOZE TEST
B1 How to Solve a Cloze Test — 7-Step Method
A cloze test is not a vocabulary test in isolation — it is a reading comprehension with grammar constraints. The passage has a theme. Every blank connects to what came before AND what comes after. Students who try to fill blanks one at a time without reading the full passage consistently choose wrong options. The passage always tells you the answer if you read it as a whole.
1
Read the ENTIRE passage first (without looking at options)
Understand the main theme, tone (formal/informal/narrative/argumentative), and the flow of ideas. This takes 60–90 seconds but saves time later.
If the passage is about military discipline, all blanks will be answered with military-appropriate formal vocabulary.
2
Identify the TYPE of word needed for each blank
Before looking at options, ask: Is this blank a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, or conjunction? The sentence structure tells you.
“The soldiers marched ___ for three days.” → Blank needs an ADVERB (tells how they marched). Options like ‘exhausting’ (adj) or ‘exhaustion’ (noun) are eliminated immediately.
3
Use the CONTEXT from surrounding sentences
The sentence before and after the blank almost always contains the clue. Look for contrast words (however/but/yet), cause-effect (because/therefore), and continuity (also/moreover/furthermore).
If the sentence before says ‘The soldiers were exhausted’ and the connector is ‘yet’, the blank likely needs a positive/contrast word.
4
Eliminate options that are the WRONG PART OF SPEECH
NDA always includes one or two options that are a different POS. These are immediately eliminable without thinking about meaning.
Blank in ‘He showed ___ courage.”: if options are remarkable/remarkably/remarked/remark → eliminate remarkably (adverb), remarked (verb), remark (noun). Only remarkable (adj) fits.
5
Check for COLLOCATION — words that naturally go together
Some words always travel together. ‘Take’ goes with ‘responsibility’, ‘pride’, ‘initiative’. ‘Pay’ goes with ‘attention’, ‘tribute’, ‘heed’. If one option collocates naturally, it is likely correct.
Blank: ‘He paid ___ to the wounded.’ Options: attention/care/heed/tribute. All are possible but ‘paid tribute to the wounded’ makes most contextual sense in a military tribute passage.
6
Watch for TONE and REGISTER consistency
If the passage is formal/academic, the blank must be filled with a formal word. A casual or colloquial option in a formal passage is always wrong.
Formal passage about military court martial: blank filled with ‘grave’ (serious) not ‘big’ (casual), ‘commence’ not ‘start’, ‘sufficient’ not ‘enough’.
7
Read the completed sentence ALOUD (mentally)
After tentatively selecting an answer, re-read the sentence with that word in place. Does it flow naturally? Does it connect logically to the next sentence? If yes, confirm. If not, reconsider.
Often the last check between two plausible options is fluency — the correct one will always read more naturally in context.
B2 Cloze Test — Key Word Types That Are Tested
Connector Words (Most Tested Type)
- Contrast: however, although, despite, yet, nevertheless, whereas
- Addition: moreover, furthermore, besides, also, in addition
- Result: therefore, thus, hence, consequently, as a result
- Cause: because, since, as, owing to, due to
- Time: when, while, before, after, until, as soon as
- Condition: if, unless, provided that, as long as
Vocabulary Words (Second Most Tested)
- Formal synonyms: begin → commence; end → conclude; show → demonstrate
- Adjective precision: grave/serious/critical/severe (similar but different)
- Collocations: raise concerns, take measures, pose a threat, launch an attack
- Prepositions in phrases: responsible for, capable of, engaged in
- Register match: formal vs informal synonyms
B3 Solved Cloze Test Passages with Explanation
Passage 1 — Military Leadership (Solved)
Effective military leadership is not merely about issuing commands; it (1)
demands a combination of courage, discipline, and strategic thinking. A good commander must (2)
inspire his troops even in the most (3)
adverse conditions. Leadership, (4)
however, is not a quality that can be (5)
acquired overnight. It develops (6)
gradually through experience, exposure to difficult situations, and a constant willingness to learn. Those who (7)
aspire to lead must first learn to (8)
follow with discipline and loyalty.
Q9. Blank (1): “Effective military leadership is not merely about issuing commands; it ___ a combination of courage, discipline, and strategic thinking.”
- (a) demands
- (b) is demanding
- (c) demanded
- (d) has been demanded
Answer: (a) demands
(b) Wrong: ‘is demanding’ (Present Continuous) implies this is happening only right now, not a general truth. (c) Wrong: ‘demanded’ (Simple Past) is inconsistent with the present-tense passage about a general truth. (d) Wrong: ‘has been demanded’ (Present Perfect) adds an unnecessary past-to-present narrative. (a) Correct: Simple Present ‘demands’ expresses a universal/habitual truth, consistent with the rest of the passage which uses present tense.
Q10. Blank (3): “A good commander must inspire his troops even in the most ___ conditions.”
- (a) hostile
- (b) adverse
- (c) averse
- (d) reverse
Answer: (b) adverse
(a) Wrong: ‘hostile’ means unfriendly/threatening (usually about people/enemies); conditions are not ‘hostile’ in this sense. (c) Wrong: ‘averse’ is an adjective describing a person’s feelings (averse to risk); it cannot describe conditions. (d) Wrong: ‘reverse’ means opposite direction; does not fit. (b) Correct: ‘Adverse conditions’ is a fixed collocation meaning unfavourable external conditions. Adverse = external and unfavourable; averse = internal personal reluctance.
Q11. Blank (4): “Leadership, ___, is not a quality that can be acquired overnight.”
- (a) therefore
- (b) moreover
- (c) however
- (d) consequently
Answer: (c) however
(a) Wrong: ‘therefore’ signals a conclusion/result from what was just said. The previous sentence said leadership demands courage — this blank introduces a LIMITING idea, not a result. (b) Wrong: ‘moreover’ adds another positive point; the sentence limits what was said. (d) Wrong: ‘consequently’ = as a result; same problem as ‘therefore’. (c) Correct: ‘However’ introduces a CONTRAST or qualification to the previous idea. The passage praises leadership, then qualifies it: it cannot be acquired overnight.
Q12. Blank (6): “It develops ___ through experience…”
- (a) gradual
- (b) gradually
- (c) grading
- (d) with gradual
Answer: (b) gradually
(a) Wrong: ‘gradual’ is an adjective; an adjective cannot modify the verb ‘develops’. (c) Wrong: ‘grading’ is a verb form; grammatically and semantically wrong. (d) Wrong: ‘with gradual’ is incomplete (needs a noun after: ‘with gradual effort’). (b) Correct: The blank modifies the verb ‘develops’ (how does it develop? → gradually) → Adverb of manner required. ‘Gradually’ = the adverb form.
Passage 2 — Security & Governance (For Practice)
National security is a matter of (1)
paramount importance for every sovereign state. Governments must (2)
ensure that their defence forces are adequately equipped and trained. (3)
However, security cannot be achieved by military means alone. Diplomacy, intelligence, and economic stability are equally (4)
crucial factors. A nation that (5)
neglects any of these dimensions (6)
risks compromising its long-term stability. It is (7)
therefore essential that policymakers adopt a (8)
comprehensive approach to security challenges.
Q13. Blank (1): “National security is a matter of ___ importance for every sovereign state.”
- (a) partial
- (b) paramount
- (c) partial
- (d) prominent
Answer: (b) paramount
(a) Wrong: ‘partial’ = incomplete/biased; contradicts the meaning that security is of the HIGHEST importance. (c) Wrong: same as (a). (d) Wrong: ‘prominent’ = well-known/conspicuous; does not collocate with ‘importance’ in this way. (b) Correct: ‘Paramount importance’ is a fixed collocation meaning greatest/supreme importance. ‘Of paramount importance’ is a standard formal expression in policy/governance writing.
Q14. Blank (3): “Governments must ensure that their forces are equipped. ___, security cannot be achieved by military means alone.”
- (a) Therefore
- (b) Moreover
- (c) However
- (d) Consequently
Answer: (c) However
(a) Wrong: ‘Therefore’ would make the second sentence a result of the first — but being well-equipped does not logically lead to ‘military means not being enough’. (b) Wrong: ‘Moreover’ adds another point in the same direction; the second sentence introduces a CONTRAST. (d) Wrong: ‘Consequently’ = as a result; same logic problem as (a). (c) Correct: The first sentence talks about military readiness; the second introduces a qualification (military alone is not enough) → contrast word ‘However’ is required.
Q15. Blank (8): “Policymakers must adopt a ___ approach to security challenges.”
- (a) comprehensive
- (b) comprehensible
- (c) compressed
- (d) comprehending
Answer: (a) comprehensive
(b) Wrong: ‘comprehensible’ = easy to understand; describes a text/idea, not an approach to security. (c) Wrong: ‘compressed’ = squeezed/reduced; opposite of what is needed. (d) Wrong: ‘comprehending’ = understanding (verb form as adjective); wrong meaning and unusual collocation. (a) Correct: ‘Comprehensive approach’ = covering all aspects; a standard policy collocation. The passage has mentioned multiple dimensions (military, diplomacy, intelligence) → ‘comprehensive’ ties them all together.
📋 Quick Reference — Sentence Improvement & Cloze Test
① SI — Tense Errors
- ago/yesterday/last year + Present Perfect → WRONG
- Will in if/when/unless clause → WRONG
- No sooner…than (not when); Hardly…when (not than)
- Should have + V3 for past unmet obligation
- Inversion required after hardly/no sooner
② SI — Agreement Errors
- Either/neither…nor: verb agrees with nearer subject
- Collective noun (committee/army) = singular verb
- One of + plural noun → singular verb
- Each/every/either/neither → always singular
- There is/are: verb agrees with what follows
③ SI — Preposition & Article
- Married TO; arrived AT/IN (never ‘to’)
- Accused OF; charged WITH; differ FROM
- An before vowel SOUND (an hour, an MBA)
- Superlatives always take ‘the’
- Between (two); Among (three or more)
④ SI — Redundancy & Structure
- Return back / repeat again / revert back → WRONG
- Double negative: not…nothing → not…anything
- Both…as well as → use Both…and
- Dangling modifier: participial phrase must match subject
- Misplaced ‘only’: put before the word it modifies
⑤ SI — Vocabulary Traps
- Flaunt (show off) vs Flout (break rules)
- Adverse (unfavourable condition) vs Averse (personal feeling)
- More (two) vs Most (three or more)
- Not only [verb] but also [verb] — parallel forms
- Intransitive verbs cannot be passive
⑥ SI — “No Improvement” Trap
- Check ‘No improvement’ last, not first
- If original is grammatically correct → mark (d)
- Do not over-correct a correct sentence
- Only change what is demonstrably wrong
- Test each option in the full sentence
⑦ Cloze — 7 Steps
- 1. Read whole passage before filling
- 2. Identify POS needed for each blank
- 3. Use context from surrounding sentences
- 4. Eliminate wrong POS immediately
- 5. Check collocation (words that go together)
- 6. Match tone/register (formal → formal word)
- 7. Read completed sentence aloud (mentally)
⑧ Cloze — Connector Words
- Contrast: however, nevertheless, although, yet, whereas
- Addition: moreover, furthermore, besides, also
- Result: therefore, thus, hence, consequently
- Cause: because, since, as, owing to
- Key test: does the relationship between sentences match?
⑨ Cloze — Key Collocations
- of paramount importance / of utmost importance
- pose a threat / launch an attack / take measures
- comprehensive approach / adverse conditions
- raise concerns / draw attention / play a role
- ensure compliance / maintain discipline / foster unity
⚠ SI Most Common Errors
- Has joined…ago → joined (Simple Past)
- Will in if-clause → Present Simple
- Returned back → returned
- Flaunted rules → flouted rules
- Adverse vs averse — wrong choice
⚠ Cloze Most Common Errors
- Filling blank without reading full passage
- Choosing word that fits grammar but not context
- Ignoring connector logic (however/therefore)
- Choosing informal word in formal passage
- Not checking collocation of chosen word
💡 Quick Grammar Checks
- Since = point in time; For = duration
- Collective noun + singular verb (usually)
- Hardly had + subject + V3 + when (inversion)
- Either + singular; Both + plural
- Not only [form] but also [same form]