Eleven Plus — Codes and Logic

Cloze and missing words

Select the word that fits both the MEANING and the GRAMMAR of a sentence, and use the rest of the sentence as evidence to rule out options that satisfy only one of the two.

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💡Understand

A cloze question tests TWO things at once: does the word make sense (meaning), and does it fit grammatically (word class, tense, agreement)? A trap option often satisfies only ONE of these — sounding right but being the wrong word class, or being the right word class but the wrong meaning.

“"The dog ___ loudly at the stranger." A) bark B) barked C) barking D) barks (with a singular subject 'the dog').”

All four options relate to the correct MEANING (barking), but only D) 'barks' correctly fits the GRAMMAR — matching the singular subject 'the dog' in the present tense. This is exactly the kind of question where checking grammar as well as meaning is essential.

🔍Spot it

Which option fits BOTH meaning and grammar?

Question 1

"Yesterday, the children ___ to the park." A) walk B) walks C) walked D) walking

💡 'Yesterday' signals the past tense is required, ruling out A, B and D despite all being related to the right meaning.

Question 2

"She felt ___ after running the marathon." A) exhaust B) exhausted C) exhausting D) exhaustion

💡 After 'felt', an adjective describing a feeling is grammatically required — only 'exhausted' fits that role.

Question 3

"Neither of the twins ___ ready for the exam." A) were B) was C) are D) is

💡 'Neither' is grammatically singular, and no past-tense signal contradicts 'was' here, making it the correct choice over the plural options.

🧠Think about it

Why might a cloze question deliberately include an option that 'sounds right' when read quickly, but is actually the wrong word class or tense?

✍️Try it

Choose the word that fits both meaning and grammar.

"By next week, she ___ finished the project."

Question 1

Which option correctly completes the sentence?

💡 'By next week' signals a future point in time by which something will be complete — think about which tense expresses a future completed action.

📝Practise

Choose the option that fits both meaning and grammar.

Question 1

"The team ___ practising hard all season." A) has been B) have C) is

Question 2

"Each of the students ___ their own notebook." A) have B) has C) having

Question 3

"She spoke so ___ that everyone understood immediately." A) clear B) clearly C) clearness

Question 4

In one word, what two things must a cloze answer satisfy at once — meaning and __?

💡 It's named directly in the lesson title's underlying skill.

Question 5

"If it ___ tomorrow, the match will be cancelled." A) rain B) rains C) rained

Question 6

Why is it not enough for an option to simply be 'thematically related' to the sentence?

🎯Apply

Read the passage, then answer the questions below.

Exam question: "Although the weather forecast predicted rain, the sky ___ remarkably clear all afternoon." A) remain B) remained C) remaining D) remains

Question 1

What clue in the sentence tells you which tense is needed?

💡 Look at the verb tense already used earlier in the sentence.

Question 2

Which option correctly completes the sentence?

💡 Match the past tense established by 'predicted'.

Question 3

Why is C) 'remaining' incorrect here, even though it relates to the right meaning?

🏆Challenge

Write a cloze sentence with a blank and four options, where at least one wrong option matches the meaning but not the grammar, and at least one matches the grammar but not the meaning. Identify the correct answer and explain why each wrong option fails.

🔄Review

A quick mastery check — 3 questions.

Question 1

"By the time we arrived, the film ___ already started." A) has B) have C) had

Question 2

"The committee ___ meeting every Tuesday this term." A) is B) are C) am

Question 3

A cloze answer that fits meaning but not grammar is still...