SSC CGL English · Cloze Test
Word Partners and the Precise Word
Blanks whose options mean nearly the same thing, settled by the word English pairs with the blank's neighbours, by the word right after the blank, or by the exact sense of the scene.
Why this matters
One hundred and forty-two questions in the bank, all but two from the 2023 and 2024 shifts (81 and 59), and 109 of them EASY. The options often mean nearly the same thing, so the deciding test is which word English puts with the words around the blank.
Concept 1 of 3: Word partners (collocations)
Some words simply go together in English: a source of energy, implement a policy, severely criticised, immense importance. When several options mean almost the same thing, choose the one English pairs with the word next to the blank.
Definition
The groups:
- Verb + noun: implement a policy, honour a pledge, broaden one's horizons, purse one's lips.
- Adjective + noun: immense importance, routine vaccinations, confidential data, ill-gotten gains.
- Adverb + verb: severely criticised.
- Noun + of: a source of energy, a succession of waves, the emission of gases.
- Fast route: say the phrase with each option; the pairing English uses sounds familiar.
| Phrase | Other options offered | Asked in |
|---|---|---|
| a source of energy | gesture, control, symbol | 2023 |
| the emission of greenhouse gases | absorption, reflection, conduction | 2023 (twice) |
| implement policies | sanctions, subsidies, restrictions | 2023 |
| severely criticised | selectively, intelligibly, legibly | 2023 |
| immense importance | sheer, complete, total | 2023 |
| put the right policies in place | desire, cut, design | 2023 |
| equal distribution of wealth | spending, partition, earning | 2023 |
| pursed her lips | stuck, dusted, dirt | 2024 |
| routine vaccinations | irregular, different, similar | 2024 |
| a succession of waves | arrest, interruption, disorder | 2024 |
| honour the pledges | take, watch, keep | 2024 |
| gives the impression of | fancy, suspicion, affect | 2024 |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
SSC CGL · 2023 · Tier I, 26 Jul 2023, Shift 2 · Q96Easy
Example 1 · Cloze Test · Word Partners and the Precise Word
In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
Exploring new places is an exciting way to (1) ________ your horizons and experience different cultures. Whether you prefer to travel by different modes of transportation like boat or aeroplane, there are many ways to get around and see the world. One of the benefits of exploring new places is the (2) ________ to try new foods and cuisines. You can also visit famous landmarks, attend cultural events and meet people from all walks of life. When travelling, it's important to (3) ________ calm and flexible. Unexpected delays and changes can happen, so it's helpful to have a backup plan and be willing to adapt. Another important (4) ________ of travel is sustainability. By being mindful of your impact on the environment and local communities, you can travel in a responsible and sustainable way. With so many (5)________, the world is yours to explore.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.
Choosing a synonym that does not pair
Severely and selectively are both adverbs, but only severely goes with criticised. Test the pair, not the word alone.
Translating a pairing
"Do a mistake" and "do a promise" come from translating. English says make a mistake, make a promise.
Concept 2 of 3: The word after the blank chooses it
Often the word right after the blank decides. Only some verbs take of (consist of), on (depend on), to (dedicated to), with (associated with) or around (revolve around). Read the blank together with the word that follows it.
Definition
- Of: consist of, aware of, capable of.
- On: depend on, hinge on.
- To: dedicated to, committed to, compared to, a transition to, access to.
- With: associated with, aligned with, tempered with.
- Around, from, as, for: revolve around, derived from, emerge from, perceived as, call for.
- If and that: wonder if, realise that.
- Fast route: cover the options and ask which verb you would put before that preposition.
Worked example
Her success ___ on hard work and a little luck. (a) depends (b) results (c) consists (d) leads
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
SSC CGL · 2023 · Tier I, 18 Jul 2023, Shift 2 · Q97Easy
Example 2 · Cloze Test · Word Partners and the Precise Word
In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
The Maasais live in (1)_________ very beautiful part of Africa. They live on the wide plains in southern and northern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The area (2)_______ of miles of rolling grass land, on which you can find thorny bushes and rocky hills. The people move from one place to another according to the seasons, looking for grasses and other plants (3)________ which their cattle can graze. They have no permanent home. When they want to settle in a place for some time, they build a kind of camp called a ‘Manyatta’, where a few families live for a (4)_________ weeks or months. Then they move on again, taking their few (5)_______ with them, and burning the old ‘Manyatta’ to the ground.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 2.
Ignoring the next word
An option can fit the meaning and still fail with the preposition after the blank. Read the blank and the next word as one unit.
Comprise of
Consist takes of; comprise takes none. "Consists of five members" and "comprises five members" are both right, "comprises of" is not.
Concept 3 of 3: The precise word among near-synonyms
Several options can mean roughly the right thing, but only one fits exactly: oil is consumed, notes emerge from a machine, plants flourish. Picture what happens in the passage and choose the word a writer would use for that exact picture.
Definition
- What exactly happens: satellites are launched, data is transmitted, ATMs operate around the clock, people commute to work.
- Degree and kind: a massive increase, an abrupt quake, a joint effort (from several groups together).
- The thing named: fauna (the wild animals of a region), a caption (the text with a picture), magnitude (the size of an earthquake).
- Countable or not: the number of (countable nouns), the amount of (uncountable nouns).
- Fast route: cross out the options that are only roughly right, then choose the one that names the exact action or thing.
Worked example
The ship ___ slowly into the harbour. (a) sailed (b) flew (c) drove (d) rode
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
SSC CGL · 2024 · Tier I, 18 Sep 2024, Shift 1 · Q97Easy
Example 3 · Cloze Test · Word Partners and the Precise Word
In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
The limbs of the flying squirrel are interlinked with a membrane. When the creature (1)________ into the air, the membrane opens and the squirrel seems to (2)_______ swiftly downwards. This movement gives the (3)_______ of flight. However, it is not flying really. It is a (4)_______ in the air from a higher level. It is also noteworthy that a squirrel cannot (5)_____ its direction while it is in flying mode.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 2.
Accepting a rough synonym
Lobbed and launched both mean sent up, but only launched is used for rockets and satellites. Choose the word for the exact action.
Amount with a countable noun
Countable nouns take number (the number of accidents); amount is for things you cannot count (the amount of water).
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (1)
Word partners (collocations)12 rows
| Phrase | Other options offered | Asked in |
|---|---|---|
| a source of energy | gesture, control, symbol | 2023 |
| the emission of greenhouse gases | absorption, reflection, conduction | 2023 (twice) |
| implement policies | sanctions, subsidies, restrictions | 2023 |
| severely criticised | selectively, intelligibly, legibly | 2023 |
| immense importance | sheer, complete, total | 2023 |
| put the right policies in place | desire, cut, design | 2023 |
| equal distribution of wealth | spending, partition, earning | 2023 |
| pursed her lips | stuck, dusted, dirt | 2024 |
| routine vaccinations | irregular, different, similar | 2024 |
| a succession of waves | arrest, interruption, disorder | 2024 |
| honour the pledges | take, watch, keep | 2024 |
| gives the impression of | fancy, suspicion, affect | 2024 |
Watch out for (6)
- Choosing a synonym that does not pair→ Word partners (collocations)
- Translating a pairing→ Word partners (collocations)
- Ignoring the next word→ The word after the blank chooses it
- Comprise of→ The word after the blank chooses it
- Accepting a rough synonym→ The precise word among near-synonyms
- Amount with a countable noun→ The precise word among near-synonyms
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