The Comprehension Cloze section in PSLE Paper 2 often feels like a minefield for many students. With 15 marks at stake, this component requires more than just guesswork—it demands strong language skills, contextual awareness, and strategic thinking. At WRITERS AT WORK, we equip students with proven techniques to approach Comprehension Cloze passages with confidence.
If you’ve ever stared at a blank in a passage and felt overwhelmed, don’t worry. You’re not alone. This article will guide you through the dos and don’ts of tackling the Comprehension Cloze section and help you avoid common pitfalls while boosting your scores.
What is Comprehension Cloze?
Comprehension Cloze is a passage with missing words. You are expected to fill in the blanks using appropriate words that ensure the passage makes sense grammatically and contextually. This part of the PSLE Paper tests your vocabulary, grammar, and understanding of text flow.
DO: Read the Entire Passage First
Before filling in the blanks, read the entire passage at least once to get the overall idea. Understanding the main theme or topic will help you predict what kind of words fit best.
Primary English Comprehension Tips:
- Identify the tone (Is it formal or informal?)
- Look for recurring themes or vocabulary.
- Take note of clues before and after each blank.
Skipping this step often leads to incorrect answers that don’t match the passage’s meaning.
DON’T: Fill in the Blanks Without Context
Many students make the mistake of diving straight into the blanks without considering the flow of the passage. Filling in blanks based only on the sentence itself can result in choices that are grammatically correct but contextually wrong.
For example:
“The cat climbed ___ the tree.”
Without the context, you might choose “around,” but if the paragraph is about the cat escaping a dog, “up” makes more sense.
Always ask yourself, “What is the passage about? What would logically fit here?”
DO: Use Grammar Cues
Grammar is a powerful guide when it comes to choosing the right word. Pay attention to:
- Tenses: Past, present, or future?
- Prepositions: What preposition usually follows this word?
- Conjunctions: What relationship is being shown between clauses?
Example:
“Despite ___ hard, he failed the test.”
Here, “trying” or “working” would fit, depending on the earlier part of the passage, as “Despite” signals a contrast.
DON’T: Repeat Vocabulary from the Passage
A common trap is reusing a word already mentioned earlier in the passage. If a word appears near a blank, students often plug in that same word, thinking it’s the answer. However, the test is designed to check for synonyms, paraphrasing, or collocations—not repetition.
Tip: Think of related words or expressions that fit in a different form or offer variety.
DO: Look for Collocations
Collocations are word pairs or groups that commonly go together, such as “make a decision,” “take a break,” or “catch a cold.” Knowing common collocations can give you a significant edge in the Comprehension Cloze section.
Try to memorise useful phrases and word pairings. When reading books or passages in your practice, highlight these combinations and add them to a personal vocabulary list.
DON’T: Guess Randomly
While educated guessing is acceptable when you’re truly stuck, randomly inserting words without logic will often break the grammatical flow or change the meaning of the passage. Worse, one wrong answer can confuse you further as you try to fill in the next few blanks. When you’re unsure, skip the blank, complete the rest of the passage, and come back with a clearer perspective.
DO: Use Elimination
Primary English Comprehension Tips: Choose the word that fits best not only in the sentence but in the entire flow of the paragraph. Sometimes, more than one word seems to fit a blank. Narrow your options by:
- Testing each word grammatically
- Reading the sentence aloud with your option filled in
- Checking the consistency with the rest of the passage
DON’T: Panic When You Don’t Know a Word
It’s normal to come across unfamiliar words. Don’t let it throw you off. Focus on what you do understand.
Primary English Comprehension Tips:
- Break down the sentence
- Identify root words or familiar word parts
- Use logic and clues from surrounding sentences
Even if you don’t know a word like “astonished,” you might be able to guess it means “surprised” based on the events in the passage.
DO: Practise With a Timer
Time management is critical in PSLE Paper 2. Aim to complete Comprehension Cloze in under 15 minutes during practice. Practising under timed conditions helps you get used to working efficiently and calmly during exams.
DON’T: Ignore Your Mistakes
After every practice session, review your answers carefully. Don’t just mark them as right or wrong—analyse why you got them wrong:
- Was it a vocabulary issue?
- Did you misunderstand the context?
- Did you ignore grammar rules?
Keeping a mistake log helps you identify patterns in your errors and avoid them in future practice.
Primary English Comprehension Tips:
The Dos:
- Read the entire passage first
- Use grammar cues
- Identify collocations
- Eliminate wrong answers logically
- Time yourself during practice
The Don’ts:
- Don’t guess randomly
- Don’t ignore context
- Don’t repeat words unnecessarily
- Don’t panic over difficult words
- Don’t forget to learn from your mistakes
At WRITERS AT WORK, we believe that mastering Comprehension Cloze is not about luck—it’s about building strong reading habits, grammar knowledge, and vocabulary. By following these Primary English Comprehension Tips, students can approach the PSLE Paper with confidence, clarity, and control. Remember, every blank is a chance to prove your understanding of the English language. Train smart, and success will follow. If you need more structured guidance, our writing programmes are designed to give you that extra edge.
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English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Long Should You Study for PSLE?
Parents should take around a year or two to prepare for PSLE as learning about subjects like English requires a long-term effort, as opposed to short cramming.
2. Is PSLE Compulsory?
PSLE is compulsory for everyone to enter secondary school in Singapore.
3. How to Study for PSLE?
Parents should make a list of everything a child should study for all their PSLE subjects. Engaging a tuition teacher or practising with workbooks and past year papers may help students tackle the exam format of PSLE and feel more confident taking the exam.
4. How Do I Motivate My Child to Do PSLE?
Children should be motivated to do PSLE by being taught that it is important for their future. Explaining to them the reasons to do the exam may work better than forcing them to study.
