BULATS Reading and Language Knowledge – Task Type 4 – Open Cloze

(Found in Part 1 Section 4 and Part 2 Section 3)

Task Description

What sort of material do candidates read?

• Separate business-related sentences.
• Part 1 Section 4 covers Levels 1-3.
• Part 2 Section 3 covers Levels 2-4.

What do the candidates have to do?

• In these parts, candidates complete a gapped text by supplying their own word to fill the gap. There are 5 gaps to complete in each part.
• The gaps test knowledge of prepositions, verb forms, pronouns, conjunctions, parts of comparatives, parts of phrasal verbs, etc.

What texts are used?

• General and business press, company literature, business letters, books on topics such as management, etc.

What skill is being assessed?

• The focus is on structure, and coherence/cohesion in the text. Items tested may include prepositions, auxiliary verbs, pronouns, conjunctions and phrasal verbs.

Understanding the Task

To understand better how candidates need to approach this task, it may help you to do the activity yourself and analyse what you had to do to find the right answer.

Look at this sample Task Type 4 task from a past BULATS Reading and Language Knowledge paper. Complete the task, thinking about how you are doing it.

Sample Task Type 4 Task
Answers

Things to consider

Now look at these questions about how you approached the task and consider your answers.

1. Did you read the heading first?
   
   
2. Did you read through the whole text before you filled in the gaps?
   
   
3. Did you read closely the words around each gap?
   
   
4. Did you read the text again after you had completed the missing words?
   
   
5. Is only business English tested in this task?
   
   
6. What should students do after they have read through the text?
   
   
7. Is there only one correct answer?
   
   
8. What happens if a student spells the word incorrectly?
   
   
9. Is it a good idea to pencil in the word in the gap on the Question Paper, in the Standard Test?

Answers and Discussion