Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks

Skills

Reading + Writing

Time

part of Reading section

Scored on

Partial credit (each blank)

What this task is

A text of up to 300 words has several gaps, each with a drop-down menu. You choose the correct word for each gap. It scores both Reading and Writing and has no negative marking — so answer every gap.

How to score well

Read the whole sentence before choosing — meaning decides the answer.
Use grammar clues: is a noun, verb, or adjective needed? Does the verb agree with the subject?
Use collocations — words that naturally go together ('make a decision', 'heavy rain', 'reach a conclusion').
No negative marking, so never leave a blank.

Sample & model answer

Sample

Choose the correct word for each gap.

“Regular exercise has been shown to (1) ___ the risk of heart disease. Doctors therefore (2) ___ at least thirty minutes of activity a day.” — Options (1) reduce / increase / avoid; (2) recommend / refuse / prevent.

Model answer

(1) reduce — exercise lowers risk (meaning). (2) recommend — 'doctors recommend activity' is the natural collocation and fits the positive advice.

Common mistakes to avoid

Choosing a word that fits grammar but not meaning
Leaving a blank (there's no penalty for guessing here)

Lumi tip: These are gold: two skills, no negative marking. Do them carefully.

Practise this with instant AI feedback — in your language.

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