Multiple‐Choice Modifications of the Cloze Procedure Using Word‐Length and Sentence‐Length Blanks

ABSTRACT  This paper explains the construction and uses of three exercises in English as a Foreign Language reading comprehension at the advanced level. These techniques combine the techniques of the multiple‐choice and cloze formats. In word fill‐in exercises, the student chooses the best word or phrase, from among four possibilities given, to fill in the gap in the text. Sentence fill‐in exercises contain blank spaces, each representing an entire sentence. There is approximately one blank space per paragraph. The student chooses the best sentence, from among four possibilities given, to fill in the gap in the text. In the exercise rearranging the order of the sentences, each blank space represents a sentence. A list of sentences is given, separate from the text, containing more sentences than there are blank spaces. Among the sentences on this list are all those originally in the text, but they appear in a scrambled order. The student is required to choose the sentences that will fill in the blanks in the text from this list.