The B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze can look deceptively simple. You read a text, choose from four options for each gap, and select the word or phrase that fits best. But there is a catch: very often, two or even three of the options seem possible at first glance.

That is because Part 1 of the B2 First Reading and Use of English paper does not simply test whether you know the meaning of individual words. It tests whether you know how words are actually used together.

You need to recognise collocations, phrasal verbs, fixed expressions, prepositions and differences between words with similar meanings. If you are preparing for the exam, you can also explore my complete B2 First Use of English guide for grammar, vocabulary and exam practice.

In this lesson, we will look at 10 things you should look for in B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze, together with useful examples, exam strategies and a complete practice task.

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What Is B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze?

In Part 1 of the Reading and Use of English paper, you read a short text containing eight gaps.

For each gap, you are given four possible answers:

A, B, C or D

Only one answer is correct.

For example:

After discussing the problem for several hours, they finally ___ a decision.

A) did

B) made

C) created

D) produced

The correct answer is:

B) made

Why?

Because in English we say:

make a decision

not do a decision, create a decision or produce a decision.

This is a collocation — a group of words that naturally occur together.

And collocations are one of the most important things to look for in Part 1.

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1. Collocations

A collocation is a combination of words that native speakers commonly use together.

Consider these expressions:

• make progress
• take responsibility
• pay attention
• reach an agreement
• heavy traffic
• highly successful

Other combinations may be grammatically possible, but they do not sound natural.

For example:

She has ___ considerable progress since she started the course.

A) done

B) created

C) made

D) produced

The correct answer is: C) made

We say: make progress

When preparing for B2 First, try to learn vocabulary in word combinations, rather than learning individual words.

You can practise more useful combinations in my lesson on collocations for B2 First.

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2. Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs frequently appear in the B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze.

A phrasal verb consists of a verb together with an adverb or preposition:

• carry out
• turn down
• look into
• put off

The small word after the verb can completely change its meaning.

Compare:

look for = try to find

look after = take care of

look into = investigate

look up to = admire

For example:

The company has decided to ___ out a survey among its customers.

A) bring

B) carry

C) take

D) put

The correct answer is: B) carry

The expression is: carry out a survey

Do not look only at the verb. Always check the whole expression around the gap.

For more practice, learn these common phrasal verbs for B2 First with meanings, examples and exam tips.

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3. Fixed Expressions

English contains thousands of expressions in which the words normally appear in a particular combination.

For example:

• in favour of
• in spite of
• by accident

These expressions are often tested because you cannot usually work them out by translating each word separately.

For example:

Please let us know ___ advance if you are unable to attend.

A) at

B) on

C) in

D) by

The answer is: C) in

The fixed expression is: in advance

It is useful to record fixed expressions as complete units in your vocabulary notebook.

Many fixed expressions also follow a preposition + noun pattern. See these 20 useful preposition + noun phrases for more examples.

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4. Words with Similar Meanings

This is one of the trickiest areas of Part 1.

You may be given four words that have similar meanings, but only one fits the particular context.

Consider:

job – work – career – profession

They all relate to employment, but they are not interchangeable.

• job = a particular position of employment
• work = the activity of working
• career = your working life over a period of time
• profession = a type of work requiring particular training or qualifications

For example:

She hopes to pursue a ___ in medicine.

A) work

B) career

C) job

D) employment

The answer is: B) career

We commonly say: pursue a career

This is why simply knowing the translation of a word is not enough.

You need to know when and how it is used.

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5. Verb + Noun Combinations

Certain verbs naturally combine with certain nouns.

These combinations are extremely useful for B2 First.

For example:

• make an effort
• draw a conclusion
• reach a decision

Look at this example:

The campaign aims to ___ awareness of environmental problems.

A) rise

B) lift

C) raise

D) grow

The correct answer is: C) raise

We say: raise awareness

Notice the difference between:

rise – usually has no object

Prices have risen.

and:

raise – normally takes an object

The company raised its prices.

Learning these combinations will help you not only in Use of English but also in your B2 First Writing and Speaking papers.

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6. Adjective + Preposition Combinations

Prepositions cause problems even for advanced learners because there are not always clear rules explaining why one preposition is used rather than another.

You therefore need to learn combinations such as:

• interested in
• responsible for
• capable of
• familiar with

For example:

Are you familiar ___ this type of software?

A) about

B) of

C) with

D) to

The answer is: C) with

Learn: familiar with something

rather than simply learning the adjective familiar.

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7. Verb + Preposition Combinations

The same principle applies to verbs.

Some verbs are normally followed by particular prepositions:

• depend on
• succeed in
• apologise for
• complain about

For example:

Success often depends ___ how well you prepare.

A) from

B) of

C) on

D) with

The correct answer is: C) on

We say: depend on

These small words are easy to overlook, but in a Multiple-Choice Cloze they can provide an important clue.

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8. Linking Words and Expressions

You may also need to choose between words that show relationships between ideas.

These include:

• although
• however
• despite

Do not choose a linking word simply because you know its meaning. Check its grammar too.

Compare:

although + clause

Although it was raining, we went out.

but:

despite + noun / -ing form

Despite the rain, we went out.

Despite feeling tired, she continued working.

This difference can help you eliminate an incorrect answer very quickly.

If these structures cause you problems, see my complete lesson on linking words for contrasting ideas, including although, despite, whereas and however.

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9. Meaning from Context

Sometimes all four options appear grammatically possible.

In that case, you need to read beyond the gap.

Look at the sentence before it and the sentence after it.

For example:

Maria had never spoken in front of such a large audience before. She was extremely nervous when she walked onto the stage. However, after the first few minutes, she began to feel more ___.

A) ordinary

B) comfortable

C) convenient

D) suitable

The answer is: B) comfortable

All four words are adjectives, but only comfortable makes sense in this context.

Do not treat each gap as a completely separate question.

Part 1 is a text, and the surrounding sentences can give you important clues.

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10. Natural English

Sometimes the difference between the four options is simply that one expression is what English speakers normally say.

For example:

I didn’t ___ much attention to the announcement.

A) give

B) make

C) pay

D) take

The correct answer is: C) pay

We say: pay attention

You may understand all four verbs perfectly, but only one forms the natural English expression.

This is why reading and listening to English regularly is so useful. The more often you meet expressions such as pay attention, take part, make an effort and reach a conclusion, the more natural they begin to feel.

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A Five-Step Strategy for B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze

When you do Part 1, try this method.

Step 1: Read the whole text first

Do not immediately start filling in the gaps.

Read the text quickly to understand:

• the topic
• the main idea
• the writer’s purpose

You do not need to understand every word.

Step 2: Look at the words around the gap

Very often, the answer depends on the word immediately before or after the gap.

For example:

___ responsibility for

You may immediately recognise:

take responsibility for

Step 3: Ask yourself what is being tested

Is the question testing:

• a collocation?
• a phrasal verb?
• a fixed expression?
• a preposition?
• similar meanings?
• context?

Identifying the type of question can make the answer much easier to find.

Step 4: Eliminate the wrong answers

You do not always need to know the answer immediately.

Perhaps you know that two of the options definitely do not work.

Cross them out mentally and compare the remaining two.

Ask: Which one forms the most natural expression?

Step 5: Read the sentence again

Once you have chosen an answer, put it back into the sentence and read the whole sentence naturally.

Then ask yourself: Does this sound like natural English?

If something sounds strange, check the alternatives again.

Download the B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze Practice Worksheet

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How to Improve at B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze

The best way to improve is to start noticing chunks of English.

When you learn a new word, write down the words that commonly appear with it.

Instead of:

decision = a choice

record:

• make a decision
• reach a decision
• a difficult decision
• a final decision
• decision-making

This gives you useful vocabulary for Reading and Use of English, Writing and Speaking at the same time.

You should also read regularly at B2 level and pay attention to expressions that appear repeatedly. Newspapers, magazine articles, graded readers, podcasts and good-quality English-learning materials can all help you develop this instinct for natural word combinations.

You can also build your exam vocabulary with my B2 First Vocabulary lessons, covering collocations, phrasal verbs, word families and commonly confused words.

B2 First Multiple-Choice Cloze becomes much easier when you stop learning vocabulary as isolated words and start noticing collocations, phrasal verbs and fixed expressions. Practise regularly, pay attention to the words around each gap and always read the whole text before making your final choices.

Continue practising B2 First Use of English

Once you are comfortable with Multiple-Choice Cloze, continue with:

Word Formation for B2 First – learn how to recognise nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs and use prefixes and suffixes correctly.

Sentence Transformations for B2 First – practise Key Word Transformations with useful grammar patterns, collocations and fixed expressions.