Important Rules: Fill in the Blanks | English for CLAT PDF Download

Guidelines for Fill in the Blanks

Review the following guidelines before tackling fill-in-the-blank questions to determine the correct answers.

• Comprehend the Theme
  Grasp a general idea of the theme or paragraph before selecting the appropriate choices. Carefully read the sentences and contemplate potential words that could fill the blanks suitably.
• Contextual Relevance
  Assess the provided answers and attempt to align them with the words that seem fitting in the context.
• Re-examine Post-Attempt
  Insert the potential word into the sentence and review it to ensure coherence and accuracy for the specific blank provided.
• Meaning Precision
  Ascertain whether the inserted word conveys the intended or required meaning accurately.
• Error Scrutiny
  Following blank filling, verify for any grammatical errors. If found, consider replacing it with other options from the provided list.

• Enhanced Vocabulary
  A strong vocabulary is crucial for tackling questions like fill-in-the-blanks, which often contribute significantly to scoring within the English Language.
• Idioms and Phrases
  Certain questions might involve idioms and phrases. Familiarity with the missing word in the provided idiom or phrase is essential.
• Contextual Consistency
  After selecting the missing words, confirm that the essence of the sentence remains consistent without altering its meaning.
• Trial and Error Technique
  When stuck on a particular blank, consider using a trial-and-error method. Attempt all the given options systematically to determine the most suitable one that aligns with the context.
• Grammar Cognizance
  Pay attention to grammatical elements while attempting the questions. Articles and prepositions should be carefully considered when matching answers from the given choices.
• Logical Coherence
  The inserted answer should result in a logical meaning that aligns with the context after completion.

Solved Examples

Single Blank Question Type

Example 1: I purposely ______ meet you during my last visit to Mumbai.
(a) didn’t
(b) won’t
(c) hadn’t
(d) wouldn’t
Ans: (a)
In the sentence above, the person uses the time reference of ‘last’ which indicate past. So we cannot use ‘won’t’ or ‘wouldn’t’. Then, if we used ‘hadn’t’ then the tense following the verb should be past as well (hadn’t met). Since we have ‘meet’ we use ‘didn’t’ because did is always followed by a base form or simple form of verb.

Example 2: We live in a ______ age; everyone thinks that maximizing pleasure is the point of life.
(a) propitious
(b) ubiquitous
(c) sporadic
(d) hedonistic
Ans: (d)
In the sentence above, the second clause of the sentence acts as the definition of the word that should be use in the first blank. So we take hedonistic as the answer because hedonistic means ‘engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-indulgent.’

Multiple Blanks Question Type

Example 1: Earlier homemade rafts dumped their waste into the water ______, but by June the _____ rafts were mostly gone, banned under new state law.
(a) untreated, unsightly
(b) artfully, dismal
(c) openly, few
(d) flagrantly, petty
Ans: (a)
The first blank talks about how irresponsibly the homemade rafts would dump their waste into the water which was untreated and pollute the water. but in the second sentence it says that by June a new law was passed due to which the unsightly rafts (dirty / unpleasant) were mostly gone.

Example 2: Though World economy is still _____ yet it is far more _____ than how it was a few months ago.
(a) gloomy, restrained
(b) untamed, authentic
(c) sluggish, tumultuous
(d) elusive, hospitable
Ans: (d)
Here the sentence is referring to the world economy which has been better or has recovered from the situation that it was in during the last few months. Hence, Elusive that means difficult to find, catch, or achieve and hospitable that means pleasant and favorable should be the words.