How to Ace the Primary 5 Vocabulary Cloze: Tips, Examples, and Step-by-Step Strategies

What Is the Vocabulary Cloze?

The Vocabulary Cloze is part of Paper 2 in the Primary 5 and PSLE English examination.
Students are given a short passage with word(s) that need to be replaced with their synonyms and multiple-choice options. The task is to choose the most appropriate word based on both meaning and grammar.

Before we dive into the techniques, you can explore our full range of Primary 5 English Paper 2 resources to help your child strengthen every component of the exam — from Grammar to Vocabulary Cloze.

This section tests a student’s ability to:

• Understand how words fit together in context.
• Recognise word meanings, collocations, and nuances.
• Infer meaning from the tone and situation of the passage.

In other words, students are not just memorising words — they are learning to think like readers and writers, understanding why one word fits better than another.

Let us delve deeper into what skills students need to master to ace this component. Below is an example of a Vocabulary Cloze section from a Top School paper.

For each question from 16 to 20, choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined word(s).

Understand How Words Fit Together in Context

Vocabulary Cloze is about reading for meaning, not memorising definitions.
Each word must make sense in its sentence and in the passage as a whole.

In the passage:

“With the sun shining in my face, I (16) looked through narrowed eyes to find the most glorious masterpiece in my garden.”

The surrounding clues — sun shining and narrowed eyes — tell us the character is squinting because of the brightness.
That context helps us see that “squinted” fits best among the options (peeked, glanced, squinted, glimpsed).

If a student ignores the context and focuses only on the dictionary meaning of looked, they might wrongly choose glanced or peeked.

Always read the sentence carefully and ask, “What is happening, and why?” Context reveals the correct meaning.

Recognise Word Meanings, Collocations, and Nuances

The Vocabulary Cloze also tests whether students can sense how words naturally work together and how subtle differences in meaning change the tone.

Collocations in the passage

“A spider had (17) meticulously spun its web…”
Here, spun its web is a natural collocation — spiders spin webs, not build or create them.

When we pair it with meticulously, we get a precise image: the spider worked carefully and patiently.
This tells students that carefully fits the blank better than firmly or obsessively, even though all three can describe actions.

Nuance in word meaning

Later in the passage, we see:

“I stared in awe at the fine (18) artistry of our garden resident.”
The word artistry conveys creativity and skill — it matches the tone of admiration and wonder. Words like attitude or method would sound too plain or technical.

When two words seem similar, ask, “Which one feels right for this situation?” Natural combinations and emotional tone guide the answer.

Infer Meaning from the Tone and Situation of the Passage

Good readers don’t rely only on visible clues — they also read between the lines.
Inference helps students detect mood, movement, and feeling.

In the passage:

“Spanning about two metres, it was truly a (19) mesmerising sight to behold. The web gently (20) danced in the breeze, reflecting light from the sun.”

The tone here is peaceful and admiring, not hurried or dramatic.
From this, students can infer that mesmerising fits best — it matches the sense of quiet beauty — while mystifying or memorable would not.

Similarly, the phrase “danced in the breeze” describes a gentle, flowing motion.
Among the options (swayed, wobbled, wriggled, twitched), only “swayed” carries that soft, graceful image.

Notice the emotion or atmosphere of the passage.
If the tone feels calm and beautiful, the vocabulary choice should echo that mood.

At TF, we help our P5 & P6 students master this section by getting them to work on this section in the following ways :

3 Simple Steps to Do Well in the Vocabulary Cloze Section

Step 1: Read the Entire Passage Carefully Before Answering

Before choosing any answers, students should read through the entire passage once to understand the main idea, tone, and setting.

This helps them:

• Identify the context (e.g., Is it describing nature, an event, or an emotion?),
• Notice clues around each blank, and
• Predict what type of word (verb, adjective, noun, adverb) might fit before looking at the options.

Step 2: Use Context Clues and Eliminate Incorrect Options

Once you understand the passage, read each sentence again and look at all the options carefully.
Ask yourself:

• “Does this word fit the meaning of the sentence?”
• “Does it sound natural in English?”
• “Is it the correct part of speech?”

Then, use elimination to remove options that don’t make sense.

🕸️ Example:

“The web gently (20) ______ in the breeze.”

• Wobbled → too shaky.
• Wriggled → too lively, like an animal.
• Twitched → too sudden.
  ✅ Swayed → fits perfectly with “gently” and “breeze.”

By explaining why the other choices don’t fit, students strengthen their reasoning skills and learn to think critically about word use.

Step 3: Re-Read the Passage with Your Chosen Words

After filling in all blanks, students should re-read the entire passage from start to finish with their answers in place.
This final check ensures:

• The tone and meaning stay consistent throughout,
• The grammar still works correctly, and
• The passage sounds smooth and natural.

The Vocabulary Cloze tests far more than memorised word lists. It evaluates a student’s ability to:

• Understand words in context — reading clues before and after the blank,
• Recognise collocations and nuances — choosing words that sound natural and fit the writer’s tone, and
• Infer meaning — sensing what the writer feels or describes even when it isn’t said directly.

Try doing some Vocabulary Cloze practices using the techniques above. We hope that these techniques will help you ace this section of the English Paper 2.