Open cloze destroys good candidates because it looks like vocabulary, but it’s really grammar under pressure. That matters in FCE because Part 2 gives you no options, so one wrong signal — a date, a noun, a missing subject — and the whole sentence collapses.
Why open cloze trips up Spanish speakers
Spanish often gives you a sentence shape that feels transferable. In open cloze, that instinct is dangerous. You see a familiar idea, translate it fast, and miss the grammatical clue Cambridge actually wants.
One big problem is tense choice. Spanish present perfect is used more freely in some situations, so you may try to force English present perfect where English wants past simple, or mix both systems in one sentence.
In Spanish: “He perdido las llaves” → present perfect
In English: “I’ve lost my keys” ✓ (present connection) / “I lost my keys yesterday” ✓ (closed time)
Common error: “I’ve lost my keys yesterday” ✗ — mixing present perfect with closed past marker
Another problem is relative clauses. Spanish speakers often use patterns like que everywhere, so in English you may choose what after a noun because it feels natural. English does not allow that in defining relative clauses.
In Spanish: “El coche que compré…” → “que”
In English: “The car (that) I bought” ✓ / “The car which I bought” ✓
Common error: “The car what I bought” ✗ — what does not introduce a defining relative clause after a noun
Contrast linkers cause the same issue. Spanish lets you move between aunque, sin embargo and a pesar de more flexibly in your head than English grammar allows on the page. In open cloze, that is exactly what Cambridge tests.
In Spanish: “A pesar de que hacía frío…”
In English: “Although it was cold” ✓ / “Despite the cold” ✓
Common error: “Despite it was cold” ✗ — despite must be followed by a noun or -ing, not a full clause
So the real difficulty is not knowing the rule in isolation. It is seeing the clue inside a sentence with no options and choosing the form that fits the grammar around the gap.
Core explanation
Read the grammar around the gap, not the whole story
In open cloze, the best clue is usually local. Look one or two words before and after the gap. Ask what kind of word can grammatically fit there: a linker, a relative pronoun, an auxiliary, a preposition.
This matters with present perfect simple and present perfect continuous. The key is not for or since. Those appear with both. The key is whether the sentence emphasizes result or duration / visible evidence.
Structure:
Present perfect simple = subject + have/has + past participle
Present perfect continuous = subject + have/has + been + verb-ing
✓ “I’ve read three books this month.” — result matters: three books
✗ “I’ve been read three books this month.” — wrong structure
✓ “I’ve been reading all morning.” — duration matters
✗ “I’ve read all morning.” — possible in rare contexts, but not for ongoing activity emphasis
Use the simple form for finished result, quantity, or present consequence.
✓ “She’s painted the room.” — focus on completed result
✗ “She’s been painted the room.” — wrong form
Use the continuous form for activity over time or current evidence.
✓ “She’s been painting the room.” — explains why she is tired and covered in paint
✗ “She’s painted the room” — not wrong in general, but wrong if the point is the ongoing activity/evidence
State verbs are a classic trap. English normally does not use them in the continuous here.
✓ “I’ve known her for years.”
✗ “I’ve been knowing her for years.”
If a gap appears after have/has and before V-ing, you may need been. If a sentence includes a present result like I still don’t have them, present perfect simple is likely. If it explains a current sign like you’re out of breath, continuous is more likely.
Defining relative clauses: identify the noun precisely
A defining relative clause tells you exactly which person or thing you mean. It is essential information, so there are no commas.
Structure:
noun + who/which/that + verb
noun + whose + noun + verb
noun + where/when + subject + verb
The first question is simple: is the noun a person, thing, place, time, or possession?
| Function | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| person | who / that | ”The woman who called is my aunt.” |
| thing | which / that | ”The phone that I bought is broken.” |
| possession | whose | ”The boy whose bike was stolen is upset.” |
| place | where | ”The café where we met has closed.” |
| time | when | ”The day when we arrived was chaotic.” |
Subject vs object matters. If the relative pronoun is the subject, you cannot omit it.
✓ “The man who lives next door is a doctor.”
✗ “The man lives next door is a doctor.”
If the relative pronoun is the object, you can omit it.
✓ “The book (that) I read was great.”
✓ “The book I read was great.”
✗ “The book what I read was great.”
Two traps appear all the time. First, what after a noun.
✓ “The film that we saw was awful.”
✗ “The film what we saw was awful.”
Second, repeating the object with a personal pronoun.
✓ “The man who I met was friendly.”
✗ “The man who I met him was friendly.”
And one more: whose replaces possessive adjectives.
✓ “The girl whose bag was stolen was crying.”
✗ “The girl who her bag was stolen was crying.”
In open cloze, if the gap comes after a noun and before a verb with no subject, think who/which/that. If the next word is another noun, think whose.
Contrast linkers: same meaning, different grammar
This is where Spanish intuition causes a lot of damage. However, although, and despite all express contrast, but they belong to different grammar families.
| Word | Type | What follows | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| however | adverbial | full clause, usually new sentence or after punctuation | ”It was late. However, we stayed.” |
| although | conjunction | full clause | ”Although it was late, we stayed.” |
| despite | preposition | noun / pronoun / -ing | ”Despite the time, we stayed.” |
Use however to connect sentences or clauses with punctuation.
✓ “It was raining. However, we went out.”
✗ “It was raining however we went out.” — missing punctuation
Use although before a full clause.
✓ “Although it was raining, we went out.”
✗ “Although the rain, we went out.” — clause needed
Use despite before a noun or verb-ing, never a full clause.
✓ “Despite the rain, we went out.”
✓ “Despite it being cold, we went out.”
✗ “Despite it was cold, we went out.”
Do not double-mark contrast.
✓ “Although it was expensive, I bought it.”
✗ “Although it was expensive, but I bought it.”
In open cloze, the word after the gap usually gives the answer away. If a full clause follows, you probably need although. If a noun or -ing form follows, you probably need despite. If the gap starts a new sentence after a full stop or semicolon, however is a strong candidate.
Where this appears in the exam
Open Cloze is Reading and Use of English Part 2. You get a short text with eight gaps and no options. Most gaps test grammar words, not content words. That is why local structure matters more than general topic.
Cambridge loves gaps with just enough context to tempt a wrong answer. You see contrast, so you write despite. But the next words are it was, so the grammar is wrong. Or you see a noun and write what, because the meaning feels right, but English wants a relative pronoun.
With present perfect, the trap is often a time marker. If the text says today, this week, or shows a present result, present perfect may work. If it says yesterday, last year, or any closed past time, it cannot.
Mini-example:
I ______ my keys, so I can’t get into the house.
✓ have lost — present result now
✗ lost — possible in speaking, but the exam sentence pushes you to the present connection
With relative clauses, the trap is omission. If the gap is the subject of the clause, you must fill it.
The woman ______ works here is from Canada.
✓ who/that
✗ nothing — the clause has no subject without it
With contrast linkers, Cambridge checks whether you can match meaning to structure.
______ being very tired, she finished the report.
✓ Despite
✗ Although — a clause does not follow
If you want the full exam format and scoring basics, read what is FCE B2 First. If you want a wider plan for the paper, how to prepare for B2 First and how to prepare FCE Reading help you place Part 2 inside the whole exam.
Worked examples step by step
Situation: You read: “I ______ working here for six months, and I’m still learning new things.” ✗ have worked — possible for duration, but the sentence stresses ongoing activity over time ✓ have been — have been working fits duration and unfinished activity
The clue is for six months plus I’m still learning. The focus is the activity continuing up to now, not a finished result.
Situation: You read: “The laptop ______ I bought last month has already broken.” ✗ what — Spanish que pushes you toward one all-purpose connector ✓ that — defining relative clause after a thing; which also works
The noun is laptop. Then you need a relative word introducing the clause I bought last month. Because it is the object, the pronoun could even be omitted: The laptop I bought…
Situation: You read: ”______ the bad weather, the match continued.” ✗ Although — you chose the meaning correctly, but the structure after the gap is a noun phrase ✓ Despite — a preposition followed by the bad weather
This is the classic exam trick. Meaning alone is not enough. Look at the next word. If it is a noun, despite works. If it is a clause like it was raining, although works.
Situation: You read: “She ______ her room, which is why her clothes are covered in paint.” ✗ has painted — this focuses on the completed result ✓ has been painting — the visible evidence now explains the choice
The phrase which is why her clothes are covered in paint points to recent activity with present evidence. That is exactly what present perfect continuous is for.
Situation: You read: “The man ______ car was blocking the road came back after ten minutes.” ✗ who — you saw a person and stopped there ✓ whose — the gap introduces possession: his car
This one appears often in open cloze because the clue is small. If the word after the gap is a noun, ask whether possession is involved. If yes, whose is the answer.
Situation: You read: “It was getting late. ______, nobody wanted to leave.” ✗ Although — wrong connector type; it cannot start this new sentence like that ✓ However — adverbial contrast after a full stop
Punctuation matters. After a full stop, however fits naturally. Although needs to introduce a subordinate clause inside one sentence.
Exercise: test yourself
Fill each gap with one word.
- I ______ been studying all morning, so I need a break.
- The woman ______ lives upstairs is a violinist.
- ______ being very nervous, he gave a great presentation.
- She has read five articles this week, but I ______ only read one.
- The village ______ we stayed was incredibly quiet.
Answers:
- have — the structure is have been studying for present perfect continuous.
- who/that — the gap is the subject of a defining relative clause about a person.
- Despite — it is followed by being, so you need a preposition, not although.
- have — I have only read one uses present perfect simple for result/quantity.
- where — the relative word refers to place.
If you want more gap-fill practice with instant feedback, try lingaly.
FAQ
How do I know if Cambridge wants present perfect simple or continuous?
Ask one question: is the sentence about the result, or about the activity over time? I’ve written three emails focuses on result; I’ve been writing emails all morning focuses on duration and current evidence.
Can I always omit who, which, or that in relative clauses?
No. You can omit the relative pronoun only when it is the object. In The book (that) I bought, omission is fine. In The man who lives here, you cannot omit who because it is the subject. For more practice on this kind of grammar gap, use these exercises.
What is the fastest way to choose between however, although, and despite?
Look at the next chunk, not the meaning first. If a full clause follows, use although. If a noun or verb-ing follows, use despite. If it starts a new sentence after punctuation, however is usually the one you want.