SIMPLE COMPLETION (SENTENCES)

Simple completion items use for testing grammar consist of a sentence from which a
grammatical elements has been removed. There are three steps to follow in preparing simple-
completion grammar tests: (1) select the grammar points that need to be tested; (2) provide an
appropriate context; and (3) write good instruction. Three basic kinds of simple-completion
grammar tests: 1. the option form, 2. The inflection form and 3. The free-response form.

The Option Form

The easiest simple-completion items are like multiple-choice questions with only two options.

Directions: complete the following sentences with “do” or “make”

1. He made a lot of money last year

2. I always do my best

There are three or four choices listed, and at times even more. Students choose the best question
word from among the following: who, whom, where, what, when, why, how many, how much,
how.

The Inflection Form

Testing the mastery of inflections provides for a productive response. These vary from simple
comparatives to verb tense questions:

He’s the tallest (tall) person in the class

They were (be) in Colorado last week

Another technique is to use a separate blank for each word in verb phrase:

He has been sleeping (sleep) for nearly an hour

The Free Response Form

The free-response form illustrates how that common terminology can occasionally be used.

Example : add a question tag to these sentences:

Hamlet was indecisive, wasn’t he?

Direction: write in the missing part of the two-word verb.

“What time did he get up this morning?

Advantages of simple completion (sentences)

1. These are generally easier to prepare than are multiple-choice items

2. These give the appearance of measuring productive skills because some items permit
flexibility and original expression
3. There is no exposure to incorrect grammatical forms
4. These provide a sensitive measure of achievement

Limitations of simple completion (sentences)

1. These are usually more time consuming to correct than are multiple-choice questions.
Not only can poor penmanship be a problem but also “irrelevant” errors beyond those
being tested
2. Occasionally students can unexpectedly avoid the structure being tested

CLOZE PROCEDURE

Cloze tests are prose passages, usually a paragraph or more in length, from which words have
been deleted. The cloze is simply a story or essay from which a number of words have been
deleted. We fill in the missing words much as we do while conversing.

Preparing a cloze test

The step in preparing a cloze test: (1) select an appropriate passage (2) decide on the ratio of
words to take out (3) write the instruction and prepare an example. Each of these steps will be
explained in the paragraphs that follow.

In taking a cloze test, students can normally do better if they look over the whole passage first. It
is good to prepare instructions that mention this.

Scoring the Cloze

There are two possible ways to score cloze tests. One is to give credit for only the exact word
from the story. Another is to allow full credit for equivalent words as well. Then use the exact-
word scoring method, or ask a native English teacher to say which words are equivalents.

There are a few special problems that come up when scoring cloze. One of this is misspellings.
Another problem is bad handwriting. A third difficulty occurs when students use two or more
words in the blank and the two words fit perfectly.

Adapting the cloze to test grammar

One way is simply to delete prepositions, or you could delete some other grammar item that has
been studied. For a measure of general grammatical ability, take out function words (pronouns,
article and determiners, auxiliary verbs, prepositions and conjunctions).

In preparing a selected-deletion grammar cloze like the one illustrated above, remember that it is
not necessary to have exactly the same number of words between each blank.

Alternate Forms of Cloze

There are many variations of the standard cloze. These do not have a fixed ratio of word
deletions from a prose passage.

Advantages of cloze

1. It is easy to prepare and quite easy to score

2. It is a good measure of integrative English skills
3. Standard cloze is a good measure of overall ability in English

Limitations of Cloze

1. It is not a sensitive measure of short-term gains

2. It is difficult for teachers who are non-native English speakers to choose acceptable
equivalent words.