Fill in the Blanks
About 6 min · English Language · English
Time worked out from the lesson's 361 words at 150 words a minute, plus a minute for each question.
Fill in the Blanks is a vocabulary-intensive section in SBI Clerk Prelims English Language paper. This tests your grasp of word meanings, collocations (words that naturally go together), and contextual usage.
Key ideas
- Context is king: The sentence's overall meaning determines the correct word. Never choose based on the blank alone — read the full sentence first.
- Tone matching: A formal sentence needs formal vocabulary. If the sentence discusses a serious economic issue, casual or colloquial words are unlikely answers.
- Grammatical fit: The blank must match in part of speech. If the sentence needs a verb, an adjective option is automatically wrong regardless of meaning.
- Collocations matter: Certain words naturally pair with others. We say "make a decision" not "do a decision." Knowing common collocations helps eliminate wrong options.
- Signal words guide meaning: Words like "although," "despite," "therefore," and "moreover" signal relationships — contrast, cause-effect, addition — that determine what meaning the blank requires.
Watch out for
- Choosing based on partial fit: Students pick an option because one word in a double-blank question fits, ignoring that the second word is wrong. → Always verify BOTH blanks independently before finalizing.
- Ignoring sentence tone: Selecting a word that means roughly the right thing but doesn't match formality level. "The CEO commenced the meeting" works; "The CEO kicked off the meeting" is too informal. → Match vocabulary register to sentence style.
- Overlooking signal words: Missing contrast signals like "although" or "despite" and choosing a word that continues rather than contrasts. → Circle signal words before attempting the blank.
Quick reference
- Read the FULL sentence before looking at options.
- Circle signal words — they reveal required meaning.
- For double blanks, BOTH words must fit; one wrong word disqualifies the option.
- Eliminate grammatically impossible options first (wrong part of speech).
- When stuck between two options, choose the more commonly used collocation.
Check yourself: 3 questions
1. The government has decided to __________ the old policy and introduce a new framework that addresses current challenges.
2. Despite facing numerous __________ in his career, the scientist remained __________ in his research pursuits.
3. The manager's __________ approach to problem-solving helped the team overcome the crisis efficiently.
This lesson is cut from the topic's note, not rewritten. Fact-checked on 18 Oct 2026: an AI-assisted check of this note against cited sources; the errors it found were corrected that day. Some errors may remain. The questions are from Shishya's validated question bank.
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