About Part 3 Gapped Sentences

Each question consists of three discrete sentences, with one gap in each one. You will have to find the word which fits appropriately in ALL three sentences. There are 6 questions in total. In the exam you transfer your answer to a special answer sheet. Part 3 tests your knowledge of lexical patterns in English, and the primary focus is on collocations and different word combinations. Each correct answer is worth TWO marks.

Now try our exercises

1. Nouns
These exercises test your knowledge of collocations where the missing word is a noun:
Online Exercise | Print Version

2. Verbs and phrasal verbs
Alternatively, the word you have to find may be a verb or phrasal verb:
Online Exercise | Print Version

3. Adjectives
Try this exercise to test your knowledge of word combinations where an adjective is needed:
Online Exercise | Print Version

Dos and don'ts

Remember that the missing word must fit in all three gaps. Don’t leave the answer sheet blank. Take a guess if you’re not sure.

How to improve

Read as many authentic texts in English as you can, as well as listening to English whenever possible. When you are recording vocabulary make a note of common word combinations rather than individual words. Go to our FREE CPE Word Bank for a different word formation exercise every day. This way you can build your knowledge slowly and systematically. If you want extra practice with similar exercises then consider signing up for CPE Exam Success Plus!

Try a test

Try an online Use of English Part 1 (Open Cloze) test in the 'Practice Tests' area.

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