March 2026 · Assessment
Cloze tests — passages with systematically deleted words — are powerful tools for assessing reading comprehension, grammar knowledge, and overall language proficiency. But not all cloze tests are created equal. The design significantly impacts what you're measuring and how valid the results are.
Fixed-ratio cloze: Every nth word is deleted (typically every 5th, 7th, or 9th). This is the original cloze format. It tests global reading ability because deletions are random — students must understand the overall text to fill gaps. Good for placement testing and general proficiency assessment. Drawback: some deletions land on function words (the, a, is) which are too easy, while others hit content words which may be impossibly hard.
Rational cloze (selective deletion): The teacher chooses which words to delete based on testing objectives. Delete target grammar (prepositions, articles, tenses), vocabulary items, or discourse markers. This is more targeted and fairer than fixed-ratio. Most classroom cloze tests use this format.
C-test: The second half of every second word is deleted. Example: "The boy wa__ playing in th__ garden wh__ his mother ca__ him." This tests productive vocabulary and morphological knowledge. It's quick to create and administer but can feel artificial.
Banked cloze: A word bank is provided — students choose from the options. This reduces difficulty and makes the test more about recognition than production. Good for lower levels and for testing specific vocabulary sets.
Choose appropriate texts: authentic but accessible, 200-300 words, on topics familiar to students. Leave the first and last sentences intact — they provide context. For rational cloze: delete 15-25 words from a 250-word text. Ensure each deletion has only one clearly correct answer (or define acceptable alternatives). Test the cloze yourself and with a colleague to check for ambiguous items.
Exact word scoring: Only the original word is accepted. Simple and reliable, but penalizes students who provide valid synonyms. Acceptable word scoring: Any grammatically and semantically appropriate word is accepted. More valid but harder to score consistently. Weighted scoring: Full marks for the exact word, partial credit for acceptable alternatives. Best practice: use exact word scoring for grammar-focused items, acceptable word scoring for vocabulary-focused items.
20-30 deletions is standard for a standalone assessment. 10-15 for a quiz or section of a larger test. Fewer than 10 items may not be reliable. More than 30 becomes exhausting and may test stamina more than language.
Research supports fixed-ratio cloze as a valid measure of overall reading proficiency — it correlates well with standardized tests. Rational cloze is valid for testing specific structures. However, cloze tests primarily measure reading and should be combined with other task types for a complete assessment picture.