Use of English PRO

Exam Preparation

Many students preparing for a B2 English exam quickly discover that success depends on more than grammar alone. In the Reading and Use of English paper, candidates are often (0) EXPECTED to show a strong awareness of vocabulary in context, especially fixed phrases, collocations and words with similar meanings. One reason this task can be difficult is that all four options may look possible at first (1) .......... . However, only one answer will fit both the meaning of the sentence and the surrounding grammar. Good preparation usually (2) .......... more than memorising long lists of words. Students need to read widely and notice how words are actually used. It also helps to (3) .......... attention to common expressions, because many questions test whether learners recognise natural combinations of words. In addition, successful candidates often learn to (4) .......... out options that are grammatically possible but do not sound natural. Another useful strategy is to look carefully at the whole sentence before choosing an answer, rather than focusing only (5) .......... the gap itself. This can prevent careless mistakes and improve overall accuracy. Above all, regular practice can build (6) .......... and help students work at a steady pace. By the day of the exam, they should feel familiar (7) .......... the task and ready to deal (8) .......... unfamiliar vocabulary calmly and logically.

About Use of English Multiple Choice — Cambridge English B2

This is a Cambridge English B2 Use of English Multiple Choice exercise. Read the text and decide which word — A, B, C or D — best fits each of the 8 gaps.

Multiple Choice questions test your vocabulary in context: collocations, phrasal verbs, linking words and words with similar but slightly different meanings. Practising B2 exercises like this builds the instinct to choose the right option quickly in the real exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions does this B2 Multiple Choice exercise have?

It has 8 gaps, and each gap gives you four options (A–D) to choose from.

What does Cambridge Use of English Multiple Choice test?

It focuses on vocabulary in context — collocations, phrasal verbs, fixed phrases and words that look similar but are not interchangeable.

How can I get better at Multiple Choice?

Read widely, learn words together with the words they combine with, and always read the whole sentence — including the words after the gap — before choosing your answer.

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What to do

In this part, you read a text with eight gaps and choose the best word from four options to fit each gap.

Nothing prepares you for this test better than reading.

Read a lot. Candidates who often read in English (for work, for fun) find this part of the test manageable, while those who never read tend to find it very hard.

If you are 100% sure that two of the 4 choices are completely identical, then neither can be the answer. There is always only one word that fits grammatically and has the right meaning.

Usually the correct option will be part of a fixed phrase or collocation, a phrasal verb, a connector or the only word that fits grammatically in the gap.

Strategy

  1. Read the title and the whole text quickly to understand its general meaning before you attempt the task.
  2. Check the words before and after the gap.
  3. Choose the best option.
  4. When you have finished, read the text again with the words inserted to check that it makes sense.