Cloze passage — fill the correct word class (4 marks)

Q7. Fill each gap with a word of the part of speech indicated in brackets. Your answers must make grammatical and semantic sense.

The (1) ___ [adjective] explorer crossed the desert (2) ___ [adverb]. She carried very (3) ___ [adjective] supplies because the camels could not (4) ___ [verb] heavy loads in such heat.

Mark scheme (4 marks — 1 per gap):

• (1) Any sensible attributive adjective: brave, intrepid, weary, determined, exhausted. Reject nouns or adverbs. (1)
• (2) Any adverb of manner / time / place: slowly, cautiously, alone, yesterday, eastward. Reject -ly adjectives like friendly. (1)
• (3) Any adjective: few, scarce, limited, meagre, light. Reject little before plural countable noun supplies (semantic mismatch — accept only with credit if candidate has changed supplies to mass noun). (1)
• (4) Any plausible main verb: carry, bear, transport, endure, manage. Must be a base infinitive after modal could not. Reject conjugated forms (carried, carries). (1)