Fill in the Blanks — SSC CGL English Comprehension

A blank is a small comprehension test: the sentence around it already dictates what fits. Read for the direction of thought — is this contrast, cause, sequence, addition? — and the tone (positive or negative). Then the right word usually announces itself. Grammar blanks turn on a rule (preposition, verb form, agreement); vocabulary blanks turn on collocation — the word English habitually pairs with the others.

1. What SSC actually asks

Tier 1: 2–3 Q · Tier 2: 3–5 Q. Single-blank and double-blank sentences testing: contextual vocabulary, prepositions, conjunctions/connectors, verb forms, subject–verb agreement, and fixed collocations. Tier 2 leans more on vocabulary and two-blank items.

2. Read the direction first

The connector or logic of the sentence tells you what the blank must do:

• Contrast (but, although, despite, yet): the blank opposes the earlier idea — "She is intelligent but lazy."
• Cause/result (because, so, therefore): the blank continues the logic — "It rained, so the match was cancelled."
• Addition (and, moreover): the blank matches the earlier tone.
• Tone match: if the outcome is negative ("discouraged the writer"), a negative-charge word fits ("scathing remarks"), not a positive one.

Decide the direction before reading the options — it eliminates half of them instantly.

3. Grammar blanks — the rule decides

• Prepositions: fixed pairings — good at maths, suffering from fever, deprived of, afraid of.
• Verb form after a preposition/'despite': use the gerund — "Despite working hard, he failed."
• Subject–verb agreement: with neither…nor / either…or, the verb agrees with the nearer subject — "Neither the students nor the teacher was present."
• Infinitive after 'to': base form — "asked them to open their books."

4. Vocabulary blanks — collocation

English pairs certain words by habit. The "correct" option is the one that collocates:

• impose measures/restrictions (not compose/expose).
• a vital clue, a grave error, a heavy rain, commit a crime, make a decision.
• When two options share a meaning, the collocation (and the sentence's tone) breaks the tie.

5. Double blanks — both must fit

For two-blank items, a pair is correct only if both words work. Strategy:

1. Solve the easier/more constrained blank first; use it to eliminate pairs.
2. Then confirm the second blank in the surviving pairs.
3. Reject any pair where one word fits beautifully but the other doesn't — a single failure kills it.

"Although he was tired, he continued working." — the contrast connector and the sustained action must agree.

6. Solved PYQ-style examples

Q1. She is intelligent ___ lazy. Solution. Contrast between a virtue and a fault → but.

Q2. He is good ___ mathematics. Solution. Fixed preposition → good at.

Q3. Despite ___ hard, he failed the exam. Solution. After "despite", use the gerund → working.

Q4. The critic's ___ remarks discouraged the young writer. Solution. The outcome is negative, so a harsh word → scathing.

Q5. Neither the students nor the teacher ___ present. Solution. Verb agrees with the nearer subject (teacher, singular) → was.

Q6. The government decided to ___ strict measures to curb pollution. Solution. Collocation → impose (measures).

7. Exam protocol

1. Read the full sentence and fix its direction (contrast/cause/addition) before the options.
2. Match the tone — negative context wants a negative-charge word.
3. Grammar blank? Apply the rule: preposition pairing, gerund after "despite", nearer-subject agreement.
4. Vocabulary blank? Choose the collocating word; tone breaks ties between synonyms.
5. Double blanks: solve the constrained blank first; reject any pair with one bad word.