Cloze Test
🔒 Log in to trackConnector blanks: contrast, cause, result, addition
🔒 Log in to trackA connector blank is a logic question in disguise. The option must name the exact relation between the clause before and the clause after.
Two-clause test. Split the sentence at the blank and ask how clause B behaves toward clause A:
- B pulls against A → contrast: yet, but, however, although, still, whereas.
- B explains why A is true → cause: because, since, as.
- B is the outcome of A → result: so, therefore, hence, thus.
- B adds a parallel point → addition: moreover, besides, also, and.
| Relation | Connectors | Mini-test |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | but, yet, however, although, whereas, still | the two clauses pull in opposite directions |
| Cause | because, since, as, for | second clause explains why the first is true |
| Result | so, therefore, hence, thus, consequently | second clause is the outcome of the first |
| Addition | moreover, besides, also, and, furthermore | second clause adds a parallel point |
| Condition | if, unless, provided | one clause depends on the other happening |
| Time | when, while, before, after, until | one clause fixes when the other happens |
Signature SSC item: praise followed by limitation. 'The walk costs nothing and demands no equipment, ___ very few people continue it' — the second clause concedes a limit, so yet/but is required; so or because breaks the logic. Train your ear on this pattern: it appears in nearly every paper.
Placement grammar. However and therefore need a comma and usually start a new sentence or clause ('..., however,'), while yet/but/so join clauses directly after a comma. If the blank sits between two clauses joined by a comma, the joining connector is grammatically safer.
Double-connector pairs: not only... but also, either... or, neither... nor, both... and, no sooner... than, hardly... when, lest... should. If one half appears outside the blank, only its partner can fill the blank.
Detailed notes
Connector blanks: one logic decision
A connector blank joins two clauses, and your only job is to find the direction between them: same way or opposite way, cause or result, one event after another. The connector is logic written as a single word.
Step 1: find the two clauses
Read the words on both sides of the blank and compress each side into a sign:
- "The walk costs nothing (+), ___ very few continue it (−)" → opposite directions → contrast.
- "It rained heavily (+cause), ___ the match was cancelled (−result)" → cause and result.
- "Prices rose (point 1), ___ wages stayed flat (point 2)" → the writer adds a second, parallel point.
- "She finished her homework (event 1), ___ the lights went out (event 2)" → time order or overlap.
Step 2: pick the family, then the word
| Family | Direction | Members often seen |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | the two clauses pull apart | but, yet, however, whereas, although, while |
| Result | A happened, so B happened | so, therefore, hence, thus, as a result |
| Reason | B is why A happened | because, since, as, for |
| Addition | a second, supporting point | moreover, furthermore, besides, also, in addition |
| Time | events in order or overlap | when, while, before, after, until, as soon as |
| Condition | one depends on the other | if, unless, provided |
Step 3: use the punctuation clue
- A semicolon or full stop, then a comma after the blank → a linking adverb: however, moreover, therefore, otherwise. ("Business has not suffered; moreover, some customers order a second cup.")
- A comma inside one sentence joining two clauses → but, so, because, and.
- Beginning of a second sentence → the connector often looks back at the whole first sentence.
Common confusions
- but vs so: "The shop is small, ___ it is always full." → but (opposite). "The road was cleared, ___ traffic flowed again." → so (result).
- because vs although: "___ it rained, the match went on." → Although (surprising result). "___ it rained, the match was cancelled." → Because (normal result).
- while: two meanings — time overlap ("read while the tea cools") and contrast ("cities grew rich, while villages lagged").
- until: an action continues up to a time point: "He waited until morning."
Method in the exam
- Read both sides of the blank; write + or − over each.
- Same direction → addition, result or time; opposite → contrast; effect needs a cause → reason.
- Try the chosen word: the finished sentence must sound like something a newspaper would print.
Quick revision
- Connector = the direction between two clauses; find the clauses first.
- Contrast: but, yet, however, although, whereas. Result: so, therefore, hence. Reason: because, since. Addition: moreover, besides. Time: when, while, until, before.
- Semicolon + comma → however/moreover/therefore/otherwise.
- because vs although: normal result vs surprising result.
- Test the word by reading the full joined sentence aloud.
Types of questions asked
Every way this subtopic shows up in exams — how to recognise it, the formula or logic to use, and a solved example.
Type 1: Contrast connector (but, yet, although, whereas)very common2 practice Q
The clause before and after the blank point in opposite directions, or the second clause surprises you after the first.
- Compress each clause to a sign: + or −, advantage or disadvantage.
- Opposite signs → contrast family.
- Choose the member that fits the punctuation: mid-sentence comma → but/yet/although; new sentence → however; two parallel facts → whereas.
Why it works: contrast is the commonest single logic in short passages; every other option breaks one side of the pair.
Example: "His regulars first laughed at the shelf, (1) ______ today even senior nurses borrow his weeklies." (a) so (b) but (c) because (d) and
Laughed (−) → borrow now (+): opposite directions → but. So would make laughing the cause of borrowing.
Type 2: Reason connector (because, since, as)very common3 practice Q
One clause gives the cause and the other the effect; the blank sits before the cause part (or the question 'why?' fits between the clauses).
- Ask which clause answers 'why' for the other.
- If the blank introduces the why-clause → because/since/as.
- Reject result words (so, therefore) — they would reverse the direction.
Why it works: learners confuse reason and result; the test is which clause could be the answer to 'why'.
Example: "Nurses borrow the weeklies (1) ______ the magazines remind them of the hospital's own reading room." (a) unless (b) although (c) because (d) until
The second clause explains the borrowing: because. Although needs a surprise, not a reason.
Type 3: Addition connector (moreover, furthermore, besides)common3 practice Q
The second sentence or clause adds another point of the same kind — usually after a semicolon, then a comma.
- Check that both clauses push the same way (both benefits or both problems).
- Semicolon + comma → linking adverb: moreover, furthermore, in addition.
- Reject contrast and result words; the writer is agreeing with himself, not turning.
Why it works: passages list two or three supports for one claim; the addition connector is the join.
Example: "Business has not suffered at all; (1) ______, some customers now order a second cup to finish an article." (a) however (b) therefore (c) moreover (d) otherwise
Same direction (business fine, then even better) → moreover. However turns, therefore claims a result.
Type 4: Time connector (while, until, before, after, when)common3 practice Q
The two clauses describe events placed on a clock — overlapping, or one ending at a point.
- Ask how the two events sit in time: together, one before the other, or up to a limit.
- Overlapping actions → while/when; continues up to a point → until; earlier vs later → before/after.
- Plug the word in and check the clock reading of the sentence.
Why it works: time words are precise; each option places the events differently, and only one matches the story.
Example: "A scooter left at a public charging point after nine at night may stay there (1) ______ morning." (a) until (b) since (c) after (d) by
The scooter waits from night up to a limit point: until morning. Since needs a starting point, after reverses the order.
Shortcut tricks
⚡ Opposite-direction test
Give each clause a + or − sign. Same signs → addition/result connector; opposite signs → contrast connector.
Example: 'The walk costs nothing and demands no equipment (+), ___ very few people continue it (−).'
- then − → contrast → yet/but. 'So' or 'because' would need matching directions.
⚡ Partner hunt
Scan the sentence for the other half of a correlative pair. Seeing 'not only' fixes the blank to 'but also' — zero thinking needed.
⚡ Comma tell
'clause, ___ clause' with a single-word slot wants yet/but/so/for/and. Options like 'however/therefore' fit 'clause. ___, clause' patterns instead.
Where students lose marks
Confusing result (so) with cause (because) — read which clause explains which.
Choosing 'although' where a plain 'but' is needed: although cannot join two independent clauses without restructuring.
Ignoring the passage's flow: a connector that fits the sentence but reverses the paragraph's argument is wrong.
Marking 'and' as always safe; in a concession context it destroys the author's point.
Practice sets — 12 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Each answer comes with a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 12 questions
Suggested time 8 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.