What gap-fill is: In a gap-fill (riempire i vuoti) you complete a sentence or a short summary with the right word or words. The missing words come from the text — or from a given word bank (banca di parole). It's a Reading task, so the answer is always in front of you: your job is to find the word and write it correctly.
- riempire i vuoti
- to fill in the gaps
- il vuoto / lo spazio
- the gap / blank space
- completare
- to complete
- la parola mancante
- the missing word
- la banca di parole
- the word bank (list to choose from)
- secondo il testo
- according to the text
The word comes from the text: Almost always the word you need is already in the text (or in a given word bank). You don't invent it — you locate it and copy it across, with the correct spelling and accents.
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What a good gap-fill answer needs: A gap-fill answer is usually one word or a few words. To earn the mark it has to do three things at once: come from the text (or the bank), fit grammatically, and be spelled correctly — accents included.
| Requisito | Che cosa significa |
|---|---|
| Di solito è… | una sola parola o pochissime parole |
| Da dove viene? | dal testo (o da una banca di parole), non dalla tua fantasia |
| Deve incastrarsi? | sì, deve incastrarsi bene nella grammatica della frase |
| Conta l'ortografia? | sì — la parola dev'essere scritta bene, con gli accenti |
| Concordanza | genere e numero devono concordare (la parola / le parole) |
Spelling counts here: Because gap-fill is marked objectively, a misspelt word — or a missing accent — can cost the mark. Copy the word exactly as the text writes it.
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A reliable gap-fill routine: Don't just drop in the first plausible word. Read the gapped sentence, predict what kind of word fits, find it in the text, write it correctly, and check it fits. Five quick steps.
Fill the gap — 5 steps
1
Read the gapped sentence
Read the whole sentence with the gap. What is it telling you, and what is missing?
2
Predict the word type
Decide what kind of word fits the gap: a noun? a verb? a number? an adjective?
3
Find it in the text
Scan the text (or the word bank) for a word of that type that makes the sentence true.
4
Write it correctly
Copy the word with the right spelling and accents — objective marking is strict.
5
Check it fits
Re-read the completed sentence. Does it fit grammatically (gender, number, verb form)?
Read → Predict type → Find → Write → Check fit
Predict the word type first: Before you hunt, ask what kind of word the gap needs. If the gap follows «un» it's a masculine noun; after a subject it's probably a verb. Predicting the type means you scan for the right word, not just any word.
A gap-fill in action: Here is a short text — the kind Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. The text stays in front of you, so you find the missing word, you don't recall it. Read it once for the gist (tap the audio button to hear it, or Mostra traduzione if you get stuck), then we'll fill one gap together.
Un mercato di prodotti locali: Il quartiere di San Martino ha inaugurato un mercato di prodotti locali ogni domenica mattina. I contadini della zona vendono frutta, verdura e formaggio fresco direttamente al pubblico, senza intermediari. Per questo, i prezzi di solito sono più bassi che al supermercato.
Il comune sostiene l'iniziativa perché aiuta i piccoli produttori e riduce il trasporto degli alimenti. Gli abitanti sono entusiasti: molti dicono che il cibo ha un sapore migliore e che, inoltre, hanno conosciuto i loro contadini. Il mercato apre alle otto e chiude quando i prodotti finiscono.
- inaugurare / ha inaugurato
- to launch / open for the first time
- il contadino
- the farmer
- senza intermediari
- with no middlemen
- il comune
- the town council
- entusiasta
- delighted / enthusiastic
Filling one gap
Un vuoto, passo dopo passo
- Read the gapped sentence — «I contadini vendono la frutta direttamente al pubblico, senza __________.»
- Predict the word type. After «senza» we need a noun — what is missing between the farmer and the public?
- Find it in the text. Scan for «direttamente al pubblico»: «vendono… direttamente al pubblico, senza intermediari.»
- Write & check — senza intermediari. Spelled exactly as in the text, plural to match «vendono… al pubblico».
Copy it exactly: Once you've found the word, copy it letter for letter from the text — accents and all. In objective gap-fill marking, an invented spelling can lose a mark that the correct word would have earned.
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Where gap-fill marks are lost: Gap-fill marks are usually lost to small slips: the wrong form of a word, a word that is not from the text, a word that doesn't fit the grammar, or a simple misspelling. Compare the two columns.
Buone pratiche (good practice)
- Take the word straight from the text (or the given bank).
- Put it in the right form — gender, number, verb tense.
- Spell it exactly, with the correct accents.
- Re-read the whole sentence to confirm it fits grammatically.
Errori tipici (typical errors)
- Use the wrong form of the word (singular for plural, wrong tense).
- Write a word that is not in the text or the given bank.
- Choose a word that doesn't fit the grammar of the sentence.
- Misspell the word or drop an accent, losing the mark.
Form and spelling decide the mark: Even when you've found the right idea, the wrong form («prodotto» for «produttori») or a missing accent can cost the mark. Check the form fits and copy the spelling exactly.