What gap-fill is: In a gap-fill (rellenar huecos) 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 list of options. 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.
- rellenar huecos
- to fill in the gaps
- el hueco / el espacio
- the gap / blank space
- completar
- to complete
- la palabra que falta
- the missing word
- una lista de palabras
- a list of words (to choose from)
- según el texto
- 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 list). You don't invent it — you locate it and copy it across, with the correct spelling and accents.
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 list), fit grammatically, and be spelled correctly — accents included.
| Requisito | Qué significa |
|---|---|
| Suele ser… | una sola palabra o muy pocas palabras |
| ¿De dónde sale? | del texto (o de una lista dada), no de tu imaginación |
| ¿Tiene que encajar? | sí, debe encajar gramaticalmente en la frase |
| ¿Importa la ortografía? | sí — la palabra debe estar bien escrita, con tildes |
| Concordancia | género y número deben concordar (la palabra / las palabras) |
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 given list) 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 Ver traducción if you get stuck), then we'll fill one gap together.
Un mercado de productos locales: El barrio de San Martín ha estrenado un mercado de productos locales todos los domingos por la mañana. Los agricultores de la zona venden fruta, verdura y queso fresco directamente al público, sin intermediarios. Por eso, los precios suelen ser más bajos que en el supermercado.
El ayuntamiento apoya la iniciativa porque ayuda a los pequeños productores y reduce el transporte de alimentos. Los vecinos están encantados: muchos dicen que la comida sabe mejor y que, además, han conocido a sus agricultores. El mercado abre a las ocho y cierra cuando se acaban los productos.
- estrenar / ha estrenado
- to launch / open for the first time
- el agricultor
- the farmer
- sin intermediarios
- with no middlemen
- el ayuntamiento
- the town council
- encantado/a
- delighted
Filling one gap
Un hueco, paso a paso
- Read the gapped sentence — «Los agricultores venden la fruta directamente al público, sin _________.»
- Predict the word type. After «sin» we need a noun — what is missing between farmer and public?
- Find it in the text. Scan for «directamente al público»: «venden… directamente al público, sin intermediarios.»
- Write & check — sin intermediarios. Spelled with the tilde-free «i» throughout, plural to match «venden… al público».
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.
Buenas prácticas
- Take the word straight from the text (or the given list).
- 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.
Errores típicos
- Use the wrong form of the word (singular for plural, wrong tense).
- Write a word that is not in the text or the given list.
- 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 («producto» for «productores») or a missing accent can cost the mark. Check the form fits and copy the spelling exactly.