In this part of the exam, the candidate is given the most basic form of a word, known as “the root” form. You need to change the prefix or suffix to adapt the word into the correct form and make it fit in the 8 gaps in the text so that it makes perfect sense.
[Image source: Cambridge Handbook]
Exam Tips
Read the complete text first to get a global understanding of the content.
Examine the sentence structure to identify the part of speech required, such as a noun, verb, adjective or adverb.
You should think of this as a 3 step process:
1. What type of word do I want? Noun, verb, adjective, or adverb?
2. What grammar is needed? Singular or plural noun, the tense of the verb (present simple, present continuous, simple past, present perfect, etc).
3. Is it affirmative or negative? Which prefix or suffix do I need?
Use your understanding of the context to decide if the missing word is positive or negative.
