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๐ Content updated on 29 April 2026
๐งฉ Gap Filling – Picking the perfect word to plug the hole
Gap‑filling exercises test whether you can drop the right preposition, article, or verb form into a sentence so that it sounds smooth and correct. They sharpen your eye for grammar and help you write error‑free sentences.
๐ง๐ซ How to use this sheet: Look at the blank, think what the sentence needs— a preposition (in, on, at…), an article (a, an, the), or a tense form—then tap “Show Answer”. The explanation tells you why that choice works and gives you a fresh example.
Gap‑filling exercises test whether you can drop the right preposition, article, or verb form into a sentence so that it sounds smooth and correct. They sharpen your eye for grammar and help you write error‑free sentences.
๐ง๐ซ How to use this sheet: Look at the blank, think what the sentence needs— a preposition (in, on, at…), an article (a, an, the), or a tense form—then tap “Show Answer”. The explanation tells you why that choice works and gives you a fresh example.
In this worksheet:
(Click any topic to jump straight to that section)
Gap filling is a favourite with examiners because it tests multiple grammar points at once. Our
Gap Filling
guide explains the logic behind every choice. For more practice, try the
Gap Filling worksheet.
เคนिंเคฆी เคต्เคฏाเคเคฐเคฃ เคฎें เคญी เคฐिเค्เคค เคธ्เคฅाเคจ เคญเคฐเคจे เคे เค
เคญ्เคฏाเคธ เคเคชเคฒเคฌ्เคง เคนैं — เคฆेเคें
เคตाเค्เคฏ เคถुเคฆ्เคงि เคนเคฌ।
✅ Solved Examples (20 Questions with Answers)
Let's work through prepositions, articles, and tenses—the three big pillars of gap filling.
Solved Q.1
"She is very good ___ mathematics." (in / at / for)
Show Answer
Answer: at
Explanation: The adjective "good" is followed by "at" when talking about a skill or subject. "Good in" is sometimes used, but "good at" is the standard collocation.
Example: He is good at playing chess.
Explanation: The adjective "good" is followed by "at" when talking about a skill or subject. "Good in" is sometimes used, but "good at" is the standard collocation.
Example: He is good at playing chess.
Solved Q.2
"I saw ___ one‑eyed man near the temple." (a / an / the)
Show Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: "One‑eyed" begins with a consonant sound /w/. Even though "one" starts with a vowel letter, the first sound is a consonant. Therefore "a" is used.
Example: He is a European citizen.
Explanation: "One‑eyed" begins with a consonant sound /w/. Even though "one" starts with a vowel letter, the first sound is a consonant. Therefore "a" is used.
Example: He is a European citizen.
Solved Q.3
"If it rains, we ___ (stay) at home." (Fill with correct tense)
Show Answer
Answer: will stay
Explanation: This is a type‑1 conditional. The if‑clause is in simple present, and the main clause uses "will + base verb".
Example: If you work hard, you will succeed.
Explanation: This is a type‑1 conditional. The if‑clause is in simple present, and the main clause uses "will + base verb".
Example: If you work hard, you will succeed.
Solved Q.4
"He has been waiting ___ two hours." (since / for / from)
Show Answer
Answer: for
Explanation: "For" indicates a duration of time. "Since" would require a point in time (e.g., since 2 o'clock).
Example: She has been studying for three hours.
Explanation: "For" indicates a duration of time. "Since" would require a point in time (e.g., since 2 o'clock).
Example: She has been studying for three hours.
Solved Q.5
"___ Ganga is a holy river." (A / An / The / ×)
Show Answer
Answer: The
Explanation: "The" is used before the names of rivers, seas, and oceans.
Example: The Nile flows through Egypt.
Explanation: "The" is used before the names of rivers, seas, and oceans.
Example: The Nile flows through Egypt.
Solved Q.6
"When I reached the station, the train ___ (leave)." (Fill correct tense)
Show Answer
Answer: had left
Explanation: The leaving happened before the reaching (two past actions). The earlier action takes the past perfect tense.
Example: The train had departed before we arrived.
Explanation: The leaving happened before the reaching (two past actions). The earlier action takes the past perfect tense.
Example: The train had departed before we arrived.
Solved Q.7
"He is afraid ___ snakes." (of / from / by)
Show Answer
Answer: of
Example: She is afraid of the dark.
Example: She is afraid of the dark.
Solved Q.8
"I have ___ umbrella in my bag." (a / an / the)
Show Answer
Answer: an
Example: She ate an apple.
Example: She ate an apple.
Solved Q.9
"He ___ (go) to the gym every morning." (Fill tense)
Show Answer
Answer: goes
Example: She reads the newspaper daily.
Example: She reads the newspaper daily.
Solved Q.10
"The book is ___ the table." (on / in / at)
Show Answer
Answer: on
Example: Keep it on the shelf.
Example: Keep it on the shelf.
Solved Q.11
"She ___ (finish) her homework before she went to bed."
Show Answer
Answer: had finished
Example: He had eaten before he left.
Example: He had eaten before he left.
Solved Q.12
"I met him ___ the airport." (at / in / on)
Show Answer
Answer: at
Example: We arrived at the station early.
Example: We arrived at the station early.
Solved Q.13
"They ___ (play) cricket when it started raining."
Show Answer
Answer: were playing
Example: She was reading when the phone rang.
Example: She was reading when the phone rang.
Solved Q.14
"He is ___ tallest boy in the class." (a / an / the)
Show Answer
Answer: the
Example: She is the most intelligent student.
Example: She is the most intelligent student.
Solved Q.15
"We go to school ___ bus." (by / on / in)
Show Answer
Answer: by
Example: She travels by train.
Example: She travels by train.
Solved Q.16
"If she studied harder, she ___ (get) better marks."
Show Answer
Answer: would get
Example: If I had money, I would buy a car.
Example: If I had money, I would buy a car.
Solved Q.17
"He put the book ___ the bag." (in / into / inside)
Show Answer
Answer: into
Example: She poured the milk into the glass.
Example: She poured the milk into the glass.
Solved Q.18
"I ___ (not see) that movie yet." (Present perfect)
Show Answer
Answer: have not seen / haven't seen
Example: She hasn't finished her work yet.
Example: She hasn't finished her work yet.
Solved Q.19
"___ honest man is respected everywhere." (A / An / The)
Show Answer
Answer: An
Example: An honourable person always keeps promises.
Example: An honourable person always keeps promises.
Solved Q.20
"The train ___ (arrive) before we reached the station."
Show Answer
Answer: had arrived
Example: The show had started when we entered.
Example: The show had started when we entered.
Gap filling often appears alongside cloze tests and sentence completion. The
Cloze Test worksheet
and the
Sentence Completion worksheet
will strengthen your skills further. For editing practice, the
Editing Exercises worksheet
is a great companion.
✏️ Practice Questions (20 Questions with Answers)
Now fill each blank with the right preposition, article, or tense form.
Practice Q.1
"He is interested ___ learning Spanish." (in / for / at)
Show Answer
Answer: in
Example: She is interested in painting.
Example: She is interested in painting.
Practice Q.2
"I saw ___ owl on the tree." (a / an / the)
Show Answer
Answer: an
Example: An egg is on the plate.
Example: An egg is on the plate.
Practice Q.3
"She ___ (read) a book when I entered."
Show Answer
Answer: was reading
Example: They were playing when the bell rang.
Example: They were playing when the bell rang.
Practice Q.4
"We walked ___ the bridge." (across / through / along)
Show Answer
Answer: across
Example: They swam across the river.
Example: They swam across the river.
Practice Q.5
"___ moon revolves around ___ earth." (articles)
Show Answer
Answer: The moon revolves around the earth.
Example: The sun rises in the east.
Example: The sun rises in the east.
Practice Q.6
"They ___ (live) in Delhi since 2010."
Show Answer
Answer: have lived / have been living
Example: She has worked here for five years.
Example: She has worked here for five years.
Practice Q.7
"The cat jumped ___ the wall." (over / on / onto)
Show Answer
Answer: over
Example: The horse jumped over the fence.
Example: The horse jumped over the fence.
Practice Q.8
"He is ___ M.B.B.S. doctor." (a / an / the)
Show Answer
Answer: an
Example: She is an M.P.
Example: She is an M.P.
Practice Q.9
"By next year, she ___ (complete) her course."
Show Answer
Answer: will have completed
Example: They will have finished the work by evening.
Example: They will have finished the work by evening.
Practice Q.10
"He is suffering ___ fever." (from / with / of)
Show Answer
Answer: from
Example: She is suffering from a cold.
Example: She is suffering from a cold.
Practice Q.11
"I ___ (finish) my lunch just now."
Show Answer
Answer: have finished
Example: She has just left.
Example: She has just left.
Practice Q.12
"The children are afraid ___ the dark." (of / from / about)
Show Answer
Answer: of
Example: He is afraid of spiders.
Example: He is afraid of spiders.
Practice Q.13
"___ breakfast is the first meal of the day." (A / An / The / ×)
Show Answer
Answer: × (no article)
Example: Lunch is served at one.
Example: Lunch is served at one.
Practice Q.14
"She ___ (teach) here for ten years before she retired."
Show Answer
Answer: had taught / had been teaching
Example: He had worked there before joining us.
Example: He had worked there before joining us.
Practice Q.15
"He was born ___ 15th August." (in / on / at)
Show Answer
Answer: on
Example: She was born on a Sunday.
Example: She was born on a Sunday.
Practice Q.16
"I ___ (meet) him yesterday."
Show Answer
Answer: met
Example: She called me last night.
Example: She called me last night.
Practice Q.17
"Please sit ___ me." (beside / besides / among)
Show Answer
Answer: beside
Example: Come and stand beside me.
Example: Come and stand beside me.
Practice Q.18
"He is ___ university professor." (a / an / the)
Show Answer
Answer: a
Example: She is a European tourist.
Example: She is a European tourist.
Practice Q.19
"I ___ (wait) for you since 8 o'clock."
Show Answer
Answer: have been waiting
Example: They have been sitting here for an hour.
Example: They have been sitting here for an hour.
Practice Q.20
"She walked ___ the room quietly." (into / in / inside)
Show Answer
Answer: into
Example: He stepped into the hall.
Example: He stepped into the hall.
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๐ Challenge Questions (10 Questions with Answers)
These gaps test trickier preposition combinations and tense sequences.
Challenge Q.1
"She is fond ___ chocolates ___ the morning." (Fill both blanks)
Show Answer
Answer: of; in
Example: He is fond of reading in the evening.
Example: He is fond of reading in the evening.
Challenge Q.2
"If he ___ (study) harder, he would have passed."
Show Answer
Answer: had studied
Example: If she had known, she would have helped.
Example: If she had known, she would have helped.
Challenge Q.3
"___ more you practise, ___ better you become." (articles)
Show Answer
Answer: The; the
Example: The sooner, the better.
Example: The sooner, the better.
Challenge Q.4
"He insisted ___ paying the bill and would not hear ___ it." (prepositions)
Show Answer
Answer: on; of
Example: She insisted on coming, but I wouldn't hear of it.
Example: She insisted on coming, but I wouldn't hear of it.
Challenge Q.5
"By the time the guests arrive, we ___ (prepare) everything."
Show Answer
Answer: will have prepared
Example: She will have finished by then.
Example: She will have finished by then.
Challenge Q.6
"He is blind ___ one eye and deaf ___ one ear." (prepositions)
Show Answer
Answer: in; in
Example: She is blind in the left eye.
Example: She is blind in the left eye.
Challenge Q.7
"I ___ (not see) her since she ___ (leave) the city."
Show Answer
Answer: have not seen; left
Example: I haven't met him since he moved.
Example: I haven't met him since he moved.
Challenge Q.8
"___ weather was fine, so we went out." (article)
Show Answer
Answer: The
Example: The sun was shining.
Example: The sun was shining.
Challenge Q.9
"She is addicted ___ coffee and cannot go a day ___ it." (prepositions)
Show Answer
Answer: to; without
Example: He is addicted to video games and can't stay without them.
Example: He is addicted to video games and can't stay without them.
Challenge Q.10
"If she ___ (be) the captain, she would lead the team better."
Show Answer
Answer: were
Example: If I were you, I would accept.
Example: If I were you, I would accept.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
FAQ 1
What is gap filling?
Show Answer
Answer: Gap filling is an exercise where you complete a sentence by inserting the missing word(s). It tests your knowledge of grammar (prepositions, articles, tenses), vocabulary, and collocations.
FAQ 2
How do I know which preposition to use?
Show Answer
Answer: Learn common preposition combinations (good at, interested in, afraid of, fond of). Also think about meaning: "in" for enclosed spaces, "on" for surfaces, "at" for points, and so on. Practice will make these choices automatic.
FAQ 3
What are the common tense traps in gap filling?
Show Answer
Answer: Conditionals (if clauses), two past actions (one becomes past perfect), stative verbs (no continuous), and time markers (since, for, just, already) often decide the tense. Look for clues in the sentence.
FAQ 4
How do I choose between 'a' and 'an'?
Show Answer
Answer: It depends on the sound that follows, not the spelling. Use 'a' before consonant sounds (a European, a one‑way street) and 'an' before vowel sounds (an hour, an honest person).
FAQ 5
Is gap filling asked in board exams?
Show Answer
Answer: Yes, gap filling is a common question type in many Indian school board exams and competitive tests. It often appears as a standalone grammar section or as part of integrated grammar exercises.
