The Cloze Test is a tool used by professionals in writing and language evaluation to assess how easily a text can be understood by the general public. By removing certain words from a paragraph or two of a text and leaving the first and last lines intact, it is possible to gauge the comprehensibility of the text based on how well readers can guess the missing words. This test can also be used by individuals to assess their own language proficiency.
Both writers and language evaluators compare the readers’ chosen words to the original text to determine the level of understanding. The more words that match, the higher the chances of comprehension for readers and the greater the language proficiency of the test taker. If approximately 30% of the original words match the reader’s choices, it indicates a good level of acceptability for the text and high language proficiency for the individual being tested.
The difficulty level of the Cloze Test is determined by the frequency of word deletions. More frequent deletions indicate a higher difficulty level. It is important for the text to come from a skilled writer, as the selection and use of words greatly impact the quality of the text. Additionally, the text should provide a complete context for readers to fully grasp its meaning.
During the test, readers are requested to read the entire text twice and fill in the missing words with their most appropriate choices. This step is crucial for understanding the context of the text. The reader’s chosen words are then compared to the exact words used by the writer. If approximately 30% of the words match, it indicates a well-understood text that can be widely understood and serves as a good indicator of comprehensibility for those taking language tests.
