Fill in the Gaps with Words – Basic 4 English Lesson Note (First Term)

Filling in the gaps means choosing the correct word to complete a sentence so that it makes sense and is grammatically correct.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain what it means to fill in the gaps with words.
2. Use clue words in a sentence to choose the correct tense.
3. Choose between the present and past forms of a verb.
4. Complete a short passage by filling each gap with the correct word.

What does it mean to fill in the gaps?

To fill in a gap is to write the missing word in a blank space in a sentence or passage.

• Gap: a blank line (_______) that shows where a word is missing.
• Options: the words in brackets from which we choose, for example (tries/tried).
• Clue: a word or sentence nearby that helps us pick the right answer.

How do we fill in the gaps correctly?

We fill in gaps by reading the whole sentence, finding the clues and testing each option.

1. Read the whole sentence or passage first.
2. Find clue words such as yesterday, often, now or last week.
3. Decide whether the action happens in the past or the present.
4. Try each option in the gap.
5. Choose the word that sounds right and makes sense.
6. Read the sentence again to check your answer.

What kinds of words can fill a gap?

Gaps can be filled with verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, prepositions and conjunctions.

How do we choose the correct tense?

The tense of a verb must match the time of the action, which clue words usually show.

Present tense clues

• Often, always, every day: show a habit that happens again and again.
• Now, today: show an action happening at this time.

Past tense clues

• Yesterday, last week, ago: show an action that is finished.
• A story told about something that happened: the verbs are in the past tense.

What are the present and past forms of some verbs?

Regular verbs add -ed to make the past tense, while irregular verbs change their form.

How do we fill the gaps in a passage? (worked example)

Read the passage below and choose the correct word in brackets for each gap.

Seun and Michael are good friends.

They often play roughly. Seun _________1. (tries/tried) to sit on a chair. Michael _________2. (pull/pulled) the chair.

Seun _________3. (falls/fell) on the floor. Michael _________4. (laughed/laughs) at him.

Their teacher _________5. (was/is) angry with Michael. He beat him.

Answers and reasons

Points to notice

• Often: this word in “They often play roughly” shows a habit, so play stays in the present tense.
• Change of tense: the story of one event after that sentence moves into the past tense.
• Same tense: verbs in one story should stay in the same tense.

How do we choose between is, are, was and were?

The verb to be must agree with the person or thing it describes.

• is: present, used with one person or thing, as in “The teacher is angry.”
• are: present, used with many or with you, as in “The boys are happy.”
• was: past, used with one person or thing, as in “Seun was sad.”
• were: past, used with many or with you, as in “The pupils were late.”

What mistakes should we avoid?

• Mixing tenses: do not write “Seun fell and Michael laughs” in one story.
• Adding -ed to irregular verbs: write fell, not falled.
• Ignoring clue words: always look for yesterday, often or last week.
• Skipping the check: always read the sentence again after filling the gap.

Evaluation

1. What does it mean to fill in the gaps?
2. Fill the gap: Tolu _________ (walk/walked) to school yesterday.
3. Fill the gap: The children _________ (is/are) playing in the field now.
4. Fill the gap: Ada _________ (eat/ate) her food and drank water.
5. Write the past tense of: try, fall, come.

Assignment

Copy the passage and fill each gap with the correct word in brackets.

Last Sunday, our family _________ (go/went) to church. My sister _________ (sing/sang) in the choir. We _________ (is/were) very happy. After service, we _________ (eat/ate) rice at home.