Reading Part 6:Open gap-fill
One-word gap-fills · word patterns & grammar
PET parts in this lesson · mixed-skill spiral
Why this lesson now? Introduces Reading 6 (open cloze); recycles Writing 1 and Speaking 3.
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get ready · 01
5 minGet talking
Which type of words usually fill these gaps: nouns or 'small' grammar words?
Why does the answer in Part 6 have to be EXACTLY one word?
Does reading the sentence aloud (silently) help you 'hear' the missing word?
Grammar for the Exam · 02
8–10 minWhat kind of word is missing? The 6 big families
Articles · prepositions · auxiliaries · pronouns · linkers · quantifiers — that's almost every Part 6 answer.
Open gap-fill hides grammar, not vocabulary. The missing word is almost always one of: ARTICLE (a/an/the), PREPOSITION (in/on/at/of/to/by), AUXILIARY (do/does/did/have/has/had/be/am/is/was/were), PRONOUN (it/them/this/who/which), LINKER (although/because/however/if/when), or QUANTIFIER (some/any/no/much/many/few).
→ Article: 'I'm reading ____ book.' → a
→ Preposition: 'She's good ____ maths.' → at
→ Auxiliary: 'I ____ never been there.' → have
→ Pronoun: 'The film ____ I saw last night was great.' → which / that
Question 1.'She has lived here ____ 2019.' Type one word:
Question 2.'There isn't ____ milk left.' Type one word:
Question 3.'I'll call you ____ I arrive.' Type one word:
Question 4.'____ you ever been to Rome?' Type one word:
Quick check 1.Best first question to ask in Part 6:
Exam Vocabulary · 03
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Activation · Personalise · Recycle
Use each chunk in a real sentence about yourself.
Ask your partner
- How long have you lived in your home? (use 'for')
- Since when have you studied English? (use 'since')
- What have you been doing for the last hour?
"It's only 9am and I've already…"already
"I haven't…"yet
Write 2 sentences: one with 'although', one with 'whose'.
Pronunciation for Speaking · 04
3–4 minWeak forms of grammar words
Articles, prepositions and auxiliaries are USUALLY pronounced weakly: 'ə', not 'eh'.
- • I've been to Rome.
- • She's lived here since June.
- • There isn't any bread.
- • Have you finished?
Reading Skills · 05
8–10 minPET Reading Part 6 (open gap-fill) — My first job
I got my first job when I was sixteen. I worked [[1]] a small café near my school. The owner, [[2]] name was Sofia, was strict but very kind. I had never made coffee in my life, but [[3]] the end of the first month, I could prepare almost anything on the menu. I worked there [[4]] two years and learned more about people [[5]] I'd ever learned at school. I haven't worked in a café since, but I still smile [[6]] I walk past one.
Question 1.How old was the writer at their first job?
Question 2.What did Sofia teach the writer?
Question 3.How does the writer feel about that job now?
Q1.The writer still works in a café.
Q2.The writer learned a lot about people there.
Listening Skills · 06
8–10 minPET Listening Part 2 — Two adults talk about their first job
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Tom:What was your first job?
Priya:Babysitting. I was fifteen. I was terrified the baby would cry the entire evening.
Tom:Did she?
Priya:Not once! And the parents paid me extra. I've never forgotten that feeling — my own money, in my own hand.
Tom:Mine was a paper round. Five mornings a week, before school. Hated it at the time, but I haven't been late for anything since.
Question 1.How old was Priya at her first job?
Question 2.What did Tom's first job teach him?
Question 3.What did both speakers feel proud of?
Exam Strategy · 07
5 minPET Reading Part 6 — naming the missing grammar family
Before you write, label the gap: 'article? prep? aux? pronoun? linker? quantifier?'
Task
Read the sentence with the gap, decide the grammar family, then write ONE word.
Example
'I've been here ____ Monday.' → family: preposition (time). Candidates: 'since' / 'on'. With a point in time → 'since'.
Writing Task · 08
5 minPut it in writing
Q1.Gap 1 — type ONE word: 'I worked ____ a small café.'
Q2.Gap 2 — type ONE word: 'The owner, ____ name was Sofia, was kind.'
Q3.Gap 3 — type ONE word: '____ the end of the first month, I could prepare anything.'
Q4.Gap 4 — type ONE word: 'I worked there ____ two years.'
Q5.Gap 5 — type ONE word: 'I learned more about people ____ I'd ever learned at school.'
Q6.Gap 6 — type ONE word: 'I still smile ____ I walk past one.'
PET Writing Part 2 (story, ≈100 words). Begin with: 'It was my first day at work and I had no idea what to do.' Use 'although', 'since' and 'when' once each.
Your writing draft
0 words SavedShow model answer & examiner comment
It was my first day at work and I had no idea what to do. Although the manager had given me a quick tour, the till looked impossibly complicated. The first customer was an elderly man who wanted three different sandwiches with no tomato in any of them. When I finally pressed the right button, I almost cheered. Since that day, no shift has ever felt as long as those first three hours. I've now worked there for six months and I genuinely look forward to going in.
Examiner comment
| 5 | All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only. |
| 3 | Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding. |
| 1 | Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length. |
Speaking Task · 09
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
PET Speaking Part 4 — Discuss: Should teenagers have a part-time job? Why / why not? Use 'since', 'for' and 'although' at least once each.
Useful phrases
Candidate A — First day at the office
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • What can you see?
- • How is the new worker feeling?
- • Why is the first day important?
- • What would you do on your first day at a new job?
Candidate B — Training at a café
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • Who are the people and what are they doing?
- • How do they feel about the job?
- • What skills do you need for this work?
- • Would you enjoy a job like this? Why / why not?
Useful phrases
- • I can see…
- • It seems like…
- • They look…
- • I think they're probably…
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Make grammar word families feel like reflexes. ~30 min total
Homework · 10
Take-homeTake it home
Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.
PET Reading Part 6 mock — re-do the open-cloze from Section 8 in 6 minutes. Mark each gap by grammar type.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Task
Grammar-type log
PET Writing Part 2 mock — write a 100-word story starting with the sentence below. Use 3 different linkers.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Story prompt
Linkers to use
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Grammar cloze drill — read the short text below (60 words). 6 small words are missing. Fill each gap with ONE word.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Text with gaps
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Recap · 11
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Part 6 = 6 gaps, ONE word each.
- Almost always grammar, not vocabulary.
- Six families: article · preposition · auxiliary · pronoun · linker · quantifier.
- Name the family first, then choose the word.
- Spell carefully — one word only, no contractions split.