The CLUE method is a strategic framework designed to help students navigate the Multiple Choice Cloze section (Part 1) of the B2 Use of English exam,. This section is particularly challenging because it presents four "real words" as options, where many may seem like synonyms, but only one fits the natural context. The CLUE method provides a checklist to move beyond simple translation and identify the correct word based on linguistic patterns,. The method breaks down into four specific areas of focus: C – Collocation The first step encourages students to ask if an option naturally "goes together" with surrounding words to form a fixed phrase or "chunk",. - How it helps: It eliminates words that might have the right meaning but the wrong pairing. For example, while "charge," "responsibility," and "control" relate to being in power, only "responsibility" naturally collocates in the phrase "take full responsibility for". - Application: Students are taught to look for the word they have seen before as a fixed unit in English. L – Lexical Meaning & Register This step helps students distinguish between near-synonyms by evaluating their formality (register) and precise nuance,. - How it helps: It prevents students from choosing words that are too vague or informal. For instance, in a formal committee context, the word "examine" is a more precise and appropriate choice than "look". - Shades of meaning: It also guides students to choose the word with the exact intended effect, such as selecting "beneficial" over general words like "good" or "great" when describing health effects. U – Usage Pattern This focuses on the grammatical requirements of a word, such as whether a verb requires a specific dependent preposition or follows a fixed structural pattern,. - How it helps: It narrows options based on the "particle" or preposition following the gap. For example, a student can identify the correct answer by knowing that "accused" must be followed by "of," whereas other options like "responsible" would require "for",. - Phrasal Verbs: It also helps navigate phrasal verb traps where multiple options might create real verbs (like set off or take off), but only one matches the specific usage needed for the sentence (like a plane leaving the ground),.

Let’s ease back into exam thinking with a clean Part 1 question. Choose the correct option. Social media plays an important ___ in how we communicate today. A) part B) role C) place D) position 👉 Drop your answer in the comments. This is exactly how we train for Part 1 here.Short questions. Real exam language. Focus on how English is actually used, not on translating word by word. Exam coach Tip: Cambridge loves set phrases like this. The grammar is fine in more than one option, but only one fits naturally. Our job is to build the instinct to hear that difference quickly. We are using the start of the year to get back into the swing of things. Nothing intense. Just consistent practice and clear thinking. I’ll post the answer and explanation tomorrow.

Let’s get back into Part 1 with a quick quiz.Choose the option that fits the meaning and the tone of the sentence. He was ___ to find out the truth. A) eager B) keen C) interested D) curious 👉 Comment your answer below. I will post the correct one and the explanation tomorrow. Exam Coaching:This is a classic Part 1 question.All four words are similar in meaning, but only one fits the natural collocation and emotional tone of the sentence. Ask yourself: - Which word shows strong desire? - Which word normally appears with “to find out”? - Which one sounds natural when you read it out loud? Tiny differences like this are what Cambridge tests in Part 1. Pro tip:When two or more words seem possible, eliminate the ones that sound unnatural in real conversation. Your instinct is often more accurate than you think. 👉 Drop your answer in the comments and check back tomorrow for the explanation.

The previous post was an actual examination part from FCE Reading and Use of English Part 1. However, I didn't include the method I would help you get as many points as you could. This here is a quick run down of what I would give my students to help them figure out the right answer. As well, remember to use process of elimination to remove any obvious answers that won't work in the text. Read each sentence again and use these coaching prompts before checking your answer. (1) Developing small, daily habits can have a surprisingly powerful ___ on our lives. 👉 Ask: Which word fits the structure “have a ___ on”? (2) The idea may sound simple, but it can be ___ difficult to put into practice. 👉 Ask: Which adverb means “very” but fits naturally here? (3) The real challenge lies not in doing something once, but in doing it ___. 👉 Ask: Which adverb fits the idea of doing something repeatedly? (4) Our surroundings often influence our behaviour more than we ___. 👉 Ask: Which verb fits “we don’t even ___ how much”? (5) By ___ small changes to our environment, we can make good habits easier. 👉 Ask: Which word fits the collocation “___ changes”? (6) Over time, these tiny choices begin to ___ up. 👉 Ask: Which phrasal verb means “accumulate” or “increase gradually”? (7) The people who succeed are not the ones who work the hardest for a short period, but those who quietly continue when nobody is ___. 👉 Ask: Which word fits with “nobody is ___ them”? (8) It is the quiet effort, the steady repetition, that eventually ___ lasting change. 👉 Ask: Which verb naturally fits “___ change”?

Topic: The Power of Small Habits Instructions: Read the text below and choose the correct word (A, B, C, or D) for each gap. There is one example (0) and eight questions (1–8). Write your answers in the comments. Example (0):A) symbolize B) define C) display D) identify It often seems that big goals and grand achievements are what (0) _B_ success. But in reality, most progress begins with something smaller and less noticeable. Developing small, daily habits can have a surprisingly powerful (1) ___ on our lives, especially when they are repeated consistently over time. The idea may sound simple, but it can be (2) ___ difficult to put into practice. People tend to expect immediate results and become discouraged when change does not happen quickly. This is why habit-building requires both patience and persistence. The real challenge lies not in doing something once, but in doing it (3) ___, even when motivation is low. Another key element is environment. Our surroundings often influence our behavior more than we (4) ___. For instance, keeping your phone nearby while studying makes distraction far more likely. By (5) ___ small changes to our environment, we can make good habits easier and bad habits harder to repeat. Over time, these tiny choices begin to (6) ___ up. What once seemed insignificant becomes the foundation for real improvement. You might not notice progress day by day, but one morning you realize that everything feels lighter, easier, more natural. In the end, the secret to growth is not intensity but consistency. The people who succeed are not the ones who work the hardest for a short period, but those who quietly continue when nobody is (7) ___. It is the quiet effort, the steady repetition, that eventually (8) ___ lasting change. Questions: (1) A) impact B) effect C) pressure D) consequence (2) A) surprisingly B) strongly C) unusually D) particularly (3) A) regularly B) occasionally C) suddenly D) rarely