Choosing connectors in cloze texts | TEF Vocabulary

Section D of TEF Lexique et Structure moves from single sentences to short cloze texts of four to eight sentences, each with one or two gaps. The missing words are logical connectors (cause, consequence, concession, addition) and prepositions or prepositional phrases. At B2 level the texts are longer and the logic is subtler: you are not just filling a gap in isolation but maintaining the coherence of an argument across the whole paragraph. Picking the wrong connector changes the logical relationship between ideas, even if the grammar looks fine.

What you’ll learn

Identify the logical relationship between two sentences before choosing a connector
Distinguish connectors that look similar but express different logical links
Choose the correct preposition based on the verb, adjective, or noun it accompanies
Use the paragraph as a whole to verify that your choice fits the flow of ideas

Reading the text before touching the gaps

Before you look at the four options for any gap, read the entire short text once. Your goal is to understand what the author is arguing or describing, and to note the logical direction of each sentence. Is each idea adding to the previous one? Contradicting it? Explaining it? That answer tells you the family of connector you need.

1Read the whole paragraph once for general meaning.
2Identify the relationship between the sentence with the gap and the surrounding sentences.
3Name the logical link: addition, cause, consequence, concession, condition, example, or time.
4Look at the options and find the connector that belongs to that logical family.
5Read the completed sentence back in context to check the paragraph still flows naturally.

The six logical families and their connectors

Every connector belongs to one of a small number of logical families. Learning to name the relationship first means you can eliminate three options immediately.

Addition: de plus, en outre, par ailleurs, qui plus est
Cause: car, puisque, étant donné que, vu que, parce que
Consequence: donc, ainsi, par conséquent, c'est pourquoi, si bien que
Concession / contrast: cependant, pourtant, néanmoins, toutefois, or (literary), bien que + subjonctif
Condition: si, à condition que + subjonctif, pourvu que + subjonctif
Example or clarification: c'est-à-dire, notamment, entre autres, à savoir

Connectors that candidates regularly confuse

"Donc" (so / therefore) expresses consequence; "pourtant" (yet / however) expresses concession. They are opposites.
"Car" gives a cause that explains what came before; "donc" gives a result that follows from it. The direction of logic is reversed.
"Cependant", "pourtant", "néanmoins", and "toutefois" all mean "however", but they differ in register and the strength of the contrast. At B2, the options often include all four. Choose by register: "toutefois" and "néanmoins" are more formal.
"Puisque" introduces a reason already known to both speakers; "parce que" introduces a new reason. The distinction matters in context.

Connector examples in short cloze texts

Cause vs. consequence:

Les températures ont chuté la semaine dernière. _______, plusieurs communes ont signalé des dégâts sur les routes.
"Temperatures dropped last week. _______, several towns reported road damage." The second sentence is a result of the first, so the answer is "Par conséquent" or "C'est pourquoi" (not "car", which would introduce a cause, not a result).

Concession in context:

Ce projet présente des avantages indéniables. _______, son coût reste trop élevé pour être adopté cette année.
"This project has undeniable advantages. _______, its cost is still too high to be adopted this year." The sentence concedes the advantages but introduces a problem, so the answer is "Cependant", "Néanmoins", or "Toutefois". "Donc" or "par conséquent" would be wrong because those signal a consequence, not a contrast.

Addition:

La réforme prévoit une réduction des impôts pour les ménages à faibles revenus. _______, elle instaure un crédit d'impôt pour les investissements verts.
"The reform includes a tax cut for low-income households. _______, it introduces a tax credit for green investment." The second idea adds to the first, so the answer is "De plus", "Par ailleurs", or "En outre". "Cependant" would be wrong here because there is no contrast.

Prepositions: fixed patterns and common traps

When the gap is a preposition rather than a connector, the question is different: you need to know the fixed preposition that accompanies a particular verb, adjective, or noun. There is often no logical reasoning to apply; you simply need to know the pattern.

dépendre de: "Cela dépend _______ la situation." Answer: "de".
se préparer à: "Elle se prépare _______ l'examen." Answer: "à".
avoir besoin de: "Nous avons besoin _______ nouvelles informations." Answer: "de".
faire face à: "L'entreprise doit faire face _______ la crise." Answer: "à".
profiter de: "Ils ont profité _______ beau temps." Answer: "du" (de + le).
tenir compte de: "Il faut tenir compte _______ ces changements." Answer: "de".

Verb-preposition patterns to memorise

Verbs that take "de": se souvenir de, avoir peur de, manquer de, s'occuper de, être fier de.
Verbs that take "à": réussir à, tenir à, s'habituer à, participer à, s'intéresser à.
When in doubt between "à" and "de", say the sentence aloud with both. One usually sounds clearly wrong.

Register and text type matter at B2

Section D texts at B2 are often press articles, academic summaries, or formal reports. The connectors that fit these registers are the more formal ones: "toutefois" rather than "mais", "par conséquent" rather than "donc", "en outre" rather than "et aussi". If the text sounds formal, lean toward the formal option when two connectors have the same logical value.

Le rapport souligne l'importance de la formation continue. _______, il recommande une révision des financements publics.
"The report underlines the importance of ongoing training. _______, it recommends a review of public funding." Both ideas point in the same direction (addition). In a formal report, "De plus" or "Par ailleurs" fit better than "Et" or "Aussi".

How to practise this

Effective practice for cloze texts

Read one short editorial or opinion piece in French each day. Highlight every connector and label its logical family (cause, concession, consequence, etc.).
Take a paragraph and delete all connectors. Then try to fill them back in before checking the original.
Make a table of 5 connectors per family with one example sentence each. Review it once a week.
On practice tests, after choosing a connector, write one word beside the gap naming the logical link: "consequence", "concession", etc. This forces you to reason, not guess.

Key takeaways

Name the logical relationship between ideas before looking at the options.
"Car" introduces a cause; "donc" introduces a consequence. They go in opposite directions.
"Cependant", "pourtant", "néanmoins", and "toutefois" all signal concession; choose by register.
For preposition gaps, the answer depends on the fixed collocation of the surrounding verb or adjective.
Formal texts call for formal connectors; match the register of the text.