Why is the cloze technique useful for assessing students' understanding of English?

The cloze technique is particularly useful for assessing students' understanding of English because it requires them to actively engage with the text by filling in missing words based on context. This process not only tests their knowledge of vocabulary but also assesses their understanding of grammatical functions and the overall meaning of the passage. When students complete a cloze exercise, they must consider which words are appropriate based on the grammatical structure of the sentence, as well as the semantic context provided by the surrounding words. This dual requirement aids in evaluating their comprehension skills in a nuanced way, as they navigate both the meaning and syntax involved in English language use.