Cloze questions are NCLEX drop-down items. Instead of choosing one answer from a normal multiple-choice list, you complete a sentence, table, chart, or clinical pathway by selecting the best option from one or more drop-down menus. The hard part is not using the drop-down. The hard part is deciding what the blank is really testing: a cue, a priority problem, a nursing action, or an expected outcome.
Quick Answer: What Is a Cloze Question?
How Cloze Questions Work on the NCLEX
A Cloze item can appear in several formats. Each puts the blank in a different place, but every version still tests the same underlying skill: matching the clinical context to the safest or most correct option.
| Cloze format | What the student sees | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence completion | A sentence with one or more blanks | Interpretation, priority, action |
| Table completion | A chart or table with missing cells | Matching findings to conditions or interventions |
| Clinical pathway | A step-by-step care sequence with blanks | Sequencing, escalation, evaluation |
| Chart-based completion | A statement linked to labs, vitals, notes, or orders | Cue recognition and clinical judgment |
Do not study Cloze as a grammar exercise. Study it as a clinical judgment exercise. The option you choose must fit the sentence, but it must also fit the patient's condition.
Cloze vs. Other NGN Question Types
Cloze is one of several NGN item types. Knowing how it differs from the others helps you switch reasoning modes quickly during a case study.
| Item type | Main task |
|---|---|
| Cloze / drop-down | Choose the best completion for a sentence, table, or chart |
| Matrix / grid | Make linked decisions across rows or columns |
| Highlight | Select the words or findings that answer the question |
| Bow-tie | Connect condition, actions, and monitoring parameters |
| Trend | Interpret change over time |
| Extended multiple response | Select all appropriate options from a larger set |
The official NCLEX does not publish a fixed number of Cloze questions for every candidate. Candidates may receive stand-alone items and clinical judgment case studies, and item formats can include charts, tables, and graphics. For more on how the formats fit together, see our NCLEX question types guide and the Next Generation NCLEX overview.
What Cloze Questions Actually Test
Cloze questions often look simple because the answer sits inside a drop-down. That look is misleading. A strong Cloze item can test several layers of the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model.
| CJMM skill | What it looks like in a Cloze item |
|---|---|
| Recognize cues | Which assessment finding matters most? |
| Analyze cues | What do the findings mean together? |
| Prioritize hypotheses | Which problem is most urgent? |
| Generate solutions | Which intervention fits the problem? |
| Take action | What should the nurse do first or next? |
| Evaluate outcomes | Which finding shows improvement or deterioration? |
How to Answer a Cloze Question in 6 Steps
Use this repeatable method on every drop-down item. It works for single-blank items, multi-blank items, and Cloze blanks embedded inside a case study.
Read the full sentence first
Do not pick the first option that sounds familiar. Read the full sentence or table row before opening the drop-down. Decide whether the blank needs an assessment, an interpretation, an intervention, or an outcome.
Identify the clinical judgment step
Ask whether the blank is asking you to recognize a cue, analyze cues, prioritize, take action, or evaluate. This stops you from choosing an intervention when the item is really asking for interpretation.
Review the available patient data
Use the chart, vital signs, labs, notes, medication record, and timing. A normal-looking finding can matter if it is trending the wrong way; an abnormal finding may not be the priority if another is more urgent.
Predict before reading options
Before clicking the drop-down, say what type of answer you expect. For example: this blank should be an immediate safety action, or this blank should name the most likely complication.
Eliminate unsafe or mismatched options
Remove options that delay care, ignore instability, contradict the patient data, or do not fit the sentence. Check units, timing, and grammar. Never assume a dose that is not supported by the order or the data given.
Re-read the completed sentence
After selecting an option, read the whole sentence again. It should be clinically correct, grammatically logical, and consistent with the patient scenario before you submit.
Worked NGN Cloze Example
Here is a safe, classroom-style Cloze example. The drop-down logic depends on patient context, not on memorized doses.
Scenario
A nurse is caring for a client with diabetes who is awake, diaphoretic, shaky, and reports feeling weak and hungry. The point-of-care blood glucose is 52 mg/dL. The client is able to swallow.
Cloze item
The nurse should first [drop-down 1] because the client is showing signs of [drop-down 2].
Drop-down 1 options
- administer a fast-acting carbohydrate
- hold all oral intake
- prepare the client for transport to radiology
- document the finding and reassess in 4 hours
Drop-down 2 options
- hypoglycemia
- hyperkalemia
- fluid overload
- respiratory alkalosis
Best completion
The nurse should first administer a fast-acting carbohydrate because the client is showing signs of hypoglycemia.
Rationale
The client has symptoms consistent with low blood glucose and is awake and able to swallow. The safest first action is to treat the low glucose promptly with a fast-acting carbohydrate. Holding oral intake delays treatment. Transporting the client does not address the immediate problem. Reassessing in 4 hours is unsafe because symptomatic hypoglycemia requires prompt action.
Common Mistakes That Cost Points
These traps appear in NGN Cloze items more than any others. Watch for them before you submit each blank.
Choosing an option because it sounds familiar
Familiar is not the same as correct. Always tie the option back to the patient data shown in the case.
Treating every abnormal value as the priority
The NCLEX often gives you several abnormal findings. The correct answer is usually the finding or action that matters most right now.
Ignoring timing and trend
A symptom that started suddenly, a vital sign trending worse, or a new change after a procedure can shift the priority.
Guessing the dose or protocol
If an item involves medication, calculate from the information given or follow the stated order. Do not assume a typical dose or a typical insulin type.
Not checking the completed sentence
A drop-down answer can be clinically reasonable but grammatically or logically wrong in the sentence. Re-read before submitting.
Are Cloze Questions Partial Credit?
Do not assume a scoring method from the screen alone. Public NCLEX materials describe partial-credit scoring for items that have more than one key, using methods such as plus/minus, zero/one, and rationale scoring. Whether a given Cloze item is scored as a single unit or uses partial credit can depend on the item itself.
Practical test-day rule
Can you go back after answering?
On the NCLEX, candidates must answer each item to move to the next one and cannot skip questions. Official guidance also warns that rapid guessing can lower performance on an adaptive test, so the better strategy is to keep a reasonable pace and consider each blank carefully.
How to Practice While Dedicated Cloze Practice Is Coming Soon
Dedicated Cloze practice is being built into RN Test Pro. Until it ships, the highest-leverage preparation is the same reasoning that Cloze items reward. Work through NGN-style case studies, practice recognizing relevant cues in nursing notes, review rationales for both correct and incorrect options, and use adaptive practice to surface weak areas before exam day.
Start Free NGN Practice
Create a free RN Test Pro account and practice NGN-style clinical judgment now. Cloze-specific practice will be added when it goes live.
Start Free PracticeAlready have a plan in mind? Build an adaptive NCLEX study plan or read the full NGN question types guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Cloze and drop-down questions the same thing?
Yes. Cloze is the technical name for the item type, and drop-down describes the interface. The candidate chooses one option from a drop-down list, and a single Cloze item may contain more than one drop-down list embedded in a sentence, table, or chart.
How many Cloze questions are on the NCLEX?
Public NCSBN materials do not guarantee a fixed number of Cloze items for every candidate. The NCLEX is adaptive and uses multiple item formats, including stand-alone items and clinical judgment case studies. Treat Cloze as one format among several rather than a guaranteed slot.
What is the best way to study for Cloze questions?
Practice clinical judgment, not drop-down tricks. Cloze items reward students who can connect patient data to the safest interpretation or action. Use case studies, rationales, and mixed-format practice instead of memorizing interface patterns.
Should I read the options first or the scenario first?
Read the sentence and the relevant patient data first so you know what each blank is asking. Predict the type of answer the blank needs, then open the drop-down and compare each option to the clinical context.
Related Guides
NGN Cloze Questions: Complete Guide
The full evergreen guide to NGN Cloze items, with definitions, item anatomy, and broader context.
Next Generation NCLEX Overview
How the NGN changed the exam, case studies, item formats, and the role of clinical judgment.
NCLEX Question Types
Compare Cloze with matrix, highlight, bow-tie, trend, SATA, and other NCLEX item types.
Clinical Judgment for NCLEX
The six steps of the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model and how they show up in NGN items.
NCLEX Scoring and Partial Credit
How NCLEX scoring works, including partial-credit methods for items with more than one key.
Build an Adaptive NCLEX Study Plan
Create a personalized plan that targets weak areas and tracks progress to exam day.