fill in the blank: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 2.

    internationalinformalidiomaticMachine
    • A placeholder or prompt indicating that any of several possible words, answers, or descriptions could be inserted; used to elicit or invite a particular kind of response.

    Examples

    Beta

    • When asked about his favorite hobby, he just said 'fill in the blank' as if to leave it open-ended.

      When asked about his favorite hobby, he used 'fill in the blank' to suggest any answer could fit.

    • The questionnaire had a section labeled 'fill in the blank' where respondents could write any description they preferred.

      The questionnaire had a section inviting respondents to write any description they preferred.

    • She used 'fill in the blank' in her speech to encourage the audience to imagine their own possibilities.

      She used the phrase to invite the audience to imagine their own answers.

  • 1.

    internationalneutralMachine
    • An exercise or test format in which one or more words are omitted and the respondent must supply the correct or appropriate word(s) to complete the sentence or passage.

    Examples

    Beta

    • During the English class, the teacher gave us a fill in the blank exercise to test our vocabulary.

      During the English class, the teacher gave us an exercise where words were omitted and we had to supply the correct words to test our vocabulary.

    • I found the fill in the blank section of the test quite challenging because some clues were ambiguous.

      I found the exercise where I had to supply missing words in the test quite challenging because some clues were ambiguous.

    • Please complete the fill in the blank worksheet by writing the missing words in the sentences.

      Please complete the worksheet by writing the missing words in the sentences.

    • The fill in the blank format is often used in language learning to improve grammar skills.

      The exercise format where blanks must be filled is often used in language learning to improve grammar skills.

Examples:

  • EN: Shouldn't you fill in the blank spaces?
    ES: No debería rellenar los espacios en blanco?
  • EN: All I have to do is fill in the blank.
    ES: Lo único que tengo que hacer es rellenar los huecos.
  • EN: You go to her like--fill in the blank.
    ES: Tú vas hacia ella como--llena el espacio.
  • EN: And what we're gonna do is ask you to fill in the blank, OK?
    ES: Y lo que vamos a pediros es que rellenéis lo que falte, ¿ok?
  • EN: Well, fill in the blank, whoever it'll be that shoots him.
    ES: Bueno, disparar salvas o lo que haya disparado, él.
  • EN: Leave her alone for a minute... fill in the blank.
    ES: La dejabas un minuto y te arruinaba.
  • EN: So why don't you tell me what you know and I'll just fill in the blank spots."
    ES: Cuéntame lo que sabes y entonces lleno tus vacíos" .
  • EN: Fatter, thinner, fill in the blank.
    ES: O más gorda, o más delgada.
  • EN: And, you know, you get to fill in the blank here.
    ES: Y, verás, aquí consigues llenar un vacío.
  • EN: - Is this fill in the blank?
    ES: ¿Hay que completar los espacios en blanco?
  • EN: - You can fill in the blank spots for me.
    ES: - Puedes llenar los espacios en blanco por mi.
  • EN: You know, it's fill in the blank.
    ES: Sabes, es como rellenar espacios vacíos.
  • EN: We don't all want BMWs, we don't all want the same person, we don't all want the same experiences, we don't all want the same clothing, we don't all want...fill in the blank.
    ES: No todos queremos BMWs No queremos todos a la misma persona No queremos todos las mismas experiencias
  • EN: Natalie, you come out of nowhere as this raving fill in the blank.
    ES: Todas fueron tan brillantes... manipuladoras y metiéndose en las mentes de los demás.
  • EN: You just say, "My love is too..." and then you fill in the blank.
    ES: Dices: " Mi amor es demasiado... " y luego lo completas.

Related Idioms

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Source: Wiktionary