Cloze has a rich and interesting history as a method for encouraging reading achievement as well as for use as on approach to measuring reading competence. Cloze can be used effectively in instructional programs in many ways, including ( 1) paired or small group wo;k, (222) "crossword cloze" type activities, and (3) multiple-choice type formats. The "doze informal" contains a series of graded passages which presents reading instructors with a method for matching students with appropriate instructional materials. In the "cloze informal", students' scores are obtained from performance on a series of cloze passages. Scores can be used to assess competence at various levels of difficulty and further can be compared at a later date with scores obtained from readmission of the set of cloze passages.