R&W: Fill in the Blanks(FIB-RW)
25% of READING~2–2.5 minutes per item
The dropdown variant — the biggest Reading task at ~25%. Grammar first, meaning second.
Research-seeded guide — verified method and traps included; a full live example is coming next.
The Format
- Text
- Up to 300 words, dropdown options per gap
- Scoring
- 1 point per blank, no penalty — always fill every blank
The Scoring
1
Each correct blank
Partial credit, no negative marking.
~25% of Reading — the single biggest Reading task. This is where your reading time belongs.
The System
Grammar → Collocation → Meaning
1
SKIM
Whole passage first
Topic and direction before opening any dropdown.
2
TYPE
Decide the part of speech
Noun, verb, adjective or adverb — BEFORE looking at options. Prevents option blindness.
3
CLUE
Grammar eliminates
Verb+preposition pairs ('rely ON'), 'an' → vowel sound, tense endings. Usually kills 2 options.
4
COLLOCATE
Word partnerships decide
'Make a decision', not 'do a decision'. 'Keen interest', not 'big interest'. PTE tests collocations heavily.
Avoid
The 3 Traps That Cost You the Task
✕ Choosing by meaning alone
Grammar already eliminates options — use it first.
✕ Ignoring collocations
Distractors mean the same but don't partner with the surrounding words. Study a collocation list.
✕ Burning the section clock
Reading has ONE shared timer — overspending here rushes Re-order and FIB.
Daily Drills
- →5 items daily; log every missed collocation into a personal list.
- →Learn 10 collocations per day from an academic collocation list.
Memory Hooks
TYPE → CLUE → COLLOCATENever leave a blank empty