Reading: Fill in the Blanks is a module of the PTE test in which you are required to select and drag the right answer to fit into the blanks seen in the text. The test assesses your vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to understand how certain phrases and words fit into the context.
There are certain strategies that you can benefit from tremendously when it comes to acing the reading: fill in the blanks module. These are as follows:
Collocations are a group of words that can be used as a phrase in place of a particular word. Interchanging words and understanding what different synonyms can be used instead of certain words. Also, be aware of the way different phrases are used. For instance, an increase in, be aware of, be concerned about, etc.
Perhaps the most important skill that you will ever possess for mastering this module is the ability to recognize the meaning and synonyms of words. To develop a good vocabulary, you should be in the habit of reading the daily newspaper, reading books, magazines, installing vocabulary building apps, and such on a daily basis.
Whenever you come across a word that you are not sure the meaning of, have a dictionary handy and use it in a sentence of your own. It may feel awkward at first, but with practice, the words will find their way into your vocabulary and you will feel comfortable using them.
This ties in well with the previous point as practicing on your reading skill will make you a fast reader. Again, the only way to develop is to read more. You can also practice in a timed setting. For instance, set a timer for a couple of minutes and see how much you can read in that time. Over time, the number of words you are able to read in a minute will gradually rise. Only this way will you be able to read and attempt all the questions in the given time period.
Grammar is an integral part of every language proficiency test. Some of the basic things that you should understand are to know the different parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.), voice (first person, second person, third person), and tenses (past, present, future, etc).
In addition to the above, understanding the basic word order in English, which is, subject + verb +object can help you understand which words should be put where. Other basic parts of grammar are prepositions, conjugations, and articles which come in quite handy.
It is easy to get lost in the passage and finding the right answer in this module. Understand that if you’re spending any longer than a couple of minutes, any mark you gain will come at the expense of other modules. That is why it is extremely important to ensure that you don’t spend more than two minutes here.
As soon as you are done filling in the blank spaces, you should read the entire text once more to see whether or not it makes sense. If it does, you can be fairly confident that you have selected the right answers. Again, ensure that you have some time left for proof-reading. This is because sometimes we may rush our answers at the expense of picking out the wrong one.
PTE Reading: Fill in the Blanks module of the PTE is a straightforward task. But it does come with its own set of challenges, especially when one is racing against the clock.
The aforementioned tips and tricks should help you practice and strategize to enable you to have enough time to complete all the sections.
Ensure that you practice enough to be able to master the task and complete the task within the stipulated time frame.