How to score in Reading: Fill in the blanks drag and drop

Reading: Fill in the blanks (drag and drop) task has 4-5 texts that are around 80 words long. Each of the text has 6 blanks. You have to choose the right word from a list of options and fill the blank by dragging and dropping it in the blank. To pick the right choice, you will have to evaluate the part of speech by looking at the words after and before the blank. The sentence should convey the proper meaning. This task can be challenging without proper PTE practice. There are several tips that will help you to score on this task.

Tips to score on the Fill in the blanks (drag and drop)

1. Do not spend too much time

You should not spend too much time on one blank. If you don't know the correct answer for one blank or if you re confused between the options then skip it. You can come back to it later when you have narrowed down the list. But remember to fill it up later or you will get a straight 0. Even if you guess the answer, there are chances of getting it right. Do not spend more than 2 minutes on this task. Try to keep this in mind during PTE practice.

2. Skim the passage 

Before diving into filling the blanks, you should first read the passage so that you understand the overall idea of the passage. This will help you to fill the blanks with the right words. If you are not familiar with the skimming technique then learn it during PTE coaching. 

3. Use grammar knowledge 

You should make use of grammar knowledge to rule out the wrong choices. Improve your grammar during PTE coaching. Learn to choose the correct part of speech. This can be done by looking at the words that are present around the blank. If you know the specific blank needs a noun then you can eliminate the other options. This will help you to get closer to the right choice. From the remaining words, you need to choose the word that fits correctly in the blank. 

Learn to recognize suffixes. Even if you do not know the meaning of the word, you will be able to identify if the word is a verb or an adjective. 

You should have proper knowledge about countable and uncountable nouns. Countable nouns have articles a / an / the in front of it and can have plural form whereas uncountable nouns cannot have a/an in front of it and do not have a plural form. 

Connectors like 'and' / 'or' are used to connect the same type of words. So if you have a blank after 'and' then look for a word that is similar to the word before 'and'.

4. Build a strong vocabulary base

You should increase your vocabulary base during PTE practice as the topic of the passage can belong to any field. There are high chances that you may come across an unfamiliar word. While taking PTE coaching, you should make a habit of reading on academic topics. If you come across a new word then you should look it up in a dictionary. Look for sample sentences on how the word can be used. This will help you to remember the word context-wise. 

5. Use of collocations

Collocation is a group of two or more words that often go with one another. These words are used in our daily life. They help you to choose the correct answer when you get confused between many options. You should read the list of collocations during your PTE practice. You don’t need to memorize it because it is a long list. Reading it should help you to keep it in your memory.