READING · TECHNIQUE GUIDE
PTE Collocations
Learn word partnerships as reusable chunks so meaning alone does not trick you in Fill in the Blanks.
Seeded from collocations collected during PTE preparation; examples are curated rather than copied as a raw list.
RECOGNITION RULES
See the clue. Make the decision.
01
Verb + preposition
The word after the blank can expose the correct partner.
rely on · contribute to · compensate for
EXAMPLEThe conclusion relies on evidence from several studies.
02
Adjective + preposition
Many adjectives strongly prefer particular prepositions.
responsible for · familiar with · similar to
EXAMPLEThe committee is responsible for reviewing the proposal.
03
Verb + noun
Two verbs may have similar meanings but only one forms the conventional phrase.
make an effort · pay attention · break a record
EXAMPLEStudents should pay attention to the wording of the question.
04
Academic chunks
Treat common academic combinations as one retrievable unit.
informed decision · potential impact · habitat loss
EXAMPLEThe evidence allows policymakers to make informed decisions.
What to look for
- Verb + preposition pairs
- Adjective + preposition pairs
- Verb + noun combinations
- Academic phrases that repeatedly occur as chunks
Decision process
- Learn the whole relationship, not one isolated word
- Notice the preposition attached to the word
- Create a fresh example for each chunk
- When options are synonyms, ask which one naturally fits the surrounding phrase
Common traps
- Assuming synonyms share the same collocations
- Memorizing hundreds of phrases without examples
- Ignoring the preposition after the blank
Apply it
“conduct research” is a reusable chunk; knowing “research” alone does not tell you which verb naturally belongs with it.
Now try it on your own sentence.
Analyze a sentence →Paste text into the Grammar Analyzer and map the structure before deciding what is wrong.