# Solving Reading FIB with Grammar The **Reading Fill in the Blanks** and **Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks** tasks are notorious time-wasters. Many students try to read and understand the entire passage before answering, which eats up the precious overall Reading timer. ## The Grammar-First Approach Instead of reading for meaning first, look at the grammar surrounding the blank. 1. **Prepositions are your best friends:** If the blank is followed by "to", look for verbs that take "to" (e.g., *contribute to, lead to, object to*). 2. **Articles (a/an/the):** If the blank is preceded by "an", the answer MUST start with a vowel sound. This simple trick often eliminates two or three wrong options instantly. 3. **Adjective + Noun:** If the blank is before a noun, you likely need an adjective. Look at the options and find the adjective. ## Collocations Collocations are words that naturally go together in English (e.g., "heavy rain" instead of "strong rain"). Pearson relies heavily on academic collocations. The best way to improve here is to read academic texts and use the PTE Shark vocabulary lists. Practice identifying parts of speech (Noun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb) and you will see your Reading speed double!

PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks: The Grammar Shortcuts

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