Plenty of students lose marks on fill in the blanks while their grammar stays perfectly fine. Usually the culprit is word pairing. This PTE reading collocations list is here to sort that out. The thing is, the Reading and Writing fill in the blanks task is not really checking if you know a word. It checks whether you know the word that belongs next to it, and that gap is where marks slip away without you noticing. What follows is a full list of collocations for PTE, grouped the way the exam uses them, with a simple way to study them and the common collocations for PTE exam you will run into again and again.
We will cover the basics first and then get into the top 100 collocations for PTE you can start using today.
What Are Collocations in PTE?
Collocation involves simply using two or more words together repeatedly in English. In other words, you make a decision and not do it. Nobody says “strong rain” either; it is always “heavy rain.” Both the wrong versions are still grammatically correct, but only one option in each pair sounds right to a native ear, and those natural English phrases are exactly what the test rewards.
So what are collocations in PTE, in plain terms? They are the expected word pairs that go in the blanks. The exam hands you a sentence with gaps and a set of options, and often three of those options fit the grammar while only one matches the native speaker’s phrasing. Knowing your collocation examples is what lets you spot that one quickly.
These word pairs come in a few common shapes:
- Verb-noun collocations like “raise awareness”
- Adjective-noun collocations like “strong evidence”
- Preposition collocations like “depend on”
- Adverb collocations like “highly effective”
Think of them as set phrases or lexical chunks. Not constructing the sentences word-by-word but taking whole blocks from memory. It’s quicker to learn such contextual words in pairs rather than learn grammar rule by rule.
Why Are Collocations Important for PTE?
There is a simple reason why collocations are important for PTE. The Reading and Writing fill in the blanks question is the only item that affects both the reading score and the writing score; thus, one task impacts two domains in one go. This makes it one of the most useful items in the exam.
In the reading version, all the drag-and-drop reading PTE options sit in front of you at once. In the writing version, you get multiple-choice fill in the blanks with four choices per gap. Both versions are checking the same skill, which is your grip on PTE academic vocabulary and how words combine.
Once you have good English vocabulary for PTE in word pairs, several changes happen almost immediately. First, you get your answers quickly and save some time to focus on the difficult questions; secondly, you stop guessing and improve your accuracy, and lastly, your essays begin to look like a native speaker’s writing. It’s this way in the long term that strong “academic collocations for PTE” help you reach PTE 79+.
Top 100 Collocations for PTE (Section-Wise)
Here are the collocation words for PTE that appear most often, sorted by type. Read each one out loud once. Saying them helps your brain store them as single units. This is the core of any good PTE writing collocations list, and the same set works for reading.
1. Verb + Noun Collocations (1 to 25)
These verb-noun collocations are the ones examiners love. They are the most common PTE reading and writing fill in the blanks words.
| No. | Collocation | Example |
| 1 | make a decision | We had to make a decision quickly. |
| 2 | take responsibility | She agreed to take responsibility for the error. |
| 3 | reach a conclusion | The team could not reach a conclusion. |
| 4 | draw a conclusion | It is hard to draw a conclusion from one study. |
| 5 | play a role | Diet plays a role in good health. |
| 6 | raise awareness | The campaign aims to raise awareness of the issue. |
| 7 | conduct research | Scientists conduct research on the virus. |
| 8 | meet a deadline | He worked late to meet a deadline. |
| 9 | pay attention | Please pay attention to the instructions. |
| 10 | take action | The government must take action now. |
| 11 | gain experience | Interns gain experience on the job. |
| 12 | provide evidence | The witness could provide evidence. |
| 13 | cause damage | The storm may cause damage to crops. |
| 14 | pose a threat | Pollution can pose a threat to wildlife. |
| 15 | achieve a goal | Hard work helps you achieve a goal. |
| 16 | solve a problem | Engineers worked to solve a problem. |
| 17 | address an issue | The report tries to address an issue. |
| 18 | express concern | Parents express concern about safety. |
| 19 | hold a meeting | They will hold a meeting on Monday. |
| 20 | break a record | The runner hopes to break a record. |
| 21 | set a target | The company set a target for sales. |
| 22 | carry out a task | Robots can carry out a task with precision. |
| 23 | make progress | Students make progress every week. |
| 24 | take a risk | Investors sometimes take a risk. |
| 25 | give priority | We give priority to urgent cases. |
2. Adjective + Noun Collocations (26 to 50)
It is the “adjective-noun collocations” that determine the meaning of the sentence. Choose an inappropriate adjective, and the sentence would sound strange to the scorer.
| No. | Collocation | Example |
| 26 | strong evidence | There is strong evidence for the theory. |
| 27 | heavy rain | Heavy rain flooded the streets. |
| 28 | severe weather | Severe weather delayed the flights. |
| 29 | major issue | Cost is a major issue for buyers. |
| 30 | vital role | Nurses play a vital role in care. |
| 31 | key factor | Price is a key factor in the choice. |
| 32 | broad range | The shop offers a broad range of goods. |
| 33 | wide variety | A wide variety of options exists. |
| 34 | deep impact | The loss had a deep impact on her. |
| 35 | significant impact | Diet has a significant impact on health. |
| 36 | growing concern | There is growing concern about costs. |
| 37 | valuable insight | The data gave us valuable insight. |
| 38 | crucial step | Planning is a crucial step. |
| 39 | common practice | Recycling is now common practice. |
| 40 | global warming | Global warming affects sea levels. |
| 41 | economic growth | The policy boosted economic growth. |
| 42 | rapid growth | The city saw rapid growth. |
| 43 | high demand | Tickets are in high demand. |
| 44 | fundamental change | The law brought fundamental change. |
| 45 | urgent need | There is an urgent need for water. |
| 46 | potential risk | Smoking is a potential risk. |
| 47 | complex issue | Climate is a complex issue. |
| 48 | early stage | The plan is at an early stage. |
| 49 | final decision | The board made the final decision. |
| 50 | mutual understanding | They reached a mutual understanding. |
3. Preposition Collocations (51 to 75)
Prepositions trip up almost everyone because they follow no logic. You have to learn each pair. These preposition collocations are tested constantly.
| No. | Collocation | Example |
| 51 | depend on | Success may depend on effort. |
| 52 | consist of | The team consists of five members. |
| 53 | result in | Errors can result in delays. |
| 54 | result from | Delays result from poor planning. |
| 55 | focus on | Let us focus on the main point. |
| 56 | rely on | Farmers rely on rain. |
| 57 | contribute to | Exercise can contribute to health. |
| 58 | lead to | Stress can lead to illness. |
| 59 | account for | Sales account for most income. |
| 60 | cope with | He learned to cope with stress. |
| 61 | deal with | Managers deal with complaints. |
| 62 | apply for | She will apply for the job. |
| 63 | interfere with | Noise can interfere with sleep. |
| 64 | comply with | Firms must comply with the rules. |
| 65 | respond to | Staff respond to emails fast. |
| 66 | refer to | Please refer to the manual. |
| 67 | benefit from | Students benefit from feedback. |
| 68 | participate in | Many participate in the survey. |
| 69 | concentrate on | Try to concentrate on one task. |
| 70 | differ from | Results differ from region to region. |
| 71 | insist on | They insist on quality. |
| 72 | belong to | These files belong to the team. |
| 73 | object to | Some object to the plan. |
| 74 | capable of | She is capable of more. |
| 75 | aware of | Be aware of the risks. |
4. Adverb and Academic Collocations (76 to 100)
These adverb collocations and academic word combinations make your writing sound polished. They map closely to the academic word list that PTE source texts are pulled from.
| No. | Collocation | Example |
| 76 | highly effective | The method is highly effective. |
| 77 | deeply concerned | Locals are deeply concerned. |
| 78 | widely accepted | The idea is widely accepted. |
| 79 | fully aware | He is fully aware of the rules. |
| 80 | closely related | The two topics are closely related. |
| 81 | completely different | The result was completely different. |
| 82 | strongly recommend | Experts strongly recommend rest. |
| 83 | heavily dependent | The town is heavily dependent on tourism. |
| 84 | perfectly clear | The reason is perfectly clear. |
| 85 | readily available | Help is readily available. |
| 86 | increasingly important | Data is increasingly important. |
| 87 | extremely useful | The guide is extremely useful. |
| 88 | radically change | The app could radically change study. |
| 89 | significantly increase | Prices significantly increase in winter. |
| 90 | dramatically reduce | The plan could dramatically reduce waste. |
| 91 | closely linked | Diet and health are closely linked. |
| 92 | firmly believe | I firmly believe in practice. |
| 93 | clearly demonstrate | The chart clearly demonstrates growth. |
| 94 | directly affect | Sleep can directly affect mood. |
| 95 | seriously consider | Please seriously consider the offer. |
| 96 | effectively manage | Good leaders effectively manage time. |
| 97 | carefully consider | Carefully consider each option. |
| 98 | vastly different | The two plans are vastly different. |
| 99 | richly deserved | The award was richly deserved. |
| 100 | broadly speaking | Broadly speaking, the trend is up. |
That rounds out your best collocations for PTE preparation set, a hundred pairs sorted by type and ready to use.
Tips on Learning Collocations without Rote Learning
Many learners simply write down all hundred collocations from PTE into their notebooks and memorize them in one night. That rarely sticks. Here is how to learn collocations for PTE in a way your brain actually keeps.
Instead of having all of them in a long and monotonous list, group them. The way your mind stores collocations of verbs and nouns is much more efficient when they’re grouped. Thus, learn ten verb-noun collocations on Monday, ten adjective-noun collocations on Tuesday, and so on. A few collocations at a time will always work better than many collocations at once.
Use each collocation in a sentence on the same day. Reading “make a decision” does little. Writing “The board had to make a decision before the deadline” does a lot. The sentence gives the word combinations in English a context your brain can hook onto.
Read short academic articles every day. News science pages, university blogs, and exam reading passages are full of strong collocations. When you spot one, underline it. After two weeks, you will start seeing the same PTE academic vocabulary repeat, which tells you which ones matter.
Test yourself by hiding the second word. Cover the noun and try to recall it from the verb. This trains the exact recall the sentence completion PTE task asks for.
People often ask how many collocations to learn for PTE. Start with these hundred. Master them fully, then add more from your reading. A hundred solid pairs you can recall instantly beat five hundred you half remember.
Mistakes That Quietly Drop Your Score
Some mistakes are obvious enough that you catch them yourself. The dangerous ones are quiet, and you never feel them happening at all. Those are the common collocation mistakes in PTE that cost points without any warning.
- One big mistake is translating straight from your first language. A lot of languages say “do a mistake,” while English insists on “make a mistake.” Translate word for word, and you will pick the wrong option without ever sensing anything was wrong.
- A second pitfall is the mixing up of strong collocations with weak While “strong coffee” makes sense, “powerful coffee” does not make sense even though the two adjectives have the same meaning in this case. What you need to know is the correct partner of the adjective in question.
- Prepositions get ignored a lot too. Students chase large, impressive vocabulary and breeze past the tiny words, but “depend on” versus “depend of” is a real scored difference. Get the preposition collocations wrong and the whole gap is marked wrong.
- The last one is rushing the drag-and-drop reading PTE Because everything is sitting right there for you, it can be easy to take the first word that seems like it might work. Always read the sentence in its entirety before deciding on the correct collocation.
How Do Collocations Improve PTE Score?
Here is how collocations improve PTE score when you look at the actual scoring. Fill in the blanks feeds two scores, so one correct answer lifts your reading score and your writing score together. In other words, every right collocation is basically worth double.
There is a second effect that students miss. In the essay and the summarized written text tasks, using accurate academic collocations for PTE raises your vocabulary and written discourse marks. A sentence like “The policy had a significant impact on economic growth” scores higher than “The policy changed the economy a lot.” Same idea, better word pairs, more marks.
The road to a PTE 79+ score runs right through collocations, plain and simple. Once the common collocations for PTE exam become automatic for you, you stop bleeding the easy marks and start picking up the writing ones too.
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Conclusion
Collocations can be termed as the subtle distinction between an average score in Fill in the blanks and a highly commendable one. Make sure to keep this PTE reading collocations list in an easily visible place for yourself so that you work out ten sets at once and use them in your writing as well until they become second nature. When you are ready to translate your practice into a score, we are always there to help you. Join our PTE program today and start scoring the way you know you can.
