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Many PTE candidates experience confusion and wasting time in the Reading (Drag & Drop) section. This task assesses both your reading comprehension knowledge and logical ordering and presenting them logically these skills are not something you will improve overnight. The paragraphs look simple, but just one wrong order can cost you valuable marks.
In 2025, with the increased competition in the PTE exam, you will need to have a solid grasp of this skill so it is not optional anymore. If you are continuously losing marks here, it will affect your total Reading score, even if you did well in Fill-in-the-Blanks or Multiple Choice Questions.
Understanding the "Drag and Drop" Task in PTE Reading
A number of PTE students get confused when they hear “Drag and Drop” because they get confused with other types of question. Let’s clarify.
In PTE Reading, there are two main types of Fill in the Blanks question. The type we will focus on here is Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop), where you need to select the correct words from the box below the text, and drag those options in to the blanks. Always know, there will be more options given to you then there will be blanks to fill in the text, so you will not use all the words.
This task is mainly assessing reading comprehension but it also assesses vocabulary, collocation, and grammar. To be successful, you need to develop a keen eye for clues in the sentence not just guess based on words you recognize.
Step-by-step strategy to score high
- Scan for the gist
Quickly read the whole passage without paying attention to the designated blanks, and receive the primary subject and overall meaning of the passage.
- Consider the blanks one by one
- Turn to the blank, and carefully read the sentence with the blank.
- Look at the words in the sentence before the blank and immediately after the blank.
Then ask yourself:
Grammar: What part of speech is needed (noun, verb, adjective, etc.)?
Collocation: What words often go together?
- Assess options and get rid of options
- Read each option, and consider the context of the sentence it is in.
- Narrow your options by getting rid of any options that contradict the context of the sentence.
- The context of the word you are trying to fill in your sentence is important in helping the reader understand original meaning of the sentence.
- Use strategies for hard questions
- Fill in the easy blanks first: If you come to an answer, you are unsure about, look to the next answer. Once you fill the easier blanks, your options will be less for the blanks that take more time.
- Reading out loud: next time read the sentence and the various options in the blank out loud. Options that are wrong will not sound right to the reader as well as sound wrong.
- Consistent Practice
- Practice and improve regularly. Practice does not matter, the interpretation of your mistakes is what will benefit your improvement.
- Practice the Reading Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop) question type.
- Steer Clear of Common mistakes
- Don’t rely solely on keyword matching it is misleading.
- Don’t take too long on one question move on if you feel stuck.
- Always read the complete prompt at least once before submitting your answer.
Three Essential Skills You Need to Know
If you want to consistently be successful on this task, think about honing three major skills that work as a group to help you find the correct answers.
Skill 1: Use Grammar as Your Guide
Many blanks can be solved just by observing clues in the sentence that involve grammar. Look closely at the words around the blank — often, they will tell you exactly what form or kind of word is needed.
Prepositions: Some verbs always go with specific prepositions. For example, we would say "concentrate on" or "rely on." If you see "on" after the blank, it is most likely a verb that collocates with "on."
Articles: Words such as a, an, the, etc. can also help you choose. If "an" is before the blank, then, whatever answer is correct, must start with a vowel sound, e.g. "an opportunity."
Verb Tenses: The rest of the sentence will tell you if the blank needs a past tense verb (-ed), an -ing form, or base form. You can use this to avoid easy mistakes.
Skill 2: Identify Collocations – Word Partnerships That Sound Right
Expert test-takers recognize that collocations can provide you with an edge when completing a gap-fill exercise. Collocations are simply two or more words that frequently occur together and "sound natural" for the native speaker. If you know these combinations, you may have an advantage!
For example, we do not usually "make a mistake on purpose", we "commit a mistake," you don't have a "big interest", you have a "keen interest." Based on the last to the prior sentence mentioning "interest", you could assume "keen" would be a good option.
Skill 3: Follow the Context and Logic
Once you have used the clues provided by grammar and collocations, the last thing to do is think about whether the word you chose fits as a concept, in the entire sense of the paragraph. That is, even if the blank could accommodate may other possibilities grammatically correct, you still must consider the context of the message.
After you fill in the blanks read the whole paragraph again, then ask yourself does it sound natural and is the entire passage coherent? This is the best validation of your accuracy!
How Tijus Academy Assists You in Becoming Proficient in Reading
At Tijus Academy, recognised by many as the best PTE coaching centre in Kerala, instructors don’t just give tips — they teach clear, repeatable techniques that actually work. With our AI-integrated PTE training software, students can practise Drag & Drop questions in real time, get instant feedback, and easily track their improvement.
Many learners have improved their weak Reading scores by 10 points or more in just a few weeks by following our structured strategy and joining regular personalised mentor sessions. If you’re finding Reading or sequencing tasks challenging, our team can help you turn them into some of your strongest scoring areas.
Are you ready to score high in Reading?
[Join Tijus Academy's PTE Training Program Today!]
