01
The Do's and Don'ts
Skim the Full Passage FirstBefore clicking any drop-downs, read the text quickly to identify the topic, tone, and overall flow.
Use Grammar as a CompassIdentify the required part of speech for the blank — noun, past-tense verb, or adjective?
Focus on CollocationsMany blanks test 'word neighbors' — we make a decision, not do a decision; we gain access to something.
Read Before and After the BlankThe words immediately surrounding the gap often dictate the answer (e.g., if the word after the blank is 'to,' the answer might be 'refer' or 'access').
Don't Choose Based on Sound AloneA word might sound right but be grammatically incorrect — e.g., using present tense in a past-tense paragraph.
Don't Leave Any Blank EmptyThere is no negative marking. If stuck, make an educated guess based on context.
Don't Spend Too Much TimeIf a blank is confusing you, pick an option and move on. You need time for the rest of the Reading section.
Don't Ignore Text TypeAcademic texts use formal, precise vocabulary. Narrative texts use time-sequence words and descriptive adjectives.
02
Tips & Tricks
The Context Clue Hunt
Look for transition words like However, Therefore, or In addition. They signal whether the blank should have a positive or negative meaning.
Elimination Strategy
Click the drop-down and immediately rule out options that break grammar rules — e.g., a plural verb for a singular subject.
The Final Read-Through
Once all blanks are filled, read the entire completed passage one last time to catch errors that didn't stand out in isolation.
03
Standardized Solving Protocol
1
The Skim
Read the passage in 30 seconds to determine the main topic and tone.
2
The Grammar Filter
Look at a blank. Is it a Verb? Noun? Adjective? Adverb? What tense does the paragraph use?
3
The Collocation & Context Match
Open the drop-down. Look for word pairs. Exclude words that don't fit the tone of the text.
4
The Logic Check
Read the sentence with your chosen word. Does it make logical sense within the paragraph's argument?