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Module 1 · Exam Foundations & First Contact · Lesson 02

Reading Part 1

Reading & Use of English Part 1. 8 gaps, 4 options each. Learn to spot the collocation, preposition, phrasal verb or fixed phrase that fits.

CEFR B260 minUse of English P1Core

Get talking · Section 1

5 min

activity
Which 'word' fits?

On the board: 'She ___ a strong impression on the interviewer.' Options: do / make / take / have. As a class, vote — and explain WHY, not just which.

reflection
A word you always confuse

Tell your partner one English word pair you regularly confuse (e.g. do/make, say/tell, look at/watch). When did it last cost you marks?

discussion
Nine minutes

On exam day you have about nine minutes for Part 1's eight gaps. How would you spend them? Discuss in pairs and agree on a strategy.

Grammar focus · Section 2

8–10 min

The four things RUoE Part 1 actually tests

Open Grammar Reference
Grammar focus

Part 1 is not a grammar test — it is a lexical test in four flavours..

  1. 1Collocationwhich noun naturally pairs with which verb or adjective (make a decision, heavy rain, deeply concerned).
  2. 2Dependent prepositionswhich preposition a verb, adjective or noun demands (depend on, capable of, an interest in).

Examples

  • → Collocation: 'She ___ a quick decision.' → made (not did / had / took).

  • → Dependent prep: 'I'm not interested ___ it.' → in (not on / for / about).

  • → Phrasal verb: 'We ___ out of milk.' → ran (not went / came / fell).

  • → Fixed phrase: '___ particular, the second paragraph is unclear.' → In.

  • → Trap: all four options can be correct English somewhere — only one fits this gap.

Word bank — no clues, retrieve it

onsharptookgoneInput

Question 1.'It really ___ me a long time to finish the essay.'

Question 2.'She isn't very keen ___ team sports.'

Question 3.'The price has ___ up by almost 20% this year.'

Question 4.'___ general, candidates underperform on Part 1.'

Question 5.'I can't ___ up with this noise any longer.'

Question 6.'There's been a ___ rise in applications this term.'

Answer all items, then check.

Quick check 1.What is the BEST first step when you see a Part 1 gap?

Quick check 2.If two options look possible, what usually decides?

Answer all items, then check.

Vocabulary · Section 3

5–7 min

Words & phrases to own

Open Vocabulary Bank
1

collocation (n.)

words that naturally go together: 'make a mistake' (not 'do a mistake').

Use it now

Finish this out loud: "For me, collocation is …" — then give one reason.

2

dependent preposition

the preposition a word demands: 'depend ON', 'interested IN', 'capable OF'.

Use it now

Finish this out loud: "For me, dependent preposition is …" — then give one reason.

3

phrasal verb

verb + particle with a new meaning: 'put up with' = tolerate.

Use it now

Finish this out loud: "For me, phrasal verb is …" — then give one reason.

4

fixed phrase / chunk

a multi-word expression with a single meaning: 'on the whole', 'in particular'.

Use it now

Use "fixed phrase / chunk" to talk about something that happened to you this year.

5

near-synonym

words with similar but not identical meaning — the trap in Part 1 distractors.

Use it now

Finish this out loud: "For me, near-synonym is …" — then give one reason.

6

distractor (n.)

a wrong option deliberately designed to look possible.

Use it now

Finish this out loud: "For me, distractor is …" — then give one reason.

7

to scan a sentence

to read quickly to spot the key trigger word before deciding.

Use it now

Say one true sentence about your own life using "to scan a sentence".

8

trigger word

the word in the sentence that signals which option must be correct.

Use it now

Finish this out loud: "For me, trigger word is …" — then give one reason.

9

to commit to an answer

to circle one option and move on — Part 1 punishes hesitation.

Use it now

Say one true sentence about your own life using "to commit to an answer".

10

to transfer answers

to copy your answers to the separate answer sheet, in pencil.

Use it now

Say one true sentence about your own life using "to transfer answers".

Matching
Match each verb to the noun it naturally collocates with.

Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Answer all items, then check.
Categorise
Sort these chunks by what Part 1 is testing.
Answer all items, then check.

Pronunciation · Section 4

3–4 min

Stress in two-word collocations and phrasal verbs

Say it aloud

  • • make a deCIsion ↘
  • • a sharp RISE ↘
  • • put UP with it ↘
  • • run OUT of time ↘
  • • in parTIcular ↘

Reading · Section 5

8–10 min

Why Part 1 looks easy and isn't

Read the passageTap to open

Reading & Use of English Part 1 is the shortest task on the whole exam: a 150-word text with eight gaps, four lettered options each. Most candidates finish in seven minutes and feel quietly pleased. The marks tell a different story.

The reason is hidden in the options. A typical Part 1 question gives you four words that share a meaning ('important / serious / vital / major') and asks you to choose the one that fits the surrounding language. Out of context, three of them are interchangeable. In context, only one collocates correctly with the noun next to it, or takes the preposition the sentence demands, or completes the phrasal verb the writer started. The distractors aren't wrong English; they're wrong here.

This is why the cleverest reflex in Part 1 is not to pick the word with the best meaning — it's to find the trigger word in the sentence and let it choose for you. A noun like 'rise' triggers 'sharp'. A preposition like 'on' two words later triggers 'depend' over 'rely'. An adverb like 'particularly' inside a fixed phrase triggers 'in' over 'at'. Train your eye to spot the trigger, not the gap.

And never leave a gap blank. You have a 25% chance with a guess and a 0% chance with nothing.

Reading & Use of EnglishPart 5 · Multiple choice1 mark per question

For questions 1–4, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

  1. 1According to the text, why is Part 1 harder than it looks?

  2. 2What is the 'cleverest reflex' the writer recommends?

  3. 3What does the writer say about leaving a gap blank?

  4. 4The distractors in Part 1 are described as…

    5. Answer all items, then check.
Reading & Use of EnglishPart 6 · Gapped text2 marks per question

Sentences have been removed from the text. Choose from the sentences A–E the one which fits each gap (1–4). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Exam conditions: keep “Read the passage” closed while you do this task.

Reading & Use of English Part 1 is the shortest task on the whole exam: a 150-word text with eight gaps, four lettered options each. The marks tell a different story. The reason is hidden in the options. A typical Part 1 question gives you four words that share a meaning ('important / serious / vital / major') and asks you to choose the one that fits the surrounding language. In context, only one collocates correctly with the noun next to it, or takes the preposition the sentence demands, or completes the phrasal verb the writer started. This is why the cleverest reflex in Part 1 is not to pick the word with the best meaning — it's to find the trigger word in the sentence and let it choose for you. A noun like 'rise' triggers 'sharp'. An adverb like 'particularly' inside a fixed phrase triggers 'in' over 'at'. Train your eye to spot the trigger, not the gap. And never leave a gap blank. You have a 25% chance with a guess and a 0% chance with nothing.
Answer all items, then check.

Listening · Section 6

8–10 min

Teacher coaching a Part 1 cloze in class (about 1:40)

Listening audio

Tap play to listen. Drag the timeline to jump anywhere.

Show transcript

Teacher:Right, look at question three. 'There has been a ___ rise in unemployment.' Options: big, sharp, strong, fat.

Lily, what did you choose?

Lily:Big? It sounded the most natural.

Teacher:It sounds natural in your head, yes — but 'rise' is the trigger word. With 'rise' or 'increase', the standard collocation is 'sharp'.

Tom:What about 'fat rise'?

Teacher:'Fat' fits with 'profit' or 'salary', not with 'rise'. That's a classic distractor — it's English, but it's the wrong context.

Teacher:Now look at question five. 'She is very keen ___ classical music.' On, for, of, about.

Lily:Has to be 'on'. 'Keen ON' is a dependent preposition.

Teacher:Exactly. And how did you spot it?

Lily:Because 'keen' triggers 'on' the way 'interested' triggers 'in'.

Teacher:Perfect. That's the reflex I want — find the trigger, then the preposition almost picks itself.

Tom:What if I genuinely don't know?

Teacher:Then guess. Don't leave it blank. Twenty-five per cent is better than zero.

And don't waste more than a minute on any single gap.

Question 1.Why is 'sharp' the right answer for question three?

Question 2.What does the teacher say about 'fat'?

Question 3.Lily explains 'keen ON' as an example of…

Question 4.What is the teacher's advice if you genuinely don't know?

Answer all items, then check.
Tick what you hear
Tick every Part 1 strategy you actually hear in the recording.
Answer all items, then check.

Exam skills · Section 7

5 min

RUoE Part 1 — the four-pass technique (9 minutes)

Open Exam Strategy Centre

Your task

On exam day you have ~9 minutes for the 8 gaps. Don't read the whole text first and then start — that doubles your reading time. Work the text live, gap by gap, with a four-pass routine.

Example

Gap 4 is between 'we' and 'attention to detail'. The four options are: take, do, make, pay. Trigger word: 'attention'. The collocation 'pay attention to' is non-negotiable. Pick D and move on — total time on this gap: about eight seconds.

Open Exam Strategy Centre

Practice · Section 8

8–10 min

Fill in the blank

Question 1.She has a real ___ for languages.

Question 2.Don't ___ the rubric — read it twice.

Question 3.We need to ___ this matter as soon as possible.

Question 4.He's not particularly fond ___ public speaking.

Question 5.Could you ___ me a favour and post this?

Question 6.She finally ___ up with a workable solution.

Answer all items, then check.
Sentence transformation
Type a short answer (1–3 words)

Q1.Collocation: 'She made a quick deCIsion'. Verb? 'She ___ a decision.'

Q2.Dependent preposition: 'I'm capable ___ doing this on my own.'

Q3.Phrasal verb: 'They ___ out of paper halfway through.'

Q4.Fixed phrase: '___ general, candidates underperform on Part 1.'

Answer all items, then check.

Writing · Section 9

5 min

Put it in writing

Your task

Write 4–6 sentences advising a friend who is sitting B2 First next month on how to attack Part 1. Use AT LEAST one collocation, one dependent preposition, one phrasal verb and one fixed phrase from this lesson.

Show model answer

On the whole, Part 1 is the shortest task on the paper, but it's where most candidates lose easy marks. In particular, pay attention to the four options — they're almost always near-synonyms, and only one collocates with the surrounding text. My main piece of advice is to find the trigger word in the sentence: a noun like 'rise' calls for 'sharp', and a verb like 'depend' calls for 'on'. Don't get held up on a single gap; commit to an answer within a minute and move on. And whatever you do, never leave a gap blank — twenty-five per cent is always better than zero.

Speaking · Section 10

10–15 min

Make it a real conversation

Open Useful Expressions

Roleplay

ROLEPLAY — Examiner debrief. In pairs, take the cloze you just did in the FCE Exam Practice block below and 'mark' it together. For each gap, your partner has to (1) say what KIND of test it was (collocation / preposition / phrasal verb / fixed phrase) and (2) name the trigger word. Swap halfway.

Useful phrases

  • • I think the trigger word here is…
  • • This one's a collocation — 'X' always goes with 'Y'.
  • • It's a dependent preposition — 'X' takes 'Y'.
  • • I'd say this is a phrasal verb…
  • • I'm not sure — what made you choose that?
  • • Let's commit and move on.

Teacher notes

Optional · Teacher-led

Teacher Activities

Two short in-class extensions to bake the Part 1 reflex into muscle memory. ~18 min total

FCE Exam Practice · Section 11

20–30 min

Real FCE tasks

One authentic RUoE Part 1 cloze. Treat it as the real thing: pencil, nine minutes maximum, commit to every gap.

Cambridge B2 First · Reading & Use of English · Part 1 · Multiple Choice Cloze
City living vs. country living

For questions 1–8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

Choosing where to live is one of the biggest decisions most adults ever 1. For decades, surveys have shown that city dwellers tend to 2 a faster pace of life, with easier 3 to jobs, culture and public transport. Country residents, 4 the other hand, often report higher levels of life satisfaction, despite the practical inconvenience of being further from major services. Recently, however, the line 5 the two has become blurred. Improved internet connectivity has allowed many professionals to 6 up remote working from rural homes, while a generation of city families is moving 7 in search of more space. Whether this trend will 8 on long-term, or fade as offices reopen, is still anyone's guess.

  1. Gap 1

  2. Gap 2

  3. Gap 3

  4. Gap 4

  5. Gap 5

  6. Gap 6

  7. Gap 7

  8. Gap 8

Answer all items, then check.

Homework · Section 12

Take-home

Take it home

reading
Task 1

RUoE Part 1 — multiple-choice cloze (8 items)

Choose A, B, C or D for each gap. Strict 9-minute timer.

The rise of slow travel

In recent years, more and more holiday-makers have begun to (1)___ the idea of slow travel. Rather than rushing between famous landmarks, they (2)___ time in one place, getting to know local people and habits. Supporters (3)___ out that this style of travel is kinder to the environment, because it usually (4)___ fewer flights and shorter distances.

It also (5)___ a deeper understanding of the culture you are visiting, since you have time to (6)___ in the language and food. Of course, slow travel does not (7)___ everyone — some people simply do not have the holiday time. However, even a long weekend can (8)___ as slow travel if you choose one neighbourhood and stay there.

  1. A) embrace B) hug C) catch D) grasp
  2. A) pass B) spend C) waste D) make
  3. A) say B) tell C) point D) speak
  4. A) includes B) involves C) contains D) consists
  5. A) gives B) makes C) brings D) offers
  6. A) drown B) sink C) immerse yourself D) fall
  7. A) suit B) match C) fit D) like
  8. A) count B) tell C) stand D) work
Finish the homework, then check.
vocab
Task 2

Collocation triggers — fill the gaps

Complete each sentence with the correct verb.

Use ONE word per gap. All collocations were taught in this lesson.

  1. She always ___ a real effort to speak English at home.
  2. Can you ___ me a favour and check this email?
  3. We need to ___ a decision before Friday.
  4. He ___ research on bilingual children.
  5. Try not to ___ time scrolling on your phone.
  6. I'd like to ___ the opportunity to thank everyone.
  7. She ___ progress every week.
  8. Please ___ attention to the safety notice.
Finish the homework, then check.
writing
Task 3

Sentence-building with today's collocations

Write 6 personal sentences using the prompts.

Each sentence must be about you, your week or your studies — no generic textbook examples. 15–25 words each.

  1. … make an effort to …
  2. … have a huge impact on …
  3. … bear in mind that …
  4. … come up with …
  5. … look forward to …
  6. … take advantage of …
grammar
Task 4

Phrasal verbs — choose the meaning

Match each phrasal verb (1–8) to a meaning (A–H).

Items

  • 1) point out
  • 2) come up with
  • 3) take up
  • 4) put off
  • 5) get over
  • 6) look into
  • 7) bring up
  • 8) turn down

Meanings

  • A) postpone
  • B) recover from
  • C) investigate
  • D) mention / draw attention to
  • E) start a new hobby
  • F) invent / produce (an idea)
  • G) raise (a topic) in conversation
  • H) refuse / reject (an offer)
Finish the homework, then check.

Recap · Section 13

2–3 min

What you've learned

  • RUoE Part 1 tests four things only: collocation, dependent prepositions, phrasal verbs and fixed phrases.
  • Find the trigger word; let it pick the option for you.
  • Use the four-pass technique to spend ~9 minutes total — never more than 1 minute per gap.
  • Distractors are correct English elsewhere; they are wrong only here.
  • Never leave a gap blank — guessing beats blank, always.

Lesson progress

This lesson completes automatically once you finish every activity, or when you continue to the next lesson.

Lesson 01 · Meet the ExamLesson 03 · Speaking Part 1