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PET · Collocations & Fixed Phrases · New York, USA

Collocations & Fixed Phrases for the PET Exam — New York candidates

8% of the PET test plan. Common B1 collocations, fixed expressions, and idioms used in everyday and semi-formal contexts. Calibrated for New Yorker candidates.

Behind every published pass rate is a distribution of which topics caused most of the failures. This is one of those topics. Collocations & Fixed Phrases sits at roughly 8% of the Cambridge Preliminary English Test (B1) content distribution — Collocations (words that naturally go together) distinguish B1 candidates from those at A2. The Cambridge B1 Preliminary Reading Part 5 (multiple-choice cloze) specifically tests collocations and fixed phrases. Using natural collocations also improves Writing and Speaking scores. Pass rates for the PET are published annually by the awarding body and vary by cohort and locale. For New York candidates preparing for PET, the calibration of study to local context matters: New York is a top-3 state for NCLEX-RN, MCAT, and GRE candidates. NY State Education Department (NYSED) handles RN licensure differently from compact states.

Pass rates for PET (New York, USA) are published periodically by the awarding body.

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

  • !Translating collocations directly from L1 — most collocations do not translate literally
  • !Confusing "do" and "make" collocations: do housework/make a mistake not make housework/do a mistake
  • !Not recognising fixed phrases in reading: "in spite of", "as a result", "in addition to"

Study tips

  • 1Learn the do/make distinction: do (activities, tasks) vs make (products, plans, decisions).
  • 2Study 5 collocations per topic per week from the Cambridge B1 vocabulary resource.
  • 3Notice collocations in everything you read — underline and note them in a vocabulary journal.
  • 4For NCLEX-RN: NYSED is not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a NY licence does not transfer to other states without endorsement. Consider this if you plan to work in NJ/CT after graduating.
  • 5For MCAT: most NY medical schools (Columbia, Cornell, Mount Sinai, NYU) cap MCAT scores accepted at 3 years old — verify your target schools' exact policy.
  • 6For CDL: NY DMV requires a 14-day permit-holding period before scheduling the CDL skills test; budget this gap into your training schedule.

Sample PET Collocations & Fixed Phrases questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real PET questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

  1. 1

    Choose the correct collocation: "She _____ a lot of effort into her presentation."

    • Amade
    • Bdid
    • CputCorrect
    • Dgave
    Why this answer?

    "Put effort into something" is the natural collocation. "Make an effort" is also possible (make vs put have overlapping uses here), but "put a lot of effort into" specifically emphasizes investing effort into a specific activity. "Did" and "gave" are not used in this collocation.

Frequently asked questions

Are idioms tested in B1 Preliminary?
Simple idioms and fixed expressions are tested at B1 level, but highly idiomatic language is more typical of B2+. B1 candidates should know common everyday idioms: "keep in touch," "look forward to," "run out of," "take part in," and discourse markers like "in other words," "for example," "on the other hand."
What is the PET pass rate for New Yorker candidates?
Pass rates for PET candidates in New York, USA are published periodically by the awarding body. Practice questions, full-length simulations, and weak-area drills are the highest-impact way to improve your odds.
How long should New Yorker candidates study Collocations & Fixed Phrases for the PET?
For most candidates, focused mastery of Collocations & Fixed Phrases requires 20–40 hours of deliberate practice — drilling sample questions, reviewing failure modes, and timing yourself against exam conditions. New York is a top-3 state for NCLEX-RN, MCAT, and GRE candidates. NY State Education Department (NYSED) handles RN licensure differently from compact states. Combine Collocations & Fixed Phrases study with full-length mock exams in the final two weeks before your test date.

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