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PET · Collocations & Fixed Phrases · United States

Collocations & Fixed Phrases for the PET Exam — U.S. candidates

8% of the PET test plan. Common B1 collocations, fixed expressions, and idioms used in everyday and semi-formal contexts. Calibrated for American 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 U.S. candidates preparing for PET, the calibration of study to local context matters: U.S. licensure exams are governed at the state level (CDL, NCLEX) or by national boards (MCAT, GRE). Pearson VUE and PSI are the dominant test-delivery vendors.

Pass rates for PET (United States) 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.
  • 4If you are testing in the U.S., expect PET delivery via Pearson VUE or PSI test centres — register through the official board portal at least 30 days in advance.

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 American candidates?
Pass rates for PET candidates in United States 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 American 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. U.S. licensure exams are governed at the state level (CDL, NCLEX) or by national boards (MCAT, GRE). Pearson VUE and PSI are the dominant test-delivery vendors. Combine Collocations & Fixed Phrases study with full-length mock exams in the final two weeks before your test date.

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