A method of determining whether a test nucleotide is the next correct nucleotide comprising a base complementary to the next base in a template strand immediately downstream of a primer in a primed template nucleic acid, said method comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the primed template nucleic acid with a first reaction mixture that comprises a DNA polymerase, thereby forming a binary complex comprising the primed template nucleic acid and the polymerase; (b) contacting the binary complex from step (a) with a second reaction mixture that comprises the DNA polymerase and a first test nucleotide under conditions for forming a ternary complex comprising the primed template nucleic acid and the DNA polymerase, wherein the concentration of the first test nucleotide in the second reaction mixture is lower than the concentration of the first test nucleotide in a third reaction mixture comprising the DNA polymerase, the first test nucleotide and a second test nucleotide; (c) contacting the ternary complex from step (b) with the third reaction mixture that comprises the DNA polymerase, the first test nucleotide and the second test nucleotide under conditions for forming a ternary complex comprising the primed template nucleic acid and the DNA polymerase; (d) measuring binding of the primed template nucleic acid to the DNA polymerase of the first, second and third reaction mixtures at one or more points during each of steps (a), (b) and (c), respectively, but without chemical incorporation of the test nucleotides into the primer, wherein chemical incorporation is prevented by: (i) performing any of steps (a), (b) and (c), in the absence of catalytic metal ions or deficient levels of catalytic metal ions; (ii) the primed template nucleic acid comprising a blocking moiety that prevents extension; (iii) the polymerase lacking catalytic nucleotide polymerization function due to a mutation or chemical modification; and/or (iv) a polymerase inhibitor; and (e) determining whether the first or the second test nucleotide is the next correct nucleotide using the measured binding results from step (d). (a) contacting the primed template nucleic acid with a first reaction mixture that comprises a DNA polymerase, thereby forming a binary complex comprising the primed template nucleic acid and the polymerase; (b) contacting the binary complex from step (a) with a second reaction mixture that comprises the DNA polymerase and a first test nucleotide under conditions for forming a ternary complex comprising the primed template nucleic acid and the DNA polymerase, wherein the concentration of the first test nucleotide in the second reaction mixture is lower than the concentration of the first test nucleotide in a third reaction mixture comprising the DNA polymerase, the first test nucleotide and a second test nucleotide; (c) contacting the ternary complex from step (b) with the third reaction mixture that comprises the DNA polymerase, the first test nucleotide and the second test nucleotide under conditions for forming a ternary complex comprising the primed template nucleic acid and the DNA polymerase; (d) measuring binding of the primed template nucleic acid to the DNA polymerase of the first, second and third reaction mixtures at one or more points during each of steps (a), (b) and (c), respectively, but without chemical incorporation of the test nucleotides into the primer, wherein chemical incorporation is prevented by: (i) performing any of steps (a), (b) and (c), in the absence of catalytic metal ions or deficient levels of catalytic metal ions; (ii) the primed template nucleic acid comprising a blocking moiety that prevents extension; (iii) the polymerase lacking catalytic nucleotide polymerization function due to a mutation or chemical modification; and/or (iv) a polymerase inhibitor; and (i) performing any of steps (a), (b) and (c), in the absence of catalytic metal ions or deficient levels of catalytic metal ions; (ii) the primed template nucleic acid comprising a blocking moiety that prevents extension; (iii) the polymerase lacking catalytic nucleotide polymerization function due to a mutation or chemical modification; and/or (iv) a polymerase inhibitor; and (e) determining whether the first or the second test nucleotide is the next correct nucleotide using the measured binding results from step (d).