England led West Indies by 136 runs and was setting up a second declaration to try and force a result in the second Test at Kensington Oval on Saturday.
West Indies was finally bowled out for 411, trailing by 96 runs, and England openers Zac Crawley and Alex Lees added 40 without loss in 15 overs before bad light ended play on the fourth day.
Last week in Antigua, England led by 153 into the final day and set West Indies a winning target of 286 in 71 overs. West Indies didn't take the bait and the Test was safely drawn.
England's strategy shouldn't change in Barbados, and neither should the end result on a similarly flat pitch.
West Indies captain and opener Kraigg Brathwaite frustrated England for a third straight day until he was out for 160 after nearly 12 hours.
He started the day on 109 and his team on 288-4.
Nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph supported him for 1 1/2 hours until he was dismissed by Ben Stokes for 19, the only wicket in the morning session.
Jason Holder was out to the second ball after lunch from a rash hack, giving England pacer Saqib Mahmood his first Test wicket on debut.
Brathwaite was handling the third new ball of his innings when he came forward to spinner Jack Leach, was beaten and heard his off stump rattled. The captain's 160 on his home ground came from 489 balls and included 17 boundaries.
West Indies was still 122 runs short of England's first declaration at 509-7, and Kemar Roach then fell for 1.
But Joshua Da Silva, who overturned being given out on 3, led West Indies past tea and was last man out for 33 off 112 balls.
He was trapped by Leach, who led England with 3-118 from 69.5 overs, more than twice as many overs as anyone else bowled.
In their second turn at bat, England's Crawley reached 21 and Lees 18 by stumps.
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