PTE Reading Fill In the Blanks Tips And Tricks

Think PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks is easier than PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks?

Think again!

While there are no similar words that can mislead you, this task requires a richer vocabulary to understand the entire text.

So, how can you improve your vocabulary, grammar, and other language skills?

LUME Test is here to help!

Want to FINALLY Pass the PTE Core Test And Achieve Your Goals? Get Your FREE Lume Account Today to Unlock… ✅ 10,000+ PRACTICE QUESTIONS with detailed answers ✅ FREE MOCK TESTS with fast & accurate AI scoring ✅ Get BETTER SCORES with a PERSONALIZED study plan GET YOUR FREE ACCOUNT NOW (Limited seats available!)

Key Takeaways

• You will be granted a long text with several gaps that need filling.  
• The number of given options is higher than the number of blanks, increasing the difficulty level and lowering the chance of correct guesses. 
• There are 3 easy methods and 6 pro tips to help you ace this task.

Related:

• PTE Reading format
• FREE PTE Academic mock tests
• PTE study plan with tips and tricks

What Is The PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks Section?

The Overview

In the PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks task, you will see a long text appearing on the screen, whose word length is between 60 and 80 words. 

However, this text is not complete, with several gaps. 

Your objective is to identify which word or phrase is appropriate for the blank. 

A list of words (normally 6 to 8 words) is present in the blue box. 

Note that the number of given options is higher than the number of blanks, requiring a strategic elimination technique. 

It might also be more difficult to make guesses.  

To pick a word, you keep your left mouse button held down and drag the word to the proper gap. 

To deselect it, drag it back to the box.

There will be 4 to 5 Fill-in-the-Blanks questions in this section.

The Scoring Criteria

This PTE section applies a Correct/ Incorrect scoring system. 

In detail, you will get one point for every accurate answer and none for incorrect choices. 

The negative marking is not applicable, and the minimum score is zero.

3 Methods To Achieve The Target Score In PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks

Below are 3 comprehensive strategies to help you achieve a desired score in the PTE task. 

Method 1: The Context Approach

• Step 1: Skim and scan the provided text to understand the meaning and grasp its general idea. 
• Step 2: Get back to each blank and determine the most correct answer based on contextual clues. 
• Step 3: Check other options to see whether they are suitable. If not, don’t hesitate to eliminate it. 

Method 2: The Grammar Approach

• Step 1: The utmost priority is to check grammatical clues of provided words (for instance, verb/noun/adjective, or singular/plural). 
• Step 2: Get rid of those options that don’t align with the sentence’s grammar. 
• Step 3: Group grammatically accurate options, and pick the best among them. 

Method 3: The Collocation Technique

• Step 1: Quickly skim the collocations or word pairs that may fit the blank. 
• Step 2: Check your answers by placing them in the context of sentences and paragraphs. 
• Step 3: Pick the most reasonable option. 

Top 6 Tips for Acing The PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks Task

Here are 6 helpful tips that help you master the PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks section. 

Manage Your Time

It’s recommended to distribute time equally. 

If you encounter a strange word or don’t understand the sentence’s meaning, don’t waste too much time on it. 

Instead of getting stuck, you must instantly leave those challenges behind and move on to the next sentence. 

If not, you won’t have enough time to complete the task. 

You are suggested to solve each item in only 2 minutes or less. 

Spend 2-3 minutes at the end to proofread your answers.  

Check The Answer

Never rush yourself.

This careless move, for sure, results in your loss of points. 

For that reason, always check your answer carefully before clicking the “Next” button. 

Enhance Your Grammar Resources

Sometimes, grammar will save one point. 

Indeed, when you don’t grasp the meaning of the word or sentence, you could totally rely on grammatical cues to circle potential options. 

Pay close attention to fundamental grammar factors, such as tenses (present/past/future tenses), word collocations, singular and plural forms, prepositions, word types, etc. 

Improve Your Vocabulary Grasp

Texts in the PTE test cover a wide range of topics, from education, environment, science, and literature to the humanities. 

If you lack vocabulary related to the topic, you won’t likely get the text’s gist fully. 

To enrich your vocabulary resources, you should read academic journals and newspapers on foreign channels, such as the BBC, CNN, The Guardian, etc. 

Also, focus on learning new collocations and phrasal verbs.

The more collocations you know, the better chance you have of picking the correct answer even without understanding the whole passage (method 2).

Use the Elimination Strategy

Narrowing your choices with a proper elimination strategy is advisable. 

You’d better focus on the contextual clues surrounding the gaps and then cross out incompatible options. 

For example, you hesitate whether “predict,” “forecast,” and “foresee” are suitable for the gaps. 

In that case, rely on the following preposition or read the whole sentence carefully. 

These ways are all a wise move. 

Make Good Guesses

The good news is that you won’t lose any points for an incorrect response. 

So, why don’t you dare to make an educated guess instead of skipping the queries, right?

Though we’ve shared earlier that the likelihood of correct guesses is lower than in other tasks, you still stand a better chance of earning points than leaving blanks.

The Bottom Line

After reading this article, we hope you understand the format, timeframe, and scoring criteria of the PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks section. 

To master this task, always remember to improve your grammar and vocabulary, especially collocations. 

Apart from that, practice managing time and leveraging contextual clues for smart guessing when unsure.  

Reach out to LUME if you need more help!

Want to FINALLY Pass the PTE Core Test And Achieve Your Goals? Get Your FREE Lume Account Today to Unlock… ✅ 10,000+ PRACTICE QUESTIONS with detailed answers ✅ FREE MOCK TESTS with fast & accurate AI scoring ✅ Get BETTER SCORES with a PERSONALIZED study plan GET YOUR FREE ACCOUNT NOW (Limited seats available!)