PTE Reading Format And Tips For High Scores
What do sentence gaps, scrambled paragraphs, and multiple “correct” answers have in common?
They’re all part of the PTE exam Reading section!
At LUME, we believe that strong performance comes from smart preparation.
That’s why we’ve created this clear, strategy-packed guide to help you with this part.
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The PTE Reading time is about 30 minutes, covering 5 question types below:
In this task, you’ll see a short passage (up to 300 words) with several blanks scattered throughout.
Your job is to fill in the blanks by selecting the correct word from a drop-down list next to each gap.
You’ll need to read the full passage carefully and make sure your chosen words fit both the meaning and the grammar of the sentence.
To answer, click the drop-down arrow next to a blank, select the word you think works best, and you’re done.
If you change your mind, simply pick another word from the list.
This multiple choice, multiple answer type of question gives you a passage (up to 300 words) and a multiple-choice question that has more than one correct answer.
You must read the text closely and then select all the answers that are correct based on what you’ve just read.
To choose an option, click on it; if it turns yellow, it’s selected.
If you change your mind, click again to deselect it.
Make sure you read carefully to identify important details and understand the tone or message of the text.
In each question of this re-order paragraph section, you’ll get several short text boxes that, when arranged correctly, form a logical passage of up to 150 words.
But right now, they’re all jumbled up!
You are required to figure out the correct order and piece the text back together.
You can move the boxes around by dragging and dropping them where you think they belong, or you can use the little arrow buttons to shuffle them left or right.
This question checks your ability to understand how ideas flow and how a well-structured paragraph should be.
Here’s another fill-in-the-blank task, but this one’s a bit different.
You’ll see a shorter passage (up to 80 words) with several gaps in it.
Beneath the text, there’s a blue box filled with words.
Your mission is to drag and drop the correct words into the blanks.
Just click on a word, drag it into a blank, and let go!
However, there are more words than blanks, meaning you won’t use them all.
You need to figure out which words actually fit the sentence in terms of meaning and grammar.
If you want to try a different fit, you can swap words between blanks or drag one back to the box.
This is your classic multiple-choice question.
For each question in this multiple choice, single answer section, you’ll get a passage (up to 300 words) and a question about it.
There will be several possible answers, but only one of them is correct.
Read the passage carefully, grasp what it’s really saying, and pick the best answer.
Just click on the option you think is right — it’ll light up in yellow.
Click another option to switch if you decide to change your mind.
| Question Type | Task | Number of questions | Prompt Length |
| Fill in the blanks (Reading + Writing) | Choose the correct word from a drop-down to complete sentences | 5 to 6 | 300 words |
| Multiple choice, multiple answer | Select all the correct answers from the multiple choices | 1 to 2 | 300 words |
| Re-order paragraphs | Put shuffled sentences into the correct order | 2 to 3 | 150 words |
| Fill in the blanks (Reading) | Drag the right word from a list to complete the passage | 4 to 5 | 80 words |
| Multiple choice,
single answer |
Choose one correct answer from the multiple choices | 1 to 2 | 300 words |
There are two scoring methods used in the Reading section: Correct/Incorrect and Partial Credit.
For the Correct/Incorrect method, if you get the answer right, you score one point.
If your answer is wrong, you get zero for that question.
There’s no penalty for guessing, but there’s also no in-between; you’re either right or wrong.
Meanwhile, the Partial credit method is more flexible.
With this system, you can earn one point for every correct answer, despite other responses being incorrect.
Let’s say that the question has multiple parts (like filling in several blanks).
If you fill in some gaps correctly, you still receive credit for them, even when the remaining blanks are wrong.
You won’t get negative points for wrong answers.
However, for Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer questions, each incorrect answer takes 1 point away from your score.
Now, let’s break down how each question type is scored:
| Question type | Scoring method |
| Fill in the blanks (reading + writing) | Partial credit |
| Multiple choice, multiple answer | Partial credit |
| Re-order paragraphs | Partial credit |
| Fill in the blanks (read) | Particle credit |
| Multiple choice, single answer | Correct/Incorrect |
All of these are scored by Pearson’s automated AI system, which has been tested using data from over 10,000 test takers in 158 countries.
A score of 50 or higher out of 90 is usually considered a strong performance in the Reading section.
Train yourself to read the question stem carefully, which tells you exactly what to focus on (main idea, detail, tone, inference, etc.).
Then, scan the passage for keywords or phrases that relate to the question.
Don’t just pick the first matching phrase you find; read around to understand the context fully.
One powerful technique is to look for the topic sentence, the one that introduces a subject without referencing anything that came before.
That’s usually your starting point!
After that, try to form logical pairs by looking for pronouns (“he,” “they,” “this,” “that”) and connective words like “however,” “for example,” or “as a result.”
Also, pay attention to chronological clues (e.g., first, then, finally), as well as grammatical cues like articles (“the” vs “a”), which suggest whether a concept is being introduced or followed up.
Practice spotting patterns like subject-verb agreement, prepositions, verb tenses, and fixed expressions (e.g., “make a decision,” not “do a decision”).
It also helps to read the full sentences after selecting a word.
If it sounds off, it probably is!
When you’re stuck between two options, go with the one that’s more commonly used in academic writing.
Exposure to formal texts (like editorials, essays, or reports) before the test helps you develop a natural feel for which words belong in which context.
You don’t have a per-question timer, which means you need to pace yourself across the whole section.
Most test-takers get around 29 to 30 minutes for the full Reading section, so if you spend too long on one question, you’ll risk rushing through the test.
Try to gauge how long you can reasonably spend on each question type: 1-2 minutes for multiple-choice and re-order tasks, and slightly less for gap-fill questions.
Even a 30-second review can save you from simple mistakes!
When you’ve finished a passage, reread the entire thing from start to finish.
Does it sound natural?
Is the grammar consistent?
Are the words in the right form?
Sometimes, a word that makes sense in isolation feels off once you see it in the full sentence.
Trust your ear; if it sounds wrong, there’s a good chance it is.
The exam covers a wide range of academic and general-interest topics, so you need to get comfortable reading material outside your usual comfort zone.
Make a habit of reading short articles daily from different sources, such as news websites, science blogs, educational journals, or opinion pieces.
Also, vary your reading pace and practice both slow, focused reading (to train accuracy for tasks like gap filling) and fast skimming (to scan efficiently for multiple-choice questions).
If the PTE reading section felt overwhelming before, we hope this guide helped clear the fog!
And for those looking for a smarter way to prepare, LUME has your back with AI-powered tools and targeted question banks.
Let’s do it, one smart step at a time!
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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 (Limited seats available!) |
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