PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks Tips & Templates

This guide reveals the latest PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks format, scoring system, template, practice tips, and FAQs for new and experienced test-takers.

Discover the key to boosting your PTE Core scores now!

Key Takeaways

• The PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks task evaluates your reading skills based on how correctly you fill in the missing words in the blanks.
• You must fill in the blank with a word that is both grammatically and meaningfully correct.
• PTE Magic suggests applying the five tips in our blog during practice to enhance your performance quickly.

Related:

• PTE Core Reading score chart
• PTE Core exam preparation tips & tricks

PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks Format

For new test-takers, Fill In The Blanks is a section in the PTE Core Reading test. This task evaluates your reading skills based on how correctly you fill in the missing words in the blanks. You will see a short passage with several gaps in this task. 

Your mission is to choose one word from the list in the blue box at the bottom of the screen. Note that the given words are more than the number of blanks, so you can’t use every option.

Pearson provides test-takers with a text of up to 80 words. The Fill In The Blanks task has no time limit, therefore, spend your time wisely to complete all the blanks. To process the task effectively, follow these steps:

1. Read the given text carefully: First, read the passage to understand the main idea of the context. 
2. See the provided words: Next, look at the words in the blue box. Identify their meanings and grammar.
3. Drag and drop: Test-takers choose a word and drag it to their desired blanks. Once you reach the position, release your left mouse to drop the word. 
4. Recheck: Read the whole passage after you have filled all the words. If you want to swap any answers, click and drag the word to another blank. You can also drag the word back to the blue box and pick another option.

How Is It Scored?

Understanding the scoring system of the PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks helps test-takers improve their performance. This task tests your ability to complete a passage using meaning and grammatical clues. Pearson scores you based on the number of correct blanks you fill. 

You will receive a full score in this task if you answer all blanks accurately. You will get a partial score if one of your blanks is wrong. In other words, test-takers still earn points for each correct answer they provide. 

You must fill in the blank with a word that is both grammatically and meaningfully correct. Accordingly, you will lose points if your chosen word only meets one of the two criteria. 

Since the task applies a partial credit scoring system, guess every blank if you are unsure. Even if you are uncertain about the answers, guessing can still earn you some points. 

PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks Template

A PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks example from PTE Magic study platform

In the text below some words are missing. Drag words from the box below to the appropriate place in the text. To undo an answer choice, drag the word back to the box below the text.

Answer: 

• profits
• leadership
• needs
• decision

PTE Core Reading Tips For the Fill In The Blanks Task

Following smart tips and tricks can help you gain much higher scores. PTE Magic suggests applying these tips during practice to enhance your performance quickly:

Remember Collocation

Collocation means words often attached to make frequently used phrases. Knowing these collocations helps test-takers select the correct option faster and remove the unfamiliar word choices.

For example: He was known for his ___ of humour.

Options:

1. taste
2. sense
3. style
4. type

In this example, “sense” is the correct choice because “sense of humour” is a common collocation. Therefore, test-takers should learn as many collocations as possible.

Ensure Correct Grammar

You can identify the missing word faster if you understand the sentence’s grammatical structure. Consider this sentence: She is _ to start her new job next week. With the options of “world”, “formal,” “view,” and “beginning,” you can easily cross out the wrong answer by remembering the grammar rules:

• “World” is a noun and “formal” is an unsuitable adjective in this context. The missing word you should find is a verb.
• “View” is a verb, but its tense is incorrect. In this case, “beginning” fits the context for its correction in grammar and meaning.

Read the surrounding text to figure out the grammar of the missing words. Remove any options that don’t fit the sentence’s grammar. This method will save you time and enhance your score. 

Pay Attention to Context

Besides grammar, context is also a good hint for defining the missing word. Use your reading skills in cases where all the given words are grammatically correct. Take a look at this sample sentence:

The lecture was quite _ and left the audience with many questions.

Options: “confusing,” “boring,” “clear,” “helpful.”

The most suitable answer is “confusing” since the sentence shows that the audience didn’t fully understand the lecture. With this type of sentence, learners should read the whole sentence to get the idea before deciding on the word.

Remove Unsuitable Answers

If you are still confused after reading all the given options, elimination is your go-to trick. In short, you remove the wrong options, whether it’s grammar or context, to narrow down your decision. The last option remaining will be your final answer.

Practise Frequently

Practising with various reading sources helps improve skills. You can read books, articles, comics, etc., to get used to words and collocations that native people frequently use. 

Another tip is to take mock tests. Test-takers can evaluate their ability through mock tests on reliable sources such as PTE Magic. These similar-to-original practice tests will familiarise you with the Fill In The Blanks task’s format and scope of context and topics. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Blanks In The PTE Core Fill In The Blanks Task?

The number of blanks can be various. Normally, test-takers can expect to answer from 3 to 5 blanks in total. 

How Long Is The Fill In The Blanks Task?

The Fill In The Blanks task has no time limit. However, pay attention to the overall time to complete the PTE Core test.

What Are The Marks For Fill In The Blanks In PTE?

Test-takers will receive full scores if they answer all the blanks correctly. You will only receive a partial score if one or more blanks are wrong. 

Final Thoughts

With these PTE Core Reading Fill In The Blanks templates and tips, we are sure you know what to prepare. Stay tuned and follow PTE Magic’s social media and platform to get the latest guides for your PTE preparation. Good luck!

Last updated on 25/09/2024