PTE Core Reading Format, Score Chart & Practice Tips

Today’s blog uncovers the PTE Core Reading section. We have included everything related to the task format, scoring system, tips, and tricks for your best PTE Core preparation. Stay tuned!

Key Takeaways

• The PTE Core Reading section assesses test-takers’ English analysis and text comprehension abilities.
• The key to success in this section is improving your grammar and vocabulary and quickly identifying the keywords.
• With quality study strategies from professional trainers, you will improve quickly in your Reading section and other PTE Core sections with PTE Magic.

PTE Core Reading Format & Scoring

The PTE Core Reading section assesses test-takers’ English analysis and text comprehension abilities. In this section, you will encounter various tasks that test different aspects of your English reading skills. Let’s explore these PTE Core Reading modules:

Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks

In the Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks task, test-takers will see a text of up to 200 words with several gaps. Your mission is to choose the words to fill in the gaps. This section evaluates your reading and writing skills based on how correctly you fill in the blanks.

The Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks task has no time limit. You can take your time choosing the most suitable words from the boxes in the blanks. Each box will include a list of possible words for you. To fill in the blanks, click the arrow on the right of the boxes to see the list. Test-takers can change their answer by clicking on another option.

Your ability to understand the context and grammar knowledge will determine your score in this section. The more correct answers you provide, the higher your score. You will still receive a partial score if you make a few mistakes. For your information, this task contributes to your reading and writing scores. Pearson does not evaluate your listening and speaking skills in this section.

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

The Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers section in the PTE Core test presents a passage of up to 275 words and asks test-takers to answer a multiple-choice question related to the text. This part assesses how well you understand the information in the passage.

This section also has no time limit. Therefore, use your time to read the text carefully. Since Pearson doesn’t limit the number of correct answers to one, select all the correct answers from the list.

Click on the answer to choose your option. If you want to redo, simply choose another option. The PTE Core Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers will highlight your answers in yellow for easy identification. 

Additionally, your score is based on your ability to analyse and understand the given text. Test-takers who answer everything correctly earn the highest score in this section.

Like Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks task, you will receive partial credit in PTE Core Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers. You will get one point for each correct answer, while one wrong answer will deduct one point. 

Your reading scores partially depend on this task. The remaining skills won’t be affected.

Reorder Paragraph

Test-takers will encounter several boxes in the Reorder Paragraph task, each containing a sentence. Your objective is to rearrange these sentences into the correct order. The total word count of the text can be up to 110 words.

This task has no time limits like the previous PTE Core Reading section. Test-takers should take their time reading all the sentences carefully to reconstruct the passage’s original order. 

Here is how to do it: You can either drag the boxes to your desired position or click on the arrow buttons to move them. Click anywhere on the screen outside the box to deselect your action.

Pearson scores your Reorder Paragraph task based on your understanding of the paragraph’s structure and flow. Full scores are for test-takers who put all the boxes in the correct order. In contrast, those who put some boxes in the wrong order will receive partial points. 

Like the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers task, the test only affects your reading scores.

Fill in the Blanks

This PTE Core Fill in the Blanks differs from the above mentioned task. While the main purpose of the task remains to fill in the blanks and test your reading skills, the differences lie in the length of the given text and the method of the task.

This time, the text will be up to 80 words long instead of a 200-word passage. You can take your time to answer carefully, as there’s no time limit.

Another change is how you complete the task. PTE Core Fill in the Blanks requires test-takers to choose words from a box at the bottom of the screen. You must drag the word to a suitable blank. Remember, the number of words is more than the number of blanks, so answer carefully. You can drag a word to another blank or back to the box if you change your mind.

You will get full scores in this task if you answer all the blanks correctly. Test-takers will receive partial points if they make a few mistakes. No points will be given if you answer everything wrong.

Multiple Choice, Single Answer

In this task, you will read a text of up to 110 words and then answer a multiple-choice question related to the text. However, unlike the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer task, you can only choose one answer in this section. In other words, only one answer is correct in the Multiple Choice, Single Answer task.

Once you identify the correct answer, click on it. If you want to redo, simply click on another option.

Test-takers who are good at analysis and text evaluation will likely score higher. However, you will receive zero points if you answer incorrectly in the Multiple Choice, Single Answer section.

PTE Core Reading Tips And Tricks

This section will reveal the tips and tricks for your PTE Core speaking test practice. Let’s start with the first task:

Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks

• Skim the text first. This method helps you understand the overall meaning of the text and choose the right words for each blank.
• Look for words suitable to the passage’s topic. Check their grammar to see if they fit the sentences.
• Reading the part before and after the blank helps you find the correct word faster. Although the options might sound similar and have common meanings, you will find the most suitable word if you read the context carefully.
• Look for repeated words in the passage. Reading the information near these repeated words can help test-takers identify the missing words faster.

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

• Remember how Pearson scores this task. A correct answer gives you points, but this task requires more than one answer. You will lose points for any incorrect answers, including the unchosen ones.
• Look for repeated words in the answers. If the same phrase from the text appears in one of the answers, it’s likely correct.

Reorder Paragraph

• Read all sentences before you rearrange. This helps you get the overall idea and reorder them quickly.
• Note down the keywords and match them to form the main idea of the content. Test-takers can thus create a logical order for the sentences.
• Identify the topic sentence. This sentence usually stands alone and does not include linking words or previously mentioned information. 

Fill in the Blanks

• Remember collocations. These words usually go together to create common phrases. The more collocations you know, the faster you target the right word for the blank.
• Improving your grammar will increase your score in this task. For example, if the sentence says “the importance of [blank]”, the missing word should be a noun phrase.
• Remove any wrong options that don’t fit the sentences. Additionally, you should cross out verbs that don’t stay in the infinitive form.
• Pick the word that has the right meaning. Pay attention to the context when choosing your answer. Some options might have correct grammar but may not suitable in the overall context.

Multiple Choice, Single Answer

• Focus on the keywords in the text. Reading the text carefully helps test-takers identify the needed information. Accordingly, this strategy will save more time and improve accuracy.
• Guess the answer before you read. Test-takers can look at all the options first and guess which is likely to be the correct answer. You can also apply this tip with the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers section.

PTE Magic: Best Source for PTE Core Reading Practice

PTE Magic’s training courses are one click away for learners who want to reach their dream scores. 

In addition to our PTE Core reading tips and tricks, our platform can help you achieve your score goals. PTE Magic’s website is user-friendly: you can easily access all our valuable sources!

Moreover, learners can practise with our PTE Core Reading practice test to enhance their reading abilities. This helps you gain experience for the real PTE Core test date, as PTE Magic’s tests also use AI-based scoring.

That’s not all. Our PTE training courses are one click away for learners who want to reach their dream scores. With quality study strategies from professional trainers, you will improve quickly in your Reading section and other PTE Core sections.

Final Thoughts

The PTE Core Reading has five main tasks to access tesk-takers’s analysis and evaluate text comprehension abilities. The key to success in this section is improving your grammar and vocabulary and quickly identifying the keywords. 

Be sure to check out PTE Magic for good PTE preparation. Discover your best study strategy on our website today!

Last updated on 08/07/2024