PTE Academic · Task guide 17 · 4 min read
PTE Reading Multiple Choice, Single Answer: tips
PTE Academic Reading Multiple Choice (Single Answer) explained: one correct option, no negative marking, common traps and a routine.
What you see and do
A reading passage of up to about 300 words appears on screen with a question and several options, usually four or five. Only one option is correct. You click the button next to your answer.
The question might ask about the main idea, a specific detail, the writer's purpose or attitude, or what can be inferred from the text.
This is the last item type in the Reading part.
Timing
There is no separate timer for this item. It shares the Reading part timer, about 30 minutes in total. Because it comes at the end of the part, check how much time is left before you start. Allow about one and a half to two minutes per item.
How it is scored
Reading Multiple Choice (Single Answer) counts towards Reading.
It is scored correct or incorrect: one mark for the right answer, zero otherwise. There is no negative marking, so always choose an answer, even if you have to guess.
Question types and what to look for
| Question asks about | What to do |
|---|---|
| Main idea | Look for the option that covers the whole passage, not one part |
| Detail | Scan for the key word, then read that sentence closely |
| Writer's purpose | Ask why the text was written: to explain, compare, warn, argue |
| Inference | Choose what the text implies, not what it states outright, but stay close to the evidence |
Common mistakes
- Choosing an option that is true but too narrow. For a main-idea question, an accurate detail is still the wrong answer.
- Choosing an option that goes too far. Inference questions reward the most reasonable reading, not the boldest.
- Being tricked by matching words. The option that repeats the passage's wording is not always the correct one.
- Running out of time. Leaving these to the end without checking the clock can mean rushed guesses.
A short routine
- Read the question first.
- Read the passage with the question in mind.
- Predict an answer in your own words before looking at the options.
- Eliminate options that are wrong, too narrow or too extreme.
- Choose the option closest to your prediction, and move on.
Exam tip: if two options look right, look for the one difference between them. Often one adds a single word, such as "always" or "mainly", that the passage does not support.
Illustrative example
This passage and question were written for Fable Tests. They are not taken from any official material.
Many people assume that the four-day working week is a recent idea. In fact, economists predicted in the early twentieth century that rising productivity would allow much shorter working hours within a few generations. That reduction did not happen on the scale expected; instead, much of the extra wealth went into higher consumption. Recent trials of a shorter week therefore revisit an old prediction rather than introduce a new one.
What is the writer's main point?
| Option | Comment |
|---|---|
| A. The four-day week has been proved to raise productivity. | Not stated; the passage does not report trial results |
| B. The idea of a much shorter working week is older than many people think. | Correct: the passage's whole argument |
| C. Economists were right about working hours in the twentieth century. | Wrong; the predicted reduction "did not happen" |
| D. People today spend less than earlier generations did. | Contradicts "higher consumption" |
Key points
- Only one option is correct.
- It counts towards Reading.
- Correct or incorrect, with no negative marking: never leave it blank.
- Predict, eliminate, choose: watch for options that are too narrow or too extreme.
- It comes last in Reading, so keep an eye on the timer.
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