PTE Academic · Task guide 13 · 3 min read
PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks: format and tips
PTE Academic Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks explained: drop-down choices, partial credit for Reading and Writing, and a routine.
What you see and do
A passage of up to about 300 words appears with several gaps. Each gap has a drop-down menu with four or five options. You choose the word that best completes the sentence in meaning and grammar.
This is the first item type in the Reading part, and you usually meet several of them.
Timing
There is no separate timer for this item. All Reading items share one timer for the whole part, about 30 minutes in total, shown on screen. Plan on about two minutes per item so that you leave time for the rest of the section.
How it is scored
Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks counts towards Reading and Writing.
It uses partial credit: you earn one mark for each blank filled correctly. There is no penalty for a wrong choice, so never leave a blank empty.
What the options test
| What is tested | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Grammar | Part of speech, verb form, singular or plural, tense |
| Collocation | Words that naturally go together, such as "conduct research" or "pose a risk" |
| Meaning | The word that fits the sense of the whole sentence and passage |
| Linking words | Contrast, cause or addition: "however", "therefore", "moreover" |
Common mistakes
- Choosing the first option that seems possible. Several options may be grammatical; only one fits the meaning and collocation.
- Reading only the words around the gap. The meaning often depends on the sentence before or after.
- Ignoring grammar clues. An article such as "an" or a plural verb can eliminate options at once.
- Spending too long on one blank. Make your best choice and move on.
A short routine
- Skim the passage quickly for the topic and direction.
- For each blank, read the whole sentence, not just the gap.
- Decide which part of speech is needed: noun, verb, adjective, adverb or linker.
- Eliminate options that break the grammar.
- Choose between the rest on meaning and collocation.
- Re-read the completed sentence to check that it sounds natural.
Exam tip: collocations are the key to this item. Keep a notebook of verb–noun and adjective–noun pairs you meet in academic reading, such as "draw a conclusion", "heavy rainfall" and "significant impact".
Illustrative example
This passage was written for Fable Tests. It is not taken from any official material.
Many coastal towns have begun to (1) sea walls to protect homes from rising water. However, engineers (2) that walls alone cannot solve the problem, because they can increase erosion on nearby beaches. A more (3) approach combines walls with restored salt marshes, which absorb the energy of the waves.
| Blank | Options | Answer and reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | build / building / built / builds | build: "begun to" is followed by the base form |
| 2 | warn / prevent / avoid / deny | warn: "prevent" and "avoid" cannot be followed by "that"; "deny" would contradict the point introduced by "However" |
| 3 | balanced / balance / balancing / imbalance | balanced: an adjective is needed after "a more" and before "approach" |
Key points
- You choose a word from a drop-down list for each blank in a passage.
- It counts towards Reading and Writing.
- One mark per correct blank, with no negative marking.
- Use grammar first, then meaning and collocation, to decide.
- Budget about two minutes per item within the shared Reading timer.
For the official current format, see pearsonpte.com. More guides are on the PTE hub.