PTE Academic, Reading
PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks
A passage has several gaps; you choose the best word for each from a drop-down list.
Format and scoring
| Skill | Reading |
|---|---|
| How it's scored | One mark per correct blank. It counts towards reading and writing. |
| Weight (estimate) | About 26% of your reading score |
How to answer Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks
- 1Read the whole sentence, not just the words around the gap.
- 2Decide the word class needed: noun, verb, adjective.
- 3Check collocations and grammar: an increase in, depend on.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a word that fits the meaning but not the grammar.
- Spending too long on one blank.
Sample question
University funding report
The committee's report _____ attention to the growing gap between research funding and teaching resources. While universities have _____ considerable progress in widening participation, critics argue that this has come at the _____ of smaller class sizes. The authors therefore call for a more _____ approach to long-term planning.