The gap-filling task is one of the key components of the PTE Reading test. It evaluates your vocabulary and ability to identify the flow of arguments in a given text passage. 

Time management is also the key to success. You would not want to spend five minutes struggling with one gap. It’s because the entire reading section lasts only 30 to 40 minutes.

In this guide, PTE Magic will share with you some tips for PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks successfully implemented by thousands of advanced learners.

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Key Takeaways

• The gap-filling task evaluates your vocabulary and ability to identify the flow of arguments in a given text passage.
• You can expect to encounter 4 to 5 reading/gap-filling items during the test.
• This guide will share six tips for PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks, which have been successfully implemented by thousands of advanced learners.

Related:

• PTE modules and test-taking tips for beginners
• Effective PTE preparation tips for your next test

Overview Of The Section

The PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks task will give you a passage of up to 80 words with a few gaps.

There is a blue box at the bottom of the text, containing several words.

Test-takers are required to fill those blank spaces with the given words by dragging them to the correct places.

However, more words are provided than the available gaps, so you should think carefully to choose the precise answer.

You can left-click and drag the words between blanks or drag them back to the blue box. 

This part doesn’t come with a timer, so you need to manage the time wisely.

Sample: 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.

The space work for an astronaut can be inside or _______. Inside, they can monitor machines and the work is _______ out alongside the craft. They also need to make sure the Space _______. _______ the craft, they can see how the seeds react in the space. Some seed companies send seeds to them _______ to see how seeds change their biological character. When outside the craft, they can _______ experiments or clean up the space rubbish.

 

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How Many Items of PTE Fill In The Blanks Are Included In The Test?

You can expect to encounter 4 to 5 reading/gap-filling items during the test.

What Is The Task About?

Most texts are quite short, only 80 words at maximum, and contain 3 to 5 blanks to fill in. Below the texts, a box displays 6 to 8 words to choose from. 

As you can see, the number of given options is higher than the number of blanks. So, each candidate has to carefully assess the words’ meaning, degree of expression, and relevance to the sentence. 

How Is It Scored?

PTE applies a Correct/Incorrect system for the task. Specifically, you will gain points for every correctly filled blank and zero points for wrong answers. There is no negative marking or point deduction for the latter.

6 PTE Reading Fill In The Blanks Tips

Tip 1: Manage Your Time

We suggest solving each item in 2 minutes or less. That should not be challenging, given that the passages are quite short. You can skim through them to grasp the general context and word type required. For instance, should it be a verb, adverb, adjective, or noun?

Tip 2: Monitor The Technicalities

While time management is crucial, there is no need to rush your answer. Make sure the word is dropped correctly into the gap, recheck whether it is filled, and confirm no blanks are left empty before clicking the “Next” button. 

Note that once you hit “Next,” the answers cannot be changed – all the more reason to be cautious.

Tip 3: Use Your Grammar Knowledge

Contrary to popular belief that grammar knowledge is only important in writing or speaking tasks, it also plays a major role in gap-filling questions. 

As mentioned, you can predict whether the word required is a verb, noun, or adjective based on the sentence’s structure. Other grammatical aspects also help speed up your process, such as:

• Tenses (present/past/past perfect, etc.)
• Word collocations, prepositions
• Singular and plural forms
• Countable and uncountable nouns (the latter do not require a/an) 

Tip 4: Enrich Your Vocabulary During Practice

Passages and articles in PTE tests cover various topics, ranging from science and literature to the humanities. As a beginner, you must have felt quite overwhelmed by the amount of academic words and terminology.

It is not too late; you can start building your vocabulary today. 

Read academic journals and articles, find as many practice tests as possible, and note down all unknown words to look up afterward. Remember to search their synonyms and antonyms as well.

Tip 5: Use Elimination Strategy

Narrowing your options with the elimination strategy is also highly recommended. Pay attention to the contextual clues surrounding the gaps, then cross out all options that seem incompatible or clearly do not fit in.

Grammatical knowledge also helps here, especially if the box provides several words with seemingly similar meanings. 

For instance, suppose you have to choose from “Predict,” “Foresee,” and “Forecast,” and you are unsure about the difference between their meanings and contextual usages. 

In that case, eliminating the wrong answer based on prepositions will be a wise move. 

Make Guesses If You Are Unsure

As mentioned, there is no negative marking for wrongly filled blanks. So, making educated guesses is much better than skipping the questions altogether. 

An unfilled gap equals a zero score, after all,  while even the wildest guesses could still earn you some points in the best scenario.

Let’s say you have already applied the elimination strategy or other techniques to narrow options. The chances of correct answers are still quite high, even when you are not 100% confident. 

6 Mistakes To Avoid

Overlook The Context

A proven tip for test-takers is to spot collocations and phrasal verbs to select the answer more easily.

This strategy can be a double-edged knife, making you too focused on spotting common phrases rather than understanding the whole text.

For example:

“The increasing use of social media leads to a feeling of social____.”

The options include: Challenges, connection, and isolation.

In this case, you might rush to choose “connection” because “social connection” is a common phrase.

However, given the context of the sentence, “isolation” is the correct answer.

So, here’s the kicker: Before filling any gaps, read over the passage to grasp its overall meaning and context.

The prompt is quite short, so this shouldn’t take you more than 1 minute.

Ignore The Grammar & Collocations

Contrary to the above mistake, some candidates prioritize comprehending the meaning over grammatical cues.

Sometimes, using your own knowledge about collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms, and common phrases will come in handy.

For example:

“The rapid development of AI has a profound_____on many aspects, from education to the economy.”

Even if you haven’t checked the available words, it’s easy to guess that the correct answer might be “impact,” which normally comes with “on.”

Other grammatical rules, such as parts of speech, word forms, subject-verb agreement, tenses, singular/plural forms, etc., are also worth considering.

For instance, if the word before the gap is an adjective, it’s likely that we need to fill the blank with a noun.

Choose Words That Don’t Fit The Tone

For many test-takers, the tone of the text always comes after its meaning, context, and grammar. 

Despite being a minor element, it sometimes decides whether you can earn 1 point.

If the passage follows a more formal tone, selecting a casual, informal word is downright improper. 

When you’re confused between two words with similar meanings, it’s time to consider the tone of the text!

Linger On A Blank For Too Long

As mentioned, there’s no timer for this task, so being fixated on a single gap is a complete waste of time.

Instead, try to fill in all the blanks that you’re certain of first.

For the remaining, you can resort to the elimination method since there are now fewer words to choose from.

Make A Second-Guess

While guessing is an effective method when you’re uncertain about the answers, you shouldn’t second-guess.

Unless you find a really strong reason for switching to another option, don’t change your answer.

Don’t Spend Time Reviewing The Answers

Once you finish filling in all the gaps, don’t rush to hit the “Next” button!

Instead, spend about 1 minute reading over the text again to double-check.

Do all the words make sense?

Do they fit in the context?

Do they follow grammatical rules?

After ticking all these boxes, you can proceed with the following questions.

FAQs

How Is This Task Scored?

You will receive 1 point for each correct response and 0 points for an incorrect one.

No negative points are applied here.

How Many Questions Of This Type Are There In The PTE Reading Section?

You can expect 4 to 5 Fill in the Blanks questions in the PTE Reading section.

Are Spelling And Capitalization Important In PTE Reading Fill In The Blanks?

Not at all!

All the words are given in advance, so you don’t have to worry about their spellings or typos.

Should I Make A Guess For These Questions?

Yes, it’s recommended to make a guess if you’re unsure or don’t even know the answer.

Since wrong responses won’t affect your score, counting on luck can be the last resort to get a point.

What Are The Differences Between Reading Fill In The Blanks And Reading & Writing Fill In The Blanks?

There are three main differences:

First, the prompt in Reading Fill in the Blanks is shorter than the other (80 words vs. 300 words at most).

Also, for the Reading & Writing part, the word options are given in a drop-down list in each gap, while for the other, all words are listed in a box at the bottom.

Lastly, the Reading Fill in the Blanks task only affects your Reading score, but the other one contributes to both your Reading and Writing scores.

Conclusion

As a beginner, you might struggle with the PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks the first few times, but remember that practice makes perfect. 

Keep the tips above in mind as you go, and read as many authentic materials as possible on a daily basis to familiarize yourself with academic words of varied topics. 

Still need advice? Feel free to reach out to our support team anytime.