# PTE Listening Fill in the Blanks: scoring, examples and practice A 30-60 second recording with a transcript containing gaps you type into. One point for each correct word spelled correctly, with no penalty for a wrong guess. ## The short answer Listening: Fill in the Blanks plays a recording of 30 to 60 seconds while showing a transcript with gaps. You type the missing words as you hear them. There are 2 to 3 in a test, and each correct word spelled correctly scores one point. Misspelled words score nothing, but nothing is deducted either, so every blank is worth a guess. ## Key facts - **Items per test:** 2-3 - **Prompt length:** 30-60 seconds - **Skills scored:** Listening - **Scoring:** 1 point per correct word spelled correctly - **Penalty:** None for a wrong word Timings and scoring rules come from Pearson's task pages and the July 2025 Score Guide, checked 28 September 2026. ## How it's scored Spelling is scored, not just hearing. A word you heard correctly and typed wrongly earns nothing, which makes this task as much a spelling test as a listening one for most candidates. The transcript is on screen while the audio plays, so your eyes should be tracking the text and your hands should be typing during the recording, not after it. Waiting until the audio ends means recalling several words from memory at once. > Type into the blanks as you hear them. The audio does not pause, and there is no second play. ## Listening: Fill in the Blanks examples Worked examples written for this page. Answer each one before you open the model response: memorizing a response is scored as an irrelevant answer in the real test. **Example 1 -- keep pace with the audio** Recording (played once), transcript: > The department has {1} the deadline for project proposals by two weeks, after several groups asked for more time to {2} their data. Supervisors will still be {3} in the last week of term, and the marking {4} is unchanged. Prompt: Play it once and type each missing word as you hear it. - Blank 1: extended - Blank 2: collect - Blank 3: available - Blank 4: criteria Model response: extended, collect, available, criteria. Why it scores: Type each word the moment you hear it and fix spelling at the end. Catching all four while listening beats reconstructing them afterward from memory. **Example 2 -- a word you cannot spell** Recording (played once), transcript: > Applicants complained that the {1} involved in registering a small business had grown, and the minister promised a review. Prompt: Play it once. Type your best attempt at the word, even if you are unsure. - Blank 1: bureaucracy Model response: bureaucracy. A misspelling scores zero for that word, but so does a blank, and a best attempt is sometimes right. Why it scores: Write the attempt and move on. Stopping to agonize over one spelling costs you the words that come after it. **Example 3 -- using grammar to fill a gap** Recording (played once), transcript: > Rainfall in the region has {1} significantly since 2020. Prompt: You missed the word. Type one that fits the grammar around the gap. - Blank 1: fallen Model response: fallen. "Has ___ significantly" needs a past participle, which rules out most of what you might type. Why it scores: The transcript around the blank constrains the word class. An informed guess sometimes lands, and it never costs you anything here. **Three questions is a warm-up, not practice** 20,000+ PTE practice questions across all 22 task types, 20+ full mocks and 20+ sectional tests, with instant AI scoring on speaking and writing. Practise any task type with AI scoring, then take sectional tests and full mocks in the app. [Start practicing free](https://app.testmigo.com/register) ## Common mistakes | What costs marks | Do this instead | | --- | --- | | Listening first and typing afterward. | Type as you go. You will not recall four words from a 60-second clip. | | Leaving blanks empty. | No deduction applies. Always write something. | | Ignoring spelling in practice. | Track which words you consistently misspell and drill them; the task scores spelling directly. | | Losing your place in the transcript. | Follow the text with the cursor as the audio plays so you can see the next blank coming. | **Know the score you are aiming at** Put a target into the PTE score calculator to see the visa band it reaches, the points it is worth, and how far off you are. [Open the PTE score calculator](/pte/score-calculator) ## How to practice 1. Practice typing while listening, not after: the split attention is the skill. 2. Keep a list of words you misspell and review it weekly. 3. Use dictation of academic audio to build both speed and spelling at once. 4. Check your answers against the transcript, counting spelling errors separately from misses. ## Common questions ### Is spelling scored in PTE Listening Fill in the Blanks? Yes. A point is given for each correct word spelled correctly; a misspelled word scores zero. ### Is there a penalty for a wrong word? No, so fill every blank. ### How long is the recording? 30 to 60 seconds, played once. **Sources** - [Pearson: PTE Academic Listening task types (checked 28 September 2026)](https://www.pearsonpte.com/pte-academic/test-format/listening) - [Pearson: PTE Academic Test Taker Score Guide, July 2025 (PDF)](https://www.pearsonpte.com/ctf-assets/yqwtwibiobs4/WUcBAMkYCC9Dj5vs2HfVA/941d88d07ba7c2a5007f7ce1b18eedbf/Score_Guide__Test_Taker__-_PTE_Academic_-_July_2025__web_.pdf) [Practice Listening: Fill in the Blanks free](https://testmigo.com/pte)