# PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop): scoring and examples This PTE task gives you a text of up to 80 words with blanks and a bank of words to drag in. Partial credit applies, and unused words are part of the design. ## The short answer Reading: Fill in the Blanks shows a short text of up to 80 words with gaps, and a bank of words below it to drag into place. There are 4 to 5 in a test. All blanks correct scores the maximum, and partial credit applies otherwise, so every blank is worth filling even when you are unsure. ## Key facts - **Items per test:** 4-5 - **Prompt length:** Text up to 80 words - **Format:** Drag words from a bank into the blanks - **Skills scored:** Reading - **Scoring:** Partial credit, one point per correct blank Timings and scoring rules come from Pearson's task pages and the July 2025 Score Guide, checked 28 September 2026. ## How it's scored The word bank always holds more words than there are blanks, so leftover words are expected. A word that looks unused is not a sign you made a mistake. Because the text is short, the grammar around each gap carries most of the evidence: whether the blank needs a noun, an adjective or a verb, and whether the article before it is "a" or "an". > Place the blanks you are certain of first. Each one you fix removes a word from the bank and narrows the choices for the rest. ## Reading: 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 -- word class first** > The museum's newest {1} opens in March. It gathers work by artists who left the country in the 1970s, most of it never {2} in public before. Entry is free, but visitors must {3} a slot online. Prompt: Drag a word into each gap. There are more words than gaps. - Blank 1: exhibition / shown / reserve / quietly / arrive -- exhibition - Blank 2: exhibition / shown / reserve / quietly / arrive -- shown - Blank 3: exhibition / shown / reserve / quietly / arrive -- reserve Model response: exhibition, shown, reserve. An article and a verb bracket the first gap, so only a noun fits; the second needs a past participle; the third needs a verb that can take an object. Why it scores: Word class settles most gaps in this task before meaning gets a say. Read the two or three words on either side of the gap, not the whole paragraph again. **Example 2 -- elimination** > Sleep researchers now treat the afternoon dip as {1}, not as a sign of a bad night. Body temperature falls slightly in the early afternoon, and attention {2} with it. A short nap restores performance faster than caffeine, though it can {3} the following night's sleep if it comes too late. Prompt: Drag a word into each gap. - Blank 1: normal / drops / disrupt / heavily / normally -- normal - Blank 2: normal / drops / disrupt / heavily / normally -- drops - Blank 3: normal / drops / disrupt / heavily / normally -- disrupt Model response: normal, drops, disrupt. "As" wants an adjective, the second gap is the sentence's verb, and "can" wants a bare infinitive. Why it scores: Every confident placement shrinks the bank. Fill the gaps you are sure of first, and the last one is often solvable by elimination even when the word is unfamiliar. **Example 3 -- meaning breaks a grammar tie** > The company's early results were {1}: revenue doubled, but the cost of winning each new customer doubled too. Investors treated the quarter as a {2} and the share price barely moved. Prompt: Drag a word into each gap. - Blank 1: mixed / standstill / encouraging / rapidly / doubling -- mixed - Blank 2: mixed / standstill / encouraging / rapidly / doubling -- standstill Model response: mixed, then standstill. "Encouraging" is grammatically fine until you reach the "but"; "a doubling" is fine until you reach a share price that barely moved. Why it scores: When two words both fit the grammar, the sentence around the gap decides. Read to the end of the sentence before you commit to a word that fits the first half. **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. One full PTE mock and one sectional test per skill are free, with question-bank practice and 100 AI scoring coins a month. No card required. [Start practicing free](https://app.testmigo.com/register) ## Common mistakes | What costs marks | Do this instead | | --- | --- | | Assuming every bank word must be used. | There are always extras. Leftovers are normal. | | Filling blanks in order. | Do the certain ones first, in any order, then use elimination on the rest. | | Leaving a blank empty. | There is no penalty here. An eliminated guess is free points some of the time. | | Ignoring word endings. | -tion, -ly and -ant endings tell you the word class before you have thought about meaning. | **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. Drill word families: significant, significance, significantly; analyze, analysis, analytical. 2. Practice identifying the required word class for each gap before looking at the bank. 3. Time yourself: these are short texts and should take about 90 seconds each. 4. Re-read the completed text once. A wrong placement usually sounds wrong immediately. ## Common questions ### Do I have to use every word in the bank? No. The bank always contains more words than blanks, and leftovers are expected. ### How many Reading: Fill in the Blanks items are there? 4 to 5 in a test, with texts up to 80 words. ### Is this the same as the Reading & Writing task? No. This one uses a drag-and-drop word bank with texts up to 80 words. The Reading & Writing version uses dropdowns with texts up to 300 words. **Sources** - [Pearson: PTE Academic Reading task types (checked 28 September 2026)](https://www.pearsonpte.com/pte-academic/test-format/reading) - [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 Reading: Fill in the Blanks free](https://testmigo.com/pte)