# PTE Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks, scoring and examples This PTE task gives you a text of up to 300 words with dropdown blanks. Every blank filled correctly scores the maximum; get some wrong and partial credit applies. ## The short answer Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks shows a text of up to 300 words with several gaps, each with a dropdown of options. There are 5 to 6 of these in a test, the most of any reading task. Fill every blank correctly and you score the maximum for the item; miss one or more and partial credit applies, so there is never a reason to leave a blank empty. ## Key facts - **Items per test:** 5-6 - **Prompt length:** Text up to 300 words - **Format:** Dropdown options at each blank - **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 Each blank is scored on its own, so a text where you are sure of three blanks out of five still earns three points. There is no penalty for a wrong choice on this task, which makes a considered guess strictly better than leaving the dropdown untouched. The options usually test two things at once: which word fits the meaning, and which word fits the grammar around the gap. Checking the word after the blank often settles it faster than rereading the whole sentence. > With 5 to 6 items each holding several blanks, this single task type carries a large share of your reading score. It rewards vocabulary breadth more than reading speed. ## Reading & Writing: 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 -- collocation decides it** > The committee reached a {1} decision after three hours of debate. Every member had arrived with a different proposal, yet the final vote recorded no objections and no abstentions. Prompt: Choose the word that fits the gap. - Blank 1: unanimous / united / uniform / universal -- unanimous Model response: unanimous. All four are adjectives, so grammar narrows nothing: a decision is unanimous, a front is united, a policy is uniform, suffrage is universal. Why it scores: Most dropdowns in this task hold four words of the same class. The one that belongs is the one that keeps the company of the noun beside it. **Example 2 -- the word after the gap decides it** > Many residents were {1} of the changes until the notices appeared in the local paper. The council insists that it consulted widely, but its own survey reached fewer than one household in ten. Prompt: Choose the word that fits the gap. - Blank 1: unaware / unsure / uncertain / unconvinced -- unaware Model response: unaware. Read past the gap: "of" follows. Unsure and uncertain take "about", and unconvinced takes "by". Why it scores: The preposition after the gap settles more items in this task than the meaning of the sentence does. Always read three words past the gap before choosing. **Example 3 -- when you truly do not know** > Solar panels are {1} cheaper than they were a decade ago, which has {2} demand in markets that once treated them as a luxury. Prompt: Choose the word that fits each gap. - Blank 1: considerably / considerable / consideration / considered -- considerably - Blank 2: driven / drawn / drifted / declined -- driven Model response: considerably, then driven. Only one option in the first list is an adverb, and "driven demand" is the pairing in the second. Why it scores: Word class settles the first gap on sight. On the second, nothing is deducted for a wrong choice here, so pick the best option and move on rather than spending a minute you need on a task that does deduct. **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 | | --- | --- | | Leaving a dropdown on its default. | Always choose. There is no penalty for a wrong answer on this task. | | Reading the whole text before touching the blanks. | Read to the first blank, decide, carry on. The text is built to be read once. | | Choosing on meaning alone. | Check the preposition or verb form after the gap. It often rules out two options instantly. | | Spending three minutes on one item. | Part 2 runs 23 to 30 minutes for the whole section. Flag a hard blank, guess, and keep the clock. | **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. Learn words in their collocations: reach a decision, pose a risk, draw a conclusion. 2. Drill prepositions after common adjectives: aware of, similar to, responsible for. 3. Do a set under a strict two-minute-per-item limit to build the habit of moving on. 4. Review every wrong answer by asking whether meaning or grammar was the deciding factor. ## Common questions ### How many Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks items are in PTE? 5 to 6 in a test, making it the most frequent reading task type. ### Is there negative marking on this task? No. Partial credit applies and wrong choices are not deducted, so fill in every blank. ### How long is the text? 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 & Writing: Fill in the Blanks free](https://testmigo.com/pte)