A Strategic Guide to PTE Reading: Fill in the Blanks

In the challenging PTE Reading section, the “Fill in the Blanks” questions are where many crucial points are scored. A strong performance here can make a significant difference to your overall reading score. However, this is also a task where many students feel stuck, staring at a list of words and unsure how to begin.

This is not a task you can solve with guesswork. It requires a specific set of skills and, more importantly, a clear strategy. This guide will provide you with a powerful, step-by-step system you can apply to every question. We’ll move beyond generic tips and show you how to analyze the text, use grammar clues, and leverage the power of word partnerships to choose the correct answer with confidence.

An Overview of Fill in the Blanks of PTE Reading

Let’s begin with a clear picture of the task.

• What you will see: A passage of text, up to 300 words long, with several blanks (usually 4 to 5). Below the text, you will find a blue box containing a list of words.
• What you need to do: Drag the correct words from the blue box and drop them into the appropriate blanks in the text.
• The catch: There are always more words in the box than there are blanks. Typically, you will have 3 extra words that are designed to be distractors.
• How it’s scored: You receive one point for each blank you fill correctly. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers.

This task is a pure test of your reading comprehension, vocabulary, and understanding of English grammar and word usage.

First Things First: Is This the ‘Drag and Drop’ or the ‘Dropdown’?

This is the most common point of confusion for PTE students, and we need to clear it up right now. There are two types of “Fill in the Blanks” questions in the PTE exam.

This guide focuses on the first type: the “drag and drop” questions.

The Three Skills You Need to Conquer This Task

To consistently get these questions right, you need to train three specific skills. Our strategy is built around them.

Skill 1: Grammar Clues

Sometimes, grammar is all you need to find the answer. The words around the blank provide powerful clues. Look for:

• Prepositions: Certain verbs are always followed by specific prepositions (e.g., “concentrate on,” “rely on“). If you see “on,” you know the word before it must fit.
• Articles (‘a’, ‘an’, ‘the’): If the blank is preceded by “an,” the answer must start with a vowel sound (e.g., “an opportunity“).
• Verb Tenses: Does the sentence structure require a past tense verb (-ed), a continuous form (-ing), or a base form?

Skill 2: The Power of Collocations (Word Partnerships)

Collocations are words that frequently appear together in English. They just “sound right” to native speakers. Recognizing these partnerships is like a superpower in this task.

• Simple Example: You don’t “make” a mistake on purpose, you “commit a mistake.” You don’t have a “big” interest, you have a “keen interest.”
• How it helps: If you see the blank is before the word “interest,” and “keen” is in the options, it’s a very strong clue.

Skill 3: Context and Logic

After grammar and collocations, the overall meaning of the paragraph is your final guide. You need to choose a word that makes logical sense in the context of the entire passage.

A 4-Step System for Every FIB Question

Don’t just randomly drag words. Follow this clear, repeatable system every time.

1. Skim the Paragraph: Take 15-20 seconds to read the entire text with the blanks. Don’t try to solve it yet. Your only goal is to understand the main topic and the general meaning of the paragraph.
2. Analyze Each Blank: Go to the first blank. Look at the words immediately before and after it. Ask yourself:
   • Grammar: What kind of word is needed? A noun, a verb, an adjective?
   • Collocation: Is there a common word partnership here?
3. Process of Elimination: Look at the word options in the blue box.
   • Immediately dismiss any words that are grammatically impossible.
   • Dismiss words that don’t form a known collocation.
   • You should now be left with only 2-3 possible choices.
4. Choose and Re-read: Select the word that best fits the context and the logic of the sentence. After you’ve filled all the blanks, take a final 15 seconds to re-read the entire paragraph. Does it flow? Does it make sense? This final check can help you catch mistakes.

Let’s Solve One Together: A Worked Example

Let’s put our system into practice.

Paragraph:
The rise of renewable energy sources is a critical component of modern environmental ____. Governments around the world are offering financial ____ to encourage investment in wind and solar power. While the initial ____ can be high, the long-term benefits, such as reduced carbon emissions, are significant.

Word Options:
policy, outlay, revenue, incentives, challenge, growth

Let’s solve it step-by-step:

• Step 1: Skim. I’ve read the paragraph. The topic is about renewable energy and government support.
• Step 2 & 3: Blank.
  • Analysis: The blank follows “environmental.” This requires a noun. The phrase is “environmental ______.”
  • Elimination: All options are nouns. Let’s look at context. “Environmental policy” is a very strong and common collocation. “Environmental challenge” and “environmental growth” are also possible, but “policy” fits the context of government action best. Let’s tentatively choose policy.
• Step 2 & 3: Blank.
  • Analysis: The blank follows “financial.” This requires a noun. The government is “offering financial ______” to “encourage investment.”
  • Elimination: “Financial incentives” is the perfect collocation for encouraging something. “Financial revenue” or “financial outlay” doesn’t make sense for what a government offers. The clear choice is incentives.
• Step 2 & 3: Blank.
  • Analysis: The blank follows “initial” and is about the cost of starting. The sentence talks about high costs but long-term benefits.
  • Elimination: “Initial outlay” is a business term meaning the initial cost. This fits the context perfectly. “Initial revenue” is the opposite of a cost. The clear choice is outlay.
• Step 4: Re-read. “The rise of renewable energy sources is a critical component of modern environmental policy. Governments around the world are offering financial incentives to encourage investment in wind and solar power. While the initial outlay can be high, the long-term benefits, such as reduced carbon emissions, are significant.”
  The paragraph now makes perfect logical sense.

Training Your Brain for Fill in the Blanks

Knowing the system is one thing; making it second nature is another. A high score is built on a smart practice routine that progresses from understanding to mastery.

Start by applying the 4-step system to individual questions. Don’t worry about speed at first—focus entirely on the process. For every mistake you make, analyze it. Was it a grammar rule you missed? A collocation you didn’t know? This active learning is where real progress happens. Put the theory into action with our dedicated PTE Reading: Fill in the Blanks practice questions.

As you get better, you’ll find that the skills you build here—a strong vocabulary and an eye for grammar—will help you across the entire exam. To see how these skills apply to other question types and to build your overall confidence, it’s a good idea to work through a variety of challenges in the full PTE Reading practice section.

Finally, once your accuracy is high, it’s time to add the pressure of the clock. The real exam is a race against time. The best way to prepare for this is to simulate the experience. A PTE Reading Sectional Mock Test will test your ability to apply the system quickly and manage your time across the entire module.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Is there negative marking in PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks?

No. For this specific task (drag and drop), there is no negative marking. You get one point for each correct answer and zero for each incorrect answer. You are not penalized for trying.

Q2. How much time should I spend on each question?

You should aim to spend around 2 to 2.5 minutes per question. This is an average. If you solve one quickly, you can use that extra time on a more difficult one. Time management is crucial for the whole reading section.

Q3. What is the best way to improve my vocabulary for this task?

Don’t just memorize lists of random words. The best method is to learn words in context by reading regularly and to learn collocations. When you learn a new word like “interest,” also learn the words that go with it (“keen interest,” “vested interest,” “sparked interest”).

This task is a puzzle of logic, grammar, and vocabulary. By using a consistent system, you can learn to solve it accurately and efficiently. The final step is to see how your performance here contributes to your overall score. Take a free, full-length PTE mock test with a complete score report. See how your reading score is built and get the feedback you need to perfect your strategy.