Pte reading and writing fill in the blanks tips 2026 thumbnail

PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks 2026: Master the Question Worth 25% of Reading

ByAlex

PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks 2026: Master the Question Worth 25% of Reading

Quick Answer: Select words based on both grammar fit AND meaning fit – not just what sounds natural. Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) contributes 25% of your Reading score, making it the single highest-weight Reading task in the entire exam.

Hey guys, Alex here.

What if I told you there's one question type in PTE that accounts for 25% of your entire Reading score – and most students don't know to prioritise it?

That question type is Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks (also called Fill in the Blanks Dropdown). It appears in the Reading section, it uses a dropdown menu for each blank, and it's by far the most important Reading task in the exam.

If your Reading score isn't where you want it, this is the first place to look.

Last updated: 18 June 2026

In this guide:

What Is PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks?

This is a Reading section task where:

  1. You see a passage of text with several blanks in it (typically 4-6 blanks)
  2. Each blank has a dropdown menu with 4-5 word options
  3. Your job is to select the word that best fits each blank – grammatically, lexically, and contextually

You typically encounter 5-6 of these per exam. Unlike some other tasks, this one uses a dropdown selector – not drag and drop. (Don't confuse it with Fill in the Blanks Drag & Drop, which is a separate task worth 20% of Reading.)

Scoring: Each blank is scored independently. 1 point for a correct word, 0 for incorrect. No negative marking – so always make a choice even if you're uncertain.

Why PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks Matters Most

From Pearson's official weighting table, here's the full Reading score breakdown:

Question Type Reading Weight
Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) 25%
Fill in the Blanks (Drag & Drop) 20%
Highlight Incorrect Words 13%
Reorder Paragraphs 9%
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers 5%
Multiple Choice, Single Answer 3%

25% of your Reading score. That's a quarter of your Reading mark sitting in this one task type.

And because it also involves writing (selecting the right word from a grammatical and vocabulary standpoint), it contributes to your Overall score in an integrated way.

For the full picture of how every task weighs in, see our PTE Score Breakdown guide.

PTE Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks Tips & Tricks (2026)

Tip #1: Read the Full Passage First

Don't jump to the first blank immediately. Spend 30-60 seconds reading the whole passage to understand the topic, tone, and direction of the argument. Blanks in context are much easier than blanks in isolation.

When you know what the passage is about and where it's heading, the right word often becomes obvious – even before you look at the dropdown options.

Tip #2: Identify the Part of Speech Before Looking at Options

Before opening the dropdown, ask yourself: "What TYPE of word goes here?"

  • Is it a noun? (subject or object)
  • Is it a verb? (the action in the clause)
  • Is it an adjective? (describing a noun)
  • Is it an adverb? (modifying a verb or adjective)

Many dropdown options include words from different word families (e.g., "define," "definition," "definitive," "definitively"). Knowing what part of speech you need instantly eliminates 2-3 of the 4-5 options.

Tip #3: Use Collocations

Certain words always appear together in English. These are called collocations and they're one of the most reliable ways to spot the right answer.

Examples:

  • "make a decision" not "do a decision"
  • "raise a concern" not "lift a concern"
  • "heavily influenced" not "greatly influenced" (both sound right, but only one is standard academic collocation)

If two options seem grammatically identical, check which one collocates with the surrounding words.

Tip #4: Check Subject-Verb Agreement

One common trick in this task: a blank is a verb, and the options look similar – but only one agrees with the subject.

Example: "The committee [decide/decides/decided/deciding] on policy matters monthly."

The subject is "the committee" (singular), the tense cue is "monthly" (present), so the answer is "decides."

Tip #5: Look for Clause Connectors

Sometimes a blank is a conjunction or linking word – "although," "because," "however," "despite," "since." The logic of the surrounding clauses tells you whether you need a contrast word, a cause word, or a concession.

  • "It was raining. _______, the match continued." – You need a contrast word (However, Nevertheless, Nonetheless).
  • "She succeeded _______ facing major challenges." – You need a concession word (despite, in spite of, even though).

Tip #6: Academic Vocabulary Matters Here More Than Anywhere

This task specifically targets academic and professional vocabulary – the kind of English you'd find in university textbooks, research articles, or formal reports. Regular study of academic vocabulary (think Academic Word List – AWL) pays off specifically for this task.

If you're a student who reads English academic texts regularly, you may find this task more intuitive. If not, building your AWL vocabulary is one of the highest-leverage study investments you can make.

Tip #7: Always Make a Selection – No Negative Marking

Unlike Highlight Incorrect Words, this task does NOT have negative marking. If you're stuck between two options and genuinely can't decide, pick your best guess and move on. An empty blank is always 0. A guess might be 1.

Time Management for Reading & Writing FIB

The Reading section has no individual timers – you manage your own time across all tasks. Most students should aim for:

  • Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown): 2-3 minutes per passage (5-6 passages)
  • This means 10-18 minutes total on this task type alone

If you're running short on time, prioritise the blanks you're most confident about within each passage. Get those right before spending time on the uncertain ones.

Don't spend 5 minutes on one blank and rush the next passage. Each correct blank is worth the same regardless of how hard it was.

The Difference Between Both Fill in the Blanks Tasks

Students regularly confuse the two FIB types. Here's a quick guide:

Feature Reading & Writing FIB (Dropdown) Reading FIB (Drag & Drop)
Section Reading Reading
Interface Dropdown menus Drag and drop word boxes
Reading weight 25% 20%
Writing score impact Yes (minor) No
Negative marking No No

Both matter enormously. Together they make up 45% of your Reading score. See our guide on the PTE Fill in the Blanks Drag and Drop task for strategies specific to the drag-and-drop version.

Related Reading from Dream English

How much is Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks worth in PTE?

According to Pearson's official weighting table, Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) contributes 25% to your Reading score – making it the single most important task in the Reading section. It also contributes to your Overall score.

What is the difference between Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) and Fill in the Blanks (Drag & Drop)?

The Dropdown version has a menu of options for each blank and contributes 25% to Reading. The Drag & Drop version has a word bank that you drag into blanks and contributes 20% to Reading. Both appear in the Reading section. Combined they make up 45% of your Reading score.

Is there negative marking in Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks?

No. Each blank is independently scored – 1 point for correct, 0 for incorrect. There is no penalty for a wrong answer. Always select your best guess even when uncertain – leaving a blank empty is always worse than guessing.

How many Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks questions appear in PTE?

You typically encounter 5-6 Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) passages in the Reading section, each with 4-6 blanks. The exact number varies between test versions.

What vocabulary should I study for Fill in the Blanks?

Focus on the Academic Word List (AWL) – the 570 most common academic English words and their word family variants. Reading & Writing FIB specifically tests academic and formal register vocabulary, collocations, and part-of-speech awareness. Regular reading of academic texts also builds the intuitive vocabulary sense this task rewards.

Start Practising Now

Access our full Fill in the Blanks practice – with dozens of task-specific passages – at platform.dreamenglish.com.au/pte-reading.

Dream English has helped 5,000+ students across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and online hit their PTE score. 700+ five-star reviews speak for themselves.

Want to know which score you need for your visa? Message me on WhatsApp: +61 423 058 115.

  • Alex, Director, Dream English Education

Weighting data sourced from Pearson's official "PTE Academic Scoring Information for Teachers and Partners" (pearsonpte.com).

Similar Posts