PTE Reading: Section Overview
The entire
Reading section takes exactly 29–30 minutes and contains 15–20
questions spread across five different task types.
No
Breaks: The timer runs
continuously from the moment the section starts. You cannot pause.
No
Going Back:
Once you click "Next" on a question, you cannot return to it.
Variable
Order: The five
question types appear in random order. It is highly strategic to manage your
time based on the question type, not just the order they appear.
Question Types (In Typical Order
of Importance)
While the order
is random, these are the 5 types you will face. "Reading &
Writing: Fill in the Blanks" and "Re-order Paragraphs"
are generally considered the highest-scoring tasks.
1. Reading & Writing: Fill
in the Blanks
Task: A text up to 300 words appears
with 5–6 blanks. For each blank, you must choose the correct word from a
drop-down list of 4 options.
Number
of Questions:
5–6
Scoring
Pattern: Partial Credit.
You get 1 point for each correctly filled blank. No negative marking.
Skills
Assessed: Reading &
Writing (Grammar and vocabulary)
Example:
The committee decided to _____ the proposal due to lack of evidence.
(Options: reject / accept / delay / review)
2. Reading: Fill in the Blanks
(Drag and Drop)
Task: A short text (up to 80 words)
with 4–5 blanks. You must drag words from a box below into the blanks.
There is usually one extra word in the box that you do not use.
Number
of Questions:
4–5
Scoring
Pattern: Partial Credit. 1
point for each correctly placed word
Skills
Assessed: Reading
(Collocations and parts of speech)
Example:
Text: The _____ of the new policy was felt
immediately.
Word
Box: impact, history,
weather, slow, effect
(Only "impact" or "effect" fit, "history"
does not)
3. Re-order Paragraphs
Task: 4–5 text boxes are presented
in a random order on the left. You must drag them to the right side in the
correct logical sequence.
Number
of Questions:
2–3
Scoring
Pattern: Partial Credit.
You are scored per correct adjacent pair.
(Example: For 4
sentences: A, B, C, D. If B follows A, you get 1 point. If C follows B, you get
1 point)
There is no
negative marking.
Skills
Assessed: Reading
(Understanding logical flow and cohesion)
Example
(Reorder Logical Flow):
[Box
1] A) This process
is known as photosynthesis. (Specific/Detail)
[Box
2] B) Plants
require sunlight to produce energy. (General/Idea)
[Box
3] C) Consequently,
they cannot survive in complete darkness.
Correct
Order:
B → A → C
(General statement → Specific definition → Consequence)
4. Multiple Choice, Multiple
Answers
Task: Read a passage (up to 300 words).
Select all the correct answers from the options. There is always more
than one correct answer.
Number
of Questions:
1–2
Scoring
Pattern: Partial Credit (+1
/ -1)
You get +1
point for each correct choice, but lose 1 point for each incorrect
choice you select.
The minimum score
for the question is 0 (you cannot go negative).
Skill: Reading (Detailed comprehension)
Tip: Be conservative. Only select options
you are 100% sure of, as guessing wrong will actively lower your score.
Example:
Question: Which of the following are mentioned as effects of global
warming?
A) Rising sea
levels. (Correct)
B) Increased
hurricane frequency. (Correct)
C) Decreased
solar radiation. (Not mentioned – Wrong)
If you select A
& B, you get full points.
If you select A,
B & C, you lose a point for C.
5. Multiple Choice, Single
Answer
Task: Read a passage (up to 300 words).
Choose the one correct answer from 4–5 options.
Number
of Questions:
1–2
Scoring
Pattern:
Correct/Incorrect
1
point for correct, 0 for wrong
No negative
marking.
Skill: Reading (Identifying the main idea or
specific detail)
Example:
Question: What is the primary purpose of the text?
A) To criticize a
theory. (Wrong)
B) To explain a
historical event. (Correct)
C) To advertise a
product. (Wrong)
Useful Tips & Time
Management
Because you
cannot go back, strategy is everything in the Reading section.
Don't go in order
Scan the whole
test first.
Tackle:
- Fill in the
Blanks
(both types)
- Re-order
Paragraphs
first.
These are
generally worth more points and require more focused time.
Save the Multiple
Choice questions for last.
Time Budget
You have roughly 1.5
to 2 minutes per question.
- Reading
& Writing: Fill in the Blanks
Aim for 2–3 minutes - Single
Answer Multiple Choice
Aim for 1 minute
Use Skimming and Scanning
Skim
(Read the first sentence of each paragraph)
Useful for: Re-order
Paragraphs
Scan
(Look for specific keywords like names, dates, or synonyms)
Useful for:
- Fill in the
Blanks
- Multiple
Choice
Elimination Strategy
For Multiple
Choice:
Read the question
first, then the passage.
Immediately
eliminate options that:
- Are
factually opposite to common sense
- Contain
extreme words like:
- always
- never
- completely
These are often
traps.
Easier View: PTE Reading Score
Pattern
|
Question
Type |
How
Many? |
Scoring
Rule |
Impact
on Reading Score |
|
Fill in the
Blanks (Reading & Writing) |
5–6 |
1 point per
correct blank |
🔴 Very High (20%) |
|
Fill in the
Blanks (Drag & Drop) |
4–5 |
1 point per
correct blank |
🟠High (17%) |
|
Re-order
Paragraphs |
2–3 |
1 point per
correct pair |
🟡 Medium (7%) |
|
Multiple
Choice, Multiple Answers |
2–3 |
+1 for right,
–1 for wrong |
🟢 Low (2%) |
|
Multiple
Choice, Single Answer |
2–3 |
1 point if
correct |
🟢 Low ~1%) |
This is the single most
important question type in the Reading section because it
contributes points to both your
Reading and Writing scores.
What
you see:
A passage of up to 300 words
containing 5–6 blanks. For each blank, you must select the
correct word from a drop-down list of 4 options.
Number
of questions:
5–6 per test
Scoring:
Partial Credit – Each correctly filled blank earns
1 point.
There is no penalty
for wrong answers.
Score
breakdown:
If a question has 6 blanks, the
maximum score is 6 points.
You receive points for each blank you get right.
Time
tip:
Spend about 2 minutes per question
2 Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop)
This is the second most
important question type, contributing significantly to your
Reading score.
What
you see:
A shorter passage (up to 80 words)
with 4–5 blanks.
Below the passage, there is a box of words.
You drag words into the blanks.
There is usually one extra word you don't use.
Number
of questions:
4–5 per test
Scoring:
Partial Credit – Each correctly placed word earns 1 point.
No penalty for wrong answers.
Score
breakdown:
If a question has 5 blanks, the
maximum score is 5 points.
Time
tip:
Spend about 2 minutes per question
3 Re-order Paragraphs
What
you see:
4–5 text boxes in random order on the left.
You drag them to the right side in
the correct logical sequence.
Number
of questions:
2–3 per test
Scoring:
Partial Credit based on adjacent pairs
You earn 1
point for every pair of sentences that are placed in the
correct order relative to each other.
Score
breakdown example:
If a question has 5 sentences
(letters A-B-C-D-E in correct order)
The scoring works like this:
Correct pairs:
- A-B
- B-C
- C-D
- D-E
Total
= 4 possible points
If you order them as:
A-C-B-D-E
You only get points for:
D-E
= 1 point
because C-B
is incorrect.
There is no
penalty for wrong pairs
(no negative marking)
Maximum
points per question:
- 4 sentences = 3 points
- 5 sentences = 4 points
4 Multiple
Choice, Multiple Answers
This type carries negative marking, so you must be cautious.
What
you see:
A passage (up to 300 words)
followed by a question.
Multiple answers are correct
(usually 2 or more out of 5–6 options)
Number
of questions:
2–3 per test
Scoring:
Partial Credit (+1 / -1 Rule)
You get +1
point for each correct answer you select.
You lose 1
point for each incorrect answer you select.
The minimum score for a question
is 0
(you cannot go negative on a single question)
Score
breakdown example:
If the correct answers are A and B, and you select A,
B, and C
- A (correct): +1
- B (correct): +1
- C (incorrect): -1
Total
for question = 1 point
Time
tip:
Spend no more than 1.5 minutes
per question
5 Multiple
Choice, Single Answer
This is the simplest and lowest-scoring question type.
What
you see:
A passage (up to 300 words)
followed by a question with 4 answer
options.
Only one
answer is correct.
Number
of questions:
2–3 per test
Scoring:
Correct / Incorrect
- Correct answer = 1 point
- Wrong answer = 0 points
There is:
- No partial credit
- No penalty
Score
breakdown:
Each correct answer = 1 point
Time
tip:
Spend no more than 1 minute per
question
Strategic Tips for Maximizing Your Score
Based on how the points are
distributed, here is how you should approach the Reading section:
Prioritize
the Fill in the Blanks (Both Types)
Since they offer the most points per question
(up to 5–6 points each)
and have no
negative marking,
complete these first when you are
most alert.
Be
Cautious with Multiple Answer Questions
Because of the -1 penalty for wrong answers,
only select options you are absolutely certain about.
If you are unsure, it is often
safer to select fewer answers.
Look
for Clues in Re-order Paragraphs
To identify correct pairs, look
for:
Pronouns
"He," "she,"
"it," or "they"
These indicate the noun was
mentioned in a previous sentence.
Connectors
Words like:
- However
- Therefore
- Firstly
- In conclusion
These show logical relationships.
Definite
Articles
"The"
Usually refers to something
already introduced.
Manage
Your 30 Minutes
The timer runs continuously across
all 15–20 questions.
Since you cannot go back, aim for:
Fill
in the Blanks
~2
minutes each
(9–11 questions = 18–22 minutes)
Re-order
Paragraphs
~2–3
minutes each
(2–3 questions = 4–9 minutes)
Remaining
Time
Use the rest for:
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- Multiple Choice, Single Answer
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