PTE Reading: Drag and Drop (Fill in the Blanks)

PTE Reading: Drag and Drop (Fill in the Blanks) — 5 More Practice Sets with Extra Options

Instructions: Each set has 4–5 gaps but more options than gaps (extra distractors). Drag the correct word into each gap. Answers with short reasons are at the end of each set. These are exam-based and test Subject-Verb Agreement, collocations, and contextual logic.

---

SET 1

Passage:

The rapid (1) ________ of digital technology has transformed the way businesses operate. Many companies (2) ________ investing heavily in automation to remain competitive. A number of employees (3) ________ expressed concerns about job security. However, neither retraining nor relocation (4) ________ been offered as a viable solution. Each of the affected workers (5) ________ seeking alternative employment.

Options (Drag and Drop)

expansion	have	has	are
is	was	growth	were

Answers:

Gap	Answer	Short Reason
(1)	expansion	"Rapid expansion of digital technology" is a standard collocation.
(2)	are	"Many companies" is plural → plural verb.
(3)	have	"A number of" + plural noun (employees) → plural verb.
(4)	has	"Neither...nor" → nearer subject (relocation) is singular.
(5)	is	"Each of" → singular verb.

Distractors: growth (fits gap 1 but "expansion" is better with "rapid"), was, were (wrong tense/number).

---

SET 2

Passage:

The conservation of endangered species (1) ________ become a global priority. Neither habitat destruction nor poaching (2) ________ been effectively controlled. A series of international treaties (3) ________ been signed to protect wildlife. The local communities, along with government agencies, (4) ________ participated in awareness campaigns. However, a significant proportion of funding (5) ________ still inadequate.

Options (Drag and Drop )

has	have	is	are
was	were	been	being

Answers:

Gap	Answer	Short Reason
(1)	has	"The conservation" is singular → singular verb.
(2)	has	"Neither...nor" → nearer subject (poaching) is singular.
(3)	has	"A series of" → singular verb.
(4)	have	"Along with" → verb agrees with first subject (communities = plural).
(5)	is	"A significant proportion of" + uncountable noun (funding) → singular verb.

Distractors: are, was, were, been, being (wrong tense/number).

---

SET 3

Passage:

The proliferation of online learning platforms (1) ________ revolutionized education. Both students and teachers (2) ________ adapted to virtual classrooms. A variety of courses (3) ________ now available at affordable prices. The traditional university system, together with its faculty, (4) ________ been forced to innovate. However, each of the new platforms (5) ________ its own strengths and weaknesses.

Options (Drag and Drop)

has	have	is	are
was	were	been	being
had

Answers:

Gap	Answer	Short Reason
(1)	has	"The proliferation" is singular → singular verb.
(2)	have	"Both" → plural verb.
(3)	are	"A variety of" + plural noun (courses) → plural verb.
(4)	has	"Together with" → verb agrees with first subject (system = singular).
(5)	has	"Each of" → singular verb.

Distractors: is, was, were, been, being, had (wrong tense/number/context).

---

SET 4

Passage:

The depletion of natural resources (1) ________ become a critical concern. Neither governments nor corporations (2) ________ taken sufficient action. A number of environmental organizations (3) ________ campaigning for stricter laws. The United Nations, along with its member states, (4) ________ pledged to reduce carbon emissions. However, a large proportion of the global population (5) ________ still unaware of the urgency.

Options (Drag and Drop )

has	have	is	are
was	were	been	being
had

Answers:

Gap	Answer	Short Reason
(1)	has	"The depletion" is singular → singular verb.
(2)	have	"Neither...nor" → nearer subject (corporations) is plural.
(3)	are	"A number of" → plural verb.
(4)	has	"Along with" → verb agrees with first subject (United Nations = singular).
(5)	is	"A large proportion of" + uncountable noun (population) → singular verb.

Distractors: was, were, been, being, had (wrong tense/number/context).

---

SET 5

Passage:

The emergence of cryptocurrency (1) ________ disrupted traditional financial systems. Neither regulators nor investors (2) ________ fully understood its long-term implications. A series of market crashes (3) ________ exposed the volatility of digital assets. The banking sector, together with fintech companies, (4) ________ begun exploring blockchain technology. However, each of the proposed regulations (5) ________ faced strong opposition.

Options (Drag and Drop)

has	have	is	are
was	were	been	being
had	did

Answers:

Gap	Answer	Short Reason
(1)	has	"The emergence" is singular → singular verb.
(2)	have	"Neither...nor" → nearer subject (investors) is plural.
(3)	has	"A series of" → singular verb.
(4)	has	"Together with" → verb agrees with first subject (sector = singular).
(5)	has	"Each of" → singular verb.