PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks: grammar, collocations and smart guessing

The two fill-in-the-blanks tasks are among the most valuable in PTE Reading. Each blank is scored separately, wrong answers don’t lose marks, and one of them, Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks, counts towards both reading and writing.

The two tasks

Step 1: Read the whole passage first

Spend 15–20 seconds reading the full text before filling anything in. Knowing the topic and the direction of the argument helps you pick words that fit the meaning, not just the sentence.

Step 2: Use grammar to cut the options

Before thinking about meaning, ask what type of word the gap needs:

• After a / an / the → a noun (or an adjective + noun).
• After to → often a base verb (to develop).
• After has / have / had → a past participle (has increased).
• Before a noun → often an adjective (significant growth).
• After a verb → often an adverb (grew rapidly).

Check agreement too: a plural subject needs a plural verb, and a comes before a consonant sound while an comes before a vowel sound.

Grammar alone often removes half the options.

Step 3: Use collocations

A collocation is a pair of words that naturally go together. PTE tests them constantly. Compare:

• make a decision ✓ — do a decision ✗
• conduct research ✓ — make research ✗
• pose a threat, play a role, reach a conclusion
• heavily dependent, widely accepted, strongly recommend

When two options both fit the grammar, the one that “sounds right” with its neighbour is usually correct, and that instinct comes from reading a lot.

Step 4: Check linking words

Words like however, therefore, although, in addition and despite control the logic of a sentence. If a gap comes after however, the next idea usually contrasts with the one before.

Step 5: Never leave a blank empty

There’s no penalty for a wrong answer. If you’re unsure, eliminate what you can and choose the most likely remaining option.

Timing

PTE Reading is timed as a whole section, so don’t spend more than about two minutes on any single fill-in-the-blanks passage. A hard blank isn’t worth losing time on the next question.

Building the vocabulary you need

Vocabulary for this task is built over weeks, not crammed the night before:

1. Read academic texts daily, such as science and economics articles, for 15–20 minutes.
2. Collect collocations, not single words. Write down conduct an experiment, not just experiment.
3. Review your list three times a week, saying each phrase aloud.
4. Learn word families: economy, economic, economical, economically. The gap often tests which form fits.

Practice routine

• Daily: 5 Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks passages, checking every wrong answer: was it grammar, collocation or meaning?
• Three times a week: 5 Reading Fill in the Blanks passages.
• Weekly: a timed reading section to practise pacing.

Keeping a record of why each answer was wrong shows you whether to study grammar or vocabulary next.

On Prepyo, PTE reading practice marks every blank instantly and saves mistakes to your Mistake Bank for retrying later. See PTE Academic preparation.