PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks Practice

Free PTE reading fill in the blanks practice with answers: 25 dropdown passages (Pearson allows up to 200 words) and 21 drag-and-drop passages (up to 80 words, with spare words). All are original. Press Check my score to mark each format, see a gap-by-gap review, and read the explanations. The answer key is below.

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Original questions
Exam timing

Open each list and choose the word that fits the gap.

Set 1: Cities and cycling

Many cities are rethinking people travel in their daily lives. Dedicated cycle lanes, shared bicycle schemes and lower speed limits on residential streets have to a measurable rise in the number of people who cycle to work. Supporters argue that these changes reduce congestion and improve air quality. Critics, however, point out that new lanes can parking spaces and make deliveries harder for small businesses. Researchers who have studied the of such schemes generally agree that the benefits are greatest when lanes form a connected network rather than isolated sections. Local authorities therefore tend to public consultation before making major changes.

Set 2: Coral reefs

Coral reefs are among the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, yet they are vulnerable to changes in ocean temperature. When water stays too warm for long periods, corals expel the tiny algae that live in their tissues and supply most of their food. This process, known as bleaching, does not kill a reef immediately, but it weakens the colony and makes recovery harder. Scientists have found that reefs with a range of species often recover faster after a disturbance. As a result, many conservation teams now focus on protecting the healthiest sections, they can supply larvae to damaged areas nearby. Long-term monitoring remains essential, because the of these measures can only be judged over several years.

Set 3: Public libraries

Public libraries have changed considerably over the past two decades. Although they still lend books, many now offer computer access, language classes and workshops for small business owners. Librarians say this shift reflects a recognition that information is no longer found only in printed form. Funding has unpredictable in many regions, which has forced branches to their opening hours or rely on volunteers. Yet visitor numbers have remained , suggesting that people still value a quiet, free space in their neighbourhood.

Kelp forests and sea otters

Kelp forests grow in cool, nutrient-rich coastal water and provide food and shelter for a of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals. Sea otters play a key role, because they on sea urchins, which would otherwise graze the kelp down to bare rock. When otter numbers fall, urchin populations can rapidly, leaving areas known as urchin barrens. Restoration projects therefore aim to a balance between predators and grazers rather than simply replanting kelp. Such work is slow, but early results have been .

Mixed-use neighbourhoods

Mixed-use development combines homes, shops and workplaces in the same district. Planners favour it because residents can many daily needs on foot, which reduces dependence on cars. Critics note that the approach can property prices, since desirable neighbourhoods attract more buyers. To address this, some councils require developers to a share of new homes at below-market rents. The of these rules varies widely between regions, and their long-term effect is still being studied.

Supply, demand and price

In a competitive market, the price of a good tends to settle where the quantity buyers want matches the quantity sellers offer. If a shortage appears, buyers for the limited supply, which pushes prices upward. Higher prices then encourage producers to output, and the shortage gradually eases. Economists describe this as self-correcting, although it can take time. Governments sometimes intervene by setting a price , which can prevent the market from clearing.

Short-term and long-term memory

Psychologists distinguish between short-term and long-term memory. Information held briefly is easily unless it is rehearsed or linked to existing knowledge. Studies suggest that people remember material better when they test themselves than re-reading it passively. This effect, as retrieval practice, has been replicated in many classroom settings. Sleep also plays a part, the brain appears to strengthen new memories during the night.

Storing renewable energy

Wind and solar power are variable: output depends on weather rather than demand. Grid operators therefore need ways to supply and demand, and large batteries are one option. Another is pumped hydro storage, in which surplus electricity is used to water uphill into a reservoir. When demand rises, the water is released through turbines to power. Because these systems lose some energy in the process, their is always below 100 per cent.

The printing press

The spread of the printing press in the fifteenth century made books cheaper and more widely available. Before then, every copy had to be written by hand, a slow process that most people from owning books. As printed texts multiplied, literacy across many parts of Europe, though at different rates. The new technology also helped standardise spelling, since printers preferred to to a consistent form. Historians continue to debate how far the press was a of social change rather than a result of it.

Preventing illness

Public health campaigns aim to prevent illness before it occurs rather than treat it afterwards. Handwashing promotion, for example, can the spread of infections in schools and hospitals. Screening programmes try to diseases at an early stage, when treatment is usually more effective. Health agencies also monitor patterns, such as how quickly an infection moves through a population. Success depends heavily on public , since people must be willing to follow the advice.

How languages change

Languages change constantly, though the changes are usually too gradual for speakers to notice. New words enter a language through borrowing, invention and the of existing words into new compounds. Pronunciation also shifts: the vowels of English, for instance, changed over several centuries in a process known as the Great Vowel Shift. Linguists who study these changes rely on written records, spoken language of earlier periods cannot be recorded directly. Where records are scarce, they must patterns from related languages.

Plankton

Plankton are tiny organisms that drift with ocean currents. Some, called phytoplankton, sunlight to produce energy, much as land plants do. They form the base of most marine food chains and also a large share of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Zooplankton, by contrast, feed on other organisms. When nutrient levels rise sharply, phytoplankton can grow so that they form dense blooms, and some blooms harmful toxins.

Urban heat islands

Urban heat islands arise because pavements and buildings more heat than vegetation does and release it slowly after sunset. As a result, central districts can be several degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside, during heatwaves. Planting trees, installing reflective roofs and opening up green corridors can all the effect. Even so, such measures are rarely sufficient , and most cities combine them with changes to building design and transport.

Confirmation bias

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out and favour information that supports what we already believe. It often operates people realising it, which is why it is difficult to correct by willpower alone. Experiments show that people judge evidence more when it agrees with their prior views, even when the evidence is identical. One strategy is to deliberately look for reasons why one might be wrong. Researchers caution, however, that no single technique can the bias entirely.

The electric telegraph

The electric telegraph, developed in the 1830s and 1840s, separated communication from transport for the first time. Before it, a message could travel no faster than a horse, a ship or a train. Telegraph lines soon railway routes, since the companies needed to coordinate timetables. Newspapers began to on telegraphed reports, which let them publish distant news within hours. Merchants could now compare distant prices on the same day, which made markets integrated. Submarine cables later continents, and the first lasting transatlantic link was completed in 1866.

Archaeology: excavation grids

Archaeologists rarely a site by digging it all at once. Instead they divide the ground into a grid of squares and remove the soil in thin layers, every object's position as they go. Items found deeper down are usually older than those near the surface, because layers build up time. Once the excavation is finished, specialists will the finds in a laboratory, where pottery, bone and metal can be cleaned and dated.

Weather: why forecasts change

A weather forecast is a statement of likelihood, not a promise. Meteorologists run computer models that how pressure, temperature and moisture will change. Small errors in the starting data can into large differences days later, so forecasts become reliable the further ahead they look. For this reason, many forecasts are expressed as a of rain rather than as a firm prediction.

Agriculture: crop rotation

Crop rotation means growing different plants on the same field in successive seasons. Legumes such as beans and peas work with soil bacteria to capture nitrogen from the air and it to the soil, so a following cereal crop needs less fertiliser. Rotation also the life cycles of pests that feed on a single plant, since the insects find no food when the crop changes. Farmers who this practice often report steadier yields, they must plan their fields years in advance.

Education policy: starting age

Many education systems are debating whether to the school starting age. Supporters of a later start argue that young children learn best through play and that formal lessons can wait. Others point to evidence that early schooling helps children from poorer homes the gap with their classmates. Policymakers must therefore the possible benefits against the cost of extra teachers and classrooms. Any decision should be by long-term data rather than by opinion alone.

Astronomy: measuring star distances

Astronomers measure the distance to nearby stars using parallax, the small apparent in a star's position as the Earth travels around the Sun. Observed six months apart, a close star seems to move against the background of far more objects. The smaller the shift, the greater the distance. Beyond a certain range the angle becomes too small to detect, so scientists must on other methods, such as comparing a star's true brightness with how bright it in the sky.

Architecture: building for heat

Traditional buildings in hot climates often thick walls, small windows and shaded courtyards to keep interiors cool. Thick walls absorb heat during the day and it slowly at night, which smooths out changes in temperature. Modern architects increasingly borrow these ideas, glass-fronted towers usually need powerful air conditioning to remain comfortable. Designing with the local climate in mind can therefore energy use significantly.

Logistics: shipping containers

Many manufactured goods that cross the world's oceans travel in standardised steel containers. Because containers follow a few standard sizes, each one can be lifted from a ship onto a train or lorry without being . This system has the time and cost of handling cargo at ports. However, a supply chain is only as as its weakest link: a delay at a single port can deliveries across several countries.

Neuroscience: plasticity

The brain is able to reorganise itself in response to experience, a property known as plasticity. When a person learns a new skill, connections between nerve cells strengthen with repeated practice, while those that are rarely used may weaker. Plasticity is greatest in childhood, but research shows that adults to form new connections. This finding challenges the old belief that the adult brain is .

Archaeology: radiocarbon dating

Radiocarbon dating estimates the age of organic material by measuring how much of a particular form of carbon remains in it. All living things absorb this carbon, but they stop doing so when they die, and the amount then at a known rate. Because the method organic remains, it cannot be used to date stone tools directly. Results are reported with a margin of error, the date is a range rather than a single year. Researchers also their results against tree-ring records so that the raw figures can be adjusted.

Climate: weather versus climate

Weather describes conditions at a particular place over hours or days, whereas climate refers to the average pattern over several decades. A cold week in winter therefore tells us about long-term trends, because a single event can natural variation. Climate scientists instead look at records spanning many years, which short-term fluctuations and reveal the underlying direction of change. To judge a trend , they combine measurements from thousands of stations, ships and satellites.

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Fill in the Blanks: drag-and-drop gaps

Tap a word in the box, then tap a gap to place it. Tap a filled gap to return the word. The box has spare words.

Set 1: Volcanic islands

Volcanic islands form when magma rises through a weak point in the Earth's crust. Over time, repeated eruptions layer upon layer of lava until the mass breaks the sea surface. Wind and rain then begin to the rock, and seeds carried by birds may take root. Scientists use the of plant colonisation to estimate how long life has there. Because the islands are isolated, new species over generations into forms found nowhere else.

Set 2: How sleep works

Sleep is a cycle of stages that repeat each night. Light sleep comes first, followed by deeper stages in which the body repairs tissue and memories. Dreaming occurs mainly in REM sleep, when brain activity that of the waking state. People who are of sleep often struggle to concentrate. A regular bedtime helps to the body's natural rhythm. A short nap can help to energy lost during the day.

Set 3: The story of tea

Tea was first grown in southern China, where it was valued as medicine. Trade routes carried it to Europe, and merchants began to it in large quantities. Each processing method, for green, black or oolong tea, the final flavour. Growers often prefer high altitudes, because cool air slows growth and more complex aromas. Today, tea is among the most widely consumed drinks. Its has helped it spread worldwide.

Hydrothermal vents

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents superheated water rich in minerals. There is no sunlight at these depths, so bacteria chemical energy instead, and larger animals depend on them for food. Many vent species have to survive extreme pressure and heat. Because the vents are scattered along ocean ridges, each community is isolated from the next. Scientists first these communities in 1977, and new ones are still being found.

Planning a city

A well-designed city residents with reliable public transport. Planners try to housing close to jobs, schools and shops so that journeys remain short. Densely built districts also make it cheaper to water, power and waste services to every home. However, rapid population growth can the infrastructure, causing delays and overcrowding. Residents often judge a city by how easily they can move around it.

Interest rates

When a central bank raises interest rates, borrowing becomes more expensive, so households tend to spend . Businesses may also investment plans until conditions improve. Over time, lower demand can put downward on prices, which is the usual aim of the policy. However, the effect is rarely , and it may take many months to appear in the data.

Recalling memories

Memories are not stored like files; each time we recall an event, the brain partly it. This is why accounts of the same incident often between witnesses. Familiar routines, by contrast, become , so we can perform them without conscious effort. Emotional events tend to be more vividly, although vividness does not guarantee that the details are correct. Psychologists therefore treat eyewitness testimony with care.

Early mechanical clocks

The first mechanical clocks appeared in European towns in the late thirteenth century and were often in church towers. Early clocks were not very , and could drift by many minutes each day. The pendulum clock, in the seventeenth century, greatly improved timekeeping. As clocks became more widespread, daily life became around fixed hours, and workplaces began to schedules.

Geothermal power

Geothermal power uses heat from beneath the Earth's surface. Wells are drilled to hot water or steam, which then turns a turbine. Unlike wind and solar, geothermal plants can continuously, because underground heat does not depend on the weather. The main limitation is : good resources exist only in certain regions. Once built, the plants have low running costs and little carbon dioxide.

Clean water and health

Clean water and sanitation have done much to life expectancy around the world. When people have access to safe supplies, outbreaks of waterborne illness sharply. Health workers also communities about nutrition and hygiene. Early diagnosis allows treatment to begin sooner, which the chance of a full recovery. Prevention is therefore a central goal of every health system.

Bilingual speakers

Bilingual children often between two languages within a single conversation, a habit known as code-switching. Far from being a sign of confusion, it usually shows a command of both languages. Parents are often advised to both languages at home. Learners of any age benefit from frequent to the spoken language, whether in conversation or through broadcasts.

Transport: railway timetables

A railway timetable only works if every service to a fixed schedule. When one train is late, the delay can along the line and affect many passengers. To limit this, operators leave small gaps between trains and extra staff at busy stations. Regular maintenance also helps to breakdowns before they cause serious disruption.

Archaeology: pottery clues

Pottery fragments are valuable to archaeologists because styles of decoration over time. By comparing a fragment with dated examples, a specialist can often when it was made. The clay itself often where the pot was produced, since each region has its own mineral content. Together these clues help researchers trade routes between distant settlements.

Agriculture: drip irrigation

Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the roots of a plant through narrow tubes. Because very little is lost to evaporation, farmers can the same crop with far less water. The method is especially in dry regions, where supplies are limited. However, the equipment is costly to , and the tubes must be regularly for blockages.

Education policy: continuous assessment

Continuous assessment spreads marks across a course instead of relying on a single final examination. Supporters say it rewards steady effort and pressure on students. Critics worry that it can increase teachers' workload and make comparisons between schools more . Most authorities therefore a mixture of coursework and exams, so that each method for the weaknesses of the other.

Astronomy: the light-year

A light-year is a measure of distance, not time. It is the distance that light travels in one year, about nine and a half trillion kilometres. Even the nearest star beyond the Sun lies more than four light-years , so the light we see from it left several years ago. Telescopes therefore show objects as they in the past. The farther away an object is, the further back in time we .

Architecture: arches and domes

An arch carries weight by turning vertical loads into forces that press along its curve towards the supports. Because stone is strong when but weak when pulled, this shape suited early builders. Many historic domes were built without steel, relying on shapes and thick walls to stay standing. Today engineers can such structures by computer before a single block is laid.

Neuroscience: synapses

Neurons communicate by sending chemical messages across tiny gaps called synapses. When an electrical signal reaches the end of one cell, it a chemical that crosses the gap and to the next cell. This may either encourage or discourage that cell from firing. Certain drugs the process by changing how much of the chemical remains in the gap.

Logistics: warehouse systems

Warehouses use barcodes to every item from arrival to dispatch. When goods are delivered, staff scan them and the system a storage location. Fast-moving products are placed near the exit to the distance workers must travel. Accurate records also help managers shelves before they run empty.

Climate: drought

A drought is a long period with less rainfall than is normal for a region. Soil moisture and river levels fall , so the event is often noticed late. Farmers can the effects by growing crops that need little water. Communities may also build reservoirs to rainwater when it is plentiful. Planners must how much water will be needed, because a store that is too small offers little protection.

Education policy: teacher shortages

Teacher shortages many school systems, particularly in rural areas. Governments have responded with higher salaries and reduced administrative duties. Evidence suggests that pay alone rarely staff for long unless working conditions also . Retaining experienced teachers is often cheaper than new ones, since training takes years.

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Marking is a practice estimate: one point per correct gap, no deduction for a wrong gap. It is not Pearson's scoring engine and not an official score. Your results are saved in this browser only.

PTE reading fill in the blanks: the two formats

Pearson's test-format page for PTE Academic describes Part 2 (Reading) as five question types, with 23 to 30 minutes allowed for the whole part. Two of those types are fill in the blanks (Dropdown and Drag and Drop), and they test the same skill in different ways. The table below uses Pearson's published text limits. The practice sets above contain 103 dropdown gaps and 86 drag-and-drop gaps in total.

Feature	Dropdown	Drag and drop
Text length limit (Pearson)	Up to 200 words	Up to 80 words
How you answer	Choose a word from a drop-down list for each gap	Drag words from a box into the gaps
Spare words	Not applicable: options are shown per gap	Yes, the box holds more words than gaps
Partial credit	Yes, when some gaps are wrong	Yes, when some gaps are wrong
Skills assessed (Pearson)	Reading (Pearson's overview also mentions a writing element)	Reading only

Source: Pearson's PTE Academic test-format page for Reading, checked October 2026: pearsonpte.com.

How to answer PTE fill in the blanks, step by step

Skim the whole passage for its topic. Pearson suggests this first because the meaning of the whole text helps you pick the right word for each gap.
Look at the words before and after each gap. Grammar such as a following preposition or a missing article often rules out most options.
Identify the part of speech the gap needs. In the drag-and-drop version, cross out words that are the wrong part of speech or the wrong verb form.
Use collocations, the words that commonly appear together, such as a fixed phrase with one standard partner word.
Check the result against the whole sentence, then move on. You can change a dropdown choice at any time before you check your answers here.

How PTE fill in the blanks is scored

Pearson's scoring note for both formats says your answer is judged on your use of context and grammatical cues to complete the text. If every gap is correct you receive the maximum score points for the item, and if one or more are wrong, partial credit scoring applies. Pearson says the drag-and-drop item affects the scoring of reading only. For how Pearson turns item results into your overall score, see the score guide linked from Pearson's PTE Academic scoring pages.

How this task is scored (practice estimate)

The two formats are marked separately, and each one is a set made of its passages. Press Check my score under a set to see its result. Unfilled gaps are marked wrong, so fill every gap before you check.

What is measured

One point for each gap where your word is exactly the word in the answer key (capital letters are ignored).
A wrong gap and an empty gap both earn 0. A wrong gap does not take points away from the others.
The percentage is your points divided by the number of gaps in the set. The review lists every gap with your word, the key word and a one-line reason.

What is not measured

Close alternatives. If a second word would also read correctly but is not the key word, it is marked wrong here. Each passage has one intended answer per gap, so read the explanation to see why.
Pearson's own partial-credit values and how item points become your reported score. Those are not published, so the percentage is never converted into a 10-90 score.
The writing element Pearson mentions for the dropdown format. Nothing is typed here, so spelling is not tested.

The point-per-gap rule follows Pearson's Test Taker Score Guide. Only the official test provider issues an official PTE score.

Answer key and explanations

Open a set to check your work against the key. Each explanation says why the correct word fits.

Answer key: Set 1: Cities and cycling

Gap 1: how
Gap 2: led
Gap 3: remove
Gap 4: effectiveness
Gap 5: hold

“How” introduces the way people travel. “Led” pairs with the “to” that follows it. “Remove” is the base verb needed after “can”. “Effectiveness” is the noun needed after “the”. “Hold” is the base verb after “tend to”.

Answer key: Set 2: Coral reefs

Gap 1: increasingly
Gap 2: necessarily
Gap 3: wide
Gap 4: because
Gap 5: success

“Increasingly” modifies the adjective “vulnerable”. “Necessarily” fits a sentence that qualifies a claim with a negative. “Wide” is the adjective before “range”. “Because” gives the reason for protecting the healthiest sections. “Success” is the noun after “the”.

Answer key: Set 3: Public libraries

Gap 1: growing
Gap 2: become
Gap 3: reduce
Gap 4: steady

“Growing” is the adjective before “recognition”. “Become” completes the present perfect with an adjective. “Reduce” is the base verb after “to”. “Steady” is the adjective after “remained”, where an adverb such as “steadily” would not fit.

Answer key: Kelp forests and sea otters

Gap 1: variety
Gap 2: prey
Gap 3: multiply
Gap 4: strike
Gap 5: encouraging

“A variety of” needs the noun. “Prey on” is the fixed phrasal verb. Only “multiply” fits a population that grows quickly and creates barrens. “Strike a balance” is the collocation. “Have been” is followed by the adjective “encouraging”.

Answer key: Mixed-use neighbourhoods

Gap 1: meet
Gap 2: raise
Gap 3: reserve
Gap 4: strictness

“Meet needs” is the collocation. “Raise” is the transitive verb that takes “prices” as its object. “Reserve” is the base verb after “to”. “The” must be followed by a noun, so “strictness”.

Answer key: Supply, demand and price

Gap 1: compete
Gap 2: expand
Gap 3: mechanism
Gap 4: ceiling

Buyers “compete for” scarce goods. “Encourage producers to” takes the base verb “expand”. “This” is followed by a noun, so “mechanism”. “Price ceiling” is the standard term.

Answer key: Short-term and long-term memory

Gap 1: lost
Gap 2: rather
Gap 3: known
Gap 4: since

“Is easily lost” needs the past participle. “Rather than” is the fixed comparison. “Known as” is the fixed phrase. “Since” gives the reason.

Answer key: Storing renewable energy

Gap 1: match
Gap 2: pump
Gap 3: generate
Gap 4: efficiency

“Match supply and demand” is the collocation. Water is “pumped” uphill. Turbines “generate” power. “Their” is followed by the singular noun “efficiency”, which agrees with “is”.

Answer key: The printing press

Gap 1: prevented
Gap 2: expanded
Gap 3: adhere
Gap 4: cause

“Prevented ... from” is the pattern. Literacy “expanded”. “Adhere to” takes “to”. “A cause of” contrasts with “a result of”.

Answer key: Preventing illness

Gap 1: curb
Gap 2: detect
Gap 3: transmission
Gap 4: cooperation

“Curb the spread” is the collocation, and “cure” cannot take “the spread”. Screening “detects” disease. “Transmission patterns” is a noun phrase. “Public” is followed by the noun “cooperation”.

Answer key: How languages change

Gap 1: merging
Gap 2: substantially
Gap 3: since
Gap 4: infer

“The ... of” takes the gerund noun “merging”. “Changed” is modified by an adverb. “Since” gives the reason records are needed. Researchers “infer” patterns, whereas “imply” describes what a speaker suggests.

Answer key: Plankton

Gap 1: absorb
Gap 2: supply
Gap 3: rapidly
Gap 4: release

Phytoplankton “absorb” light. They “supply” oxygen. “Grow so” needs an adverb, “rapidly”. Blooms “release” toxins.

Answer key: Urban heat islands

Gap 1: absorb
Gap 2: particularly
Gap 3: mitigate
Gap 4: alone

Materials that “release it slowly” must first “absorb” heat. “Particularly during heatwaves” is the emphasising adverb. Measures “mitigate” an effect. “Sufficient alone” means sufficient by themselves.

Answer key: Confirmation bias

Gap 1: without
Gap 2: favourably
Gap 3: promising
Gap 4: eliminate

“Without” is followed by the gerund “realising”. “Judge ... more favourably” needs an adverb. “Strategy” needs the adjective “promising”. A technique “eliminates” a bias.

Answer key: The electric telegraph

Gap 1: followed
Gap 2: rely
Gap 3: increasingly
Gap 4: linked

“Soon followed” is the past-tense verb. “Rely on” takes “on”. “Increasingly integrated” needs an adverb before the adjective. “Later linked” is the past-tense verb with a time adverb.

Answer key: Archaeology: excavation grids

Gap 1: excavate
Gap 2: recording
Gap 3: over
Gap 4: examine

“Rarely” is followed by the base verb “excavate”. “Recording” is a participle describing what happens while the soil is removed. Layers build up “over time”. “Will” takes the base verb “examine”.

Answer key: Weather: why forecasts change

Gap 1: simulate
Gap 2: grow
Gap 3: less
Gap 4: probability

“Models that simulate” needs a plural-agreeing base verb. “Can” takes the base verb “grow”. “Less” goes before an adjective to show a decrease. “A probability” is a singular noun after “a”.

Answer key: Agriculture: crop rotation

Gap 1: return
Gap 2: interrupts
Gap 3: adopt
Gap 4: although

Legumes “return” nitrogen to the soil. The singular subject “rotation” takes “interrupts”. “Adopt a practice” is the collocation. “Although” introduces the cost that contrasts with steadier yields.

Answer key: Education policy: starting age

Gap 1: raise
Gap 2: close
Gap 3: weigh
Gap 4: informed

“Raise” is transitive and takes “age”. One “closes a gap”. “Weigh X against Y” needs the base verb after “must”. “Be informed by” is the passive form.

Answer key: Astronomy: measuring star distances

Gap 1: shift
Gap 2: distant
Gap 3: rely
Gap 4: appears

A “shift” in position is the apparent movement. The adjective “distant” describes the background objects. “Rely on” follows “must”. “It appears” needs the third-person verb.

Answer key: Architecture: building for heat

Gap 1: feature
Gap 2: release
Gap 3: because
Gap 4: reduce

The plural “buildings” takes “feature”. Walls that absorb heat in the day “release” it at night. “Because” gives the reason for borrowing the ideas. “Can” takes the base verb “reduce”.

Answer key: Logistics: shipping containers

Gap 1: unpacked
Gap 2: reduced
Gap 3: strong
Gap 4: disrupt

“Without being” takes a past participle. “Has” takes “reduced”. “As ___ as” needs the plain adjective “strong”. “Can” takes the base verb “disrupt”.

Answer key: Neuroscience: plasticity

Gap 1: gradually
Gap 2: grow
Gap 3: continue
Gap 4: fixed

An adverb, “gradually”, modifies the verb “strengthen”. “May grow weaker” takes the base verb. The plural “adults” takes “continue”. “Is fixed” is a predicate adjective meaning unchangeable.

Answer key: Archaeology: radiocarbon dating

Gap 1: declines
Gap 2: requires
Gap 3: so
Gap 4: calibrate

The singular “the amount” takes “declines”. “The method requires” agrees with the singular subject. “So” links the margin of error to its consequence. “Also” is followed by the base verb after the plural “researchers”.

Answer key: Climate: weather versus climate

Gap 1: little
Gap 2: reflect
Gap 3: smooth
Gap 4: reliably

“Tells us little about” is the collocation. “Can” takes the base verb “reflect”. “Records” is plural, so “which smooth out”. “Judge a trend reliably” needs an adverb.

Answer key: Set 1: Volcanic islands

Gap 1: deposit
Gap 2: erode
Gap 3: pattern
Gap 4: existed
Gap 5: evolve

“Deposit” means to lay down material in layers. “Erode” describes wind and rain wearing away rock. “Pattern” is the noun used with “of”. “Existed” is the past participle after “has”. “Evolve” suits change over many generations. “Glacier” and “silent” do not fit.

Answer key: Set 2: How sleep works

Gap 1: consolidate
Gap 2: resembles
Gap 3: deprived
Gap 4: regulate
Gap 5: restore

“Consolidate” is the verb used with memories. “Resembles” takes “that of” as its object. “Deprived” is followed by “of”. “Regulate” fits keeping a rhythm steady, and “restore” fits bringing back lost energy. “Fragment” and “ignores” do not fit.

Answer key: Set 3: The story of tea

Gap 1: export
Gap 2: affects
Gap 3: develops
Gap 4: ranked
Gap 5: popularity

“Export” fits merchants moving goods across borders. “Affects” is the verb for the method's influence on flavour. “Develops” is the third-person verb after “and”, parallel to “slows”. “Ranked” completes “is ranked among”. “Popularity” is the noun after “its”. “Harvest” and “bitter” do not fit.

Answer key: Hydrothermal vents

Gap 1: release
Gap 2: harness
Gap 3: adapted
Gap 4: discovered

Vents “release” hot water. Bacteria “harness” chemical energy. Species have “adapted” to conditions. Scientists “discovered” the communities. “Ignore” and “fragile” do not fit.

Answer key: Planning a city

Gap 1: provides
Gap 2: locate
Gap 3: deliver
Gap 4: strain

“Provides ... with” is the pattern. Planners “locate” housing. Utilities are “delivered” to homes. Growth “strains” infrastructure. “Evaporate” and “modest” do not fit.

Answer key: Interest rates

Gap 1: less
Gap 2: postpone
Gap 3: pressure
Gap 4: immediate

Households spend “less” when borrowing costs more. Businesses “postpone” plans until conditions improve. “Downward pressure” is the collocation. “Rarely immediate” is the adjective. “Mutual” and “vanish” do not fit.

Answer key: Recalling memories

Gap 1: reconstructs
Gap 2: differ
Gap 3: automatic
Gap 4: remembered

The brain “reconstructs” a memory. Accounts “differ”. Routines become “automatic”. Events are “remembered” more vividly. “Invites” and “temporary” do not fit.

Answer key: Early mechanical clocks

Gap 1: mounted
Gap 2: accurate
Gap 3: invented
Gap 4: organised
Gap 5: enforce

Clocks were “mounted” in towers. “Not very accurate” is the adjective. The pendulum clock was “invented”. Life was “organised around” hours. Workplaces “enforce” schedules. “Reluctant” and “dissolve” do not fit.

Answer key: Geothermal power

Gap 1: reach
Gap 2: operate
Gap 3: location
Gap 4: emit

Wells “reach” hot water. Plants “operate” continuously. The limitation is “location”. Plants “emit” little carbon dioxide. “Frequent” and “borrow” do not fit.

Answer key: Clean water and health

Gap 1: extend
Gap 2: decline
Gap 3: educate
Gap 4: increases

Sanitation helps “extend” life expectancy. Outbreaks “decline”. Workers “educate” communities. Early diagnosis “increases” the chance of recovery. “Exhaust” and “obvious” do not fit.

Answer key: Bilingual speakers

Gap 1: alternate
Gap 2: strong
Gap 3: maintain
Gap 4: exposure

Children “alternate between” languages. A “strong command” is the collocation. Parents “maintain” both languages. “Exposure to” is the noun pattern. “Reluctant” and “dissolve” do not fit.

Answer key: Transport: railway timetables

Gap 1: adheres
Gap 2: spread
Gap 3: deploy
Gap 4: prevent

A single service “adheres to” a schedule. A delay can “spread” along a line. Operators “deploy” staff. Maintenance helps to “prevent” breakdowns. “Decorate” and “scarce” do not fit.

Answer key: Archaeology: pottery clues

Gap 1: change
Gap 2: estimate
Gap 3: indicates
Gap 4: reconstruct

Styles “change” over time. A specialist can “estimate” a date. The clay “indicates” its origin (third-person verb after “itself”). Clues help researchers “reconstruct” routes. “Bury” and “ignore” do not fit.

Answer key: Agriculture: drip irrigation

Gap 1: grow
Gap 2: valuable
Gap 3: install
Gap 4: inspected

Farmers “grow” a crop. The method is “valuable” where water is scarce. Equipment is costly to “install”. Tubes are “inspected” for blockages. “Dense” and “wander” do not fit.

Answer key: Education policy: continuous assessment

Gap 1: reduces
Gap 2: difficult
Gap 3: favour
Gap 4: compensates

Supporters see a benefit, so it “reduces” pressure (“multiplies” would be a criticism). Comparisons become more “difficult”. The plural “authorities” takes “favour”. “Compensates for” completes the last clause. “Ancient” does not fit.

Answer key: Astronomy: the light-year

Gap 1: away
Gap 2: were
Gap 3: look

“Four light-years away” is the usual phrase. “As they were” uses the past tense for the past. “We look” completes the comparison. “Beneath” and “rarely” do not fit.

Answer key: Architecture: arches and domes

Gap 1: compressed
Gap 2: balanced
Gap 3: model

Stone is strong when “compressed”; “stretched” contradicts “weak when pulled”. “Balanced” shapes help a dome stay standing. Engineers can “model” structures by computer. “Ornate” does not fit.

Answer key: Neuroscience: synapses

Gap 1: releases
Gap 2: binds
Gap 3: message
Gap 4: alter

A cell “releases” a chemical, which “binds” to the next cell. “This message” is the noun subject. Drugs “alter” the process. “Inherits” and “silent” do not fit.

Answer key: Logistics: warehouse systems

Gap 1: track
Gap 2: assigns
Gap 3: shorten
Gap 4: replenish

Barcodes “track” items. The system “assigns” a location. Placing fast sellers near the exit “shortens” the distance. Managers “replenish” stock. “Borrow” and “lengthen” do not fit.

Answer key: Climate: drought

Gap 1: gradually
Gap 2: reduce
Gap 3: store
Gap 4: estimate

“Gradually” explains why the event is noticed late. Farmers “reduce” effects. Reservoirs “store” rainwater. Planners “estimate” how much will be needed. “Suddenly” contradicts “noticed late”; “waste” does not fit.

Answer key: Education policy: teacher shortages

Gap 1: affect
Gap 2: retains
Gap 3: improve
Gap 4: recruiting

Shortages “affect” systems (“effect” is a noun here). Pay rarely “retains” staff unless conditions “improve”. “Recruiting” contrasts with “retaining” in the last sentence. “Refuses” does not fit.

Where to practise next

Fill in the blanks depends on vocabulary, so pair these sets with the full PTE Reading practice hub and the PTE collocations list. For the listening version of gap filling, try the listening fill in the blanks practice. For the full set of Reading question types and their timing, see the PTE exam pattern guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the two PTE fill in the blanks questions?

Pearson lists two Reading fill-in-the-blanks formats, Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) and Fill in the Blanks (Drag and Drop). The dropdown version asks you to choose a word from a list for each gap in a text of up to 200 words. The drag-and-drop version asks you to move words from a box into the gaps in a text of up to 80 words, and the box holds more words than there are gaps.

Is there a free PTE reading fill in the blanks PDF with answers?

Not from this site. The passages here are interactive, so you can check each gap straight away, and the answer key with explanations is printed in the page, so you can save it with your browser's print option. Pearson publishes its own preparation resources at pearsonpte.com, so check its preparation pages for official material.

How is PTE fill in the blanks scored?

Pearson describes the scoring of both formats as based on context and grammatical cues, and says partial credit scoring applies when one or more gaps are wrong. When you press Check my score here, each correct gap earns one point, a wrong or empty gap earns 0 and never takes points away, and you get a percentage plus a gap-by-gap review. That percentage is a practice estimate, not an official score and not a 10-90 score. How Pearson weights item points into your reported score is not published, so we do not guess it.

How do I narrow down the options in the dropdown version?

Work through the gap in four checks: the part of speech the gap needs (noun, verb or adjective), the grammar either side of it (such as a following preposition), the collocation the words usually form, and the overall meaning of the passage. Rule out options that fail the first two checks before you compare meanings.

Are these real PTE exam questions?

No. Every passage on this page was written from scratch for practice. The length limits, gap style and topics follow Pearson's published descriptions of the task, but no passage is taken from a real or past test.

PTE reading fill in the blanks kaise solve karein?

Read the whole passage once to get the topic. Then go gap by gap: decide what kind of word the gap needs, read a few words before and after it, rule out options that do not fit the grammar, and only then choose by meaning. Practise the sets on this page, then read the explanations for any gap you missed.

How long is the PTE reading section?

Pearson lists Part 2 (Reading) as 23 to 30 minutes, with five question types. Fill in the blanks is one of those types, so practise it alongside the others rather than as a separate timed section.