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PTE reading practice for every question type

Eight question types make up your PTE reading score. Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks counts most, at about 25 per cent.

Practise for free

By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated

What to know about PTE reading

Summarize Written Text is a writing question type, but it gives about 23 per cent of your reading score.
The reading part has one timer for 23 to 30 minutes. No question has its own timer.
In Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers, each wrong pick takes away a mark you earned.

Where your reading score comes from

Pearson's figures for an average test.

  1. RWFIBReading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks25%
  2. SWTSummarize Written Text23%
  3. RFIBReading: Fill in the Blanks20%
  4. HIWHighlight Incorrect Words13%
  5. RORe-order Paragraphs9%
  6. MCMMultiple Choice, Multiple Answers5%
  7. MCSMultiple Choice, Single Answer3%
  8. HCSHighlight Correct Summary3%

How to practise reading

  1. Skim the whole text first

  2. Read before and after each gap

  3. Pick only what you're sure of

  4. Find the topic sentence first

    In Re-order Paragraphs, it's the sentence that makes sense without the others. It doesn't start with a linking word or a pronoun.
MCMNegative marking in Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

The question

Which reasons does the writer give for planting more street trees?

Your picks

  • They keep streets cooler in summer., picked, right+1
  • They lower the cost of parking.
  • They bring more tourists., picked, wrong−1
  • They help to clean the air., picked, right+1
  • They replace public parks.
Score1 / 2

Each right pick earns a mark and each wrong pick takes one away. Without the wrong pick, this answer scores full marks.

Once you've tried every question type, take a full mock. It's timed like the real exam, with a score for every skill. Take a free PTE mock test.

常见问题

How is PTE reading scored?

Eight question types count towards reading. Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks counts most, at about 25 per cent, then Summarize Written Text at about 23 per cent and Reading: Fill in the Blanks at about 20 per cent. Some question types give partial credit. Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers takes marks away for wrong picks.

How can I improve my PTE reading score?

Practise the two Fill in the Blanks question types first. Together they give about 45 per cent of your reading score. Skim each text for the main idea, then read before and after every gap to check the meaning and the grammar. Choose only the options you're sure of when more than one answer is right.

Is there negative marking in PTE reading?

Yes, in Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers. Each right option earns a mark and each wrong one takes one away, down to zero for that question. Highlight Incorrect Words works the same way. It's in the listening part, but it counts towards reading.

How long is the PTE reading part?

23 to 30 minutes, with one timer for the whole part. Plan your time, because a question you leave blank scores nothing.

Which PTE reading question type is the most important?

Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks. It gives about 25 per cent of your reading score and about 7 per cent of your overall score.

Can I practise PTE reading for free?

Yes. Every question type in the reading part is marked free, every time. You see the right answer before the next question. Marking follows Pearson's rules, with partial credit and negative marking.

拿到你需要的分数

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