All PTE Reading tests
16 tests · Test 1 of each exam is free
PTE Academic reading tests
(8)15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
15 questions · 30 min
PTE Reading task guides
Templates, scoring and tips for every reading task type.
PTE reading format: the five task types
PTE Academic Reading uses five task types, and knowing which is which matters because they are not scored the same way. Three of them award partial credit, so a half-right answer still earns marks, and one of them feeds your Writing score as well as your Reading score.
| Task type | Scoring | Also counts towards |
|---|---|---|
| Fill in the Blanks (Reading & Writing) | Partial credit | Writing |
| Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop) | Partial credit | Reading only |
| Re-order Paragraphs | Partial credit, per correct pair | Reading only |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | Partial credit, minus for wrong picks | Reading only |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | Right or wrong | Reading only |
Read the last column first. Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks is the highest-value item type in the section because every mark counts twice, once in Reading and once in Writing. If you are short on preparation time, that is where it goes.
PTE reading marks distribution: where the points actually sit
Your Reading score is not a count of correct answers. It is reported on the same 10 to 90 scale as every other module, and it is built from partial credit across the section plus the reading-weighted items that appear elsewhere in the test. That has two practical consequences.
First, never leave a partial-credit item blank. On both Fill in the Blanks tasks and Re-order Paragraphs, a partly correct answer scores above zero, so an attempt always beats a gap. Second, Multiple Choice Multiple Answers is the one exception: a wrong tick cancels a right one, so select only the options you can point to in the text. Guessing widely there costs you marks that the other tasks would have given you for free.
For how the section total rolls into your overall result, see how PTE is scored and the PTE score chart.
PTE reading tips that change the score, not just the advice
- Watch the clock yourself. Reading is the only section with no per-question timer, just one block of time. A slow start on one long passage quietly steals the minutes the later items needed, and that is the single most common reason a strong reader scores below their level.
- Use grammar as a filter before meaning. In both Fill in the Blanks tasks the wrong options are frequently impossible on grammar alone. Tense, agreement, article and word form eliminate most distractors before you weigh the sense of the sentence.
- Anchor Re-order Paragraphs from the ends. Find the sentence that needs no prior context, then the one that clearly closes, and build inward using pronouns, article shifts and linking words. Marks are awarded per correctly ordered pair, so a partly correct order still scores.
- Only tick what you can prove. In Multiple Choice Multiple Answers the negative marking means an unsupported guess is worse than leaving that option alone.
- Answer the whole passage, not the familiar phrase. Single-answer questions reward the option consistent with the entire text, and the distractors are usually built from wording lifted straight out of one sentence.
The fastest way to find which of these is costing you marks is to sit a timed section and read the per-question breakdown rather than only the total.
Want to see how each answer is worked out first? Read the PTE reading sample questions with answers, then come back and time yourself on a full test.
PTE reading FAQ
What is in the PTE reading section?
PTE Academic Reading has five task types: Fill in the Blanks (Reading and Writing) with dropdowns, Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop), Re-order Paragraphs, Multiple Choice Multiple Answers, and Multiple Choice Single Answer. Four of the five award partial credit.
How can I improve my reading in PTE?
Work on the partial-credit tasks first, because they pay per correct element rather than all or nothing. Use grammar to eliminate options in both Fill in the Blanks tasks, anchor Re-order Paragraphs from the opening and closing sentences, and manage the section clock yourself, since Reading has no per-question timer. Then sit a timed section and read the per-question breakdown to find which task type is actually costing you marks.
Does PTE reading affect my writing score?
Yes. The Fill in the Blanks (Reading and Writing) dropdown task contributes to both your Reading and your Writing scores, which makes it the highest-value item type in the section and the best use of limited preparation time.
Which PTE reading tasks have partial credit?
Both Fill in the Blanks tasks and Re-order Paragraphs award partial credit, so you earn marks for every correct selection or correctly ordered pair. Multiple Choice Multiple Answers also gives partial credit but deducts for wrong choices, so only select options you can support from the text.
How long is the PTE reading section?
Reading runs as a single timed block rather than timing each question separately, so you control how long you spend on any one item. That flexibility is why pacing matters more here than in any other section.