The Pearson Test of English (PTE) challenges test takers with four skill areas. Reading, one of the four skills, stands as the second module in this sequence. It examines your grasp of text, your ability to understand meaning, and your precision in writing.
If you want to ace this segment, it’s crucial to deep dive into its structure and craft your study accordingly. But first things first, let’s understand what this section entails.
Reading Section of PTE
The reading section contains 5 distinct tasks. You must complete this section within a time frame of 32 to 41 minutes. However, the reading module is not simply about word recognition. It measures interpretation, logic, and vocabulary depth. The scoring combines both reading and writing outcomes.
This is why preparation for the reading tasks carries great weight. Typically, you will face 15 to 20 questions in this section. Each question evaluates not only comprehension but also strategy.
The Five Exercises of the PTE Reading Section
The PTE reading section offers a sequence of five unique exercises. Each task has its own character and scoring impact. These exercises appear in a fixed order, and you will move from simple recognition tasks to demanding comprehension challenges.
Here is the breakdown:
- Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer
- Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answers
- Re-order Paragraphs
- Reading: Fill in the Blanks
- Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks
Exercise One: Multiple-choice, Choose a Single Answer
This task seems straightforward, but requires caution. You will face a passage that may stretch up to 300 words, and after reading, you must select the single correct answer from the list of options. Usually, you will encounter 2 or 3 of these questions in the exam.
Scoring is binary here. You either receive 1 mark for the correct choice or 0 for the wrong one. There is no partial credit.
Although this task feels simple, underestimating it could hurt your momentum. Accuracy is more important than speed here, so do not skim too quickly. Read the passage carefully, identify the core argument, then select the option that best represents the meaning.
Think of this task as a warm-up round that has a modest effect on your overall score. Yet, it sets the pace for the rest of the section.
Exercise Two: Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answers
The second task deepens the challenge. Once again, you will face a passage that may run up to 300 words. But instead of choosing one option, you must select several. You will encounter 2 to 3 of these questions in the exam. Each should take no longer than 3 minutes. If you push beyond that, you reduce the time for later, more impactful tasks.
Scoring for this task can be tricky. Each correct choice earns you 1 mark, and an incorrect one costs you 1 mark. This means blind guessing is risky here.
The task difficulty level is medium, as it does not carry a heavy scoring weight.
Still, it trains you to sift through text carefully and detect subtle cues. To succeed, pay attention to tone, detail, and the main idea.
Exercise Three: Re-order Paragraphs
Now comes a puzzle-style challenge.
In this task, you receive a set of sentences or short paragraphs that will not exceed 50 words. Your mission is to arrange them in logical order with a focus on coherence, connectors, and logical flow. Transitional words act as clues. Pronouns and references also hint at sequence. For example, a sentence with “this idea” cannot come first.
Scoring here is partial. You earn 1 mark for every correct adjacent pair. If you order all sentences correctly, you achieve full credit. Usually, you will see 2 to 3 of these in the exam.
The recommended time per question is 3 minutes, and the difficulty level is moderate. Many test takers find this exercise challenging because it requires quick structural analysis.
Exercise Four: Reading: Fill in the Blanks
This task resembles a vocabulary game. You will receive a short passage of up to 80 words, but certain words will be missing. Beneath the passage, you will see a set of options. You must drag and drop the correct word into each blank.
There are usually 3 to 5 blanks per passage. You will score 1 mark for each correct placement. The best thing about this section is that no negative marking exists here.
The difficulty level is medium, but the scoring impact is higher than in earlier tasks. This is because it measures both vocabulary knowledge and context recognition. You must grasp not just meaning but also collocation. Words must “fit” naturally with the surrounding text.
As you can expect to face 4 to 5 of these questions here, your strategy can be to spend about 2 minutes on each.
Exercise Five: Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks
The final reading exercise demands dual skills. It merges reading with writing precision. You will face a passage of up to 80 words with several blanks appearing throughout the text. And you, instead of dragging words, must select from the dropdown options.
Each blank has its own set of choices. This increases the challenge because the distractors look very similar. Vocabulary nuance becomes critical.
You will score 1 mark for each correct choice. Typically, you will face 5 to 6 of these in the exam, so each should take about 3 minutes. Among all tasks, this one carries the heaviest scoring weight. It affects both your reading and writing scores, making this task essential to practice.
Conclusion
The PTE reading format is not simply about decoding words. It is about precision, order, and linguistic intuition. So to succeed, focus on strategy. Know which tasks impact your score most, and treat every question with care.
The journey through PTE reading is a test of focus, clarity, and endurance. If you need expert support in conquering it, feel free to connect with our team at EnglishWise. We will do our best to sharpen your skills.
