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PTE Listening: Fill in the Blanks — format, scoring and tips

You see a transcript of a recording with some words missing. As the audio plays, you type each missing word into its gap. Spelling counts, so it tests careful listening and accurate writing at the same time.

Practise Listening: Fill in the Blanks free

Timing at a glance

AudioPlayed once; there is no replay
Our practice paceAbout 1½ minutes per question

Timings are approximate and can vary slightly from question to question.

How it's scored

Scored on1 mark per correct blank

Each blank with the right word, spelled correctly, earns one mark. A wrong, misspelled or empty blank earns nothing and costs nothing.

Worked example

A practice transcript we wrote

"Most of the energy used in homes goes on ____ and cooling. Small changes, such as closing curtains at night, can ____ bills noticeably, especially in older ____ with poor insulation."

A strong approach

heating / reduce / buildings. Keep your eyes one gap ahead of the audio, type the word as soon as you hear it, and fix spelling at the end.

Common mistakes

  • Reading too far behind the audio and missing the gap.
  • Misspelling a word you heard correctly.
  • Stopping to correct a typo mid-audio and missing the next gap.

Tips

  • Skim the transcript before the audio starts so you know where the gaps are.
  • Type the word quickly, even roughly, then correct spelling after the audio ends.
  • Use grammar to check your answer: does the gap need a plural, a verb, an -ing form?
  • Fill every gap; a guess may score and an empty gap never does.

Listening: Fill in the Blanks FAQ

Yes. A word must be spelled correctly to earn the mark.

Related guides

PTE Write from DictationListeningPTE Highlight Incorrect WordsListening

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