Timing at a glance
| Real test | No clock per question: the Reading items share one section timer |
|---|---|
| Our practice pace | About 2½ minutes per question |
Timings are approximate and can vary slightly from question to question.
How it's scored
Scored on1 mark per correct adjacent pair
You earn one mark for each pair of boxes that sit next to each other in the correct order. So even if the whole order isn't perfect, getting some pairs right still earns marks.
Worked example
A practice set we wrote
A) This made it possible to keep food fresh for weeks. B) Before refrigerators, people relied on salt, smoke and ice to preserve food. C) As a result, shopping habits changed: families could buy food once a week instead of every day. D) In the early twentieth century, electric refrigerators began to appear in homes.
A strong approach
B → D → A → C. B introduces the topic with no reference to anything earlier. D moves forward in time. A's "This" refers to the refrigerator in D, and C's "As a result" follows from A.
Common mistakes
- Starting with a box that contains "this", "they" or "however". Those point back to something earlier.
- Ordering by topic alone and ignoring linking words.
- Moving every box at once instead of locking in pairs you're sure of.
Tips
- Find the opening sentence: the one that makes sense with no earlier context.
- Follow pronouns and articles: "this", "they" and "the" refer to something mentioned before.
- Use time words and connectors: first, then, however, as a result.
- Build strong pairs first. Each correct pair is a mark even if the full order isn't.
Re-order Paragraphs FAQ
One mark for each pair of adjacent boxes in the correct order. You can earn partial marks without getting the whole sequence right.
Related guides
PTE Practice is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Pearson. Our scores are a calibrated emulation, not official PTE scores.