PTE Reading Tips and Tricks to Improve your PTE Reading Score

13 min read

Waiting days for your English proficiency test results can feel like waiting for the next season of your favourite Netflix show! But with PTE, you’ll get your results in five business days or less. PTE, or Pearson Test of English, is a famous test for non-native English speakers aiming to study abroad.  

So, if you’re ready to ace the PTE reading section, read on. This blog has some excellent PTE reading tips and tricks that are golden keys to opening the doors to your study abroad dreams.  

Dive in!  

Here are the key highlights of this blog’s PTE reading tips and tricks, designed to help you boost your scores efficiently.

Aspect	Details
Section Duration	29 – 30  minutes
Number of Questions	13-18 questions
Score Range	10-90
Question Types	Multiple-choice, Re-order paragraphs, Fill-in-the-blanks
Skills Tested	Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar
Difficulty Level	Moderate to challenging
PTE Reading Tips and Tricks	Read Entire Passage, Focus on Keywords, Use Grammar Clues, Practice Skimming

What is the PTE Reading Test? 

The PTE Reading Test is a crucial part of the Pearson Test of English, designed to assess your ability to understand written English. PTE academic scores are accepted by over 6,000 organisations worldwide, making them valuable certifications for your study abroad journey.  

The reading section evaluates your comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar skills through various question types, including multiple-choice, reordered paragraphs, and fill-in-the-blanks. 

With PTE reading tips and tricks, you can boost your scores and increase your chances of being accepted by top institutions. 

Also Read: PTE Exam 2024: Dates, Fees, Results, Syllabus & Pattern. 

Top 10 PTE Reading Tips and Tricks

You will naturally want the best results after investing approximately INR 17K (USD 202) in the exam. 

But the reading section can feel like a maze, and getting lost in the details is easy. That’s where these PTE reading tips and tricks come in handy. 

Here are the top 10 PTE reading tips and tricks to help you confidently ace the test. 

1. Read the Entire Passage First

Before attempting the questions, read the entire passage to grasp the main idea. Understanding the context will help you answer questions more accurately, especially when dealing with inference and summary-based queries. 

This is one of the PTE reading tips and tricks that ensures you don’t miss crucial information.

2. Focus on Keywords

Identify and focus on keywords in the questions and the passage. Keywords are central to PTE reading tips and tricks that often guide you to the correct answer by highlighting essential details or concepts. 

Pay attention to nouns, verbs, and any repeated words or phrases central to the passage’s theme.

3. Use Grammar Clues

Use your knowledge of grammar to help fill in the blanks or reorder sentences. Grammar clues are another part of PTE reading tips and tricks. 

These include verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure, which can provide hints about the correct word choice or sequence, making your answers more accurate.

4. Practice Skimming and Scanning

Develop the ability to skim for the main ideas and scan for specific details. Skimming helps you quickly understand the context, while scanning allows you to locate essential information or keywords efficiently. This skill is handy for time management during the test.

5. Eliminate Incorrect Options

When faced with multiple-choice questions, the only part of PTE reading tips and tricks you need to remember is to use the process of elimination to remove incorrect options. 

Narrowing down your choices increases your chances of selecting the correct answer, especially when you need clarification on the exact response.

6. Manage Your Time Wisely

Allocate your time wisely across all questions to ensure you don’t spend too much time on one section. Practice these PTE reading tips and tricks by pacing yourself to maintain a steady speed throughout the test, allowing enough time to review your answers before submission carefully.

7. Understand Common Question Types

Familiarise yourself with the different question types in the PTE Reading Test, such as multiple-choice, re-order paragraphs, and fill-in-the-blanks. Understanding what each question type requires helps you approach them confidently and strategically.

8. Pay Attention to Context

When filling in the blanks, pay close attention to the context of the missing word. The context often provides clues about what type of word is needed, whether a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb, helping you make the right choice.

9. Review and Revise

If time permits, review your answers before submitting the test. Revisiting your responses with fresh eyes can help you catch any mistakes or reconsider answers you need clarification on. This final review can make a significant difference in your overall score.

10. Practice with Authentic Materials

Use authentic PTE practice materials to understand the test format and question styles. Practising with actual test samples helps you become comfortable with the type of content and complexity level you’ll encounter on exam day.

If you’re taking the PTE, you’re likely on your way to studying in one of the top education destinations. At Leap Scholar, we’re here to make that journey seamless. Just choose your place of study, and we’ll handle the rest. 

PTE Reading Components and Scoring 

It’s all about knowing and playing the game well when taking the test. The key lies in mastering the PTE reading tips and tricks that will help you tackle the questions and make the whole experience less nerve-wracking. 

With 1.3 million Indian students in the global study-abroad market, you must stand out. While PTE reading tips and tricks can do just that, you must also understand the test components. 

With that, it’s time to break them down for you. 

1. Multiple-Choice, Single Answer

These questions require you to pick the one correct answer from several options. Scoring is straightforward. You earn 1 point for a correct answer and 0 points if incorrect, without penalties for wrong choices. 

This format tests your comprehension skills, so focus on understanding the passage and identifying key details.

2. Multiple-Choice, Multiple Answers

These questions ask you to select all correct answers from a list of options. Scoring is more complex. You earn 1 point for each correct choice, but points can be deducted for incorrect selections. 

There’s no partial credit, so accuracy is critical. This format evaluates your ability to discern multiple correct details from the passage, requiring careful reading and critical thinking.

3. Re-Order Paragraphs

These questions challenge you to arrange several text boxes in the correct logical order. Scoring is based on pairs of paragraphs correctly ordered, with 1 point awarded for each correctly placed pair. 

This task tests your understanding of the passage’s overall flow and structure. Pay close attention to the sequence of ideas to ensure coherence in your arrangement.

4. Reading: Fill-in-the-Blanks

These questions require you to drag and drop words into the correct blanks within a passage. Scoring is straightforward again, with 1 point awarded for each correct word placement and no penalties for incorrect answers. 

This task tests your vocabulary, grammar, and ability to understand the context, so focus on choosing words that best fit the meaning and structure of the sentence.

5. Reading & Writing: Fill-in-the-Blanks

These questions require you to select the correct word from a dropdown menu to complete the sentences in a passage. Scoring is simple. You earn 1 point for each correct choice, with no mistake penalties. 

This task assesses your vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension, so carefully consider the context and grammatical structure to choose the most appropriate word.

PTE Reading Section-Wise Strategies 

With over 1 million PTE tests taken each year, it’s clear that the PTE exam is a popular choice for students aiming to study abroad. 

To help you excel, it’s essential to understand the strategies for each section of the reading test. Whether you’re looking for PTE read-aloud tips and tricks or PTE reading fill-in-the-blanks tips and tricks, having a solid game plan will give you the edge you need.

By mastering these strategies, you’ll be better equipped to tackle each question type confidently. 

With that, it’s time to examine some of the top section-wise PTE reading tips and tricks with examples. 

1. PTE Multiple Choice Single Answer Tips and Tricks

For PTE multiple choice single answer questions, read the passage first to understand its main idea. Then, approach the options by eliminating those that don’t align with the critical points of the text. 

For example, if the passage discusses the benefits of renewable energy and one option mentions the advantages of fossil fuels, you can immediately rule it out. Focus on finding the option that directly supports the passage’s main argument.

2. PTE Multiple-Choice Multiple Answers Tips and Tricks 

You must select all correct options based on the passage in multiple-choice multiple answers. One effective strategy is eliminating only partially correct choices or introducing information not mentioned in the text. 

For instance, if the passage talks about the advantages of solar and wind energy, but only one option mentions solar power, it might be a partial match, but it needs to be corrected. Always cross-check with the passage to ensure your selected answers cover all relevant details.

3. Re-Order Paragraphs

For re-order paragraphs, identify the sentence that introduces the main idea. It’s usually the one that can stand alone without any prior context. Then, look for sentences that logically follow by continuing the thought or providing examples. 

For example, if one sentence introduces a topic and the next starts with “Moreover,” they are likely consecutive. Practise recognising transitional words and how they link ideas together.

4. PTE Fill-in-the-Blanks Tips and Tricks 

In reading fill-in-the-blanks tasks, focus on grammatical structure and context to choose the correct word. 

For instance, if the sentence is “The cat ___ on the mat,” and the options are “sit,” “sat,” and “sitting,” understanding the past tense in the surrounding text would guide you to choose “sat.” Practise with various passages to get used to different contexts and sentence structures.

5. PTE Reading Fill-in-the-Blanks Tips and Tricks

When reading and writing fill-in-the-blanks, paying attention to the context provided by surrounding sentences and choosing a word that fits both grammatically and contextually is crucial. 

For example, in a sentence like “The company’s profits have ___ significantly over the last quarter,” the options might be “risen,” “raised,” and “rising.” Understanding that “profits have risen” is grammatically correct, you can select the appropriate option. 

Using PTE read-aloud practice-free tools in such cases can help reinforce your understanding of sentence structure and word usage.

As you master these PTE reading strategies, remember that your study abroad journey can be even more rewarding with the right scholarships. At Leap Scholar, we specialise in connecting students like you with scholarships that can ease your financial burden.

PTE Reading Section Test Module 

The PTE Reading Section is designed to test your reading comprehension skills through various question formats. Whether filling in the blanks or rearranging paragraphs, each task challenges different aspects of your language ability. 

To give you a clearer picture, here’s a breakdown of the question types you’ll encounter and how many of each you can expect, all within a 29-30 minute timeframe.

PTE Question Format	Number of Questions	Prompt  Length
Fill-in-the-blanks  Reading & Writing	5-6	Up to 300 words
Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers	1-2	Up to 300 words
Re-Order Paragraphs	2-3	Up to 150 words
Fill-in-the-blanks  Reading	4-5	Up to 80 words
Multiple Choice, Single Answer	1-2	Up to 300 words
Total	13-18	Up to 1130 words

Pre-Exam PTE Reading Tips and Tricks 

Before diving straight into the PTE exam, a little preparation can make all the difference. 

Like warming up before a big game, getting your mind in gear with pre-exam PTE reading tips and tricks will set you up for success. 

Whether brushing up on vocabulary or practising time management, these strategies will help you enter the exam room feeling confident and ready to tackle whatever comes your way.

Ready? Check out the pre-exam PTE reading tips and tricks. 

Best Books to Prepare for PTE 

When preparing for the PTE, having suitable study materials can make all the difference. 

Below is a list of some of the best books and their authors that can help you ace the exam.

Book	Author
The Official Guide to PTE Academic	Pearson
PTE Academic Testbuilder	MacMillan
PTE Academic Practice Tests Plus	Pearson
The PTE Academic 79 Plus	I. Glendinning, P. Marks
PTE Academic Expert B2 Coursebook	David Hill

PTE Apps

Preparing for the PTE on the go? Several apps are designed to help you study effectively wherever you are. 

Below is a list of some of the best PTE preparation apps and their developers.

App	Developer
PTE Academic Official Practice	Pearson
PTE Tutorials	LET’S UPSKILL PTY LTD
PTE Preparation – APEUni	APEUni
PTE Success – Exam Preparation	Pineapple Studio Pty Ltd

PTE Practice Tests 

Practising tests is one of the most effective ways to prepare for the PTE. These tests simulate the exam environment, helping you become familiar with the question formats and time constraints. 

Below is a list of top PTE practice test resources and their developers.

Practice Test	Developer
PTE Academic Official Practice Tests	Pearson
PTE Practice Test – PTE Tutorials	LET’S UPSKILL PTY LTD
PTE Academic Practice Tests Plus	Pearson
E2Language PTE Practice Tests	E2Language
Aussizz Group PTE Mock Test	Aussizz Group

PTE Preparation at Home

Preparing for the PTE exam from the comfort of your home can be as effective as attending traditional classes, especially with the right resources and strategies. With a wealth of online materials and tools, you can tailor your study plan to fit your schedule and learning style. 

Here are some essential steps to help you prepare for the PTE at home. 

Step	Details
Read Regularly	Improve comprehension by reading books, newspapers, and journals
Join English-Speaking Groups	Practise speaking in online English forums or groups
Enroll in Online PTE Coaching	Get structured courses and mock tests from online PTE coaching centres.
Boost Listening Skills	Listen to TED talks, BBC radio, and podcasts for listening practise

PTE Study Plan 

When mastering the PTE Reading Section, a well-structured plan can be your best friend. You can steadily build your reading skills without feeling overwhelmed by breaking your study sessions into manageable weekly tasks. 

Here’s a week-long plan to help you ace the PTE Reading Section.

Day	Focus	Activities
Monday	Skimming and Scanning	PTE reading practise with answers by skimming for main ideas and scanning for details
Tuesday	Multiple-Choice, Single Answer	Focus on strategies for multiple-choice, single-answer questions
Wednesday	Fill-in-the-blanks Reading	Work on fill-in-the-blanks, focusing on grammar and context
Thursday	PTE reading practice with answers by skimming for main ideas and scanning for details	Eliminate incorrect answers and select all correct ones
Friday	Re-Order Paragraphs	Arrange sentences in a logical order
Saturday	Full Reading Section Practise	Take a timed reading section practise test

Conclusion 

The PTE Academic, created by Pearson, was designed to provide a fair and efficient way for non-native English speakers to demonstrate their language proficiency. Its computer-based format and quick results make it a top choice for students worldwide. 

Master the PTE reading tips and tricks, and you’ll be well on your way to success! 

If you’re taking the PTE, your dream of studying abroad is near! Need help with the next step? Leap Scholar’s guidance counsellors are just a chat or video call away to guide you through the application process.

We offer personalised guidance to help you shortlist colleges, plan finances, review SOPs, and get through the visa process. 

Frequently Asked Questions