PTE Core · Reading
PTE Core Reading Practice
PTE Core Reading is Part 2 of the test and lasts about 27–37 minutes. It has five task types: Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks, Multiple Choice Multiple Answers, Reorder Paragraph, Reading Fill in the Blanks and Multiple Choice Single Answer. All texts use everyday and workplace English.
- Time
- About 27–37 minutes
- Task types
- 5
- Items
- R1 5–6, R2 1–2, R3 2–3, R4 4–5, R5 1–2
- Negative marking
- Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers only
- Score
- Reading score, 10–90
How PTE Core Reading works
The five tasks come in this order: Reading & Writing Fill in the Blanks (dropdown gaps), Multiple Choice Multiple Answers, Reorder Paragraph, Reading Fill in the Blanks (drag from a word bank) and Multiple Choice Single Answer. One timer covers the whole part, so you manage your own pace.
The two fill-in-the-blanks tasks make up most of the part, so vocabulary, collocation and grammar carry a lot of weight. The multiple-answer task is the only one where wrong choices cost points; everywhere else, always give an answer.
PTE Core Reading tasks
Tips that work
- Spend no more than about two minutes on any single item.
- Practise collocations and word forms, which decide most gap-fill answers.
- In the multiple-answer task, tick only options the text clearly supports.
- Leave no gap or question blank in the tasks without negative marking.
Questions candidates ask
How long is PTE Core Reading?
About 27–37 minutes, depending on the form.
Which reading tasks have negative marking?
Only Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers. The item score never goes below zero.
Are the texts academic?
No. PTE Core uses everyday and workplace texts such as notices, emails and short articles.
PTE Core overviewPTE Core Reading: all partsPTE Core full mock testsPTE Core articles on the blog