The Best Strategy for PTE Listening Fill in the Blanks Task

The Listening Fill in the Blanks task in the PTE (Pearson Test of English) assesses your ability to understand spoken English and accurately transcribe missing words from a transcript. The exam format requires a strategic approach to maximize your score in the exam.

Understanding the Task

In this task, a transcript appears on your screen with several missing words. You’ll hear a 30–60 second audio recording once, and your goal is to type the correct words into the blank spaces. Each correct word, spelled correctly, earns one point. Incorrect or misspelled words receive a score of zero.

Prompt Length	Skill Assessed	Time To Answer
30-60 seconds	Listening and Writing	Not Applicable

Scoring Criteria:

1: For correctly spelled word

0: For incorrectly spelled word

Why Strategy Matters

The audio plays at natural speed, and you only get one chance to listen. This makes it essential to be well prepared before the recording begins. A good strategy not only helps you identify the missing words but also improves your accuracy and efficiency under actual exam pressure.

The Best Strategy for Success

1. Skim the Text Before the Audio Starts

Before the audio starts, you’ll have about 7 seconds to look at the text. Although the time seems irrelevant and short, it’s an important time to focus and prepare.

What to do:

• Ignore the blanks for now and your goal is to understand the overall meaning of the text.
• Look for proper nouns, such as names, places, or organizations. This will help you get a hint about the topic or context.
• Identify repeated words or themes, which can help you anticipate key vocabulary or subject matter.

Example:

If the text includes names like Dr. Smith, a climate scientist at the University of Melbourne…, it’s likely that the passage will relate to climate science or environmental research.

2.  Take Notes While Listening

Once the audio begins, you must listen attentively. Since it plays only once and at natural speed, your goal is to capture the exact words spoken in the blanks.

Key Tips:

• Use your erasable notepad booklet to quickly write what you hear.

• Don’t worry about spelling during the audio. Write words phonetically if needed correct spelling can be done after-ward.
• Try to note down word endings, for example -s, -ed, -ing as these can be grammatically important.
• Don’t fixate on a single blank. If you miss one, move on quickly. You can always revisit it later.

Note:The words spoken in the recording exactly match the words missing in the transcript. You don’t need to paraphrase or guess synonyms.

3.  Use Your Notes to Fill in the Blanks

After the audio finishes, use your notes to type the missing words in the correct blanks.

Strategy:

• Read through the full transcript again. Make sure the sentence makes sense

contextually and grammatically.

• Use grammar and structure hints to verify your choices. For example: The students were_________ for their achievements.

You need a past participle here, like rewarded or recognized, not just any verb.

• Double-check spelling. This is critical an otherwise correct word will receive zero points if misspelled.
• Use the Tab key to move quickly between blanks as you enter your answers.

Important Tips for Exam Day

1. Read the sentence first to understand the context: Before the audio starts, quickly reading the sentence gives you a mental framework for what the passage is about. Instead of focusing on individual word, you’re training your brain to see the bigger picture.
2. Focus on surrounding keywords: Words near the blank often signal or hint at the type of word that fits the gap. They provide context clues that guide your listening.
3. Grammar and vocabulary matter: Grammar rules determine what words can logically go into each blank. Vocabulary knowledge helps you match what you hear to what fits grammatically and semantically.
4. Jot down quick notes while listening if you need to: You hear the audio only once, and it’s at normal speed. If you’re not confident in your memory or spelling, writing down key words helps you capture details before you forget them.
5. Predict the missing word from the context: Sometimes, you may miss the exact word in the audio or feel unsure. In those moments, using context to predict a logical word can still get you points if your grammar, meaning, and spelling are all correct.
6. Double-check your spelling and grammar: Before submitting your response, proof read your answer to check spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Practice Question:

Passage:

The Eiffel Tower, as we know, is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. It was

                     by the engineer Gustave Eiffel and was completed in 1889. ___________ at 330

meters tall, it was the tallest man-made structure on Earth until the completion of the

Chrysler ___________ in New York. Today, millions of tourists ___________, the Eiffel Tower

each year, making it a symbol of beauty. The tower is made of__________ , and it took more

than 2 years to construct. Visitors can take an elevator or climb stairs to reach the top, where they can ___________ a breathtaking view of the city. It remains an important symbol of France.

Answer: designed, Standing, Building, visit, iron, enjoy Audio Transcript:

The Eiffel Tower, as we know, is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. It was designed by the engineer Gustave Eiffel and was completed in 1889. Standing at 330 meters tall, it was the tallest man-made structure on Earth until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York. Today, millions of tourists visit the Eiffel Tower each year, making it a symbol of beauty. The tower is made of iron, and it took more than 2 years to construct. Visitors can take an elevator or climb stairs to reach the top, where they can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city. It remains an important symbol of France.

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