PTE Fill in the Blanks (Listening)

A 30–60 second audio plays while a transcript with several blanks appears on screen. As you listen, type the missing words directly into the blanks. Tests dictation, typing speed, and spelling all at once.

Weightage
High — contributes to Listening + Writing
Time
Audio plays once, ~30s buffer to finish typing
Frequency
2–3 questions per test

Why this task matters

Double-scoring task feeding both Listening and Writing. With practice, students reliably score 90%+ here — making it one of the most stable score gainers in PTE.

How it works on test day

  1. Transcript appears on screen with blanks marked.
  2. Audio plays automatically (no replay).
  3. Type words into blanks as you hear them.
  4. After audio ends, you have ~30 seconds to finish typing.

What scorers measure

  • Per correct word (1 point per blank) — Each correctly-spelled word earns 1 point. Misspellings = 0 for that blank.

Practise on PTEAce — free. Real Fill in the Blanks (Listening) questions, AI scoring, instant feedback: Start Listening Fill Blanks practice.

Templates you can adapt

Adapt these — never recite verbatim. Pearson's 2026 model flags identical, memorised openings.

Typing-while-listening method

1. PRE-READ the transcript before audio plays.
       Predict: noun? verb? adjective? singular or plural?
    
    2. WHILE LISTENING:
       - Type the word you hear directly into the blank
       - Don't pause to fix typos — keep up with the audio
       - If you miss a word, type your best guess (or a placeholder)
       - Move to the next blank as soon as the audio passes the word
    
    3. AFTER AUDIO ENDS:
       - Spend remaining seconds correcting spelling on each blank
       - Check tense / plural agreement on what you typed

Most score loss here is from spelling errors, not missed audio. Practise typing speed AND spelling.

Worked examples

Prompt
Audio: "Climate scientists are observing that arctic ice is melting at an unprecedented rate, threatening polar bear populations and global sea levels." Transcript: "Climate scientists are ___ that arctic ice is ___ at an ___ rate, ___ polar bear populations and global sea ___."
Strong response
observing / melting / unprecedented / threatening / levels
Why it works
Each blank is a content word that must be heard precisely. 'Unprecedented' and 'threatening' are common spelling traps.

Tips & tricks for 2026

  • Pre-read the transcript before audio plays. Predict the parts of speech needed.
  • Type fast and approximate first — fix spelling after audio ends.
  • Watch for common spelling traps: '-tion' words (e.g., 'pronunciation', 'occurrence').
  • Don't get stuck on one missed word — keep up with the audio.
  • Practise typing dictation on PTEAce daily. Speed + spelling improve in tandem.

Common mistakes

  • Pausing to fix typos mid-audio and missing the next blanks.
  • Spelling errors ('recieve' vs 'receive', 'ocurr' vs 'occur').
  • Wrong word form (typing 'observe' when 'observing' was said).
  • Leaving blanks empty — always type a guess.
  • Not pre-reading the transcript — losing the prediction advantage.

Your 4-week prep plan

  1. Week 1: Daily dictation drills (BBC News transcripts). Type along to audio.
  2. Week 2: Build a personal 100-word spelling deck with PTE common traps.
  3. Week 3: Practise PTEAce's Listening Fill Blanks — 5 questions daily.
  4. Week 4: Mock-test conditions. Aim for 95%+ accuracy.

Notes done. Time to practise Fill in the Blanks (Listening).

Apply this guide on real exam-style questions. Free AI scoring, unlimited attempts, no credit card required.

More Listening notes