Master the Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks task using a simple, repeatable method: Grammar → Collocations → Logic → Elimination.

What is the Drop Down Blanks task?

In PTE Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks (also called drop down blanks), you’ll see a short passage (about 150–200 words) with some missing words. Each blank is a dropdown with four options. Your job is to choose the word that best fits grammar, meaning, and natural usage (collocations).

Example 1

Climate change has become one of the most ___(1)___ challenges of the modern era. Scientists warn that rising global temperatures could ___(2)___ severe impacts on ecosystems, human health, and the economy. Governments around the world are urged to take ___(3)___ action to reduce carbon emissions and shift towards ___(4)___ sources of energy.

Options:

1. (urgent, temporary, casual, optional)
2. (trigger, ignore, prevent, hide)
3. (immediate, careless, delayed, indifferent)
4. (renewable, artificial, limited, harmful)

Correct Answers

1. urgent   2. trigger   3. immediate   4. renewable

💡 How to Solve Drop Down Blanks Effectively

1. Look for Grammar Clues“one of the most ___ challenges” → the blank must be an adjective. Urgent fits grammatically and meaningfully; “casual/optional” don’t suit the seriousness.
2. Check Collocations (Word Pairing)“shift towards ___ sources of energy” → the natural collocation is renewable sources of energy, not artificial/limited/harmful sources.
3. Use Logic & Meaning“Rising temperatures could ___ severe impacts” → temperatures cause impacts; they don’t ignore/hide them. So trigger is logical; “prevent” is the opposite.
4. Eliminate Wrong Options“Governments are urged to take ___ action” → remove negative or slow choices (careless, delayed, indifferent). The only sensible fit is immediate.

Example 2

Reading books regularly can ___(1)___ a person’s imagination and improve vocabulary. Unlike watching television, reading requires active ___(2)___, allowing readers to picture scenarios in their minds. Educators often ___(3)___ students to read a variety of genres, as it helps them develop ___(4)___ critical thinking skills.

Options:

1. (stimulate, damage, reduce, block)
2. (engagement, distance, hesitation, confusion)
3. (encourage, forbid, distract, reject)
4. (strong, weak, careless, random)

Correct Answers

1. stimulate   2. engagement   3. encourage   4. strong

💡 How to Solve Drop Down Blanks Effectively

1. Look for Grammar Clues“can ___ a person’s imagination” → needs a verb that fits a positive educational context. Stimulate is correct; others are negative or off-meaning.
2. Check Collocations (Word Pairing)“active ___” → fixed pairing is active engagement. Distance/hesitation/confusion don’t collocate with active.
3. Use Logic & Meaning“Educators often ___ students to read” → teachers promote reading, so encourage is logical. Forbid/reject contradict the sentence.
4. Eliminate Wrong Options“develop ___ critical thinking skills” → the natural phrase is strong critical thinking skills. Weak/careless/random are poor fits.

The 4-Step Method (Use it on every blank)

1. Look for Grammar Clues — part of speech, tense, number, articles, prepositions.
2. Check Collocations — prefer words that commonly appear together (e.g., renewable energy, active engagement).
3. Use Logic & Meaning — ask: Does this choice make sense in real life and in this sentence?
4. Eliminate Wrong Options — remove antonyms, awkward tone, and words that clash with surrounding ideas.

Tip: Read the whole sentence first, not just the blank. If two options seem possible, re-check collocations and tone — one will sound more natural.

FAQs

How is this task scored?

You receive +1 per correct blank. There is no negative marking. Accuracy improves your Reading and Writing enabling skills.

What should I practice daily?

Read short articles and notice collocations. Create mini-drills: write a sentence with a blank and list four options; then justify the correct one using the 4-step method.

Any quick time-saving trick?

Lock in obvious collocations first (e.g., take immediate action, strong skills), then solve the remaining blanks with grammar and logic.