PTE reading practice for Canada: PTE Core and PTE Academic
In Canada you take PTE Core for IRCC applications and PTE Academic for university or college study. Pearson says PTE Core reading has five question types, and the Score Guide gives the part 27-37 minutes. Pearson also says its Academic preparation materials are based on academic English content, whereas PTE Core is based on everyday English content.
This page is for reading practice if you are heading to Canada. It covers PTE Core, the test for IRCC, and points to PTE Academic reading if you are applying to study. Pearson's pages decide the rules, and this is not immigration advice.
Which test are you preparing for?
In Canada, the goal decides the test.
Two PTE tests matter for Canada, and they have different jobs. Pearson's PTE Core page and its Canada page say:
"PTE Core is recognized by the Canadian Government (IRCC) for all economic visa categories including permanent residency and citizenship."
"If you’ve studied in Canada and are applying for a postgraduate work permit, you can use PTE Core to prove your English skills."
"Plan to study in Canada? If you plan to apply to a Canadian university or college, you'll need PTE Academic instead of PTE Core."
So reading practice for Canada means one of two things. If your application goes to IRCC, practise PTE Core reading. If you are applying to a university or college, practise PTE Academic reading. Our PTE Academic vs PTE Core page explains the choice, and the list of English tests accepted by IRCC shows what IRCC takes. IRCC and your institution decide which scores they accept. This page is not immigration advice.
PTE Core reading at a glance
Five question types, one block of time.
"This section of PTE Core assesses your reading skills over five question types"
| Question type | Questions | Text length | How it is marked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks (dropdown) | 5-6 | Up to 200 words | Partial credit: a point for each correct blank. It counts toward reading and writing. |
| Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers | 1-2 | Up to 275 words | A point for each correct option, minus a point for each wrong option, never below 0. |
| Reorder Paragraph | 2-3 | Up to 110 words | A point for each pair of correct adjacent text boxes. |
| Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop) | 4-5 | Up to 80 words | Partial credit: a point for each correct blank. |
| Multiple Choice, Single Answer | 1-2 | Up to 110 words | Correct or incorrect only. |
The Score Guide gives the whole reading part as 27-37 minutes. Pearson's format page lists the time to answer as "Not applicable" for each question type and gives a time only for the whole part, so you manage the clock. The question counts above are from the Score Guide's reading table.
"If you click on all the options because you do not know the answer, you will lose score points."
Our reading: in the multiple-answer question, a guess costs you. Choose an option only when you can point to the line that supports it.
How PTE Core reading differs from PTE Academic reading
Same names for the question types, different details.
| Detail | PTE Core | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Reading part length | 27-37 minutes | approx. 23-30 minutes |
| Multiple-answer text | Up to 275 words | Up to 350 words |
| Multiple-answer questions | 1-2 | 2-3 |
| Single-answer questions | 1-2 | 2-3 |
| Dropdown blanks question | Counts toward reading and writing | Listed under Reading in the Score Guide |
The big difference is the kind of English. Pearson's preparation page answers the question directly:
"No, the preparation materials for PTE Academic/PTE Academic UKVI are based on academic English content, whereas PTE Core is based on everyday English content."
Pearson's answer is about using Academic material for Core. Our reading: by the same logic, practise for each test with material written for that test. Check the label on any practice resource before you spend time on it.
Pearson's own practice for PTE Core
Use it first. It has the real interface and the real marking.
"In Smart Prep, you can also access free PTE Core preparation resources which include the PTE Core Score Guide, Test Tip documents, a Guided Practice Test and a video guide."
"Take a 2-hour practice test that uses the same format and scoring engine"
"300+ PTE questions, 5 full-length mock tests, 4 sectional tests"
Pearson's pages count the free Core practice differently. Its preparation page lists "a Guided Practice Test" among the free Core resources, while its article on Guided Practice Tests says:
"Each category includes five tests: one short test that provides a condensed version of the exam, and four other tests focused on individual skills - speaking, writing, listening, and reading."
We show both. Open the Smart Prep section of your myPTE account to see exactly what is there for PTE Core today.
For reading, Pearson's article on Guided Practice Tests gives a simple method: attempt the question, check which answers were right, and revise the ones you missed. Two lines matter most:
"Note any patterns in the types of questions you find difficult."
Eight tips for PTE Core reading
Ours, built on Pearson's rules.
- Treat the whole reading part as one pot of time. Pearson gives a time only for the whole part. Decide your pace before you start and do the quick grammar blanks first.
- Practise with everyday texts. Pearson says PTE Core is based on everyday English content. Use notices, emails, workplace messages, community news, health information and service guides, not just academic articles.
- Do the grammar pass first on every blank. Name the word class you need, then cross out the wrong forms. Only then check the meaning.
- Remember the dropdown blanks feed your writing score as well. A careful grammar pass on this question helps two skills.
- Choose multiple-answer options only when you can prove them. A wrong option costs a point. Leave out anything you cannot point to in the text.
- In reorder, find the opener, then lock in pairs. The marking rewards correct neighbours. Our reorder paragraph guide has a method and three sets.
- In drag and drop, decide the word class before you look at the box. There are more words than gaps, so some will not be used.
- Keep an error log. Question type, what you chose, why it was wrong, the clue you missed. After a week you will see the pattern.
A starter practice set in everyday English
Our own items. The notice, email and bus route are invented for practice.
Dropdown blanks
Choose the best word for each blank.
The community centre will (1) _____ its winter schedule on Monday. Swimming lessons for children move to the evening, while the gym stays open (2) _____ the same hours as before. Residents who have already (3) _____ for a class do not need to do anything. Anyone who wishes to make a (4) _____ should contact the front desk before Friday.
- Blank 1: begin / began / begun / beginning.
- Blank 2: for / since / by / until.
- Blank 3: registered / register / registering / registers.
- Blank 4: change / changes / changing / changed.
- Blank 1: begin. "Will" is followed by the base verb.
- Blank 2: for. "Open for the same hours" is the natural phrase. "Since", "by" and "until" do not fit.
- Blank 3: registered. "Have already" needs a past participle, and people register "for" a class.
- Blank 4: change. After "a" you need a singular noun, and "make a change" is a set phrase.
Multiple answers
Read the email and choose all the statements that are true.
Hi team, a quick update on the move to the new office. The first group will move on the fourteenth. If you are in that group, please pack your desk by Thursday afternoon, and label every box with your name and floor. IT will move computers separately, so you do not need to pack them. Parking at the new site is limited, and staff are encouraged to take public transit or carpool for the first month. I will send maps tomorrow.
- A. The first group moves on a date given in the email.
- B. Staff should pack their own computers.
- C. Boxes should be labelled with a name and a floor.
- D. Parking at the new site is unlimited.
- E. Staff are encouraged to use public transit or carpool at first.
Correct: A, C and E. B is reversed: IT will move the computers. D is reversed: parking is limited.
Reorder paragraph
Put the four boxes in order.
- A. Full timetables will be available at the library and on the transit app.
- B. To do this, it will run every twenty minutes on weekdays, with fewer trips on weekends.
- C. The city will start a new bus route between the train station and the hospital next month.
- D. The route is meant to cut travel time for patients and staff who now have to change buses twice.
Answer: C, D, B, A. C introduces the route with "a new bus route". D says "The route" and states its purpose. B starts with "To do this", which points back to that purpose, and says "it" for the route. A gives the full timetables after the schedule has been described.
A two-week starter plan
Ours. Thirty minutes a day.
| Days | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Learn the format | Read the five question types in Pearson's format page. Do the starter set above. Start an error log. |
| 3-4 | Blanks | Build your own dropdown and drag-and-drop sets from everyday texts. Grammar pass first. |
| 5-6 | Reorder | Do three reorder sets, including one you make yourself from a short news article. |
| 7 | Check | Take a free reading practice test in your myPTE account. Log every miss. |
| 8-9 | Choice questions | Practise true and false judgments on each option of multiple-answer questions. |
| 10-12 | Mixed and timed | Mixed sets of five to eight questions with a timer. Read two short everyday texts a day and write one sentence of main idea for each. |
| 13 | Full reading part | Do the reading part under timed conditions. Compare the error log with day 7. |
| 14 | Repair | Redo every miss. Rest. |
Common questions
The Score Guide gives the reading part as 27-37 minutes. Pearson's format page lists "Time to answer: Not applicable" for each question type.
The Score Guide's reading table lists 5-6 dropdown blanks questions, 1-2 multiple-answer questions, 2-3 reorder paragraph questions, 4-5 drag and drop blanks questions and 1-2 single-answer questions.
Pearson says its free PTE Core resources in Smart Prep include the PTE Core Score Guide, Test Tip documents, a Guided Practice Test and a video guide. You reach them by creating a free myPTE account.
Pearson says no: “the preparation materials for PTE Academic/PTE Academic UKVI are based on academic English content, whereas PTE Core is based on everyday English content.”
Only in the multiple-answer question. Pearson says: “Each correct option is given one point, but one point is deducted for each wrong option.” The other reading questions give partial credit or correct or incorrect marking.
Yes, for study. If you are applying to a Canadian university or college, Pearson says you will need PTE Academic instead of PTE Core, so practise with Academic material. Our PTE Academic reading practice and tips page covers it in full.
Pearson says PTE Core reading has five question types: Reading and Writing Fill in the Blanks (dropdown), Multiple Choice with multiple answers, Reorder Paragraph, Fill in the Blanks (drag and drop) and Multiple Choice with a single answer.