Question-type guide
SMWListeningWeight <1% Listening:1%
Select Missing Word
You hear a recording; the final word or phrase is replaced by a beep. Choose from the options which content was replaced.
Format
- 1-2 items
- Audio is 20-70 seconds long
Scoring criteria
- 1 point for a correct answer, 0 for a wrong one
Scoring dimensions are condensed and paraphrased from Pearson's official PTE Core scoring guide for readability; refer to the official documentation for the exact wording.
Answering technique
- 1Focus on the logic of the recording's last sentence; the replaced words are usually a natural continuation or summary of the earlier topic
- 2The options often include topic-related but logically inconsistent distractors — rule them out against the direction of the whole recording's argument
- 3If you didn't catch the last sentence, infer the most reasonable option from the overall gist
Common pitfalls
- Focusing only on the last sentence and ignoring the earlier context
- Being distracted by a high-frequency word in the options
Video walkthrough
From Pearson's official PTE Core YouTube channel.