Strategies to deal with P3 Select Missing Word

In both the PTE Academic and PTE Core, Part 3: Select Missing Word appears from one to two times in each test, which only contributes to your Listening score. This is an intriguing item type as they cut off one or several words at the end of the audio, and we have the responsibility to pick the best answer for the missing words (or a group of words). 

Fundamental information

• Task: Listening to an audio and then select the missing word (or several words) that completes the recording
• Prompt length: 20-70 seconds
• Recommended timer: 02 minutes
• Frequency: 1-2 questions
• Skills assessed: Listening

In Part 3: Listening in the PTE Academic, we have from 30 to 43 minutes to face eight different question types. Except for Summarize Spoken Text, we have 10 minutes to deal with each question, there is no specific timer for the rest of the item types, PTE takers must have great Time Management skills in order to complete all questions on time. If you go for the PTE Core, we have around 30 minutes to deal with seven-item types (Highlight Correct Summary is not available in the PTE Core), including eight minutes for each Summarize Spoken Text.  

We know how important the Time Management skill is to obtain what we set our hearts on, therefore, we developed a unique strategy to help test-takers face each question type confidently and successfully with specific timers. That’s the reason why we recommend you spend 02 minutes for each Part 3: Select Missing Word question, which is also the timer if you practice on the PTE Practice Website. For more detail regarding the Time Management strategy and why we have these specific timers, kindly take a look with care at this article: “PTE Time Management Strategy".

A unique step-by-step strategy 

According to the PTE Official Guide score, Part 3: Select Missing Word is a Correct-Incorrect grading type if you pick a correct answer, you will get points. Otherwise, you lose points.

No worries, if you are here, you are looking for a unique strategy to help you win this challenge. We already have it, so let’s explore it immediately. 

Step 1: Take notes while listening

Taking note is undoubtedly essential in this item type to find key points and a general idea of the audio recording, so we can use them as clues to pick the most suitable answer. Admittedly, taking notes while listening is not easy, and we have to do it most of the time when we come to Part 3: Listening. As a result, we already shared a complete guide to taking notes effectively whether you read text or listen to audio. We strongly recommend you stop here for a while and go read our note-taking strategy first and continue this article later.

If you already explored the above Note-taking strategy, let’s put our guides into practice. We have this sample question that will go with us until the end of this article – Question number 2, Part 3: Select Missing Word on the PTE Practice Website for FREE accounts. 

It’s best to visit our PTE Practice Website and listen to the audio recording right on it for the best experience and to apply our note-taking strategy into practice. If you have already completed the note-taking part, let’s see ours as follows: 

• Everybody fails all the pop quizzes
• People do research all over the country
• Reveal the impact bias
• The tendency to make you believe different outcomes are more different than they really are
• Phenomenon affects our perception in various (the last point connects with the missing words)

They seem disconnected from one other, it’s okay because we just took notes and haven’t formed the general idea yet. In most cases, depending on how each test-taker takes notes, it’s normal if we don’t see connections at first. However, in the next step, we will all see how to utilise our notes to conduct the general idea in order to pick the most suitable answer. 

Here is the description if you need it.

Don't feel too bad about failing the first pop quiz, because everybody fails all of the pop quizzes all of the time. The research that my laboratory has been doing, that economists and psychologists around the country have been doing, has revealed something really quite startling to us, something we call the "impact bias," which is the tendency for the simulator to work badly, for the simulator to make you believe that different outcomes are more different than, in fact, they really are. This cognitive phenomenon affects our perception in various … . 

Timer recomendation: The longest audio length could be up to 70 seconds, but most of the time, it will be around 40-60 seconds long. Our sample question only lasts around 40 seconds, so we have 80 seconds left to follow the next steps. However, we want to ensure that you know how to manage your time if the audio is 60 seconds long, let's assume we are in the scenario, so we will only have 60 seconds left.

Step 2: Conduct the general idea

Getting back to our situation, the audio lasts for 60 seconds, so we have up to 60 seconds left, which is more than enough to conduct the general idea and pick the most suitable answer later. So, after taking notes, what is the general idea in your opinion? We conduct the general idea by reviewing our notes again and connecting them together. This is a skill that we need to practice on a daily basis to master. Luckily enough, in the Pearson Test of English, we have Part 1: Summarize Written Text and Part 3: Summarize Spoken Text which allows PTE takers to practice summarising skills. However, unlike the Summarize Spoken Text and Summarize Written Text, we only need to think in our mind about the general idea as we don’t have enough time to write it down, and it isn’t necessary to do so.

Here are some notes for your review again. Firstly, try to connect them all and then form a general idea. 

• Everybody fails all the pop quizzes
• People do research all over the country
• Reveal the impact bias
• The tendency to make you believe different outcomes are more different than they really are
• Phenomenon affects our perception in various (the last point connects with the missing words)

If you finish, here is ours:

The general idea is that people tend to overestimate the impact of different outcomes due to something called the "impact bias" proved by research conducted in a laboratory.

After having the general idea in mind, let’s move on to the last step and pick the most suitable answer.

Step 3: Pick the most suitable option

Sometimes, it’s easier to eliminate irrelevant answers because there are always options, which have nothing in common with the audio recording we just listened to. By doing so, it will likely be easier to pick the most suitable answer.

So how do we eliminate irrelevant options? It’s simple, we compare options to the general idea or put each option into the missing space to check upon the contextual meaning.

3.1. Compare options to the general idea: We have a pretty simple question as from the second to the last options, there is nothing related to the general idea. The text doesn’t mention anything about culinary preferences, historical events, musical preferences, and weather patterns. Therefore, aspects of life are the best answer.

3.2. Check upon the contextual meaning: Most of the time, comparing options to the general idea will do the job. But this is a backup tip if there are two possibly correct answers even after we do the comparison. Do you remember that we took notes on the last sentence? We did it in case we needed to put each option into the missing space and read it again to find the best answer. In the worst case scenario, if we still do not know which option is the correct answer, just pick it randomly. If you keep thinking about it, it will waste a lot of more time and it doesn’t guarantee that you pick the correct option. Therefore, the best move is to pick one and move on. You should bear in mind that either an incorrect answer or a missing one ends up with a zero score, so picking a random answer is still a wiser decision.

Timer Recommendation: Step 2 and Step 3 combined, we have 60 seconds to complete all steps. It will not be hard if PTE takers put enough effort into practice and follow their strategic preparation plan. If you haven't got any preparation plan yet, this one is for you. Make sure to follow it thoroughly with care to secure your Pearson Test of English desired scores.

Things to avoid

• Taking notes after listening to the audio: To all Listening question types, there is no way we are able to take notes after listening to the audio recordings because we simply cannot remember a large amount of information. Instead, as always, the best way is to take notes while listening. If you are still concerned about how to take notes effectively, do not forget to take a look at our note-taking strategy that we shared in Step 1.
• Spending too much time on one question: The most challenging aspect of the PTE Academic or PTE Core is the given time, which is so limited. The test itself doesn’t only evaluate our English abilities to use in specific contexts, but it also judges our time management skills. The score Report doesn’t show scores for Time Management, but we all know how it works because if we don’t know how to manage our time properly, we will never be able to complete all questions on time. Therefore, make sure that you follow our Time Management Strategy strictly and put it into practice. On the PTE Practice Website, everything is developed perfectly for your preparation, so you only need to take a visit and experience all item types. 

Practice makes perfect!

Live-interactive PTE Practice Website

Here is the most effective PTE Practice Website for your Preparation. Let’s check out the following benefits:

• Thousands of practice questions similar to the actual tests;
• Instantly detailed feedback for all question types (most important one);
• Offer the same grading elements as Pearson;
• At least 10 Full 2-hour Mock tests with estimated scores;
• Three supportive vocab lists;
• And other supporting self-study features.

We would love to introduce this PTE Practice Website, after that, PTE takers should go experience by themselves to see the real results. The PTE Practice Website is developed for self-study test-takers across the world to prepare for the Pearson Test of English in a more effective, transformative, and affordable way. Tips and Strategies to deal with each item type are available free of charge, PTE takers can take a visit to our strategy page and explore everything. After learning Tips and Strategies, test-takers need to put them into practice immediately in order to master and use tips naturally through thousands of practice questions similar to the actual tests. Most importantly, it’s our instantly detailed feedback for all question types, especially Speaking and Writing questions because feedback shows PTE takers mistakes they make, advice on how to improve their skills besides sample answers that test-takers can acquire new ideas, vocabulary and so many other benefits. 

To illustrate, this is our feedback for Part 3: Select Missing Word questions. 

If you answer the question correctly, it’s great. Otherwise, make sure to click each icon to check why it’s an incorrect answer, which helps you gain a deeper understanding. Moreover, you also show the audio recording again along with its transcription, feel free to listen as many times as you need and read the text simultaneously if needed. 

When it comes to Speaking or Writing questions, we provide feedback with the same grading aspects as what Pearson uses to judge your skills. For instance, if test-takers practice a Part 1: Write Essay, the following feedback will show up after users submit their practice answers. 

The feedback is rigorously delivered based on Content, Form, Grammar, Vocabulary, Coherence, and Linguistic Range. For details on how we provide feedback for all question types, kindly take a look at this article: “PTE Practice Platform and Instant Feedback”.

DO NOT WAIT! Let’s visit the PTE Practice Website, create your free account and start experiencing all question types and feedback for FREE.