PTE Reading tests five distinct task types, each requiring a different strategy. Re-order Paragraphs is unique in PTE — there is nothing quite like it in IELTS or TOEFL — and mastering it is often the difference between a 60 and a 70.

Re-order Paragraphs: The Core Strategy

You are given 4–6 scrambled text boxes, each containing one paragraph, and must drag them into the correct logical order. Here is the step-by-step approach:

  1. Find the opening paragraph: The first paragraph introduces the topic without using pronouns like "it", "they", "this" or "these" to refer back to something — there is nothing before it. It often contains a general statement or definition.
  2. Find the closing paragraph: The last paragraph contains concluding language ("In conclusion", "Overall", "Ultimately") or summarises the argument. It does not introduce new concepts.
  3. Follow pronoun chains: If one paragraph ends with "…economists are divided on this issue" and another begins with "They argue that…", "They" refers to the economists — these two paragraphs are adjacent.
  4. Follow logical connectors: Words like "However", "Furthermore", "Nevertheless", "Despite this" signal a relationship to the previous paragraph.
  5. Follow definitional logic: A paragraph that defines a term comes before a paragraph that uses that term without defining it.

Fill in the Blanks: Keyword Reading

For both Reading-Writing Fill in the Blanks (drag-drop) and Reading Fill in the Blanks (dropdown), read the whole paragraph before selecting any answers. The surrounding context usually narrows the correct choice to one option. For drag-drop, process the blank you are most confident about first — reducing the remaining options makes harder blanks easier.

Multiple Choice: Eliminate Before You Select

In Multiple Choice Multiple Answer, wrong selections subtract points — making it riskier than IELTS Multiple Choice. Use an elimination strategy: cross out answers that are clearly wrong, then carefully verify remaining options against the text. Never select an answer that is not explicitly stated in the passage.

Time Management in Reading

Budget your time before you enter the section: Reading-Writing FitB (~8 minutes), MCMA (~5 minutes), Re-order Paragraphs (~6 minutes), Reading FitB (~5 minutes), MCS (~3 minutes). If you are running over on Re-order Paragraphs, use your best guess and move on — it is not worth losing time on other tasks.

See also: PTE Listening Guide, PTE Writing Strategies, and PTE Speaking Strategies.