PTE Fill in the Blanks: 11 Essential Grammar Rules

PTE Fill in the Blanks is an important part of the PTE Reading section, and a strong understanding of grammar can make these questions much easier. You need to identify the correct word by looking at the sentence structure, word form, collocations, prepositions, and meaning. In this guide, we will cover 11 essential grammar rules that can help you solve PTE Fill in the Blanks questions more accurately and improve your overall PTE Reading score.

Instead of trying to memorise hundreds of rules, focus on the patterns that appear frequently in academic English. Here are 11 essential grammar rules that can help you approach PTE Fill in the Blanks with greater confidence.

4. PTE Fill in the Blanks: Article Usage

Articles such as a, an, and the are common grammar clues.

For a detailed explanation of sentence structures and how conjunctions connect ideas, read our guide to Simple, Compound, Complex, and Relative Clauses in English.

8. Gerund and Infinitive Rules for PTE Fill in the Blanks

A gerund is a verb ending in -ing that functions as a noun, while an infinitive generally uses to + base verb.

Preposition + V-ing

After a preposition, use verb + ing.

Example: Students can improve their English by practising regularly.

❌ by practise
✅ by practising

To + V1

After to used as an infinitive, use the base verb.

Example: Students need to develop good vocabulary.

❌ to developing
❌ to developed
✅ to develop

Common verbs + V-ing

Some verbs are followed by V-ing, such as enjoy, avoid, suggest, consider, recommend.

Example: Researchers suggest using renewable energy.

Common verbs + to + V1

Some verbs are followed by to + V1, such as want, need, plan, decide, hope, aim.

Example: The government plans to reduce pollution.

• I will complete the work this afternoon.
• We should work together on this project.
• She can solve the problem.

9. Common Collocations for PTE Fill in the Blanks

Collocations are words that naturally go together. They are particularly useful in PTE Fill in the Blanks because sometimes two options may seem grammatically correct, but only one forms a natural combination.

Common PTE Collocations

• make a decision
• take action
• conduct research
• achieve a goal
• solve a problem
• economic growth
• strong evidence
• significant impact
• major challenge
• rapid development

Example:
The government should take action to reduce pollution.

❌ do action
✅ take action

10. PTE Grammar Rules for Prepositions

Prepositions such as in, on, at, to, for, of, with, and from are frequently tested in PTE Fill in the Blanks. Many prepositions need to be learned together with specific verbs, nouns, or adjectives.

Verb + Preposition

Learn common combinations as complete phrases:

• depend on
• consist of
• contribute to
• result in
• lead to

Adjective + Preposition

• interested in
• responsible for
• aware of
• familiar with
• capable of

Noun + Preposition

• increase in
• demand for
• access to
• solution to
• impact on

11. Grammar Rules to Master PTE Fill in the Blanks

A. To + Verb (V1)

If there is a blank after to, use the base form (V1) of the verb.

Examples:

• I am here to watch a movie.
• He is going to play cricket.

B. For / While + Verb-ing (V1 + ing)

If there is a blank after for or while, use the continuous form (V1 + ing).

Examples:

• I need something for storing food.
• While researching the project, the accident took place.

C. It / Which / That + Verb with s/es (Plural verb)

Examples:

• It plays an important role.
• The ingredient which covers the largest proportion is missing.

Note: This rule applies only when the subject is singular.

D. Is / Am / Are + Verb-ing (Active Voice)

After is, am, or are, use the present participle (V1 + ing) in active voice.

Examples:

• He is playing in the ground.
• They are studying for the exam.

E. In passive voice, the main verb is always in its third form (V3).

Examples:

• A movie is being watched by them.
• The report was completed yesterday.

F. Article + Noun

An article (a, an, the) is usually followed by a noun.

Examples:

• There is an apple in the basket.
• The book is on the table.

G. Article + Adjective + Noun

An article can be followed by an adjective and then a noun.

Examples:

• There is a red apple in the basket.
• She bought a beautiful dress.

H. Has / Have / Had + Past Participle (V3)

After has, have, or had, use the past participle (V3).

Examples:

• He has completed the WFD task.
• They have worked hard on this project.

I. A / An + Singular Countable Noun

After a or an, use a singular countable noun.

Examples:

• He went to a party.
• There was an elephant in the jungle.

J. Be / Been + Verb-ing or V3

After be or been, use either:

• Verb-ing (active meaning), or
• V3 (past participle) (passive meaning or adjective).

Examples:

• He has been working on the project for a long time.
• The tutor told the students to be disciplined.

K. Modal Verb + V1

After can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must, always use the base form (V1).

Examples:

PTE Fill in the Blanks Grammar Cheat Sheet

• To → V1
• For/While → V-ing
• It/Which/That → V+s/es (Singular Subject)
• Is/Am/Are → V-ing
• Passive Voice → Be + V3
• Article → Noun
• Article → Adjective + Noun
• Has/Have/Had → V3
• A/An → Singular Noun
• Be/Been → V-ing or V3
• Modal Verb → V1

Conclusion: Master PTE Fill in the Blanks

✅ Mastering PTE Fill in the Blanks becomes easier when you understand the grammar behind each sentence. Instead of guessing, check the word before and after the blank, identify the required word form, and look for clues such as articles, prepositions, verb patterns, and common collocations.

✅ Regular practice will help you recognise these patterns more quickly and choose answers with greater confidence. By combining grammar knowledge with vocabulary and collocation practice, you can improve your accuracy and perform better in the PTE Reading section.