The task
How Select Missing Word works
- Recording
- 20–70 seconds
- Audio
- Plays automatically, once. No pausing or replay
- Response
- Choose one ending from three to five options
- Skills
- Listening only
- Which test
- The task appears in Academic and Core; this practice set is Academic
Sources: Pearson’s Academic Listening format and Core Listening format, Select Missing Word sections, checked 19 October 2026.
Marks
How your selection is marked
- •One correct selection earns one mark. An incorrect or missing answer earns zero; there is no partial credit.
- •This task assesses Listening. Reading the options does not make it a scored Reading task.
- •The score shown here is your correct-answer total for this practice, not a predicted score on the PTE 10–90 scale. No AI evaluation is needed.
In the test
How many options should I choose?
Select one ending. Use the speaker’s argument and the final sentence together: an option can sound natural while introducing an idea the recording does not support.
Two tests
Select Missing Word in PTE Academic vs PTE Core
| PTE Academic | PTE Core | |
|---|---|---|
| Recording | 20–70 seconds, heard once | 20–70 seconds, heard once |
| Response | One option from three to five | One option from three to five |
| Skills assessed | Listening | Listening |
| Practice available here | Ideas and Inventions: two questions | No separate Core set on this page |
Free, no login
Try a free Academic audio question
Listen to the recording and choose the word or group of words that completes the ending replaced by a beep. Select one option.
Finished?
Check it for your score, the answer and an explanation and the transcript. Free, no login needed.
From the set Ideas and Inventions: attempt all 2 questions free.
Tips
How to predict the missing ending
- 1
Read the options before starting. Notice whether they suggest a result, an explanation or an example, without deciding too early.
- 2
Follow how the speaker develops the idea. A contrast can overturn an early point, while a cause can lead to the missing result.
- 3
At the beep, predict the ending in your own words. Compare the options with that meaning, rather than choosing familiar vocabulary alone.
- 4
Check that your choice fits the final sentence grammatically and follows from the whole recording. Grammar can eliminate an option, but cannot prove it is supported.
- 5
After checking, use the transcript and explanations to identify the clue you missed. Any replay during practice is for review; the exam allows one listen.
1 set
Academic Select Missing Word practice questions
Practise against the clock
One type at a time builds accuracy. A timed sectional test or full mock adds the real timings and a score on Pearson's 10–90 scale.
Take a free mock →Select Missing Word: frequently asked questions
What is Select Missing Word in PTE?+
Listen to a short recording whose final word or phrase is replaced by a beep. Select the best ending from three to five choices. Only one answer is correct.
Is Select Missing Word in PTE Core?+
Yes, it appears in both Academic and Core. The Ideas and Inventions set on this page is Academic practice; it is not a separate Core set.
How is this different from Listening Fill in the Blanks?+
Here you infer one unheard ending and select an option. In Fill in the Blanks, you type words heard in the recording into gaps in a transcript.
Can I practise without an account?+
Yes. Attempt both questions and check your answers, explanations and transcripts free. These are adapted BandLadder-original recordings, not official Pearson questions.
Do I need an account?+
No. Every set is free to attempt in full without a login. Objective questions receive an instant score and explanations. Before signup, you can receive one free writing evaluation and one free speaking evaluation, shared across IELTS and PTE. Listening tasks also include transcripts. Create a free account for more AI evaluations and to track future practice.
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