Understanding the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer Task in PTE Academic, UKVI & Core

The "Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer" task is part of the Reading section in the PTE (Pearson Test of English) exam and plays a role in assessing your ability to comprehend detailed information and distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content. This task is particularly challenging because it requires not just understanding the passage but also making multiple accurate selections. Successfully mastering this task contributes to improving your overall reading proficiency and test score.

What is the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer Task?

In the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer task, you are presented with a passage followed by a question and several answer options. Unlike single-answer questions, more than one option may be correct, and your goal is to select all the correct responses.
This task tests your ability to:
  • Comprehension of complex texts
  • Identification of relevant information
  • Making various appropriate choices
There is no individual time limit for each question, but this task is included in the overall Reading section time (approximately 29–30 minutes).
Note: Careful reading and efficient time management are essential to avoid rushing or missing other questions.

Key Features of the Task

  • You need to choose more than one correct option.
  • Selecting incorrect options can reduce your score.
  • There is negative marking for wrongly chosen options, and only fully correct combinations earn full points.
  • The texts are typically 150–300 words long and cover various academic topics.
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What are the skills analyzed in the multiple-choice, multiple-answer task?

Text-analysis skills
The method of evaluating the structures, logic, and flow of ideas in the passage
Identifying the key details
Recognition of important facts, relevant examples, and supporting information
Inference and Implication
Understanding the related meanings and intent of the author
Tone and Purpose of Passage
Finding out the persuasive language, bias, or author's stance.

What is the timing for the multiple-choice, multiple-answer task?

The task does not have a specific time limit for each question, but it is a component of the entire reading module.

What are the scoring criteria for multiple-choice and multiple-answer task?

This task gives you three scores:
Full credit: For all accurate answers
Partial credit: for a few correct and a few incorrect answers.
No credit: for no selection.
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Note: Even if all answers selected are incorrect, the least score you can still obtain is zero only. No negative marking is present in this task.

Types of Passages in the Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer PTE Task

While the structure of the task remains consistent, the type of text and the focus of the question can vary significantly. Recognizing the passage type helps you understand the expected level of detail and vocabulary.
Academic Argumentative Passages
These contain reasoning, comparisons, or critiques on academic subjects. Focus on the writer’s viewpoint, evidence, and counterarguments.
Example topics: scientific innovation, global politics, educational theories
Informational or Factual Texts
These explain a process or describe events in an objective tone. Pay attention to data, sequencing, and cause-effect relationships.
Example topics: Environmental issues, historical accounts, technology developments
Opinion or Editorial Passages
These express personal or institutional opinions. Identify the main point of the passage, along with its supporting examples and any persuasive language used.
Example topics: Public policy, social media, ethics in science.
Descriptive or Narrative Excerpts
These may recount real or fictional events. Look for the sequence of events and key descriptive details.
Example topics: Biographies, travel experiences, literary excerpts

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer

Sample Question 1:

Time 00:00 sec

There's bad news for parents who frequently plop their kids in front of the TV to give themselves a break: It might actually end up leaving moms and dads more stressed.

Why? Because the more television that kids watch, the more they're exposed to advertising messages. The more advertising they see, the more likely they are to insist on purchasing items when they go with their parents to the store -- and perhaps make a fuss if told "no." All that, researchers say, may contribute to parents' overall stress levels, well beyond a single shopping trip.

The findings come from a University of Arizona-led study, published in the International Journal of Advertising, that explores the potential effects of children's television watching habits on their parents' stress levels.

"The more advertising children see, the more they ask for things and the more conflict is generated," said lead study author Matthew Lapierre, an assistant professor in the UArizona Department of Communication in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. "What we haven't looked at before is what the potential effect is on parents. We know kids ask for things, we know it leads to conflict, but we wanted to ask the next question: Could this be contributing to parents' overall stress?" The study suggests that it could. There are a few things parents can do, perhaps the most obvious of which is limiting screen time.

What can we infer from the passage?
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Sample Question 2:

Time 00:00 sec

Spirituality and finance go hand in hand. Spirituality does not mean being religious. It means connecting oneself to his or her own self. The spiritual essence of a man is in giving and being generous and try and create situations where they continuously do something for others or humanity. Spirituality means connecting oneself to the higher self and the higher self is connected with everyone’s higher self. In this way, we all are connected to each other. According to this theory then, each person who is doing things for himself is limited. But for a person who thinks he is connected with humanity as a whole and whatever he is earning should be for everyone, it is considered spiritual. So, whether it was the airplane created by the Wright brothers, or an invention to cure a disease like cancer or anaesthesia, they did something for the human race. So, spirituality comes to those who are generous and have peace of mind. When the mind is full of peace and free of stress, only then it will have space to create abundance. Therefore, people who follow spirituality and meditate are blessed with more clarity, peace, patience and eventually happiness and abundance. Spirituality is a great friend of prosperity. Learning about finance is similar to learning about spirituality. Working for your own good will never help you in your financial condition.

What is correct about spiritual education?
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Sample Question 3:

Time 00:00 sec

Australian paramedics are exceptionally well-trained medical professionals who are well-versed in emergency healthcare and hold an Advanced Diploma of Health Science certificate. The latter can be upgraded to a degree by off-campus recognized institutions, but this can only be achieved with a concurrent employment with any ambulance services and with at least two years of relevant clinical experience. There is another avenue for these paramedics, but it is more research-inclined: a Master of Emergency Health course for paramedics. Be it as it may, even though paramedics are not regarded as important as doctors, the services provided by them are quite taxing, both physically and emotionally.

Which of the following are true statements about paramedical staff?
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Tips for Acing the PTE Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer Practice Task

Read the question properly:
This will help you in increasing your focus on relevant information.
Skimming for accurate structure:
Understanding the passage form before separating the important details
Eliminating incorrect options:
Avoiding incorrect options
Looking for paraphrases:
Sometimes answers may be hidden in similar or paraphrased ideas.
Avoiding over selection:
Choosing extra options can increase reduced scores because of negative marking.

Strategies for Effectively Tackling Multiple Choice and Multiple Answer Questions in the PTE

A systematic and analytical approach ensures that your selections are well-supported by the passage.

Step-by-Step Strategy

Read the Question Carefully:
Determine if the question requests the main idea, details, or results.
Skim the Passage for Structure:
Getting a sense of the provided topic and analyzing how ideas are arranged
Read in detail and highlight keywords:
Focusing on similar sections and highlighting the key ideas
Evaluate Each Answer Option:
Ask yourself: “Is this clearly stated or supported by the passage?” Eliminate options that are distorted, exaggerated, or unrelated.
Confirm Logical Consistency:
Making sure that selections are matched with respect to the author’s perspective and message.
Review Before Proceeding:
It is important to review your answers before submitting them.
Read the Question Carefully:
Determine if the question requests the main idea, details, or results.
Skim the Passage for Structure:
Getting a sense of the provided topic and analyzing how ideas are arranged
Read in detail and highlight keywords:
Focusing on similar sections and highlighting the key ideas
Evaluate Each Answer Option:
Ask yourself: “Is this clearly stated or supported by the passage?” Eliminate options that are distorted, exaggerated, or unrelated.
Confirm Logical Consistency:
Making sure that selections are matched with respect to the author’s perspective and message.
Review Before Proceeding:
It is important to review your answers before submitting them.
By familiarizing yourself with various passage types and practicing regularly, you can gain confidence in tackling multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions effectively, ultimately boosting your PTE Academic, UKVI, or Core score.

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Your Guide to Every Section of the PTE Exam

FAQs

Here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions.

You can expect around 2-3 questions in the reading module.

Academic, factual, opinion-based, narrative, or argumentative kinds of passages are very frequent in this task.

No, this is not an individual question, as it shares its time with other reading sectional tasks.

Yes, since this task has a partial scoring system, this can provide you reduced scores.

Yes, you can change your answers until you click “Next” or unless the timer runs out.

Yes, since it contributes to reading, you can expect lower scores if this task goes wrong.

This task contributes to around 3-6 marks.

This task only impacts your reading scores.