In Listening Fill in the Blanks, you read a transcript with gaps while a recording plays, and type the missing words. It scores Listening only: 8% of your Listening score by Pearson's question weightings. Even though you type your answers, it does not count towards Writing. It is marked word by word, and spelling counts. A student who hears every word but writes "recieve" instead of "receive" loses the same mark as a student who heard nothing.
How it is scored
- One point for each gap with the correct word, spelled correctly.
- No negative marking: a wrong word simply scores zero.
- Usually 2 or 3 questions, each with several gaps.
Our class priority guide puts this task in the "somewhat important" group.
Predict before the audio starts
Use the seconds before the recording to read ahead and predict the grammatical shape of each gap: noun or verb? singular or plural? past tense? Prediction turns listening into confirmation, which is far easier under pressure.
| Clue before the gap | Likely word type |
|---|---|
| the, a, an | Noun or adjective + noun |
| to, as part of a verb (want to, need to) | Base verb (e.g. develop) |
| committed to, look forward to, contribute to | Noun or -ing form (e.g. improving) |
| has, have, had | Past participle (e.g. developed) |
| more, most | Adjective or adverb |
After committed to, look forward to, contribute to, key to, object to or devoted to, "to" is a preposition: "we look forward to seeing you", not "to see you".
Write shorthand, complete later
While the audio plays, type the first few letters of each missing word and keep listening. When the audio ends, go back and complete the spelling. Trying to type the full correct word in real time is what makes students miss the next two gaps.
Build a personal spelling list from your own errors. Twenty words you actually get wrong are worth more than a thousand-word list you will never see again.
Never leave a gap empty
There is no negative marking, and a sensible guess based on grammar and context is sometimes correct, which is always better than zero.
Common mistakes
- Missing plural "s" or past tense "-ed".
- Typing a base verb after "look forward to" or "committed to".
- Typing slowly and losing the next gap.
- Not checking spelling in the time after the audio ends.
Frequently asked questions
Does spelling matter in Listening Fill in the Blanks?
Yes. A misspelled word scores zero for that gap.
Does Listening Fill in the Blanks score Writing?
No. It scores Listening only, 8% of your Listening score by Pearson's question weightings, even though you type the words.
Is there negative marking?
No, so always type your best guess.
How can I improve quickly?
Practise prediction and shorthand daily, and keep a personal spelling list. Our Write from Dictation guide uses the same skills.
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