PTE Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading): Complete Guide | PTE Academic

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers is one of the few PTE Academic tasks where a wrong choice actually costs you a point. You read a passage and a question, then select all the options that are correct, and there can be more than one. Because of the scoring, knowing when to click and when to hold back matters as much as understanding the text.

The task tests careful reading and good judgment. With a method that checks each option against the passage and only selects the ones you can prove, you can score well without taking risks. This guide explains how it works, how the scoring deducts points, and how to choose safely.

Table of Contents

• What is the "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" question type?
• How "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" is scored
• Tips to do well on "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" questions
• How to practice "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" questions
• Frequently asked questions
• Conclusion

What is the "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" question type?

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers is a reading task in PTE Academic. You read a passage, then a question with several options, and you select every option that correctly answers it. More than one option is correct. According to the Pearson score guide, a test includes 2 to 3 of these questions, and they count toward your Reading score.

The important difference from the single-answer version is the scoring: this task deducts a point for each wrong option you choose. The Reading part has an overall time of about 23 to 30 minutes for all its questions. You can read more on the Pearson reading format page.

Here is a real example from our practice set. The passage explains that Norse women had notable autonomy: they controlled the household stores, ran estates when men were away, could own land, keep their dowry, and start a divorce, but were generally excluded from voting at the local assembly. A rich ship burial of two women also shows high status was not only for warriors.

Which two options does the passage support?

a) They were legally entitled to end a marriage and maintain control over personal assets.
b) Their primary social function was restricted to textile production and child-rearing.
c) Archaeological findings indicate that social prestige was accessible to individuals outside the warrior class.
d) They held equal voting rights with men during local government assemblies.
e) They were forbidden from managing estates during the absence of male relatives.

Answers: a and c. Both are directly supported by the text. Options b, d, and e each contradict the passage, so selecting any of them would cost a point.

For more worked examples like this one, see our Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading) practice questions with answers, which cover the full range of contexts and patterns you may face.

How "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" is scored

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers uses partial credit with a penalty. The official Pearson score guide states that you get 1 point for each correct option you select, but a point is deducted for each incorrect option you choose.

This is the key feature of the task. Selecting a wrong option does not just miss a point, it actively removes one. The lowest total for the question is 0, so you cannot score below zero, but careless clicking can wipe out the points you earned from the correct options.

This task counts toward your Reading score, and it is marked automatically by the computer.

Tips to do well on "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" questions

Only select what you can prove

Because wrong choices cost points, select an option only when you can find clear support for it in the passage. If you cannot point to the line that backs it up, it is safer to leave it unselected. Confident, evidence-based choices protect your score.

Check every option against the text

Go through each option one at a time and find where the passage confirms or contradicts it. Treat each option as a yes or no decision based on evidence. This careful, one-by-one check is what stops you from clicking a tempting but wrong option.

Beware of options that overstate

Watch for options that take a true idea too far, using words like "always," "equal," or "only." The passage might say women could own land, but an option claiming they had "equal" rights with men may go beyond the text. Match the strength of the option to the strength of the passage.

Do not feel you must pick many

There is no fixed number of correct options to find. Selecting extra options just to feel thorough is risky, since each wrong one loses a point. Choose exactly the options the passage supports, whether that is two or three, and no more.

Use evidence, not opinion

Answer only from the passage, not from your own views or general knowledge. An option that sounds reasonable in real life but is not stated in the text is incorrect, and choosing it would cost you a point. Stick to what the writer actually says.

Weigh the risk on uncertain options

For an option you are truly unsure about, remember the trade-off: a correct guess gains a point, but a wrong one loses a point. When the evidence is genuinely unclear, leaving that option unselected is often the safer choice for your overall score.

How to practice "Multiple Choice Multiple Answers (Reading)" questions

This task improves when you practice judging each option against the passage and resisting tempting but unsupported choices. The useful feedback is seeing which options were correct and which would have cost you points.

On Arno you can practice real Multiple Choice questions and get instant scoring on each option, showing exactly which choices cost you points so you can avoid them next time. You learn to select only what the passage proves.

Click here to create your free account and start practicing Multiple Choice questions.

Frequently asked questions

How is PTE Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers (Reading) scored?

You get 1 point for each correct option you select, but a point is deducted for each incorrect option you choose. The lowest total for the question is 0. It counts toward your Reading score.

Is there negative marking on this task?

Yes. This is one of the few PTE tasks with negative marking. Each wrong option you select removes a point, so you should only choose options you can support from the passage.

How many options are correct?

There is no fixed number. More than one option is correct, but the exact count varies, so select only the options the passage clearly supports rather than aiming for a set number.

Should I guess if I am unsure about an option?

Be careful. A correct guess gains a point, but a wrong one loses a point. When the evidence is genuinely unclear, leaving that option unselected is often the safer choice.

How many of these questions are on PTE Academic?

A PTE Academic test includes 2 to 3 Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers reading questions, according to the Pearson score guide.

Which score does this task count toward?

It counts toward your Reading score, according to the Pearson score guide, and it is marked automatically by the computer.

Conclusion

Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers rewards careful, evidence-based choices. Check every option against the passage, select only the ones you can prove, and watch for options that overstate the text. Because each wrong choice deducts a point, restraint is part of the skill.

Do not aim for a set number of answers; choose exactly what the passage supports. Practice judging options against the evidence, and this higher-risk task becomes one you can handle with confidence.