Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers at a glance
How Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers works
- You read a passage of up to 350 words.
- The question asks you to select more than one correct answer.
- You may choose multiple options within the Reading section time.
What your response is scored on
Each correct selected option earns one point.
Each incorrect selected option deducts one point.
The item score cannot go below zero, but guessing can erase credit.
Pearson does not publish the complete scoring algorithm or raw-to-scale conversion. PrepEx feedback and 10-90 scores are practice estimates, not official PTE results.
Sample-style multiple-answer task
A university trial found that students used extended library hours most heavily in the two weeks before exams. However, demand fell sharply during regular teaching weeks, leading administrators to consider a flexible schedule instead of a permanent change.
Which statements are supported by the passage?
Late library access was most popular close to exams.
Administrators are considering a flexible schedule.
Students used the library equally throughout the term.
The university has already made extended hours permanent.
This is an original PrepEx example designed to demonstrate the response format. It is not an official Pearson test item.
How to improve at Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
- Underline the exact part of the passage that supports each possible answer.
- Reject options that are partly true but too broad, too narrow or reversed.
- Select only answers you can justify; leaving a weak option unselected is often smarter than guessing.
Learn the strategy here, then practise filtered Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers items in the Practice Hub.
A 15-minute Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers practice loop
Preview the rules
Re-read the timing, scoring traits and common mistakes on this guide before opening practice.
Run focused attempts
Open the filtered Practice Hub view and complete several Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers attempts without switching task types.
Review and repeat
Use your activity history and target plan to decide whether to repeat this task or move to the next weak family.
Stay on this task for a short focused set, then review whether it should remain your priority.
Common mistakes
- Selecting an option because it repeats passage vocabulary
- Choosing every plausible answer without proof
- Missing qualifiers such as mainly, only, always or may
- Forgetting that wrong selections carry a penalty
Checked against Pearson's current format
Task format, timing and published scoring traits were checked against Pearson's current PTE Academic test-format guidance on June 23, 2026. Pearson remains the final authority and may update the test.
Primary source: Pearson PTE Academic test format.