PTE Academic Practice Questions — All Questions

The findings, ___ were published last year, have influenced current policy. Which choice is correct?

• a.who
• b.that
• c.which✓
• d.whom

In a non-defining relative clause set off by commas and referring to a thing, 'which' is required. 'That' cannot introduce a non-defining clause, and 'who' refers to people.

Researchers recommend that the sample ___ selected at random to reduce bias. Which choice is correct?

• a.be✓
• b.is
• c.was
• d.being

After 'recommend that', the subjunctive base form 'be' is used. The verb stays uninflected regardless of the subject.

The more data the team collected, the ___ their conclusions became. Which choice is correct?

• a.confident
• b.confidently
• c.most confident
• d.more confident✓

The 'the more..., the more...' structure requires a comparative in both halves: 'the more confident'. A superlative or plain adjective breaks the pattern.

Neither the hypothesis nor the results ___ consistent with earlier studies. Which choice is correct?

• a.was
• b.were✓
• c.is
• d.has been

With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. 'Results' is plural, so the plural verb 'were' is correct.

Having ___ the experiment three times, the students were confident in their results. Which choice is correct?

• a.ran
• b.run and
• c.run✓
• d.running

The perfect participle 'having' is followed by a past participle: 'having run'. 'Ran' is the simple past and cannot follow 'having'.