Substitute
Choose the word for each blank.
While workers worry about whether robots will take their jobs, teachers are wondering how to use education to insulate the next generation from such a fate. This 1 before. When the last wave of automation swept the developed world at the start of the 20th century, policymakers decided education was the answer. If machines were going to substitute for brawn, they reasoned, more people would need to use their brains. The US invested 2 in education, with good results. Workers reaped the benefits through better jobs and higher wages. Economists Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson summed it up like this: "The industrial revolution 3 a race between technology and education — and, for most of the 20th century, humans won that race."
Options for each gap (alphabetical)
- 1 has worked · have working · was worked · were worked
- 2 actually · always · happily · heavily
- 3 start · started · starting · starts
Opens question #120277 in the RealPTE practice screen.
More Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks questions
Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks format (Pearson)
Pearson's name: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)
| Prompt | Text up to 200 words |
|---|---|
| Time to answer | Not set per question (Part 2 lasts 23–30 minutes) |
| Skills assessed | Reading, Writing |
How it is scored
- Partial credit applies: a partly correct response still scores.
Source: Pearson, PTE Academic & UKVI test format, Part 2: Reading, checked 9 October 2026.