What you'll see
Get familiar with the task.
This is an integrated Listening + Writing task. You have only 7 seconds to skim the passage with blanks, then the recording (30–60 seconds) plays automatically ONCE — no replay, no pause. As you listen, you type the missing words into the blanks. Next stays locked until the audio finishes. Each correct word with correct spelling = 1 point; wrong = 0 (no negative marking), so always fill every blank.
You will hear a recording. Type the missing words in each blank.
You will hear a recording. Type the missing words in each blank.
Press Start to begin
3 strategies that work
The mindset before the click.
- 1Strategy 1
PREDICT in the 7-second countdown
Skim the whole passage to grab the topic, then look at the words right before/after each blank for part-of-speech clues.
- 2Strategy 2
Type WORD ROOTS — never stop listening
The audio plays once. If you can't type the whole word, drop the root (assign-, gene-, commerc-) and keep listening — finish the word AFTER the recording ends.
- 3Strategy 3
Check GRAMMAR + spelling at the end
Each word must fit grammatically (noun, verb, -ed, -ing) and be spelled correctly. Re-read every sentence before pressing Next.
Try each strategy
Guided practice you can do alone or with a partner.
1PREDICT in the 7-second countdown
Seven seconds is enough to grab the topic and the local clues around each blank — IF you train for it. Walking into the audio with predictions turns 'listening for missing words' into 'confirming what you expect to hear'.
- Skim top-to-bottom and name the topic in one phrase (e.g. 'Australia's Labor innovation policy').
- Look at the word IMMEDIATELY before each blank: 'the ___' → noun; 'has ___' → past participle; 'a ___ industry' → adjective.
- Look at the word AFTER the blank: '___ lie within…' → adverb of time (currently/previously/still).
- Articles give vowel/consonant clues: 'an ___' starts with a vowel; 'a ___' starts with a consonant.
- Brainstorm 2 candidate words for each blank BEFORE the audio plays — you'll catch the right one faster.
- Pair drill: hide the audio. Give a partner only the passage with blanks; they must predict part of speech + 2 candidate words in 7 seconds.
2Type WORD ROOTS — never stop listening
The recording is 30–60 seconds and plays ONCE. Beginners stop to type 'commercializing' in full, miss the next two sentences and lose 2 marks. Pros type 'commerc-' and move on.
- When a long word appears, type only the ROOT (commerc-, assign-, gene-, separ-) and keep your ears on the audio.
- Use Tab / Shift+Tab to jump between blanks fast — no clicking required.
- Common roots to drill: assign → assignment / assignable; gene → genealogy / genealogical; commerc → commercial / commercializing; separ → separate / separation.
- After the audio ends, GO BACK and finish every root using grammar (need a noun? add -ion / -ment; need a participle? add -ed / -ing).
- Pair drill: dictate 10 long words quickly. Partner types only the root, then completes each word from memory + grammar.
- Pair drill: give a partner a passage with root words shown (assign, genealogy) — they fix each into the correct full form from context.
3Check GRAMMAR + spelling at the end
Each word must fit logically AND grammatically. A correctly heard word with a single wrong letter = 0 marks. Treat the last 10 seconds as proofreading time.
- Re-read every sentence with your word inserted — does it sound natural?
- Match part of speech: 'has ___ policy development' must be a past participle (hampered ✓, hamper ✗).
- Watch -ed vs -ing: 'policies are all about ___ government research' → -ing form (boosting, commercializing).
- Watch singular/plural and noun/adjective swaps: psychologic → psychology; feel → feelings.
- Spelling traps in this task: separate (not seperate), commercializing (not commercialising depending on accent), genealogy (not geneology).
- Pair drill: swap papers with a partner and mark only spelling + part-of-speech errors.
Press Start. Use the 7 seconds to skim and predict. The audio plays ONCE. Type each missing word — use word roots if needed and complete them after the recording ends. Click 'Show answers' to compare.
Reveal answer key + reasoning
Answers (in order): 1. coalition — 'the coalition has not matched…'. Article 'the' + opposition to Labor → noun, political party. 2. currently — 'Innovation responsibilities currently lie within…'. Adverb of time slot between subject and verb. 3. separate — 'a separate industry department'. Adjective after 'a' modifying 'industry department'. 4. hampered — 'This has hampered policy development'. Past participle after 'has'. 5. bias — 'a distinctly science and research bias'. Noun after the adjective 'research'. 6. boosting — 'all about boosting government funded research'. -ing form after 'about'. 7. commercializing — 'and later commercializing their results'. Parallel -ing form to 'boosting'. Scoring: each correct word with correct spelling = 1 point. No penalty for wrong answers — always fill every blank.
Do it under time
Simulate the real test.
Same exam rules: 7-second countdown, audio plays ONCE (no replay), Next stays locked until the audio finishes. Apply all three strategies — predict, type roots, then check grammar + spelling.
Reveal answer key + reasoning (Q2)
Answers (in order): 1. biological — 'a biological theme'. Adjective after 'a' modifying 'theme'. 2. connections — 'see the connections between chemistry and biology'. Plural noun after 'the'. 3. molecules — 'the molecules that are relevant to your body'. Plural noun after 'the'. 4. energy — 'how energy plays a role'. Uncountable noun, subject of 'plays'. 5. matter — 'The first one is about matter'. Noun after 'about'; chemistry topic. Reminder: each correct word with correct spelling = 1 point; no negative marking, so fill every blank.
You will hear a recording. Type the missing words in each blank.
Press Start to begin
Tick each box only when you can do it without looking back. This unlocks your next chapter.