PTE (Pearson Tests of English)

            PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic is the English test for study abroad and immigration, with results typically available in five business days. Pearson Tests of English (PTE) Academic is a computer-based academic English language test aimed at non-native English speakers wanting to study abroad. It tests Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The PTE Academic exam is a computer-based English language test accepted by educational institutions around the world. Those students and aspirants who desire to go abroad for studying or immigration to a major English speaking country are required to take the PTE Academic exam to prove their English language competency.

It is a three-hour-long computer-based test focuses on day to day English rather than high-level English language and tests a student’s ability to effectively understand the language as spoken daily. The multi-level grading system ensures a better understanding of the student’s proficiency in the English language. The test is designed in such a way that every question generally tests 2 skills together, like reading and speaking or listening and reading.PTE Academic exam is accepted by thousands of educational institutions across the world. Apart from this, PTE Academic is also accepted by the governments of Australia and New Zealand for visa purposes. Those who aspire to go abroad for studying in a major English speaking country like the UK, Australia, USA, and Canada take the PTE Academic exam to prove their English language efficiency. According to the PTE Academic eligibility criteria, students must be at least 16 years of age at the time of appearing for the test. Also, candidates who are below 18 years of age need to give a parental consent form for giving the PTE Academic test. For booking PTE Academic online, you need a valid ID, generally a passport. Candidates are also required to show that ID on the day of the exam else they are not allowed to enter the PTE Test center. It is the most unbiased proof of a candidate’s English skills. PTE has artificial intelligence that means your results are graded by a computer, not humans. It is widely accepted by universities, colleges and governments around the world. Usually result is typically available within just 48 hours of taking the test.

PTE Test is divided into 3 parts:

Part 1: Speaking & Writing Section

Part 2: Reading Section

Part 3: Listening Section

 

Part 1: Speaking & Writing Section (77-93 minutes)

 

• Speaking Section

To assess speaking, your skills will be tested by your ability to produce spoken English in an academic environment.

The speaking section tests your ability to produce spoken English in an academic environment. The speaking module of PTE assesses your speaking, listening, and reading skills; this means speaking section contributes marks to speaking as well as listening and reading section.

Your English speaking skills are tested through the following question types:

• Personal Introduction
• Read Aloud
• Repeat Sentence
• Describe Image
• Re-tell Lecture
• Answer Short Question

 

• Personal Introduction

The personal introduction is an opportunity for you to give your selected institutions some information about yourself. You will have 25 seconds to read the prompt and prepare your response, and then 30 seconds to record your response. This item is not scored, but will be sent together with your score report to the institutions selected by you. You are only able to record your answer once.

• Read Aloud

• For this item type you need to read a written text aloud.
• The recording status box displays a countdown until the microphone opens. You have 30-40 seconds to prepare,depending on the length of the passage. You hear a short tone. After the tone, start speaking immediately. Do not start speaking before the microphone opens because your voice will not be recorded.
• You should speak clearly. There is no need to rush.
• Finish speaking before the progress bar reaches the end. The word “Recording” changes to “Completed”.
• You are only able to record your response once.
• TIP: If you remain silent for longer than 3 seconds, the recording will stop.

 

Your score on Read Aloud is based on three factors:

• Content:Does your response include all the words in the reading text and only these words?

Content is scored by counting the number of correct words in your response. Replacements insertions and omissions of words will negatively affect your score.

• Oral fluency:Does your response demonstrate a smooth, effortless and natural rate of speech?

Oral fluency is scored by determining if your rhythm, phrasing and stress are smooth. The best responses are spoken at a constant and natural rate of speech with appropriate phrasing. Hesitations, repetitions and false starts will negatively affect your score.

• Pronunciation:Does your response demonstrate your ability to produce speech sounds in a similar way to most regular speakers of the language?

Pronunciation is scored by determining if your speech is easily understandable to most regular speakers of the language. The best responses contain vowels and consonants pronounced in a native-like way, and stress words and phrases correctly. Responses should also be immediately understandable to a regular speaker of the language.

PTE Academic recognizes regional and national varieties of English pronunciation to the degree that they are understandable to most regular speakers of the language.

Note

• This item type affects the scoring of the following: reading, speaking, oral fluency and pronunciation.
• Your listening and writing skills are not tested by this item type.

 

• Repeat Sentence

·         For this item type you need to repeat the sentence you hear.

• The audio begins to plays automatically. When the audio finishes, the microphone opens and the recording status box shows “Recording”. Speak into the microphone immediately (there is no short tone) and repeat exactly what you heard.
• You should speak clearly. There is no need to rush.
• Finish speaking before the progress bar reaches the end. The word “Recording” changes to “Completed”.
• You are not able to replay the audio. You are only able to record your response once.

 

Your score on Repeat Sentence is based on three factors:

• Content:Does your response include all the words in the sentence, and only these words?

Content is scored by counting the number of correct word sequences in your response. Having almost nothing from the prompt in your response will negatively affect your score.

• Oral fluency:Does your response demonstrate a smooth, effortless and natural rate of Speech?

Oral fluency is scored by determining if your rhythm, phrasing and stress are smooth. The best responses are spoken at a constant and natural rate of speech with appropriate phrasing. Hesitations, repetitions and false starts will negatively affect your score.

• Pronunciation:Does your response demonstrate your ability to produce speech sounds in a similar way to most regular speakers of the language?

Pronunciation is scored by determining if your speech is easily understandable to most regular speakers of the language. The best responses contain vowels and consonants pronounced in a native-like way, as well as words and phrases stressed correctly. Responses should also be immediately understandable to a regular speaker of the language.

PTE Academic recognizes regional and national varieties of English pronunciation to the degree that they are understandable to most regular speakers of the language.

Note

• Partial credit scoring applies to Repeat Sentence. No credit is given for no response or an irrelevant response. This question type affects the scoring of the following: listening, speaking, oral fluency and pronunciation.
• Your writing skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions.

 

• Describe Image

·         For this item type you need to describe an image.

• The recording status box displays a countdown until the microphone opens. You have 25 seconds to study the image and prepare your response.You hear a short tone. After the tone, start speaking immediately. Do not start speaking before the microphone opens because your voice will not be recorded.
• You should speak clearly. There is no need to rush.
• Finish speaking before the progress bar reaches the end. The word “Recording” changes to “Completed’’.
• You are only able to record your response once.

 

Your score on Describe Image is based on three factors:

• Content:Does your response accurately and thoroughly describe the image?

Content is scored by determining if all aspects and elements of the image have been addressed in your response. Your description of relationships, possible developments and conclusions or implications based on details from the image is also scored. The best responses deal with all parts of the image, contain logical and specific information and include possible developments, conclusions or implications. Mentioning just a few disjointed ideas will negatively affect your score.

• Oral fluency:Does your response demonstrate a smooth, effortless and natural rate of speech?
  Oral fluency is scored by determining if your rhythm, phrasing and stress are smooth. The best responses are spoken at a constant and natural rate of speech with appropriate phrasing. Hesitations, repetitions and false starts will negatively affect your score.
• Pronunciation:Does your response demonstrate your ability to produce speech sounds in a similar way to most regular speakers of the language?

Pronunciation is scored by determining if your speech is easily understandable to most regular speakers of the language. The best responses contain vowels and consonants pronounced in a native-like way, and stress words and phrases correctly. Responses should also be immediately understandable to a regular speaker of the language.

PTE Academic recognizes regional and national varieties of English pronunciation to the degree that they are understandable to most regular speakers of the language.

Note

• Partial credit scoring applies to Describe Image. No credit is given for no response or an irrelevant response. This question type affects the scoring of the following: speaking, oral fluency and pronunciation.
• Your listening and writing skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions.

 

• Re-tell Lecture

·         For this item type you need to re-tell what you heard.

• The audio begins to play automatically. You may also see an image related to the audio. After the audio finishes, you have 10 seconds to prepare.
• The recording status box displays a countdown until the microphone opens. You hear a short tone. After the tone, start speaking immediately. Do not start speaking before the microphone opens because your voice will not be recorded.
• You should speak clearly. There is no need to rush.
• Finish speaking before the progress bar reaches the end. The word “Recording” changes to “Completed’’.
• You are only able to record your response once.
• Note: While the audio is playing, you can take notes on the erasable note board provided.

Your response for Re-tell Lecture is judged based on our ability to give a presentation on information from a lecture on an academic subject. Your score is based on three factors:

• Content:Does your response accurately and thoroughly retell the information in the lecture?

Content is scored by determining how accurately and thoroughly you convey the situation, characters, aspects, actions and developments presented in the lecture. Your description of relationships, possible developments and conclusions or implications is also scored. The best responses retell all the main points of the lecture and include possible developments, conclusions or implications. Mentioning a few disjointed ideas will negatively affect your score.

• Oral fluency:Does your response demonstrate a smooth, effortless and natural rate of speech?
  Oral fluency is scored by determining if your rhythm, phrasing and stress are smooth. The best responses are spoken at a constant and natural rate of speech with appropriate phrasing. Hesitations, repetitions and false starts will negatively affect your score.
• Pronunciation:Does your response demonstrate your ability to produce speech sounds in a similar way to most regular speakers of the language?

Pronunciation is scored by determining if your speech is easily understandable to most regular speakers of the language. The best responses contain vowels and consonants pronounced in a native-like way, and stress words and phrases correctly. Responses should also be immediately understandable to a regular speaker of the language.

PTE Academic recognizes regional and national varieties of English pronunciation to the degree that they are understandable to most regular speakers of the language.

Note

• Partial credit scoring applies to Re-tell Lecture. No credit is given for no response or an irrelevant response.
• This question type affects the scoring of the following: listening, speaking, oral fluency and pronunciation.
• Your writing skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions.

 

• Answer Short Question

·         For this item type you need to reply to the question in one or a few words.

• The audio begins to play automatically. You may also see an image.
• When the audio finishes, the microphone opens and the recording status box shows “Recording”. Speak into the microphone immediately (there is no short tone) and answer the question with one or a few words.
• You should speak clearly. There is no need to rush.
• Finish speaking before the progress bar reaches the end. The word “Recording” changes to “Completed”.
• You are not able to replay the audio. You are only able to record your response once.

 

Your response for Answer Short Question is judged on our ability to understand a question presented in a recording and provide a briefand accurate response. Your response is scored as either correct or incorrect based on the use of appropriate words in your response. No credit is given for no response or an incorrect response.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of the following: listening, speaking and vocabulary.
• Your writing skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions.

 

• WRITING SECTION

The writing test assesses your writing skills in terms of how good you are in grammar, formatting sentences, and sticking to the topic given. You will be judged on the quality of your writing.

Your English writing skills are tested through the following question types:

• Summarize Written Text
• Write Essay

 

• Summarize Written Text

·         For this item type you need to write a summary of the text in one sentence.

• You have 10 minutes to write your summary. Make sure to include the main points of the reading passage in a full, single sentence of no more than 75 words.
• The Word Count at the bottom of the screen counts the number of words you write. There are also cut, copy and paste buttons which you may use while constructing your summary.

Cut: Select text from your answer that you wish to remove and left-click “Cut”.

Copy: Select text from your answer that you wish to copy and left-click “Copy”.

Paste: Place the cursor where you wish to paste the cut/copied text and left-click “Paste”.

 

• When you have written your response, check to make sure that it is only one sentence, with a capital letter at the beginning and only one full stop at the end.
• Your response must be between 5 and 75 words .

 

Summarize Written Text is marked on the basis of:

• Content:Does your response summarize the main points in the passage?

Content is scored by determining if all key points of the passage have been addressed without misrepresenting the purpose or topic. If your summary misinterprets the topic or the purpose of the passage, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the four factors. Your summary will be scored zero. The best responses clearly summarize the main idea and condense essential supporting points. They focus on the topic, including only key information and essential supporting points.

• Form:Does your response meet the requirements of a one-sentence summary? If your summary contains fewer than five words or more than 75 words, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the four factors. Your summary will be scored zero.
• Grammar:Does your response demonstrate correct grammatical usage?

Grammar is scored by determining if the basic structure of the sentence is correct. The best responses usually consist of a main clause and subordinate clause.

• Vocabulary:Does your response demonstrate correct and appropriate word choice and usage?

Vocabulary is scored according to its relevance to the passage and its appropriateness in an academic environment. The appropriate use of synonyms is also scored. The best responses use words from the passage appropriately, demonstrate an understanding of the context and use synonyms effectively to show variety in language use.

Note

• Your response is scored as either correct or incorrect based on the use of appropriate words in your response. No credit is given for no response or an incorrect response.
• Your listening and speaking skills are not tested by this question type.

 

 

• Write Essay

·         For this item type you need to write a 200-300 word argumentative essay in response to a prompt.

• You have 20 minutes to write your essay.
• The Word Count at the bottom of the screen counts the number of words you write. Make sure to write a minimum of 200 words,but no more than 300 words.
• There are also cut, copy and paste buttons which you may choose to use while constructing your response.

Cut: Select text from your answer that you wish to remove and left-click “Cut”.

Copy: Select text from your answer that you wish to copy and left-click “Copy”.

Paste: Place the cursor where you wish to paste the cut/copied text and left-click “Paste”.

 

Your response on Write Essay is judged on our ability to write a persuasive or argumentative essay on a given topic. Your score is based on seven factors:

• Content:Does your response address the topic?

Content is scored by determining if all aspects of the topic have been addressed in your response. The appropriateness of the details, examples and explanations used to support your point of view is also scored. If your essay does not address the topic, you will not receive any score points for your essay on any of the seven factors. Your essay will be scored zero. The best responses are on topic, contain logical and specific information and answer any questions asked. They also support any arguments with details, examples and/or explanations.

• Development, structure and coherence:Does your response demonstrate good development of ideas and a logical structure?

Development, structure and coherence are scored according to the organization of your response. A well-developed response uses a logical organizational pattern, connects ideas and explains these connections. The best responses contain multiple paragraphs and have a clear introduction, body and conclusion that relate to the topic of the essay. Within paragraphs, ideas are clearly presented and supported with details, examples and/or explanations. Transitions between paragraphs are smooth.

• Form:Does your response meet the length requirement of between 200 and 300 words?

Form is scored by counting the number of words in your response. You will receive full credit if your essay is between 200 and 300 words. Writing less than 200 words or more than 300 words will decrease your score. If your essay contains less than 120 words or more than 380 words, you will not receive any score points for your essay on any of the seven factors. Your essay will be scored zero.

• General linguistic range:Does your response use language that precisely conveys your ideas?

General linguistic range is scored by determining if the language in your response accurately communicates your ideas. This includes your ability to provide clear descriptions, change emphasis, eliminate ambiguity, express subtleties in meaning, and use stylistic features to communicate meaning. You are more likely to receive full credit if you use complex sentence structures and vocabulary correctly, rather than consistently using simple sentence structures and vocabulary. This is because complex ideas are often expressed with complex sentence structures and vocabulary. The best responses use language that highlights key ideas, creatively expresses opinions and ensures clear communication.

• Grammar usage and mechanics:Does your response demonstrate correct grammatical usage and consistent control of standard written English?

Grammar usage and mechanics are scored by examining sentence structure, punctuation and capitalization. The best responses contain high proportions of grammatically correct complex sentences that clearly communicate the intended meaning.

• Vocabulary range:Does your response demonstrate command of a broad vocabulary range?

Vocabulary range is scored according to the variety of words in your response and their appropriateness in an academic environment. Synonyms, idiomatic expressions and academic terms are also assessed if appropriate. The best responses use precise academic terms and avoid repetition by using synonyms and idioms where appropriate.

• Spelling:Does your response demonstrate correct and consistent use of a single spelling convention?

PTE Academic recognizes English spelling conventions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. However, one spelling convention should be used consistently in a given response.

Note

• Partial credit scoring applies to Write Essay. No credit is given for no response or an irrelevant response.
• This question type affects the scoring of the following: writing, grammar, spelling, vocabulary and written discourse.
• Your listening and speaking skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions and the prompt.

 

Part 2: Reading Section (32 – 40 minutes)

The Reading section of the PTE Academic exam provides a stiff test of a candidate’s reading comprehension skills. Keep reading for more information on the structure and types of questions you’ll encounter on this part of the assessment.

The Reading section of the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) is a great test of your English reading ability.

This section of the PTE exam will take about 32-41 minutes and is often given preference after the first section.

 

Your English reading skills are tested through the following question types:

• Fill in the blanks: Reading and Writing
• Multiple choice questions with multiple answers
• Re-ordering of paragraphs
• Fill in the blanks: Reading
• Multiple choice questions with a single answer

 

The reading materials for this section are all authentic texts about a variety of academic subjects, including humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.

 

• Fill in the blanks: Reading and Writing

·         For this item type, you need to select the most appropriate words from a drop-down list to restore the text.

• There is a passage with some missing words. Beside each gap, there is a button with a drop-down list. Left-click on this button to reveal the drop-down list of options for that gap. Select the option you think best fills the gap.
• To change your mind, left-click on a different option.

 

Your response for Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks is judged on your ability to use contextual and grammatical cues to identify words that complete a reading text. If all blanks are filled correctly, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more blanks are filled incorrectly, partial credit scoring applies.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of reading and writing.
• Your listening and speaking skills are not tested by this question type.

 

 

• Multiple choice questions with multiple answers

·         For this item type you need to read the passage and answer the multiple-choice question. There is more than one correct response.

• You need to select all the response options that you think are correct from the list of possible options.
• To select an option click on it using the left button on your mouse. If you change your mind, left-click on the option again to deselect it.
• The options you select are highlighted in yellow.

 

Your response for Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answers is judged on your ability to analyze, interpret and evaluate a short reading text on an academic subject. If all response are correct, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more response options are incorrect, partial credit scoring applies. This is the first of three question types where you can lose points if you choose any incorrect options. For any wrong options chosen 1 point is deducted, whilst correct options are given 1 point. Make sure you are confident in your choices.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of reading.
• Your listening, speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type.

 

 

• Re-ordering of paragraphs

• For this item type, you need to restore the original order of the text by selecting text boxes and dragging them across the screen.
• There are two ways you can move the text:

• Left-click on a box to select it (it will be outlined in blue), hold the left mouse button down and drag it to the desired location.
• Left-click on a box to select it, and then left-click on the left and right arrow buttons to move it across. On the right panel, you can also use the up and down arrow buttons to re-order the boxes.

• To deselect a box, left-click elsewhere on the screen.

 

Your response for Re-order Paragraphs is judged on your ability to understand the organization and cohesion of an academic text. If all text boxes are in the correct order, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more text boxes are in the wrong order, partial credit scoring applies.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of only reading.
• Your listening, speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type.

 

 

• Fill in the blanks: Reading

·         For this item type you need to drag and drop words across the screen to correctly fill in the gaps in the text.

• There is a passage with some missing words. You have a list of words in the blue box that you can use to fill the gaps in the text. There are more words than gaps so you will not use all the words provided.
• Left-click on a word to select it; keep the left mouse button held down and drag the word to the gap where you want to place it. You can also drag words between gaps. To remove a word from a gap, drag it back to the blue box.

 

Your response for Reading: Fill in the Blanks is judged on your ability to use context and grammatical cues to identify words that complete a reading text. If all blanks are filled correctly, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more blanks are filled incorrectly, partial credit scoring applies.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of only reading.
• Your listening, speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type.

 

 

• Multiple choice questions with a single answer

·         For this item type you need to read the passage and answer the multiple-choice question.

• There are several possible response options but only one is correct.
• To select an option click on it using the left button on your mouse. If you change your mind, left-click on the option again to deselect it, or left-click on a different option.
• The option you select is highlighted in yellow.

 

Your response to Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer is judged on your ability to analyze, interpret and evaluate a short reading text on an academic subject. Your response is scored as either correct or incorrect. No credit is given for no response or an incorrect response. This question type affects the scoring of reading.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of only reading.
• Your listening, speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type.

 

Part 3: Listening Section (45-57 minutes)

This section is designed to assess your ability to understand the opinions, attitudes, and main ideas the speaker is trying to convey. This section is primarily based on video and audio clips. This section lasts for about 45 to 57 minutes on an average. As per the requirement, you will have to listen to the audio/visual and respond to the given set of diverse questions.

The Listening part of the PTE exam is commonly broken down into the below types of questions:

• Summaries Spoken Text
• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
• Fill in the Blanks
• Highlight Correct Summary
• Multiple Choice, Single Answer
• Select Missing Word
• Highlight Incorrect Words
• Write From Dictation

For each question you have the opportunity to adjust the volume. While the audio clip is playing, move the control bar to the right to increase the volume or to the left to decrease the volume. Practice listening section is timed, which means you’ll need to allocate your time evenly to complete each sub section. Time management is very important inPTE Listening.

• Summaries Spoken Text

·         For this item type you hear an audio recording and need to write a 50-70 word summary on what you heard.

• You have 10 minutes to write your summary.
• The audio begins to play automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• The Word Count at the bottom of the screen counts the number of words you write. Make sure to write a minimum of 50 words,but no more than 70 words.
• There are also cut, copy and paste buttons which you may choose to use while constructing your summary.

Cut: Select text from your answer that you wish to remove and left-click “Cut”.

Copy: Select text from your answer that you wish to copy and left-click “Copy”.

Paste: Place the cursor where you wish to paste the cut/copied text and left-click “Paste”.

 

 

Your response for Summarize Spoken Text is judged on your ability to comprehend, analyze and combine information from a lecture, and then summarize the key points in writing and on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the lecture. Your score is based on five factors:

 

• Content:Does your response summarize the main points in the lecture?

Content is scored by determining if all the key points of the lecture have been addressed without misrepresenting the purpose or topic. If your summary misinterprets the topic or the purpose of the lecture, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the five factors. Your summary will be scored zero. The best responses clearly summarize the main points and condense essential supporting points. They focus on the topic, including only key information and essential supporting points.

• Form:Does your response meet the length requirement of between 50 and 70 words?

Form is scored by counting the number of words in your response. You will receive full credit if your response is between 50 and 70 words. Writing less than 50 words or more than 70 words will decrease your score. If your summary contains less than 40 words or more than 100 words, you will not receive any score points for your summary on any of the five factors. Your summary will be scored zero.

• Grammar:Does your response demonstrate correct grammatical usage?

Grammar is scored by determining if the basic structure of the sentences is correct. The best responses use concise sentences that clearly communicate the intended meaning.

• Vocabulary:Does your response demonstrate correct and appropriate word choice and Usage?

Vocabulary is scored according to its relevance to the lecture and its appropriateness in an academic environment. The appropriate use of synonyms is also scored. The best responses use words from the lecture appropriately, demonstrate an understanding of the context and use synonyms effectively to show variety in language use.

• Spelling:Does your response demonstrate correct and consistent use of a single spelling convention?

PTE Academic recognizes English spelling conventions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. However, one spelling convention should be used consistently in a given response.

Note

• Partial credit scoring applies to Summarize Spoken Text. No credit is given for no response or an irrelevant response. This question type affects the scoring of the following: listening; writing; grammar; spelling and vocabulary.
• Your speaking skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions.

 

 

• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

·           For this item type you need to listen to the recording and answer the multiple-choice question. There is more than one correct response.

• The audio begins to play automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• You need to select all the response options that you think are correct from the list of possible options.
• To select an option click on it using the left button on your mouse. If you change your mind, left-click on the option again to deselect it.
• The options you select are highlighted in yellow.

 

Your response for Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answers is judged on your ability to analyze, interpret and evaluate a brief audio or video recording on an academic subject. If all response options are correct, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more response options are incorrect, partial credit scoring applies.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of only listening.
• Your speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions, prompt and response options.

 

 

• Fill in the Blanks

·           For this item type you are presented with a transcript of the audio recording, however, some words are missing. Restore the transcript by typing in the missing words.

• The audio plays automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• Left-click on each gap and type in the missing word. You can also use the Tab button on the keyboard to move between gaps.
• Note: While the audio is playing, you can take notes on the erasable noteboard provided and then fill in the gaps.

 

Your response for Fill in the Blanks is judged on your ability to listen for missing words in a recording and type the missing words into a transcription. Your score on Fill in the blanks is based on the following factor:

                        Content: Does your response include all the missing words?

Content is scored by counting the number of right words with correct spelling in                  yourresponse. Each correct word spelled correctly scores 1 point.

Note

• If all blanks are filled with the right word spelled correctly, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more blanks are filled incorrectly, partial credit scoring applies. This question type affects the scoring of listening and writing.
• Your speaking skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions and the transcription.

 

 

• Highlight Correct Summary

·         For this item type you need to select the summary that best matches the recording.

• The audio begins to play automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• There are several possible response options but only one is correct.
• To select an option click on it using the left button on your mouse. If you change your mind, left-click on the option again to deselect it, or left-click on a different option.
• The option you select is highlighted in yellow.
• Note: It may be difficult to read and listen at the same time. It is recommended that you listen first, make notes on the erasable noteboard and then read the summaries.

 

Your response for Highlight Correct Summary is judged on your ability to comprehend, analyze and combine information from a recording and identify the most accurate summary of the recording. Your response is scored as either correct or incorrect. No credit is given for no response or an incorrect response.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of listening and reading.
• Your speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type.

 

 

• Multiple Choice, Single Answer

·         For this item type you need to listen to the recording and answer the multiple-choice question.

• The audio begins to play automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• There are several possible response options but only one is correct.
• To select an option click on it using the left button on your mouse. If you change your mind, left-click on the option again to deselect it, or left-click on a different option.
• The option you select is highlighted in yellow.

 

Your response for Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer is judged on your ability to Your response is scored as either correct or incorrect. No credit is given for no response or an incorrect response.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of only listening.
• Your speaking and writing skills are not tested with this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions, prompt, and response options.

 

• Select Missing Word

·         For this item type the last word or group of words in the recording has been replaced by a beep. Select the most appropriate option to complete the recording.

• The audio begins to play automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• There are several possible response options but only one is correct.
• To select an option click on it using the left button on your mouse. If you change your mind, left-click on the option again to deselect it, or left-click on a different option.
• The option you select is highlighted in yellow.

 

Your response for Select Missing Word is judged on your ability to predict what a speaker will say based on contextual clues in a recording. Your response is scored as either correct or incorrect. No credit is given for no response or an incorrect response.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of only listening.
• Your speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions and the response options.

 

• Highlight Incorrect Words

·         For this item type you are presented with a transcript of the audio recording, however, the transcript contains some errors. While listening and reading, you need to select the words in the text that differ from what the speaker says.

• The audio begins to plays automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• To select a word click on it using the left button on your mouse. If you change your mind, left-click on the word again to deselect it.
• The words you select are highlighted in yellow.

 

Your response for Highlight Incorrect Words is judged on your ability to listen for and point out the differences between a recording and a transcription. Each selected word is scored as either correct or incorrect. If all the selected words are correct, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more selected words are incorrect, partial credit scoring applies. This is the third of three question types where you can lose points if you choose any incorrect options. For any wrong options chosen 1 point is deducted, whilst correct options are given 1 point. Make sure you are confident in your choices.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of listening and reading.
• Your speaking and writing skills are not tested by this question type.

 

 

• Write From Dictation

·         For this item type you hear a short sentence. Type the sentence into the response box at the bottom of the screen.

• The audio begins to play automatically. You are only able to listen to the audio recording once.
• Note: While the audio is playing, you can take notes on the erasable noteboard provided.
• Remember to check your spelling.

 

Your response for Write from Dictation is your ability to understand and remember a sentence you hear, and then write it exactly as you hear it using correct spelling Your score on Write from dictation is based on the following factor:

• Content:Does your response include all the words in the sentence and only these words? Content is scored by counting the number of correct words in your response.
• If all the words are right and spelled correctly, you receive the maximum score points for this question type. If one or more words are incorrect, partial credit scoring applies.

Note

• This question type affects the scoring of listening and writing.
  Your speaking skills are not tested by this question type, and your reading skills are only used to read the instructions.

 

Marking Criteria of PTE:

All items in PTE Academic are machine scored using PTE Academic’s automated scoring system. Scores for some item types are based on correctness alone, while others are based on correctness, formal aspects and the quality of the response. Formal aspects refer to the form of the response: for example, whether it is over or under the word limit for a particular item type. The quality of the response is represented in the enabling skills. For example, in the item type Re-tell lecture the response is scored on skills such as oral fluency and pronunciation. There are two types of scoring: correct or incorrect, and partial scoring.

Correct or incorrect: If responses are correct, a score of 1 score point will be given, but if they are incorrect, no score points are awarded.

Partial credit: Other item types are scored as correct, partially correct or incorrect. If responses to these items are correct, the maximum score points available for each item type will be received, but if they are partly correct, some score points will be given, but less than the maximum available for the item type. If responses are incorrect, no score points will be received.

For more information download the Score Guide

https://pearsonpte.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Score-Guide-for-test-takers-V12-20191030.pdf

 

 

 

PTE – IELTS Comparison

Parameter	IELTS	PTE
Who runs the test	British Council & Cambridge Assessment English	Pearson PTE Academic
Who accepts the test	University and Government worldwide	University and Government (Limited)
Test Format	Paper/Computer Based	Paper Based
Test structure	Divided into Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening. —2 hr 45 mins. Speaking section may be on another day.	Divided into Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening. —3 hours. Same day.
Test Time	2hr 45 min. Speaking section may be in another day.	Upto 3 hours. All sections in same day
Time to receive results	After 13 days	Results are typically available within 5 business days.
Validity	2 years	2-3 years
Price	$215 – 240 USD	$200
Cancellation	Partial refund. Medical reason required	Partial refund. 7 days no questions asked
Assessment mechanism	Manual	Automated
Transparency in how scoring works	Easy to understand	Not fully revealed
Difficulty	Writing section hard	Reading section hard
Accuracy	Reports of writing scores being revised reported	Automated speaking scoring mechanism not fair to few test-takers.
Prep material/Mock test	Lots of preparatory resources available. No official mock test	Many resources available. Has an official scored mock test for an estimate of your score.
Test date availability	Depends on locations. Popular centers booked upto 2 month in advance	Depends on locations. Popular centers booked upto 2 month in advance

 

Conclusion:
Even though, both IELTS and PTE evaluates English language skills, the major difference in between these two tests is the mode of the test, as PTE Academic is a computer based test unlike IELTS. It encourages the candidates who have average English language skills along with typing skills to switch on to PTE. In addition, the declaration of the results is also an additional advantage in PTE, though both the tests have designed to test the language skills.

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