PTE Academic Test Format

Are you planning to take the PTE Academic Test? It’s important to know the test format before taking the exam. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the PTE Academic Test format, its different parts, and what to expect on PTE test day.

What is PTE Academic?

PTE Academic is a computer-based language proficiency test that evaluates a candidate’s ability to use English for academic purposes. However, the test is designed to assess the four main language skills – speaking, writing, listening, and reading – in an integrated way.

PTE Academic is approximately 2 hours long, and it is completely computer-based. On the test day, when you visit the PTE test center to take your exam, you will be given a computer and a headset.

Moreover, PTE Academic is widely accepted by universities, colleges, and governments around the world, including Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, and New Zealand. The test is conducted by Pearson, a leading education company that provides a range of assessment services.

Sections of the PTE Academic Test Format

The PTE Academic Test consists of three main parts – Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening. Each part is designed to assess different language skills and takes a specific amount of time. Let’s walk through the sections of the PTE Academic Test Format and learn some secrets you should know before taking the PTE exam.

1. Speaking and Writing:

The Speaking and Writing section is the first part of the test and it consists of six tasks that evaluate your ability to produce spoken and written English. This section lasts approximately 77-93 minutes and is divided into three parts – Personal Introduction, Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, and Write Essay.

1.1 Personal Introduction

For Personal Introduction, you’ll be asked to introduce yourself and answer some basic questions. You’ll have 25 seconds to prepare and 30 seconds to record your response. 

However, this task will not provide you with any points, it is instead sent to universities and institutions as a part of your score report.

1.2 Read Aloud

For Read Aloud, you’ll receive a short text to read aloud. The text could be a sentence, a paragraph, or even a short passage. The purpose of this task is to evaluate your pronunciation, fluency, and intonation. You’ll have 30-40 seconds to read the text and record your response.

1.3 Repeat Sentence

In this task, you’ll hear a sentence and then repeat it as accurately as possible. Also, this task is to assess your ability to understand and reproduce spoken English.

Also, you’ll have 3-9 seconds to prepare and 15 seconds to record your response.

1.4 Describe Image

For this, you’ll receive an image and you will have to describe it in detail. The image could be a graph, a chart, a diagram, or even a picture. 

This task will evaluate your ability to understand and analyze visual information and communicate it effectively. You’ll have 25 seconds to study the image and 40 seconds to record your response.

1.5 Re-tell Lecture

In this task, you’ll hear a lecture or presentation and then summarize it in your own words. The purpose of this task is to evaluate your ability to understand and recall spoken English in an academic context. 

Moreover, you’ll only have 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to record your response.

1.6 Write Essay

In the task of writing an essay, you’ll have written an essay of 200-300 words. The prompt could be a statement, a question, or even an opinion. 

Furthermore, this task evaluates your ability to express your ideas in written English and organize them logically. You’ll have 20 minutes to write your essay.

To prepare for the Speaking and Writing section of the PTE Academic Test, it’s important to practice all the different tasks regularly. On test day, make sure you speak clearly and confidently and organize your ideas before recording your responses.

Don’t worry too much about making mistakes, just focus on communicating your ideas effectively and accurately.

In summary, the Speaking and Writing section of the PTE Academic Test is a crucial part of the exam that evaluates your ability to produce spoken and written English.

2. Reading

The Reading section is the second part of the test and it evaluates your ability to understand academic English in a variety of contexts. This section lasts approximately 32-41 minutes and consists of five tasks – Multiple Choice, Re-order Paragraphs, Fill in the Blanks, Multiple Choice, and Fill in the Blanks.

2.1 Multiple Choice

For, Multiple Choice, you’ll be given a reading passage and a question with several answer options. You’ll have to choose the correct answer based on the information provided in the passage.

Additionally, the purpose of this task is to evaluate your ability to comprehend and analyze written English.

2.2 Re-order Paragraphs

In order to clear this section, you’ll have to tackle several jumbled paragraphs and rearrange them in the correct order to form a coherent text. The purpose of this task is to evaluate your ability to understand and organize written information.

2.3 Fill in the Blanks

For Fill in the Blanks, you’ll read a passage with several missing words. Also, you’ll have to choose the correct word from a list of options to fill in the blanks.

This task will evaluate your ability to comprehend and use academic vocabulary.

2.4 Multiple Choice

For this, you’ll have to read another passage with several questions and answer options. You’ll have to choose the correct answer based on the information provided in the passage.

2.3 Fill in the Blanks

In this task, you’ll read a passage with several missing words. You’ll have to type in the correct word to fill in the blanks. With this section, the exam will test your ability to comprehend and use academic vocabulary.

On test day, make sure you read the questions and instructions carefully and scan the text quickly before answering. Don’t spend too much time on one question, and move on if you’re unsure. 

Always check your answers before submitting.

3. Listening

The Listening section of the PTE Academic Test evaluates your ability to comprehend spoken English in a variety of academic settings.

Additionally, this section lasts approximately 45-57 minutes and consists of eight tasks – Summarize Spoken Text, Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blanks, Highlight Correct Summary, Multiple Choice, Select Missing Word, Highlight Incorrect Words, and Write from Dictation.

3.1 Summarize Spoken Text

This task aims to test your understanding of spoken English by having you listen to a short audio clip and then summarize it in writing. It helps evaluate your ability to grab information and comprehend spoken English.

3.2 Multiple Choice

This task tests your comprehension and analytical skills by having you listen to an audio clip and then choose the correct answer from several options provided. Moreover, this test checks how well you can understand and analyze spoken English.

3.3 Fill in the Blanks

This task evaluates your academic vocabulary and comprehension skills by having you listen to an audio clip with several missing words. You’ll have to type in the correct word to fill in the blanks.

3.4 Highlight Correct Summary

This task assesses your comprehension and summarization skills by having you listen to an audio clip and then choose the summary that best reflects the information in the clip.

3.5 Multiple Choice

This task checks your comprehension and analytical skills by having you listen to another audio clip with several questions and answer options. You’ll have to choose the correct answer based on the information provided in the clip.

3.6 Select Missing Word

This task evaluates your academic vocabulary and comprehension skills by having you listen to an audio clip with several missing words. 

Furthermore, you’ll have to choose the correct word from a list of options to fill in the blanks.

3.7 Highlight Incorrect Words

In this task, you’ll listen to an audio clip and select the words that are incorrect based on what you hear. This task evaluates your ability to comprehend spoken English and identify mistakes.

To prepare for the Listening section of the PTE Academic Test, you should practice listening to academic English materials such as lectures, podcasts, and news broadcasts. By doing this, you can get used to the pace and tone of academic English.

Conclusion

In conclusion, knowing about the PTE Academic Test format is an important thing you must know beforehand. Understanding the test format and what to expect on test day is crucial to performing well and achieving your desired score.

Furthermore, remember to practice all the different parts of the test regularly to improve your skills and become familiar with the format. You can check out the best PTE Academic course materials and prepare for the exam.

On test day, make sure you arrive at the test center on time, bring your identification, and follow all the test instructions carefully. Stay calm, confident, and focused throughout the test, and don’t forget to take breaks when needed.

Good luck!