Build all-round confidence with Smart Prep

PTE Author
PTE Author
Portrait of student learning online with headphones and laptop taking notes in notebook sitting at her desk at home - mixed race Asian Chinese model
Reading time: 4 minutes

Smart Prep brings all our free and paid preparation into one convenient place, so you can mix and match to fit your unique needs. Perfect if you have booked your test and are not sure where to start with your preparation journey.

Here are four top tips to help you get started:

1. Explore Smart Prep

All you need to do is set up your free myPTE account, and you will have access to all our free and official prep resources — so everything you need to be ready ace your test is at your fingertips.

2. Use Scored Practice Tests to track your progress

As close as you can get to the test without taking the real thing. Our unique Scored Practice Tests are just like a mock test and are marked in the same way as your PTE test. So you can see how you score and then focus on the areas you need to improve.

With five to choose from, we recommend you use them throughout your prep journey to check your progress.

3. Practice with 300+ questions

Practice makes perfect and our PTE Academic Question Bank is packed full of questions with model answers, plus samples for speaking and writing. So you have plenty of opportunity to practice before the real thing.

4. Read our handbook and Score Guide

Finally, don’t forget to download our free PTE Academic Handbook and Score Guide.

The handbook covers everything you need to know about taking PTE Academic - from how to prepare and test day policies, to how to retake your test if necessary.

And, the PTE Score Guide helps you understand things like what you’re graded on, how automated scores work, and how our scores compare with those of other English language tests.

Ready to achieve your dreams?

PTE is more than an English language test. It’s your ticket to studying abroad.

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    Are you preparing to take PTE Academic?

    Good news! We have added a new test preparation company to our existing list of providers. This will give you even more options and support in your test preparation.

    Try E2Language with a free trial

    E2Language is a global online tutorial and test preparation provider. They offer good quality practice services and materials for PTE Academic. E2Language offers online tuition through group and 1-1 learning, supported by a range of YouTube videos that share tips and advice. They offer a set of online preparation materials.

    We are always looking to expand and enhance the services we offer our test takers and we believe the addition of E2Language helps us achieve this goal.

    Give yourself the best chance of performing well on the day with E2Language – try for free.

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    Are you thinking of taking PTE Academic, or have you recently taken it, but you are wondering how it is that a computer can mark your test?

    Well, firstly the test has been designed by humans, all leading experts in their field. Our human experts design and write the questions, quality assure them, and then score them. At this point, computers are trained to use the patterns of highly trained language experts to attribute scores to questions. When the computer marks correlate highly with the human scores, we then allow the computer to mark test scripts from across the world.

    As a result of our processes and technology, the computer behaves like an expert human examiner – but without any possible bias, lack of concentration, or variation between individual examiners.

    The scoring criteria are exactly the same as human scoring – test takers are marked on their delivery, clarity, relevance, the accuracy of grammar, and appropriateness of vocabulary.

    Want to hear more?

    Take a couple of minutes and listen to one of our leading independent advisors, Dr. Alistair Van Moere, a member of Pearson’s Technical Advisory Group, as he explains how it all works.

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    If you have completed PTE Academic, you would know by now that it is scored against the Global Scale of English and that you need to practice many skills for each part of the test: Speaking & Writing, Reading, and Listening.

    After completing PTE Academic you will receive an email notification that your results are available online. Typically within 2 days. Learn how to access your Score Report.

    What does my Score Report mean?

    When you receive your Score Report it will show you your overall score, which is based on your performance across all test items. Your communicative skills that are measured are listening, reading, speaking and writing.

    This is an example of what your Score Report may look like.

    The enabling skills are those skills that are required to fulfill the question types in the test. It’s important to know what each of these skills refers to.

    Grammar

    Correct use of language with respect to word form and word order at the sentence level.

    Oral Fluency

    Smooth, effortless and natural-paced delivery of speech.

    Pronunciation

    Production of speech sounds in a way that is easily understandable to most regular speakers of the language. Regional or national varieties of English pronunciation are considered correct to the degree that they are easily understandable to most regular speakers of the language.

    Spelling

    Writing of words according to the spelling rules of the language. All national variations are considered correct, but one spelling convention should be used consistently in a given response.

    Vocabulary

    Appropriate choice of words used to express meaning, as well as lexical range.

    Written Discourse

    Correct and communicatively efficient production of written language at a textual level. Written discourse skills are represented in the structure of a written text, its internal coherence, logical development, and the range of linguistic resources used to express meaning precisely.

    How do I identify my areas of weakness?

    From the visual graph on your Score Report, you will be able to see areas you need to improve on. You should aim to develop your core (enabling) skills required across all areas of the test.

    The following resources will help you develop your enabling skills:

    How can I improve in each part of the test?

    It’s also worth focusing on particular parts of the test or questions you think you had trouble with. The following articles may help you improve your skills across questions:

    If you don’t already have one, it’s recommended to work with an English teacher to work through areas that may need improvement.

    Good luck!