PTE inspiration and advice

We recently had the opportunity to speak with David Booth about the ways you can excel when it comes to taking the PTE Academic Speaking and Writing sections. If you weren’t able to join us for the webinar, here are the highlights from the conversation.  

Let’s take a look at David’s tips for the Speaking portion of the test first.  

Pitch and accent 

When asked if the pitch of the test-taker makes a difference to the score, David had this to say: ‘Pitch is a critical part of intonation. Having natural intonation is important in order to get a good score.’ Having an exaggerated pitch, however, will not help. It needs to be natural. The same can be said for accent, and it’s important to note that your accent will not affect the score.  

Improving the ‘repeat sentences’ and ‘read aloud sections’ 

If you’re wondering how you can improve your score in the ‘repeat sentences’ and ‘read aloud sections,’ the best thing you can do is to speak naturally. It’s important to understand how different words are stressed within sentences, so working on any pronunciation exercises that will allow you to identify and practice this will help.  

The scoring system for both sections  

We know many of you are curious about how the scoring system for both sections works. Because this is such a hot topic, we’re going to run another webinar in the future that will address this. In the meantime, the PTE Academic score guide provides a comprehensive break-down of the scores for each task, so we encourage you to take a look at the website for more information.  

Summarizing spoken text 

We asked David if there’s any structure that test-takers need to follow in order to summarize the spoken text. The key element here is to ensure that the main context points are addressed. It might feel easier to summarize the points in order, but you should be sure to identify the key point early on in your answer.  

There were lots of questions about the Writing portion of the test which we asked David to explain more about. You can read about his top tips for this section of the test below.  

Standard spelling 

Test takers were curious to know which type of standard spelling the PTE Academic follows and if they should use the British or American versions and how that impacts their score. You’ll be glad to know that you can use any standard spelling conventions.  

Using the IELTS template  

We know that many test takers have practiced with multiple types of tests, so you want to know if your score will be impacted by choosing to use the IELTS template or method of writing. The important thing to remember here is that no test taker is penalized. To get a high score on the test, you need to think about how proficient writers in English would present their writing. The scoring engines are trained by using answers from a wide range of students. The answers which will receive higher scores are those that will have similar characteristics to other examples of writing that have also been given high scores by highly trained examiners.  

Paraphrasing  

We received a question around whether or not you should paraphrase the ‘summarize written text’ and ‘re-tell the lecture’ sections of the test in order to get a better score. David’s recommendation here is that you should be able to write in the same way that a highly proficient learner of English would write. Paraphrasing is very likely to be a characteristic of that writing, but just repeating key lexis is likely to be indicative of a lower proficiency learner.  

Keywords in the writing summary 

How can you find keywords in the writing summary and is there a certain number of conjunctions that should be used? Here, the advice is again that PTE Academic is primarily meaning-focused. When connecting ideas, you should think about how meaning is referenced in a text. In technical language, this is referred to as anaphoric or cataphoric referencing, referencing forward or backward in a text. You can also use different nouns and pronouns to connect ideas. Moreover, it’s important to remember that merely using common conjunctions would not necessarily indicate a high level of proficiency.  

We hope these tips and techniques are useful to you! Learn more about ways you can improve your score in the Speaking & Writing Section.

Being an experienced English speaker does not guarantee you a high score

It can come as a surprise to test takers, who consider themselves to be fluent in English, that they can score less well in an English test than they expect.

Dr. Alistair Van Moere, a member of Pearson’s Technical Advisory Group, explains that it’s not unusual for people who have recently learned English to score higher than those that have spoken English for a long time. This happens on all high-stakes tests, not just on PTE Academic, as fluent speakers are often not prepared to do the test. PTE Academic contains question types that a fluent English speaker may not have done for a long time, for example, writing an essay.

This is why all test takers, including fluent English speakers, should prepare before test day.

Choosing to study or migrate abroad is a big decision and may require you to demonstrate your skills in English.

The Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) is widely trusted by universities, colleges, and governments around the world. Taking PTE Academic can create opportunities for you around the world.

If you are taking the test for the first time, study each part of the test thoroughly to demonstrate your English skills as best you can.

Even people that consider themselves to be fluent in English need to prepare as they can sometimes score fewer points than they should have as they have not prepared.

We can help you achieve your best!

What should I expect on test day?

In Part 1 of the PTE Academic test, you require certain skills to answer the questions within the test to the best of your ability.

We’ve put together some tips and advice on how to practice and improve your core skills.

Oral Fluency

Oral fluency applies to the Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image and Re-tell Lecture question types.

To improve your oral fluency before your test, we recommend that you speak English as often as you can. If you don’t have anyone you can speak English with, join an English-speaking club or take a short course.

As soon as you’ve booked the test, we suggest that you try to read, listen and write in English as much as you can.

If you’re having trouble with speaking too slow or too fast, record yourself and listen back to identify where you need to improve.

You can also use Tiny Texts to help improve your speaking. Read the text silently to yourself, then listen to a recording while you read and have a try afterward to read at a similar pace.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation skills are required for the Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image and Re-tell Lecture question types.

In PTE Academic you do not have to speak like a fluent speaker of English to do well. However, you do need to use a pronunciation that can be understood by a regular speaker of English.

This means you need to make sure your vowel and consonant sounds are pronounced in a fluent-like way with the correct words. You also need to use the correct sentence stress to convey meaning.

Luckily, there are many online tools that can help with your pronunciation, such as:

• Try Star Pronunciation 10-day Boot Camp

• Tim’s pronunciation workshop

• The Sounds of English BBC Learning English YouTube channel

Vocabulary

The only question type in the speaking section that will require strong vocabulary skills is Answer Short Question.

The easiest way to improve your vocabulary is to keep a vocabulary notebook to use as your own personal dictionary. When you hear or see new words, add them along with the meaning and put them in a sentence.

Want more prep ideas?

Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

• Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

• It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

• Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

Ready to get started?

Part 3 of PTE Academic will take 45-57 minutes to test your listening skills.

This section is designed to test your ability to listen, read and write. PTE Academic is an integrated skills test, therefore, this test contains multiple question types that test up to 2 skills each.

There are eight question types in the listening section. A breakdown of these question types is as below.

Summarize Spoken Text

The first question type you will need to complete is Summarize Spoken Text, which will tests listening and writing skills.

To complete the task, a recording between 60-90 seconds long will be played for you to listen to. As you listen, try to use the Erasable Noteboard Booklet to take notes of key points to help you understand the context.

After the recording, you will have 10 minutes to write a summary of what you heard.

To answer this question type, you must write a minimum of 50 words but no more than 70 words.

You can receive a maximum of 2 points for content, 2 for form, 2 for grammar, 2 for vocabulary and 2 for spelling.

Multiple-choice, multiple answer

The second question type, Multiple-Choice, Multiple Answer will test listening skills.

First, you will be given information to help answer the question. You only have 7 seconds to read this. A recording will then play that is between 40-90 seconds long.

Select all the response options that you think are correct.

In this question type, you can receive 1 point for each correct option, but will lose -1 point for each incorrect option. You cannot score below 0.

Fill in the blanks

In the third question type, Fill in the Blanks, listening and writing skills will be tested.

Similar to the previous task, you will be given 7 seconds to read some information before hearing the recording.

A recording between 30-60 seconds will play. As you listen, type each word in the blank spaces as you hear them so that you do not miss any.

Do not leave any spaces blank, you can review them at the end.

You receive 1 point for each correct word which is spelled correctly.

Highlight correct summary

The fourth question type, Highlight Correct Summary, will test listening and reading skills.

You will be given 10 seconds before the recording starts to read the options. A recording will be played that is between 30-90 seconds long.

To complete the task, select only one correct response. If unsure, choose the one you think is correct as you cannot lose points in this question.

Your response will either be marked as correct or incorrect.

Multiple-choice, single answer

The fifth question type, Multiple-Choice, Single Answer will test listening skills.

To complete this task, you will be given information to read for context, you will then need to listen to a recording between 30-60 seconds long.

Choose the option that best suits.

Your response to this question type will be marked as correct or incorrect.

Select missing word

In the sixth question type, Select Missing Word, will test your listening skills.

A recording between 20-70 seconds long will be played and you will need to predict the last word or words of the text to complete the task.

You will be marked on this question type as either correct or incorrect.

Highlight incorrect words

In the seventh question type, Highlight Incorrect Words, your listening and reading skills will be tested.

In this question type, you will be shown information and have 10 seconds to read it before a recording starts.

A recording between 15-50 seconds will play and you will need to select the words that are incorrect and do not match the recording.

You can receive 1 point for each correct word and lose -1 point for each incorrect word. You cannot score below 0.

Write from dictation

The eighth and final question type, Write from Dictation, tests listening and writing skills.

You will have 7 seconds to read the instructions before the recording starts. The recording is between 3-5 seconds long and once it starts, listen and type the sentence in the response box.

You can receive 1 point for each correct word you write. Write the words in the right order and spell them correctly in order to receive 1 point. Points are not lost for incorrect words.

What's next?

We recommend reviewing the core listening skills required for PTE Academic.

Want more prep ideas?

Plus, explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

• Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

• It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

• Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

Ready to get started?

PTE Academic is completed on a computer, including the speaking part of the test.

So make sure you are prepared by familiarizing yourself with the equipment you will use during your test. Reading these test tips and you will be fully prepared.

Hundreds of new words are added to the dictionary each year, and it often takes months of consideration to decide which ones. But when the pandemic began in 2020, many words we’d never heard of suddenly became part of our day-to-day vocabulary – think words like “furlough”, “stay at home order”, and COVID-19 (which was only invented in February 2020). With this, dictionaries raced to add new entries, and helped us to define our “new normal”. So, what are some of the words that got added last year? Let’s explore 10 new words you’ll need:  

1. Adulting 

Definition: The action of becoming or acting like an adult 

In December 2020, the Oxford English Dictionary added the word “adulting.” It’s often used by young people when they talk about doing tasks that are essential to every-day life – like cooking meals, buying insurance, or paying taxes.  

How to use it: My roommates and I are adulting all the time. We clean the whole house every Saturday! 

2. Awe walk 

Definition: Taking a walk outside and making an effort to look at the things around you 

“Awe walk” hasn’t been added to the Cambridge Dictionary yet – but they have noticed it’s been used quite a bit. The word “awe” means a feeling of respect. So when someone says they will take an awe walk, it means they’ll notice – and feel grateful for – all the small things around them. 

The word was actually coined by the authors of a psychological study, which found older people who took awe walks felt more positive and less stressed over time.  

How to use it: Today on our awe walk we noticed a tree we’d never seen before.  

3. Contactless 

Definition: not having to physically touch or interact with people, or relating to a technological system for payments, where information is transmitted over short distances without physical contact

“Contactless” delivery became a popular option for shoppers during the pandemic. People who choose contactless delivery get their groceries or food delivered to the doorsteps, but don’t have to go out to receive them. Merriam-Webster added the word to their dictionary in April, right at the beginning of the pandemic. Contactless is also referred to when talking about contactless payment technology.

How to use it: Our family started to shop at a new grocery store, because we wanted the option to have contactless delivery.  

The limit on contactless payments has increased. 

4. Doomscrolling 

Definition: the action of constantly scrolling through and reading depressing news on a news site or on social media, especially on a phone  

Dictionary.com added “doomscrolling” in summer 2020. And, we’ve all done it. Doomscrolling is when you become obsessed with staying up to date with bad news. It’s a combination of the noun “doom” and verb “scroll” – and was made popular by the journalist Karen Ho last year.  

How to use it: I was doomscrolling on Twitter today while reading about Covid-19 cases. I think it’s why I feel so anxious now.  

5. PPE

Definition: an abbreviation for personal protective equipment 

Many of us first heard the word “PPE” at the beginning of the pandemic, and the word was added by Merriam-Webster last April. PPE is the abbreviation of personal protective equipment. This is the clothing people wear to protect themselves from danger. Masks, gloves, face shields, and goggles are all examples of PPE. 

How to use it: Many healthcare professionals and essential workers did not have access to PPE at the beginning of the pandemic.  

6. Quarenteen

Definition: a teenager during the COVID-19 pandemic  

Do you know a “quarenteen?” It’s another word that’s been observed by Cambridge Dictionary – but hasn’t been added quite yet. If it is added, quarenteen will be a homophone for the word “quarantine.” It’ll also be a compound noun of “quarantine” and “teenager.”  

How to use it: My sister was a quarenteen and spent a lot of time on TikTok. 

7. Thirsty 

Definition: Having a need for attention or approval  

But doesn’t thirsty mean needing to drink? Well, Merriam-Webster added a new definition of the word last year. “Thirsty” means having a strong desire for attention – especially on social media. Thirsty is informal, and it’s mostly used by young people. 

How to use it: My brother is thirsty. He posts so many photos of our dog Jellybean on Instagram because he wants her to be a dog model.

8. Truthiness 

Definition: something that seems true but isn’t backed up by evidence 

The word “truthiness” became popular after American comedian Stephen Colbert talked about it on his show The Colbert Report back in 2005. It was meant to be a joke, but many dictionaries have now included the word – including Merriam-Webster. With so much disinformation going around right now, we think it’s a great word for today's world.  

How to use it: In this class, you can’t speak truthiness and expect to get away with it.  

9. Unconscious bias 

Definition: unconscious prejudice against people of a certain race, gender, or group 

“Unconscious bias” is a negative term, which was added to the Oxford English Dictionary last year. Everyone has unconscious beliefs about other groups, and these beliefs can cause them to discriminate against others. There is also conscious bias. When people are consciously biased, their discrimination is intentional.   

How to use it: In this day and age, I hope more workplaces will address their conscious and unconscious bias.

10. WFH

Definition:  An abbreviation for work (or working) from home  

The word “WFH” was added to Merriam-Webster in April 2020 when many people were WFH! This is an important word to know if you're part of an English-speaking workplace.  

How to use it: My co-workers say they’re WFH on Slack everyday.

So, what’s your favorite new word? We recommend keeping up on all the new words added to dictionaries throughout the year –  it’s a great way to expand your vocab!  

For more English-learning resources, don’t forget to check out our articles and click on the 'Test tips & advice' filter.

As part of the PTE Academic, you must demonstrate a certain set of core English skills to maximize your score.

To help you do your best in Part 1: Writing we’ve put together some tips.

Summarize Written Text

In the Summarize Written Text question type, you will be scored based on the content, formal requirements, grammar, and vocabulary.

When completing this question type you should first quickly scan read the text prompt given to make sure you understand what it is about. If you are unsure what it is about, make a guess based on the context.

You should try to take notes on the Erasable Noteboard Booklet or on the screen as you read. If you do use the screen, remember to delete your notes before clicking ‘next’ or time runs out.

Some quick ways to pick up points include:

• Stick to the topic or purpose of the text. Key points in the text will usually be repeated, developed, and highlighted – try to include these in your writing. If you do not summarize the meaning or purpose you will score zero points.

• Do not include examples or supporting evidence in your summary.

• Use words from the text but try to use synonyms where possible.

• Use noun phrases where possible to show that you can use certain features of academic vocabulary in your writing.

When completing the question type, make sure you write only one sentence. If you write more, points will be lost.

A good sentence for this question type is 20-35 words long. If you write a short sentence, it will not capture all the meaning. Remember to check the word count in the box below your answer.

As you write the sentence, try to think about:

• Have I summarized the key points?

• Does my sentence start with a capital letter and end with a full stop? If you spell everything in capital letters or all of the words are in lower case, you will score zero.

• Did I use run-on sentences? If you have, change them to a compound or complex sentence.

Make sure to use grammatical structures that you feel you can write correctly. Usually, a complex structure is required for summarizing text.

Don’t forget, always take time to check your grammar and vocabulary before clicking “next” or the 10 minutes is up.

When checking your answer, look for articles, especially ‘the’, prepositions, tenses, plurals, and subject-verb agreement as well as your own common errors. Check that you have not written a run-on sentence. If so, turn it into a compound or complex sentence.

Write Essay

The second part of the Writing section contains the Write Essay question type.

This question type will test grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and written discourse skills. It is important to manage time, as you will need enough time to plan, write and proofread the essay, all within 20 minutes.

You will be scored on the content and formal requirements of the question, as well as your grammar, general linguistic range, vocabulary range, and spelling.

Overall your essay should:

• Address the prompt. If not, you will score zero.

• Be well-planned and organized.

• Demonstrate critical thinking to show a logical approach to the essay topic.

• Include 4 paragraphs: an introduction, 2 body paragraphs each developing an idea, and a short conclusion summarizing your ideas.

• Include examples, explanations, and facts to support the point of view you are expressing.

• Be between 200-300 words long. Try to write just over 200 words and use the time to check the quality of your writing. If you write less than 200 or more than 380 words, you will score zero.

Use the same method of taking notes as the Summarize Written Text question type.

Your introduction can be linked to the body paragraphs with an overview. Then, the first body paragraph can be linked to the second body paragraph with a cohesive device.

More information on cohesive devices can be found at the below links:

• GrammarBank

• RMIT English Worldwide Cohesion part 1

• RMIT English Worldwide Cohesion part 2

Then for a conclusion, link it by writing In conclusion, To conclude.. etc.

In your writing, try to use complex sentences as you will score more points. Make sure to vary language by using synonyms, antonyms, and academic vocabulary.

The use of appropriate idiomatic expressions or colloquialisms will help you score well, but do not use too many as your writing will not be entirely academic.

Lastly, when it comes to spelling, make sure to spell each word correctly. Making more than 1 spelling mistake will mean you will score zero for this question.

Always remember to proofread your writing to make sure there are no errors before clicking next.

Want more prep ideas?

Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

• Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

• It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

• Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

Ready to get started?

Part 3: Listening in PTE Academic requires many hours of practice to maximize your score. Whilst practicing other parts of the test you would have learned certain core English skills that are needed in Part 3 that you can further improve.

To do well in the listening questions set a daily goal of listening regularly to authentic English texts. The more you listen, the better you will do in the test.

When choosing recordings to listen to, do not choose examples that are too difficult. Start at a level you are comfortable with and build up to a higher level example as you improve.

If you find the recording too difficult, try to just listen for the content words, such as nouns, adjectives, and verbs so that you can pick up the meaning of the recording.

Always try to listen as many times as you need to fully understand the content. Try to go back and listen to the same recording a few days later to help you remember the content, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

Use an Online Tone Generator tool to help slow down recordings and keep the original pitch of the speaker. Try not to slow it down so much that you translate the meaning into your own language as this will not help improve your listening skills.

Don’t forget to be an active listener and focus on what you are hearing.

What should I listen to?

As the speakers in PTE Academic have various accents, we recommend listening to a wide range of speakers from different backgrounds to learn the different pronunciations used.

Try to listen to speakers from Britain, America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as second language speakers from India, China, and Europe.

Some of the below podcasts will help:

• BBC’s (UK)

• Luke’s English Podcast

• English Class 101

• Better at English

• VOA Learning English

• Culips Chatterbox

• Aussie English Podcast

You can also listen to radio around the world at Live Online Radio.

When listening keep a listening diary to write down the titles of recordings along with notes. Listen for stressed words in the recordings as these are usually the most important.

The easiest way to take notes will be to use abbreviations and/or symbols as you will not have enough time in the test to write full words.

From your notes, you should be able to answer the following questions:

• What was the topic and main ideas?

• What accent did the speaker/s use?

• Was it interesting?

• What did you learn from it?

• What vocabulary did you learn?

• Do you want to listen to more texts from that site?

• Did you need to slow the text down? If so, what speed?

• How many times did you listen to the text? Do you want to listen again?

• Do you feel your listening skills are improving?

What's next?

To learn more about how to apply listening skills and improve test results, view our self-improvement strategies:

• Listening: Self-Improvement Part 1

• Listening: Self-Improvement Part 2