How are PTE and IELTS different? Here’s what you need to know

PTE Author
PTE Author
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Read Time: 6 minutes

PTE Academic is a real-world English test. This means it uses authentic source materials and a range of accents to assess natural real-world English proficiency. The test format is clearly structured, but students still need to understand the tasks in each section and know what they have to do to succeed on test day. 

The good news is that if you’re already used to preparing candidates for IELTS Academic, you’ll easily be able to adapt to help prepare them for their PTE Academic test. 

Let’s have a look at the similarities and differences between both tests and explore how you can adapt your test preparation classes for success in PTE Academic. 

The structure of the tests

The structure of PTE Academic and IELTS Academic is broadly similar. Both tests assess students on all four language skills: speaking, writing, reading and listening. The biggest difference in structure is that for PTE Academic there is just one two-hour computed-based test for all four skills. Whereas with IELTS Academic you need to book a separate face-to-face speaking test. More on that below. The order that skills are tested in, and the way the tasks are timed and organized, is also different:

Overall test structure

PTE Academic IELTS Academic
Listening: 30 - 43 minutes Listening: 30 minutes
Reading: 29 - 30 minutes Reading: 60 minutes
Speaking and Writing: 54 - 67 minutes (tested together) Writing: 60 minutes
  Speaking: 11 - 14 minutes
Test duration: Approximately 2 hours Test duration: Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes

The speaking sections of PTE Academic and IELTS Academic are quite different. Firstly, PTE Academic tests the integrated skills of speaking and writing, whereas with IELTS Academic these skills are tested separately.  

Secondly, the PTE Academic speaking section is completed on a computer (and is machine scored). This is in contrast to the IELTS Academic speaking section, which is done face to face with a human examiner. Many students taking PTE Academic report feeling less nervous about completing the speaking section on a computer. This is because they feel confident that it is their English skills that are being scored, and nothing else.

What’s more, because the PTE Academic speaking section is computer-based, the whole test can be completed on the same day in a single test session. In IELTS Academic, students may have to complete the speaking section on a different day – up to a week later.

Task types 

While some of the tasks within the tests might seem quite different, they often test the same skills. Let’s take a look:  

1. Writing 

In both PTE Academic and IELTS Academic, the 'Essay' tasks are very similar. This means you won’t need to adapt your preparation techniques much at all.

For the other writing task, the main point of difference between the tests is that PTE Academic asks students to summarize a written text, using a single sentence. For IELTS Academic, test takers must write a description/summary of a chart or graph: 

Writing

PTE Academic IELTS Academic
Speaking and Writing: 54 - 67 minutes Writing: 60 minutes
  • Task 1: Summarize Written Text - up to 75 words. Summarize a passage of text in one single sentence. Testing reading and writing.
  • Task 2: Essay - 20 - 40 minutes - 200- 300 words. Argumentative or persuasive essay.
  • Task 1: Written description or summary of a chart or graph - 150 words.
  • Task 2: Essay - 250 words. Point of view, argument or problem response.

There is also a great deal of overlap in the skills tested here. In order to score well in either test, students will need to: 

  • organize their sentences and paragraphs in a logical way

  • synthesize information for writing a summary

  • support an opinion with details, examples, and explanations

  • use correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics

  • use appropriate language for the context of their writing. 

2. Speaking  

The 'Describe Image' task in PTE Academic tests the same language abilities as the first writing task in IELTS Academic, where students are asked to describe a graph or chart. So you’ll be able to adapt your preparation technique for this task very easily. Students find it helpful to practise the 'Describe Image' task, so that they can become comfortable with the skill.

Speaking

PTE Academic IELTS Academic
Speaking and Writing: 54 - 67 minutes Speaking: 60 minutes

Multiple input texts - integrated tasks and skills tested.

5 item types - 25 - 33 questions:

  • Read Aloud
  • Repeat Sentence
  • Describe Image
  • Retell Lecture
  • Answer Short Question
Interview style in 3 parts. Number of questions may vary.
  • Task 1 - Introduction and interview
  • Task 2 - Long turn - speaking about a topic for 2 minutes
  • Task 3 - Discussion about task 2 topic, where examiner will ask questions related to the topic.

Both tests require students to speak fluently and use correct pronunciation, stress, and intonation. They’ll need to be capable of organizing an oral presentation in a logical way, and supporting their analysis of the image with details, examples, and explanations.

3. Reading 

The reading sections of IELTS Academic and PTE Academic differ in terms of structure and timing. In PTE Academic, students answer fewer questions over a significantly shorter time. There are more individual texts, but they’re shorter. Moreover, test takers are only asked one question per text. So, if they aren’t sure about the meaning of a text, they can move on to the next one, with more opportunities to demonstrate their proficiency. They won’t be asked five questions about one single text.

Learners will need to focus on the meaning of the text and be able to identify the main theme, purpose, and tone of the text. Skimming and scanning for information are also important skills, as is the ability to infer meaning. The best way to ensure success in this section is to make sure your students are reading widely and regularly.

Reading

PTE Academic IELTS Academic
Reading: 29 - 30 minutes Reading: 60 minutes

Multiple input texts - 13 - 18 questions

One reading text per question

Task types:

  • Multiple Choice (single and multiple answer)
  • Fill in the Blanks (two different types)
  • Reorder Paragraphs

3 input texts - 40 questions

One reading text, multiple questions

Task types:

  • Multiple choiceIdentifying information or writers' views or claims
  • Matching information or headings, features or sentence endings
  • Sentence completion or summary completion
  • Note or table, flow chart or diagram completion
  • Short answer

4. Listening  

The Listening sections in IELTS Academic and PTE Academic are significantly different. 

Listening

PTE Academic IELTS Academic
Listening: 30 - 43 minutes Listening: 30 minutes + 10 minutes

8 item types - 12 - 20 questionsIntegrated tasks (multiple skills tested).Recordings all from authentic academic sources.

Task types:

  • Summarize Spoken 
  • TextMultiple Choice (single and multiple answers)
  • Fill in the Blanks
  • Highlight Correct Summary
  • Select Missing Word
  • Highlight Incorrect Word
  • Write from Dictation

4 recordings - 40 questions

  • R1 - a conversation - two people set in an everyday social context
  • R2 - a monologue set in an everyday social context
  • R3 - a conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context
  • R4 - a monologue on an academic subject

Task types include:

  • Multiple choice
  • MatchingPlan, map or diagram labelling
  • Form, note, table, flow chart or summary completion
  • Sentence completion
  • Short answer questions

IELTS Academic has conversations and monologues set in social contexts. In contrast, seven out of the eight PTE Academic recordings are from authentic academic sources. Similar to the Reading section, IELTS Academic has fewer recordings but more questions.

What’s more, the task types are quite different. Some of the IELTS Academic tasks require students to complete the sentence, label a map or diagram, and match answers. Some of the PTE Academic tasks ask students to highlight correct summaries, highlight incorrect words, and write from dictation.

Whether your students are working towards PTE Academic or IELTS Academic, you’ll be teaching them broadly similar skills. To score well in the Listening section, your learners will have to be able to listen for gist and for detail. They’ll need to identify words and phrases appropriate to the context. Note-taking skills can also contribute towards a student’s success. Therefore it’s important to make sure your learners are getting plenty of practice at taking notes of key, relevant information, while also listening for overall comprehension.

Smart Preparation resources

Smart Prep is a one-stop preparation portal where you can find everything you need to be confident and test ready for PTE Academic, PTE Core and PTE Home tests.

For PTE Academic this includes more information and links to:

  • Scored Practice Tests ($35.99 USD) — the closest you can get to the real test and scored in the same way, these five scored practice tests are perfect for giving an accurate indication of how you'll perform in the test.

  • Question Bank ($19.99 USD) — the Question Bank features 300 test questions, split by task type, as well as sample answers for the Speaking and Writing sections of the test.

  • The Official Guide to PTE Academic ($39.99 USD) — your official guide to PTE Academic with in-depth information and robust, practical advice on sitting each part of the test, along with an online practice bank of questions and additional online resources.

View our full range of free and paid preparation materials for PTE Academic.

Teacher resources

We also offer a huge number of helpful resources for teachers who are preparing students for the PTE Academic test. These include:

  • Our Teacher Preparation Pathway - A guide to all of our resources and a way for you to become more familiar with the test.

  • Classroom resources - Official coursebooks, free lesson plans, and our free PTE Academic preparation course outline are just some of the resources available to support your planning and teaching.

  • Teacher courses - We offer six, self-paced courses which can be accessed across devices, to support you anytime, anywhere.

View all PTE resources for teachers.

Ready to book?

Find a date and test center to suit you.

Book PTE Academic now

 

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    How to study in Singapore
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    Asian students have long been drawn to Western universities. In fact, in 2018 and 2019, China sent more students to study in the UK than any other country. But now as Asian countries seek to attract more international students themselves, many learners are choosing to study closer to home instead.  

    After all, studying within the region offers plenty of benefits. Not only do Asian universities provide a world-class education at a more affordable price. But they are also “among the world’s best at enhancing their alumni’s job market prospects,” states the QS Graduate Employability Rankings. This is a big draw, considering a recent report found that 81% of respondents from eight Asian countries wanted to study at a foreign university to improve employment. 

    So, what are some of the top study abroad locations for Asian students? And what do learners need to keep in mind when choosing a destination? In this guide, we’ll focus on Singapore: 

    Singapore at a glance 

    Singapore is modern, sustainable, and multicultural. This makes it an attractive place to study for students from around the region. Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English are all recognized as official languages, although English is most commonly spoken. In fact, almost 40% of the population in Singapore speaks English at home.  

    Singapore invests heavily in human capital. For example, it spends more than 20% of its budget on education each year. It comes as no surprise, then, that Singapore’s education system is listed as one of the best in the world by OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). 

    Universities in Singapore 

    There are dozens of universities and colleges in Singapore. The two most popular universities are the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Both universities are ranked among the top 20 in the world. According to QS World University Rankings 2021, NUS holds the spot for 11. NTU is ranked number 13. About a quarter of learners at both universities are international students.  

    Even more, according to QS, NUS ranks number 24 for graduate employability.  

    To study at a Singaporean institution, you must apply directly through the admissions office. This is usually done at the beginning of the year. 

    If you’re a second language speaker or haven’t studied full-time at an English institution, you will also need to prove your English proficiency. PTE Academic is a computer-based language test that provides unbiased and secure results and can help you qualify for studying and migrating abroad.  

    Students wanting to attend a college in Singapore – including the Singapore Institute of Management Global Education (SIM GE), the East Asia Institute of Management, and LASALLE College of the Arts – will need a PTE Academic score of 42. In general, universities look for a minimum PTE Academic score between 55 and 62. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what some popular universities require: 

    • National University of Singapore–62 

    • Nanyang Technological University– 55 

    • Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) – 62 

    However, students are strongly advised to always check with their own university or college to see exactly what PTE Academic score is needed.  

    Getting your visa 

    If you want to study in Singapore, you will need to have a Student Pass. To apply, you must already be accepted as a full-time student at an academic institution. With a Student Pass, you’ll be able to work up to 16 hours a week during the school term. However, you can only do this if you go to an approved institution.  

    Find out exactly how to apply for a Student Pass here.  

    Cost of living 

    Singapore is considered one of the best student cities in the world; it has great weather, a vibrant mix of cultures, and an excellent food scene. However, compared to other Asian countries, it is on the expensive side. International student tuition fees sit at about $18,700 USD a year. To get an idea about how much it costs to live in Singapore, check out the government’s cost of living calculator.  

    Financial aid 

    It’s important to keep in mind that Singapore does offer financial aid for citizens, permanent residents, and international students. The Ministry of Education provides these grants under The Tuition Grant Scheme.  

    The amount of money offered depends on the area of study and the status of each student in Singapore. This table is a good resource, showing what was available to students studying at NTU in 2020. You can see that for international students, the grants start at about $7,700 USD.   

    To accept a Tuition Grant, students who aren’t citizens must sign a Tuition Grant Agreement. This states that they will work in Singapore for a minimum of three years after graduation.  

    For more grant information, visit the Ministry of Education website.  

    Want to study in Singapore?

    With PTE Academic you can achieve your dreams.  

    Our unbiased English tests are trusted as proof of English proficiency by universities in Singapore –  and results are typically ready within 2 days. 

    Find out where you can take PTE Academic now. 

  • Image- listening to podcast 800px x 451px
    5 podcasts to help you learn English
    By PTE Author
    Reading time: 6 minutes

    Podcasts are a great way to practice your English skills. You can listen to them while studying from your desk at home. Or you can listen to them on the go – like while you’re driving, cooking, cleaning, or working out.  

    We especially love podcasts because, since many are conversational, they give you the chance to hear how English speakers interact in real life and expose you to lots of interesting new languages.  

    If you’re planning to take PTE Academic this year, podcasts are great practice for the listening section of the exam – for which you’ll have to answer questions based on audio or video clips.   

    So, are you ready to immerse yourself in the world of English language podcasts? In this blog, we’ll explore some of the best podcasts to learn English:

    1. 6 Minute English 

    6 Minute English is a podcast by BBC Learning English. Each week, the BBC hosts chat about everyday situations – and it makes for a really interesting listen. Ever wonder if trees are intelligent? Or if humans could live in cities underwater? Well, this could be the podcast for you. 

    Overall, 6 Minute English is great for people with an intermediate level of English. It’s short (you guessed it, just 6 minutes) and each episode includes a vocabulary list and transcript. 

    2. But Why

    But Why is another fun podcast for intermediate-level English learners. Kids record questions for the show, and host Jane Lindholm brings in an expert to answer them on air.  

    But Why is produced by Vermont Public Radio in the U.S. And while the podcast is made for kids – it answers questions like ‘why do dogs have tails’ or ‘why are whales so big’ – Lindholm speaks slowly and charismatically, making it easy to understand. Of course, if you have kids, But Why is also a good show to listen to as a family.   

    Each episode is about 30 minutes long and includes a transcript. Even more, the episodes come with free learning worksheets (like this one), which you can use to practice your English writing and listening comprehension skills.  

    3. Luke’s English Podcast 

    Luke’s English Podcast is hosted by Luke Thompson, an English teacher, and comedian from the U.K. The podcast covers a big range of topics; one episode may cover pronunciation tips, and the next may simply feature a conversation between Thompson and his wife. 

    The show is often touted as one of the best podcasts to learn English (it’s been downloaded more than 60 million times) and overall, is a good way to practice your British English skills. The episodes are on the longer side, and some are up to two hours long. 

    While the podcasts are free, Thompson also produces paid content for listeners to subscribe to – giving them access to things like extra podcast episodes, worksheets, tests, and pronunciation drills.  

    4. Criminal

    Many podcast consumers enjoy listening to true crime stories. And, Criminal is one of the most popular crime podcasts out there.  

    Criminal releases two new episodes every month, and each episode explores the story of a different crime. The host, Phoebe Judge, tells how the crime occurred and interviews the people involved – usually a witness, victim, police officer, historian, or the person charged.  

    Since Criminal brings on lots of interview subjects – with different accents and ways of speaking – the podcast is not only thought-provoking. It’s also great for practicing your listening skills, particularly if you’re an upper-intermediate or advanced English learner.  

     5. This American Life

    This American Life is one of the most popular English speaking radio programs and podcasts today. In fact, 3.1 million people download each podcast episode! The 1-hour show is hosted by Ira Glass. Each episode delves into a different theme and includes different stories about the theme.  

    Sometimes the show features long-form pieces about U.S. politics or tells about how one family has been impacted by American immigration policies. Other episodes talk about break-ups or peculiar family traditions.  

    Overall, it’s an excellent show to improve your English comprehension – and learn about American culture, politics, and stories while you’re at it. So if you plan to move to the U.S., listening to This American Life is a must.  

    How to learn English with podcasts  

    We know podcasts help to improve your listening skills. But you can use them to improve your speaking, reading and writing skills, too. Here are a few tips:  

    Listen with the transcript 

    As we mentioned above, many podcasts publish transcripts of their episodes. If you’re studying English at home, it’s a great idea to listen to your favorite podcast with the transcript in front of you. This will help to improve your reading, as well as understand everything the host is saying.  

    You might even want to pause the podcast every few seconds and repeat after the host to practice speaking and pronunciation.  

    Take note of interesting vocab 

    To expand your vocabulary, write down 15 new words from each podcast episode. Take a few minutes at the end of each show to look up the words and define them. If you listen to two podcast episodes each week, you’ll learn 120 new words a month.  

    Write a summary of each episode  

    It’s also a great idea to write a few words about each podcast episode. You might want to challenge and write a 200-word podcast summary. Or, you could simply write a sentence about something new you learned from the show.  

    These writing exercises are great practice for PTE Academic because writing a one-sentence summary of a text or audio file is something you’ll be tested on.  

    Join a listening club 

    A podcast listening club is just like a book club – you get together with a group of friends to discuss and reflect on what you’ve learned.  

    So, if you’re a fan of a particular podcast, why not ask a few friends to meet to chat about some recent episodes? It’s a great way to practice your speaking skills, and it will also help you gain more confidence in expressing opinions in English.  

    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?

     

  • Female-student-reading-and-studying-at-laptop-in-library 800px x 451px
    Listening: Core English skills part 2
    By PTE Author
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    During Part 3: Listening in PTE Academic, you will need to know pronunciation in order to understand what the speakers are saying.

    Pronunciation

    When completing PTE Academic, you will hear a variety of accents from both fluent English speakers and second language speakers, as you would in the real world. Don’t worry, the accents will be clear and regular users of English do not have trouble understanding them. To prepare you should choose texts from around the world and practice listening to a wide range of accents.

    The recordings in PTE Academic use authentic examples of speech, so there will be connected speech present. Connected speech includes: assimilation, elision, twinning, catenation, linking vowel sounds, intrusive sounds, the schwa /ə/, weak forms, and contractions. These words are not used in English when you pronounce each word separately. They are only used in connected speech.

    Assimilation

    In connected speech in English, the sound at the end of a word can change to sound the same as the beginning of the first word.

    Watch these videos from BBC Learning English to better understand assimilation:

    Elision

    Elision occurs when a sound is not pronounced at all by the speaker.

    For example, we say pos card, but we write postcard.

    This Pronunciation: The sound /s/ video shows how it works.

    Twinning

    When you finish a word with the same sound as the start of the next word, it’s called twinning.

    Watch the video below to learn more:

    Catenation

    Catenation is when one word ends in a consonant sound and the next one starts with a vowel and we say the two words as one.

    The below video will help you learn more about catenation:

    Linking vowel sounds

    When we speak, we use the /j/ (the first sound in yellow) and /w/ (the first sound in wet) to link words that end with a vowel to the next word that starts with a vowel.

    For example, we would say he yordered, but we write he ordered and you say go won, but write go on.

    To learn more about linking /j/ and linking /w/ you can view this video:

    Intrusive sounds

    When we speak, we add a /r/ (first sound in the word red) when the first word ends in some vowel sounds and the next word also starts with a vowel sound.

    For example, we say sawrants but we write saw ants.

    This video on intrusive sounds will help you understand better:

    The schwa /ə/

    The most common vowel sound in English is the schwa /ə/. It is used in connected speech and is when you pronounce a vowel, which is not stressed in a word.

    This video will better explain what it means and how it’s used:

    Weak forms

    In addition to the above, the schwa /ə/ is used to pronounce the vowel in weak forms of grammar words in connected speech. It can be a little confusing so we recommend watching all of the below videos to learn more:

    Contractions

    In connected speech, when we are not stressing the subject, verb, or not, we do not use the full form of the subject and verb with verbs be and have. These are contractions.

    Contractions are also used with be, have and do in the negative, as well as some modal verbs in the negative.

    For example:

    • I am =>I’m

    • You are =>you’re

    • We have =>we’ve

    • They have =>they’ve

    • You are not => you aren’t

    • They are not => they aren’t

    • He/she/it is not =>he/she/it isn’t (you can also use he’s/she’s/it’s not)

    We also use I’m not and we’re not and do not => don’t, did not => didn’t, cannot => can’t, will not => won’t, might not => mightn’t. They are used very often in connected spoken English so make sure to listen carefully to pick these up.

    The below video will take you through this type of connected speech:

    All of the above types of connected speech are important in the Fill in the Blanks, Highlight Incorrect Words and Write from Dictation question types.

    As part of Part 3: Listening in your test, you will need to review your vocabulary and grammar skills, as well as learn cohesive devices and signal language. You can read more about these core English skills in part 3.