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If your PTE skill scores look very different from each other, that does not automatically mean something has gone wrong. Your Score Report includes individual scores for Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, and most test takers do not perform in exactly the same way across every skill. Here we explain what your PTE results can show you, why different skill scores can be completely normal and how to use that information calmly and practically.
Short answer: They are your four communicative skills scores, one each for Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing.
Your Score Report shows five numbers: an Overall Score, and a separate score for each of the four communicative skills. All five are reported on the same scale of 10 to 90.
It is completely understandable to look at your Overall Score first. It is often the number connected to an application, visa requirement or personal target, so of course it gets your attention.
But your skill scores can add helpful context. They show the pattern of your performance across the four communicative skills, rather than asking one headline number to explain everything.
That bigger picture matters because your Overall Score is based on performance across the whole test. It is not simply an average of your four communicative skill scores.
Short answer: Because English ability is rarely perfectly equal across every communicative skill.
This is one of the questions test takers ask a lot, especially when one skill score is higher or lower than expected.
The simple answer is that different skill scores are not unusual. Many people naturally perform more strongly in some skills than others, and these scores reflect performance across each skill on the day of the test.
That makes sense when you think about how we use language in real life. Someone might feel confident speaking but find detailed listening harder. Someone else might be strong at reading but less confident writing under time pressure.
So a varied set of scores is not something to panic about. It can simply show that your strengths are not identical across every skill.
Short answer: No, not necessarily. Differences between your Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing scores can be a normal reflection of how you performed across skills.
Your four skill scores do not need to be perfectly even.
Rather than asking why they may not match, it can be more useful to look at what each score tells you about your performance.
Short answer: They can help you understand how you performed across the four communicative skills assessed by PTE and where you may want to focus next.
Use your communicative skill scores to understand:
That is why your skill scores can be more useful than one headline number on its own. Looking at them together can help you better understand your performance, recognize areas of strength and decide where to focus your preparation next.
Your Skills Profile is different from your Score Report.
Your Score Report shows your Overall Score and communicative skill scores for Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing.
Your Skills Profile goes a step further by providing a more detailed view of your performance across eight language skill areas together with personalized recommendations.
Unlike your Score Report, your Skills Profile is designed as a learning and development tool for you, the test taker. It is never shared with institutions that receive your scores.
Short answer: Focus on understanding each task, responding appropriately and developing your English across all four communicative skills.
Rather than feeling like you need to fix everything at once, use your score for each skill to understand where you performed more strongly and where further preparation can help you most.
If you are planning to retake your PTE test, this direction can help you prepare with more focus.
There is no single skill, question type or shortcut that determines your score.
Stronger performance comes from understanding the test format, responding to the task and developing your underlying English proficiency across speaking, listening, reading and writing.
The aim is not to overthink each and every score. The aim is to use what you learn from your results calmly, practically and as part of a wider plan to keep building your English skills.
Your skill scores are there to help you understand your performance and make sense of your result, not leave you guessing. If your scores look different across skills, try not to see that as a problem on its own.
It can feel surprising at first, especially if you were expecting your scores to be more even, but it can also give you useful information about your performance.
Use your scores to understand where you performed strongly, where you may want to keep developing and how to take a more focused next step.
The most important thing to remember is that PTE is designed to assess your English proficiency across speaking, listening, reading and writing. The strongest responses are relevant to the task, communicate clearly and accurately, and reflect your own English ability.
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.
There are many ways you can improve your chances of gaining points in Part 2: Reading during PTE Academic.
To improve your reading skills, practice increasing your reading speed and comprehension at the same time. In turn, you will improve your writing, grammar and vocabulary skills.
To do well in this part of the test, you need to be able to read quickly, using effective reading strategies, as there is a limited time to answer all questions.
Speed reading tasks will help improve your reading speed. Practice speed reading every day and:
Aim to be reading at least 220 words per minute
Reading short articles of around 300 words
Read often for short periods of time
You can also try this as a challenge with your friends to help keep motivated. Once you are happy with your comprehension and speed, focus on chunks (groups of words) rather than individual words.
When your reading skills reach a level you are happy with, you will feel more confident to answer the questions.
In the Multiple-Choice, Single Answer question type, some test takers make the mistake of scan reading and matching the words in the text to the words in the answer. Generally, the words in the text are not used in the correct answer, therefore it is important to learn how to use synonyms and paraphrasing as it will be used in the test.
Learn how to improve your grammar in our Reading: Core Skills part 1 article.
In this question type, you will need more time than in the Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer question type, as you need to intensively read the stem (the part before the options) as well as the options, then scan read the text on the screen until you find the part of the text that contains information that was in the stem.
Read the options very carefully and match the meaning of the option with the text. Do not match the words – this is something test takers may make errors with.
You should also make sure not to choose all the options since you lose one point for each incorrect choice. However, you cannot score below zero.
To do well in the Re-order Paragraphs questions, you will need to have a strong understanding of cohesive devices and how they work. You will also need to understand how articles work, as well as the logical and chronological order of information.
In this question type, skim-read the text to get the ideas of the topic of the text. From there, you should read all the sentences carefully.
For both Fill in the Blanks and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks question types, you will need to understand a range of vocabulary, collocations, grammar, pronouns, and cohesive devices, as well as being able to identify when plural nouns are needed.
You will also need to be able to skim read to get an idea of the meaning of the text, then read intensively before and after each blank. If unsure, you should guess based on the context.
Make sure you do not leave any spaces blank. You do not need to correctly fill in all spaces to get points.
To go back and review the question types within the reading test, we suggest learning more about the reading questions.
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?
Do you have your heart set on studying in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? The UK is a wonderful place to live and learn, but you’ll most likely need to get a UK study visa before you start packing your bags.
This comprehensive guide covers who needs a UK student visa, the requirements for getting one, how to apply, how much it costs, and how long it takes.
If you’re an international student hoping to study in the UK, you’ll most likely need a student visa. The only exceptions are nationals of Switzerland and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), who don’t need a visa to enter the UK. *
* Please note: The outcome of Brexit may alter this after 2020. Check the UK government’s website for up-to-date information about this.
There are several UK study visa requirements you’ll need to meet to successfully apply. These include:
You’ve been offered a place in a full-time course from an eligible university (i.e. the school must be a licensed Student route visa*Tier 4 sponsors)
You can understand English (both written and spoken)
You have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, while also paying for the course.
These requirements apply to students from all over the world. This means the UK student visa requirements for Indian students and American students are exactly the same for Chinese students and Australian students (and so on).
