Writing: core English skills part 1

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.

Multiple-choice, choose single answer

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.

Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

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.

Re-order paragraphs

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.

Fill in the blanks and reading & writing: fill in the blanks

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.

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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.

Who needs a UK student visa? 

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. 

What are the UK student visa requirements I need to meet? 

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).  

Which type of visa do I need to apply for? 

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.