All you need to know about PTE

PTE is an acronym that stands for Pearson Test of English. You may have heard this a lot if you are a student or a professional looking for an overseas opportunity. PTE has the same purpose as IELTS or TOEFL. It intends to test your English skills. In this article, you will find all you need to know about PTE.

Branches of PTE

Just like IELTS, PTE has an academic and a General branch. Academic is for those who wish to pursue a foreign degree or a professional opportunity. The General branch is for those who wish to work overseas or test their language learning progress.

Acceptance

PTE Academic is accepted widely in the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada. This version is accepted in New Zealand and Australia for jobs and immigration.

On the other hand, countries such as Latvia, Ukraine, Poland, Spain, Greece, Lithuania, Switzerland, and others accept the PTE General for study and work purposes.

Validity

PTE Academic has two years validity, but PTE General result has a non-expiring validity.

Frequency, Duration, and Format

Depending on the testing center, you can sit for PTE Academic every month. However, if you want to take the General test, it is available in February, May, June, October, November, and December.

The General version lasts for 1.5 to 3 hours max, but the Academic version lasts for 3 hours.

You need to take tests on speaking, listening, writing, and reading in both cases. However, in the General version, tests are intermingled. You do not have separate modules for reading and listening. There are two main parts – speaking and writing. 

Within the writing test, you will be tested for reading and listening. Out of 100 points for the complete General exam, you get 20 points for the speaking part and 80 points for the writing part. 

The speaking section is divided into two tasks, weighing 10 points each. In the writing section, you will have to attempt 40 different listening, reading, and writing components. 2 points are allocated for each component.

The listening and reading components are distributed into five segments – picture-based multiple-choice and matching names to pictures. The reading component has four segments – matching items, matching revelation and words to pictures, and filling in the gaps. 

The speaking component is divided into question and answer and a short talk.

In the Academic PTE, you can get a maximum of 90 marks if you answer all the questions correctly. Your communicative skill will be judged based on your performance in the listening, reading, writing, and speaking sections. 

Your enabling skill will be judged based on your pronunciation, grammar, oral fluency, written discourse, and spelling. 

Academic Scoring System

In the Academic PTE, you have two types of scoring – partial credit and correct/incorrect. If you give a partially correct answer, you will get a partial credit; for a fully correct answer, you will get a full mark; and for a wrong answer, you will get a zero mark. Hope, All you need to know about PTE You Got to know that. Good luck!

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