PTE Academic

PTE Academic is a two-hour-long, computer-based assessment of an individual’s English language skill in an academic context. The evaluation assesses someone’s behavioural skills of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking skills through questions using authentically sourced material. PTE Academic is a multilevel test, such as IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC. One advantage of this test is that you can get your results quickly, in roughly five days.
PTE is of two kinds; PTE Academic and PTE General. PTE Academic is accepted by universities worldwide for the primary intention of higher education abroad. In contrast, PTE General is accepted by universities and companies and functions as proof of language proficiency and can also be used for job purposes.
The entire test is done in one session which takes three hours and is taken on a computer in a safe test environment. The speaking part of this exam is performed on the computer. Your voice is sent and recorded for evaluation. The price varies from country to country but is between $150 -$385 (e.g. $375 in Australia).

Countries Accepting PTE Score

Aspirants looking to pursue a degree in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, the UK, the USA and Canada can give the Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic test. Probably one of the most frequently accepted computer-based English tests, PTE Academic is generally taken for immigration and abroad studies.

PTE Academic Test Centers in Australia

PTE Academic is accepted by most Australian universities in addition to professional associations. There have been PTE Academic test centres in many capital cities in Australia. Pearson test centres are located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. Here is the list of some of the PTE Academic test centres in Australia.

• Canberra Institute of Technology – Canberra
• PLT at Clifton’s – Sydney
• Pearson Professional Centers – Sydney
• Central Queensland University – Sydney
• Navitas English Test Centre – Sydney

You must reach half an hour before the scheduled time of your exam in the test centre. You won’t be permitted to take the exam if you arrive 15 minutes late at the exam centre.
There’s no limit from Pearson concerning how often an applicant can give the PTE Exam. Candidates can give the exam with a gap of 5 days. Thus, applicants can choose the PTE Academic exam as often as they need. To choose the PTE Academic exam, the candidate should be at least 16 years old. Candidates below 18 years old must have a parental consent form signed by parents or guardians before taking this exam.

PTE Academic Test Format

You have to go to a Pearson test centre to take the PTE test where you will be assigned a laptop and a headset. The PTE-Academic test is divided into four sections – Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. The speaking and writing modules are combined in 1 session, whereas reading and listening have different segments. These four sections are subdivided into 20 sub-sections and each sub-section has its own question-and-answer format that can range from multiple choice answers to composition writing, reading paragraphs out, to deciding upon a suitable word.
The PTE test is based on real-life academic and general content. This may include charts, summaries, excerpts, and many more things that are around you. The test also comprises both native and non-native accents, similar to what you hear in films, television and other real-life conversations from regular activity.
Whether through self-study or with extra class assistance, applicants are counselled to give their best during the exam. According to the official PTE Study Material, solving multiple PTE practice papers and revising the PTE Syllabus can be quite a good beginning.

Part 1: Speaking & Writing

(54 – 67 minutes)

• Personal introduction
• Read aloud
• Repeat sentence
• Describe image
• Re-tell lecture
• Answer short question
• Summarize written text
• Essay (20 mins)

Part 2: Reading

(29 – 30 minutes)

• Reading & writing: Fill in the blanks
• Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers
• Re-order paragraphs
• Reading: Fill in the blanks
• Multiple-choice, choose single answer

Part 3: Listening

(30 – 43 minutes)

• Summarize spoken text
• Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers
• Fill in the blanks
• Highlight correct summary
• Multiple-choice, choose single answer
• Select missing word
• Highlight incorrect words
• Write from dictation

What to Bring to Exam?

PTE Academic test is taken in a secure test centre. You need to show your ID, check in with the exam administrator, and then sit in a secure computer room. Following are the things you need to do:

• Show your identification document such as a passport.
• Sign digitally.
• Get your digital photo shot.
• Scan your palms digitally.

PTE Academic results are available on the Internet within two working days from the test date. You can check the PTE results online from the PTE Academic student accounts. First, an email will be sent to you, including guidelines within five working days for obtaining the results online. After that, you have to follow the guidelines to sign into a Pearson account. You can also send your results to all the schools and colleges of your choice through your Pearson account.

PTE Academic Exam is scored on a scale of 10-90, on which ten is the smallest, with increments of just 1 point. The scale reveals the individual’s power to read, speak, comprehend verbal guidelines and write the English language. The scores are presented in a chart, giving a straightforward comprehension of the candidate’s core skills in the language as well as improvement areas.

How to Prepare for PTE?

Practice, Practice, Practice

• Spend most of your time practising your skills.
• Practice speaking English in your house, office or school.
• Join English-speaking classes; they offer you the chance to practice both listening and speaking skills.
• Simply take every chance to write in English, such as; sending emails to contacts or friends and keeping a diary.
• Read from sources such as newspapers, magazines and academic journals and novels.
• Listen to English-speaking media, such as tv (utilize English subtitles if available) and radio broadcasts.
• Candidates are encouraged to see and reevaluate their PTE Academic syllabus. Search the PTE Exam Pattern and, most importantly, practice as many PTE Sample Papers as you can to leave minimal room for mistakes.

Some Tips for PTE Test Preparation

Maintain a Balance. As soon as you do exhaustive training or study to achieve your goal, you must take care of yourself. Listed below are a couple of tips that will help you keep equilibrium during your PTE prep:

• Be sure to get up from the desk every 30-45 minutes. Stand up, stretch and walk away from the computer for a couple of moments to refresh your body and mind.
• Stay healthy and eat healthy, fresh food. As soon as we study hard, we utilize up a lot of energy. Set a timer to remind you to drink water and eat fruit or nuts nearby for a quick snack.
• Take a break or perhaps a rest if you’re feeling drowsy; it’s surprising what a 20-minute power nap can perform to help concentration!
• Schedule occasions for exercise. Simply take a 10-20 second walk, a little yoga, or an online physical fitness class–that there are so many amazing ones available-or even perform a few gentle stretches and breathing exercises. Most of these are extremely favourable for quality concentration and efficient study. These things also help to handle exam fear.

Conclusion

English tests like PTE academic can be stressful and hard to pass. But, with the right mindset, determination, careful planning and a lot of practice, you can definitely pass this test.