PTE Academic is a computer-based unbiased English language proficiency test that evaluates the four key skills of language: reading, listening, speaking and writing and is trusted by universities, colleges and governments around the world. Compared to other language proficiency tests, PTE Academic is chosen by many students for its convenience as you can schedule tests up to 24 hours in advance, 365 days a year. The computer-based testing and scoring are unbiased meaning you will be assessed objectively and consistently. In addition to flexible testing and fast results, students can send their scores to universities and institutions unlimited times for free.
About PTE
Introduction
Modules
PTE Academic is a three-hour test and there are three main parts to the test that includes speaking and writing (together), reading and listening where you also have an optional 10 minute break between the reading and listening sections. You will come across twenty different question formats, ranging from multiple choices to essay writing and interpreting information.
Score Scale
The test is scored against the Global Scale of English on a scale of 10-90 where students get an overall score that reflects overall English language ability where the range for each communicative skill score and enabling skill score is 10-90 points.
PTE Test Format
Speaking & Writing 77 – 93 mins
- Personal introduction
- Read aloud
- Repeat sentence
- Describe image
- Re-tell lecture
- Answer short question
- Summarize written text
- Essay (20 mins)
Reading 32 – 41 mins
- Fill in the blanks
- Multiple choice questions
- Re-order paragraphs
- Fill in the blanks
- Multiple choice questions
Listening 45 – 57 mins
- Summarize spoken text
- Multiple choice questions
- Fill in the blanks
- Highlight the correct summary
- Multiple choice questions
- Select missing word
- Highlight incorrect words
- Write from dictation
PTE Test Duration
The total test duration is around 3 hours.
| Listening | 45 – 57 minutes |
| Reading |
32 – 40 minutes |
| Writing |
77 – 93 Minutes |
| Speaking |
11 – 14 Minutes |
PTE Academic Scoring
The overall PTE Academic score is based on the performance on all test items where each test taker is required to answer between 71 and 83 items in any given test with 20 different item types. For each item, the score given will contribute to the overall score and the score range is 10-90 points. It is important to note that the overall score is not the average calculation of the communicative scores.
The communicative skills measured include reading, listening, speaking, and writing where items testing these skills test specific subskills. The item score contributes to the score for the communicative skills and the score range for each skill is 10-90 points.
Enabling skills are reported for test takers to understand areas of their strength and improvement that are summaries of test takers’ performance on different aspects of language that are scored in different item types. The enabling skills include grammar, oral fluency, pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, and written discourse.