Everything You Need to Know About PTE Exam
Are you a Non-native speaker who wants to study abroad and gain international exposure? Well, if so then you are at the right page. There are many things a student needs to take care of while preparing for international studies. Be it a good score in school exams, or giving various entrance tests to crack the entry condition to amazing universities. Apart from all this, there is one more essential exam that you need to take care of, and that is the Pearson Tests of English (PTE) exam.
This exam is conducted for non-native English language speakers, who don’t have English as their first language. The PTE helps the universities understand that you are capable enough to comprehend and communicate in the English language. Even for Visa application, PTE helps a lot to clear the purpose of visit to the country.
Here we have some of the major questions one should keep in mind before giving the PTE exam:
When is the PTE exam conducted (PTE exams date)?
The PTE exam is not conducted during a specific time. You can give the exam according to your need. The exam date is available throughout the year. You just need to pay the fee and choose the date according to your comfort zone.
What is the fee structure of the PTE exam?
The fee for the PTE exam can be around 330 AUD. A little extra fee can be charged if the student is applying for the exam 48 hours before the time an exam is to be conducted. So it is sort of like a late fee charge for all those who wake up at the last moment and realize that they want to give the PTE exam.
How much PTE test score is known to be good marks?
The PTE exam has a score from 10-90. Above 79% is known as excellent marks and increases the chances of clearing the language proficiency criteria.
How long is PTE valid for (time duration)?
The PTE exam score is valid for two years. This time is calculated from the date when the examination is held. You can check the score or show it to someone for two consecutive years. Once 2 years are completed, the website will remove your score from the official PTE exam website.
What is the format of the PTE exam?
The PTE exam is known to test the English language proficiency of a student. Therefore, it is formed with all the 4 major criteria for testing a language. The criteria are reading, writing, listening and speaking. In this, the speaking and writing section are integrated into one and the rest reading and listening into one. The total exam is of 3 hours out of which 77-90 minutes is given to the writing and speaking section. The reading section is given 30-40 minutes. And the listening section is given 45-55 minutes.
Speaking section
The speaking section checks that the candidate is able to speak the English language properly or not. Proper pronunciation of words and flow is kept in mind while checking the speaking section. There are questions like self-introduction and showing the image and asking to describe it. The candidate is given marks on various parameters. The speaking exam is taken place by giving a recorder to the students. The student can read the question, start the recorder and record the answer.
Writing section
The writing section of the PTE exam includes essays and letters. In this section, general topics are given to the students to understand their writing capabilities. Writing section is important because students have to write answers in the exams while studying abroad.
Reading section
The reading section of the PTE exam consists of unseen passages and articles. There can be a story given and after reading the story the student needs to answer the given question. It has multiple choice questions, therefore, a student should not get confused between the options. This way the examiner can understand that student is able to understand the language after reading it.
Listening section
The listening section is very crucial because there are times when a student is not able to understand the English language in an Australian accent. Due to this factor, many students score fewer marks in the listening section. There are short stories and paragraphs a student listens and then summarize the whole story by writing it. The listening section also has multiple choice questions and fills in the blacks so test the student in a variety of ways. Listening question helps the examiner in knowing that how well a student can understand the language when lectures will be given in college.
Where can you find PTE exam practice test software and books?
In this digital era, you can find everything on the web. PTE being a very famous language proficiency exam is all over the internet. There are many websites which offer PTE exam sample papers for free. There are also famous websites who charge a nominal amount for the PTE practice test software and sample papers. You can even find online and offline books on how to prepare for PTE examination. These books and sample papers are going to help you understand the exam format and what all you can expect in the exam.
Is the PTE exam easier than IELTS?
The full form of PTE is Pearson Tests of English and IELTS is The International English Language Testing System. Both the exam is world famous to test the English language proficiency but students get stuck at understanding which is easier to score well. To know this, a student should follow three different rules which are going to help them decide which exam is better for them.
- First, give the mock tests and solve the sample papers for both the exams. This is going to give you an exact idea that what the exam consists of and to understand the difference between both the exam. For example, PTE speaking test consists of voice recording, whereas in IELTS exam the examiner takes the interview of the student to know the speaking skills.
- Second, analyze the result of both the language tests. You have to keep an eye on every point to see which section is easier for you in both the exam, i.e. compare writing the section of PTE and IELTS and see which has an easier pattern where you can score well.
- Finally, check the score. You should see which exam has given you more confidence. The exam which in which you have scored better can be the exam of your choice.
Is PTE valid for Australian PR?
Yes, the PTE exam is valid for proving proficiency in the English language to apply for Australian PR (Permanent Residency). Earlier the exam was only used for students who were applying to Australian universities for educational purposes, but now it is valid for people who apply for a work visa and want to settle in Australia.
There are the major points, one should keep in mind before opting for the PTE exam. Understanding everything about the exam in depth is going to help a student score well in first attempt only. Although there are many chances a student gets to achieve good marks in the PTE exam but it’s good to keep all the major points in mind and give the exam so that time and money both can be saved and utilized in other documentation. So what are you waiting for? Start preparing for the PTE exam and show the world that you have an amazing command over the English language.
Conclusion
As you can see, PTE Exam preparation is a serious business. Some students may prefer to study by themselves while some others prefer learning with a tutor. Luckily, a person can have many constraints in their lives – for some traveling is difficult, for some it could be financial. It is better to explore the other modes of learning as well such as online tutoring vs. in-person tutoring.
Online mode of learning is definitely more affordable and convenient for some, Here is a list of best online tutoring platform for you to start exploring – Top 10 Online Tutoring Platforms.
In-Tutoring rates may vary if you’re based in Australia, But don’t worry about the location, find online English tutors on CrunchGrade.
Don’t worry you don’t have to stress just yet! Book a FREE Demo Session with an English Tutor for PTE Exam.