Breaking down PTE Academic, section by section
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With the ever-increasing importance of English as a global language, the governments of Vietnam and Thailand have policies in place to boost the English language proficiency of their populations.
And as the Thai and Vietnamese populations embark on their English language learning journey, they will inevitably encounter the checkpoint of needing to test and prove their English skills to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Enter the Pearson Test of English, otherwise known as PTE.
It’s a globally recognised, computer-based English language test that measures language ability – it is the fastest and most reliable way of proving English language proficiency.
Launched in 2009, PTE was created in response to the demand for a more accurate, objective, secure and relevant test of English skill. PTE is accepted by academic institutions and governments across the globe and is the market-leading high stakes English test.
PTE stands out in the market due to its speed, flexibility, fairness and accuracy – being a computer-based test, PTE eliminates the biases of human scoring and ensures that marking is devoid of human error.
Students who want to study or migrate abroad are required to demonstrate their English skills, and like any tests your students may take, it requires adequate preparation. Students are exposed to excerpts from lectures, graphs and charts, and will hear a vast range of accents in the test, which reflects exposure to the types of accents encountered in everyday life.
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What is the structure of PTE?
The structure of PTE will see students complete twenty different task types in a single 3-hour sitting, which ranges across three sections:
- Speaking and writing
- Reading
- Listening
Part 1 (speaking and writing) runs for between 77-93 minutes, and asks students to introduce themselves, to read aloud, repeat sentences, describe images, re-tell lectures, answer short questions, summarise written text, and write an essay.
Part 2 (reading) runs for around 32-40 minutes and asks students to fill in the blanks, answer multiple choice questions and re-order paragraphs.
Part 3 (listening) is between 45-57 minutes, and this is where students summarise spoken text, answer multiple choice questions, fill in the blanks, highlight correct summarise, select and highlight missing and incorrect words, as well as where they write from dictation.
Setting your students up for success
For effective preparation, students should familiarise themselves with the test format, evaluate their English proficiency, have a desired test date in mind and implement a study plan. With sound preparation, students will know what to expect on the day of their test, during the test and after their test, which will set them up for success.
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In order to increase their chances at achieving their desired results, students can take a practice test to assess their likely score, which is a valuable way to guide their preparation and study strategies.
To explore the importance of effective preparation further, there are some tips and tricks to ensure your students are set up for success. We’ve categorised these in four sections that covers tips for each key date leading up to the test:
- One month before the test. Have your students follow the news (or watch a documentary) to assist them with sentence structure and vocabulary organisation, plus it provides excellent listening practice. At this stage, having a study plan is crucial, too.
- A week before the test. It’s recommended that students sit at least one practice test under exam conditions – this means finding a quiet place and timing their session.
- A day before the test. Students should have everything prepared for the test, including their identification. Being prepared a day before the test will ensure that students are relaxed and ready for the test.
- The day of the test. It’s important that students arrive on time to avoid any stresses, and that they speak and think in English on their way to the test centre to put them in the ‘test mindset’.
With guidance from educators, students can achieve their desired score and unlock a world of personal, professional and academic possibilities.
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