PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic

The English test for study abroad and immigration

PTE Academic is an international computer-based English language test aimed at non-native English speakers wanting to study abroad and immigrate.

PTE Academic is the English test trusted by various universities and governments around the world. The test can be used to prove your English ability for university and college admissions or as part of a visa application. The test consists of task-based questions, defining various skills used by a student or person in the native English speaking society.

Why PTE?

  • Fast: PTE Academic results are available maximum within five business days.
  • Fair: The highly accurate computer marking means consistent scores and no examiner bias.
  • International: Approved by the Australian Government for visa applications and accepted by thousands of institutions in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland, including Harvard and Yale.
  • Flexible: Candidates can schedule their test as little as 24 hours in advance.
  • Secure: It ensures universities know the test score is real, and mean that score is safe.
  • Real-life assessment: The test assesses the real-life English skills that will be needed at university and living abroad. Not only do it assesses speaking, listening, reading and writing, but it tests in an integrated way that reflects real-life settings, as well as testing academic skills.
  • Unlimited usage: The scores can be sent to as many institutions as per choice – there are no additional fees for extra score reports.
  • Worldwide: It offers flexible testing locations, with test centers in over 50 countries worldwide.

Test Format

Most real-life tasks in an academic setting involve using more than one language skill together. PTE Academic
reflects this through its 20 task types, each of which tests a combination of skills. PTE Academic assesses listening, reading, speaking and writing all via computer in a single 3 hour test session. To complete a PTE Academic test, you will need to attend a secure Pearson test center. You will use a computer and headset to listen to, read and respond to questions.

PTE Academic assesses real-life, academic content, so you will hear excerpts from lectures and view graphs and charts. You will hear a range of accents in the test, from British and American to non-native speakers, so you will be exposed to the type of accents you will encounter in everyday life.

The test is divided into three main parts and lasts for approximately three hours with an optional break of ten minutes:
Part I : Speaking and writing (77-93 minutes)
Part 2: Reading (32- 41 minutes)
Part 3: Listening (45- 57 minutes)

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SPEAKING, WRITING, READING AND LISTENING.

 

Score guide

All tasks in PTE Academic are machine scored. Scores for some task types are based on correctness alone, while others are based on correctness, formal aspects and the quality of the response. Scores for task types assessing speaking and writing skills are generated by automated scoring systems. There are two types of scoring:

Correct or incorrect
Some task types are scored as either correct or incorrect. If responses are correct, one score point will be given. but if they are incorrect. no score points will be awarded.
Partial credit
Other task types are scored as correct, partially correct or incorrect. If responses to these tasks are correct. The maximum score points available will be received. If responses are partly correct, some score points will be given: but less than the maximum available. If responses are incorrect, no score points will be received.

PTE Academic is aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF or CEFR), a widely recognized benchmark for language ability.The CEF describes language proficiency in listening. reading. speaking and writing on a six-level scale, grouped in three bands: A1- A2 (Basic User), B1 – B2 (Independent User), C1 – C2 (Proficient User).

PTE SCORES COMPARISON

PTE Score Comparison

Score Card Sample

Your score report has several sections:

  • Your personal details and photo
  • Your overall score
  • A detailed breakdown of your performance

The PTE Academic Score Report includes your overall score, communicative skills scores and enabling skills scores. The overall score reflects your overall English language ability. The score is based on performance on all items in the test. The range for the overall score is 10-90 points.

Scores for communicative skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) are based on all test items that assess these skills, either as a single skill or together with other skills.  The range for each communicative skill score is 10-90 points.

Scores for enabling skills (grammar, oral fluency, pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary and written discourse) are based on all test items assessing one or more of these skills.  The range for each enabling skill score is 10-90 points.

The display of the scores in a graph allows you to quickly see your strengths and weaknesses, and how each skill relates to your overall performance.