If you are planning to move abroad for your higher studies, one prerequisite you will need, without a doubt, is the results of English language proficiency tests. International students from almost all countries must submit proof of their competency in English. For several years, IELTS and TOEFL have been the top choice for English exams. However, the PTE exam has recently gained traction as more and more universities have officially begun accepting it under their entry requirements.
What exactly is the PTE exam? How can you apply for it? How should you prepare for it? The answers to these and several other questions are in the guide below. Continue reading!
What Is The PTE Exam?
Started in 2009 by Pearson, the Pearson Test of English is today a globally recognised English proficiency exam. It is one of the world’s leading computer-based tests to verify the candidate’s English proficiency in the study abroad or work abroad process. After successfully writing the PTE exam, candidates can migrate to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Germany, France, and 30+ other countries.
The PTE exam follows the proficiency levels declared by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or CEFR.
But why should you choose PTE over other popular English proficiency tests? Read on to the next section to find out!
Why Choose The PTE Exam?
The PTE exam has several advantages over other proficiency tests. Some of these are listed below in detail. Although the choice of exam ultimately depends on the university prerequisites or visa requirements, it’s worth exploring the pros:
- The PTE exam is a means to process your proficiency test faster, fairer and simpler. You can write the exam and receive the results in two business days.
- They employ an AI scoring and evaluation method to reduce the risk of unnecessary elimination, bias and incorrect grading.
- The PTE exam is held frequently throughout the year, making it convenient for candidates to choose a date that suits them well.
- The PTE exam is globally recognised, making it a feasible English test regardless of where you choose to migrate.
- Candidates can book their seats even 24 hours before the examination date as long as they are available.
Types Of PTE Exams
Three significant types of PTE exams are available for international candidates –
PTE Exam Eligibility
Fortunately, the PTE exam does not have a long list of eligibility criteria and prerequisites. Candidates must be at least 16 years old at the time of enrolment, and all candidates below 18 need the consent of their parents or guardians. Secondly, there must be a 5-day gap between two consecutive attempts of the PTE exam, although there’s no restriction on the number of attempts a candidate can register for.
What Is The PTE Exam Format?
The PTE Exam is graded on a scale of 10 to 90 marks. Since the primary objective of this exam is to test the candidate’s competency and capability to survive in an English-based environment, the exam is divided into three sections. The following list also contains the test items of each of the sections:
- Speaking and Writing
This section includes around 38 to 47 test items. Here are some examples –
– Read aloud
– Repeat sentence
– Describe image
– Re-tell lecture
– Short question
– Summarise written test
– Essay writing - Listening
This section includes about 17 to 25 test items. Refer here for examples –
– Summarise spoken text
– MCQ – multiple answers
– MCQ – single answer
– Fill in the blanks
– Highlight the correct summary
– Highlight the incorrect word
– Select the missing word
– Write from diction
- Reading
This section includes 15 to 20 test items. Here are the examples of the questions asked –
– Fill in the blanks
– MCQ – multiple answers
– MCQ – single answer
– Re-order paragraph
PTE Scoring System
As mentioned above, the PTE English test is scored on a scale of 10 to 90. The scoring methodology is followed in two significant ways as follows:
- Correct/Incorrect: This is employed for strictly objective questions where there could be no bias at all. When you get a question right, you gain one mark. Otherwise, you’re marked zero.
- Correct/Partially Correct/Incorrect: This is for subjective questions that could have varying results. For instance, a speaking test where the grading criteria are the format, response, content, etc. Thus, you could be marked as correct and get full marks, partially correct and get only some of the marks, or be completely incorrect.
Let us now look at the typical scoring criteria for generic questions in the PTE Exam:
- Content: Is your answer relevant to the topic, or are you answering off-topic?
- Form: Is your answer too small and less than the required word limit?
- Format: Are you following the format pre-defined by the exam guidelines?
- General rules: Are you following the pre-defined limits, time limit, and other guidelines specified?
Duration Of The PTE Exam
The total duration of the PTE Exam is 180 minutes or 3 hours, during which candidates must answer 71 to 83 test items from three different skill sets. Of the three sections, Speaking and Writing are allotted the maximum time as they are considered the most important skills.
| Section | Time |
| Speaking and Writing | 72 to 93 minutes |
| Listening | 44 to 61 minutes |
| Reading | 31 to 41 minutes |
10 Tips To Prepare For The PTE Exam
The next step in this process would be to start preparing for the PTE exam. Here are some quick tips that might help you get motivated and put you on the right track to cracking the PTE exam in the first attempt:
- Understand the PTE exam, skill sets, sections, and grading system.
- Explore what the exam looks for in an ideal candidate to know what you need to prepare for.
- Watch short videos, news snippets, and practice videos to practise your skills.
- Start speaking to others in English as much as possible to get a comfortable command of the language.
- Speak and write on various topics to practice for the test.
- Read newspapers, magazines, academic papers, blogs and short stories.
- Practise the most common answers asked in the PTE exam.
- Create a general structure for the common questions, but do not employ any overused templates.
- Try to use original vocabulary as much as possible.
- Practise with as many resources as possible!
Registration Process And Fees For The PTE Exam
The registration process for the PTE exam is quick and easy to follow. The entire enrollment process is to be completed online via the school’s website. Here are the steps:
- Visit the official Pearson’s website for the PTE exam.
- Create an account by clicking on ‘sign up’.
- Log in to your account.
- Set up your profile.
- Fill in the answers for a few generic booking questions.
- Select the preferred centre, time, and date for your PTE Exam.
- Review the details.
- Pay the registration fees.
- Confirm and prepare for the exam!
Although you can book the slot as much as 24 hours before the test, there are a very limited number of seats in each slot, meaning it books up fast. It is wise to book your slot as soon as possible.
For the 2024 PTE Exam, the registration fee for Indian candidates is INR 17,000. However, if you book the slot at the last minute, 48 hours before the exam, you will be charged an additional late fee of 5%, totalling your registration fee of INR 17,850. If you wish to retake the exam, you must pay the entire fee again.
The fees could vary depending on the type of PTE exam you’re appearing for. Refer to the table below to get an accurate idea:
| PTE Exam | Fees in INR |
| PTE Academic | INR 17,000 |
| PTE Academic Online | INR 17,000 |
| PTE Academic UKVI | INR 17,000 |
| PTE Home A1 | INR 14,435 |
| PTE Home A2 | INR 14,435 |
| PTE Home B1 | INR 14,435 |
If you’re unsatisfied with your score, you can also request a rescore. However, that comes with a fee of INR 4,133. Since the exam is evaluated by AI and computers, the scores seldom change even after the rescore. However, in the rare instance that they do, your rescore fee is completely refunded.
If you need to cancel your PTE exam because of unavoidable circumstances, you can expect a full refund as long as you cancel 14 days before the test. If you cancel between 8 and 13 days, you get a 50% refund. Cancellation after that does not get you any refund.
PTE Exam Dates & Centres In 2024
The PTE Exam is held in 23 cities in India across various centres. You can choose any one that suits your requirements and convenience. To help you choose, we have listed the popular cities for the PTE exam in the table below, along with their available dates.
| City | PTE Test Dates |
| New Delhi | Feb: 01, 16, 22; Mar: 07, 15, 21, 28; Apr: 04, 11, 19, 24; May: 03, 06, 16, 21, 30; Jun: 06, 14, 20, 28; Jul: 03, 12, 26; Aug: 02, 06, 16, 28; Sep: 05, 13, 18 |
| Mumbai | Jan: 03, 17, 31; Feb: 10, 24; Mar: 14, 28; Apr: 11, 25; May: 09, 23; Jun: 06, 20; Jul: 04, 18; Aug: 01, 15, 29; Sep: 12, 26 |
| Bangalore | Feb: 05, 19; Mar: 05, 19; Apr: 02, 16, 30; May: 14, 28; Jun: 11, 25; Jul: 09, 23; Aug: 06, 20; Sep: 03, 17 |
| Hyderabad | Jan: 09, 23; Feb: 13, 27; Mar: 12, 26; Apr: 09, 23; May: 07, 21; Jun: 04, 18; Jul: 02, 16, 30; Aug: 13, 27; Sep: 10, 24 |
| Chennai | Jan: 05, 19; Feb: 02, 16; Mar: 01, 15, 29; Apr: 12, 26; May: 10, 24; Jun: 07, 21; Jul: 05, 19; Aug: 02, 16, 30; Sep: 13, 27 |
| Pune | Jan: 08, 22; Feb: 12, 26; Mar: 11, 25; Apr: 08, 22; May: 06, 20; Jun: 03, 17; Jul: 01, 15, 29; Aug: 12, 26; Sep: 09, 23 |
| Kolkata | Jan: 11, 25; Feb: 08, 22; Mar: 07, 21; Apr: 04, 18; May: 02, 16, 30; Jun: 13, 27; Jul: 11, 25; Aug: 08, 22; Sep: 05, 19 |
| Ahmedabad | Jan: 06, 20; Feb: 03, 17; Mar: 02, 16, 30; Apr: 13, 27; May: 11, 25; Jun: 08, 22; Jul: 06, 20; Aug: 03, 17, 31; Sep: 14, 28 |
PTE Exam Results
The results for the PTE English test are out within 48 hours of the exam. You’re given a PTE scorecard where you can see and analyse how much you scored in each section and skill. The scorecard includes other details, like grammar, fluency, and spelling, which help candidates analyse the areas where they fall short.
The PTE Exam follows the GSE scale, in which language proficiency is divided into six groups based on skill and competency. These groups and their meanings are as follows:
| GSE Levels | CEFR Equivalent | PTE Academic | Language Capability Range |
| Proficient Users | C2 | 85-90 | Very Good – Expert |
| C1 | 75-84 | Very Good | |
| Independent Users | B2 | 59-74 | Good |
| B1 | 43-58 | Competent | |
| Basic Users | A2 | 30-42 | Limited – Modest |
| A1 | 10-29 | Extremely Limited |
What is a good PTE score? If you’re applying to a university or college abroad, you must score at least 78 on your PTE exam. Anything below that might hamper your choice of university. You can even score more than 85 by meticulously preparing for the test.
The scorecard contains the following information:
- Your name, test taker ID, registration ID
- Overall score
- Individual score in each communicative skill
- Skills breakdown
- Candidate information, like date of birth, gender, citizenship, and country of residence.
- Test centre information
- Validity of the test
The PTE test is typically valid for two years.
FAQs
Q1. Is PTE easier than IELTS?
Ans: Both PTE and IELTS test the same skill set in a candidate. Neither exam is relatively easier than the other. The only difference is the examination format, pattern, and mode.
Q2. How many attempts are there for PTE?
Ans: There is no restriction on the maximum number of times you can retake the exam. However, there must be a gap of at least five days between two attempts.
Q3. How much is the PTE exam fee?
Ans: Typically, the PTE Academic exam fee is INR 17,000.
Q4. Which topic is the hardest in PTE?
Ans: The reading section is often cited as the hardest part of the PTE exam.
Q5. What is the 3-second rule in PTE?
Ans: The PTE exam follows a meticulous rule – if you stop for 3 seconds while speaking, the recording status will be marked as complete. Therefore, you must be very mindful of your pauses.
Thank you for reading our guide to the PTE Exam 2024! What are your expert tips for preparation? Let us know in the comments section below!
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