In India, more than one million students take the Pearson Test of English or PTE exam every year to study and work abroad. The conducting body for this test is the Pearson PLC group. It is gradually making its place among the top language proficiency tests. However, many of the new examinees are not aware of the various aspects of this test. Therefore, this article explains the PTE exam format for the learners. Along with that, it will also answer some of the queries that aspirants have about the test:

The PTE Exam: Format and Syllabus

The PTE test has a period of 2 hours and 15 minutes. The scoring is done on a scale of 10-90. This exam is dissected into three major sections. Each part has its tasks, set time, and scores. In addition, they cover the academic and general topics. These are as follows:

• Writing and speaking: This part of the exam takes about 54-67 minutes. Moreover, the overall question count is around 28 to 36.
• Reading: This is 29-30 minutes long and comprises 13-18 questions.
• Listening: The number of questions is 12-20, with a time limit of 30-43 minutes.

Although the sections are separate, their questions require students to use multiple skills. The tasks can be MCQs, matching the following, filling in blanks, summarizing, describing images, and more. Following are a few questions that will help you understand the PTE exam better:

Top Questions About the PTE Exam

The best way to comprehend things is to ask questions about them. Therefore, it is important that students also ask their queries. In the same way, the students preparing for the PTE test must also have a few doubts. However, the credibility of the source is essential too. For instance, consulting a study abroad expert can be a better option when it comes to the PTE exam-related questions. Here are a few demonstrations of the doubts that can come up in your mind when you are taking a language test for going abroad:

How Many Times Can Students Take the PTE Exam?

Most competitive exams provide students with a fixed number of attempts. However, unlike them, the Conducting body for the PTE has set no such limit on the candidates. They can take the test as many times as they want. Nevertheless, the only criterion they need to follow is that there should be a gap of 5 days between their two test attempts.

How to Prepare for the PTE Test?

Preparation is always an essential process for succeeding in any exam. So, these steps will help you to cover the syllabus for PTE within the right period.

• Begin early, maybe 2 months before the exam. In addition, have a study plan for the preparation.
• Get yourself familiar with the exam format, such as the questions, time, and scoring methods.
• Practice well with the help of mock tests, online classes, and other study materials.
• Try to familiarize yourself with the specific tips and strategies for each section and question type of the test.

What Changes Are Made to the PTE 2024?

The Pearson Group made some changes to the PTE exam format in the year 2024. These changes include:

• The length of the exam will be of lesser duration.
• The number of questions will be fewer than before.
• There will be no breaks between the different sections of the test.

Why Choose PTE Academics?

This test is mainly for people who plan on studying in foreign colleges. It covers academic topics to check the expertise of the candidate. Moreover, the other unique features of this test include:

• Fair testing
• Flexibility
• Fast results
• Global Acceptance

What is the Significance of the “3 Second Rule” in PTE?

This rule is applicable to the speaking section. In this, if the PTE exam taker takes a pause of 3 seconds in between speaking then the task is skipped. In addition, it gets marked completed even though the speaker is not finished. Therefore, the person needs to think quickly and give responses promptly.

Is There a Negative Marking in the PTE Exam?

There is no mention of negative markings in the test. However, a few questions in the listening and reading section of the PTE exam format have a -1 score for an incorrect response. These are the MCQs, fill-ups, and the reorder paragraph questions. However, the final score will remain zero, not a negative number.

Conclusion

Overall, the PTE is still a new test type for many, so it is natural to have queries about it. Hope, this article has helped them gain some insight about this test. However, some students prefer to take further advice from study consultants and coaching centers, like Gradding. They brief the learners about the syllabus of PTE, updates, and changes. Moreover, they also provide resources like free practice tests and online classes with experts so that examinees can prepare well.